2011 Michael Northen Bursary Submission information

The Michael Northen Bursary is awarded annually to a student or recent graduate who has demonstrated strong, imaginative and creative Lighting Design. It is organised by the Association of Lighting Designers, a professional body representing lighting designers in the live performance industry. Michael Northen was the first credited Lighting Designer in the UK and his work on The Mousetrap can still be seen in the West End today. It is open to all students (not just those on vocational theatre courses) and graduates from 2010 and 2011. Taking part in the Michael Northen Bursary brings you and your work to the attention of the experienced lighting designers and other industry professionals on the judging panel. Winning the Michael Northen Bursary brings you and your work to the attention of all the members of the ALD, and potentially everyone attending PLASA, Winning can give you real help as you start your professional career in lighting and this year the prizes include some outstanding opportunities to work alongside top industry names. Prize: The winning applicant will be presented with a cheque for 500 at the PLASA Trade Show in September 2011 and will have the extra prize of either: An opportunity to observe a high profile lighting designer at work or An opportunity to experience working with a company or venue.

There are also two runner-up prizes, one sponsored by ETC and the Francis Reid Award, sponsored by the ALD, also presented at PLASA. Each will be 250 plus an opportunity to work with a company or venue. (Please let us know what kind of opportunity you would be interested in should you be one of the winning applicants. This will not be taken into consideration during the judging). The judging will take place in August, and the names of the winners will be announced at the PLASA show (11th to 14th September, free entry to all ALD members), which is regularly attended by all of the major Lighting Manufacturers and many designers, where the winning portfolios will be displayed. Submissions: We want you to put together a compact, high quality printed portfolio, something you might take to a meeting with a director or maybe an agent, to help you get work. Your portfolio should be no bigger than A4. The best portfolios will be on display at PLASA. After that, they will be yours to use to get work! Your portfolio should show high quality work from two to four productions that were realised since the start of your studies and should demonstrate your imaginative and creative approach to lighting design. The Portfolio should also show the judges something of how and why you achieved your end result. Photographs: You should aim to include up to six well chosen images from each production. These should show the judges what you can do with light. It is probably a good idea to provide a caption for each image to give it a context. -1-

2011 Michael Northen Bursary Submission information

Other Visuals: Along side images of the finished work, you may wish to include visual inspiration, mood-boards, story-boards, extracts from your cue synopsis and lighting plan, and other paperwork relevant to the design. Choose the best you have quality over quantity. Writing: You will need to include a page of writing outlining your approach to lighting design. This should be no more than about 500 words. You may also wish to provide a brief overview of the main challenges of each production. However you should aim to let your pictures do most of the work lighting design is a visual art-form. Credits: Please remember to follow good professional practice and give full credits for each production. These will usually include: Title of the Production, Author, [Composer & Librettist], Venue, Director, Choreographer, All other Designers, and Photographer. Please also include the dates of your productions. If you need any advice in this sometimes tricky area, contact Jack or the ALD Office. Your CV: Since this is a professional portfolio, you should include a neat, up-to-date CV, which will include the following contact details: Your Name; Your University or College, and your Course of Study; The Date your Course will be Completed; Your Personal E-mail; (not a college e-mail address please) Your Phone Number; (preferably one with a voice mail service) A return address for your portfolio.

Submissions should be sent to: ALD Anniversary Bursary, PO Box 680 Oxford OX1 9DG and must be received by the 31st of July 2011 Submissions must fit into an A4 envelope and have the correct postage paid. Failure to do this will result in exclusion from the competition. If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to email ALD Student Rep Jack Knowles jack.knowles@ald.org.uk

Good Luck!

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