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2008 Student Portfolio Review Details

Students wishing to sign up to present work during the sessions on Friday, March 21, 2008 (8:00am - 9:30am), or Saturday, March 22, 2008 (8:00am - 9:30am), are invited to contact David Budries.

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Reviews of Sound Designs, Compositions and Portfolios are sponsored by the USITT Sound Commission and provide participants with an opportunity to present their work to a group of peers, educators and professionals. The group provides a brief critique immediately following the presentation where presenters get a range of valuable feedback from differing perspectives. At the end of the group critique sessions, a personalized extended critique is available where students meet individually with the Vice-Commissioner of Education to discuss their portfolios, resumes, and potential career paths.

Presentations can be focused on Sound Reinforcement Design, Conceptual Sound Design, Composition or any combination of the above. They should reflect the individuality of the presenter. What gets included depends on your project, aesthetic and personal/professional focus. You may elect to keep the presentation simple or in-depth. Your presentation should be professional, but you should also have fun.

You have 15 minutes to present your work, so you will benefit from rehearsing and refining your delivery. Develop a good pace, but refrain from rushing through too much information. The “audience” will have 10 minutes to respond to your presentation. Remember, additional individualized critique time is available after each session.

Because of the early hour, the Sound Commission will provide coffee, tea, and light breakfast goodies.

All design materials must be labeled with:

Title of Production
Act and Scene
Designer’s name
The Producing Organization

Depending on the nature of your work you may consider including any (or none) of the items listed below. These are just suggestions, not requirements. You must determine what is essential for your presentation.

Concept: A brief design concept statement may be included outlining your design approach to the production.

Research: You may include projected or aural materials that represent your research, preliminary “sketches”, and any other sources of inspiration that demonstrate the designers’ process, evolution, design challenges and solutions including ways in which the design is collaborative .

Line Drawings or Schematic Block Diagrams: You may provide a line drawing, or schematic block diagram graphically outlining how the delivery system is interconnected. While USITT has not yet adopted a single graphical ‘standard’ for these drawings, we suggest that you use the current draft graphic standards document as a guideline. All icons/graphics should be labeled with the specific information that will appropriately identify their function in the design. (Graphic Standards Project Page)

Delivery System Ground Plan and Sectional Drawings: A standard theatre ground plan may be provided which should clearly show the positioning of all the equipment (loudspeakers, microphones, practicals, etc. and can include amplifiers and processing) on the stage, in the orchestra pit (if applicable) and in the house. Specific focus notes should accompany loudspeaker and microphone icons if they are available. A separate schedule might also include this information .

Additionally, a sectional may be included to show coverage in the vertical plane as well as the focus for all loudspeaker and microphones (if applicable).

Production Cue List: A detailed summary of all sound, music and microphone cues in performance order (if applicable) may be included. Other cue details may be included if available/helpful.

Production Photography: If available, some color production photographs may be included to give a visual perspective on the aesthetic and scope of the production. Additionally, any specials, practicals or unique installations can be photographed and included.

Audio/Video media for Presentation: If available, you may provide a CD, or DVD of your materials as appropriate to your presentation. This may contain examples of drafting, photographic images, video clips, research; built sound cues (usually compiled to a stereo mix,) selections of found music and/or original compositions. Some elements listed above may be delivered on paper including sheet music, drafting, etc.

You are encouraged to bring a computer to present your design elements. A media projector and good sound system will be provided in the presentation room.

Additional Production Organization Materials may include:

Installation Detail; Rigging Detail;
Construction of Practicals, Specials or Unique Loudspeaker/Microphone Arrays;
Labor Distribution;
Production Schedules;
Budgets, Supplies and Expendables;
An RF bible (Summary of all Radio Microphone information including actors, microphones, transmitter/receivers, and all paperwork necessary to track microphones through the production.).

General Notes:

I would not recommend “passing around” printed materials during your presentation because that activity pulls the focus of the audience away from you as presenter.

Although you generally want to bring a comprehensive collection of materials to any portfolio presentation, edit your actual presentation to the essentials. Let the audience ask for additional information, which you can then provide. This technique promotes a dialogue between yourself and the “audience”.

Have fun presenting and let people know that you enjoy your work.