VP Day One
- Lesson5 of 6
- Time30 min
- Safety gateMust be passed
Safety and etiquette at the volume
Outcome
Spot the hazards at an LED volume, follow the 'don't touch the wall' rules, and report flicker and faults to the right person.
Mapped to 2 ScreenSkills checklist lines
- ScreenSkills virtual production competencies: lighting roles · Position and secure fixtures while applying safety considerations: "ensure that the personal protective equipment selected for use meets safety requirement for working at heights"
- ScreenSkills virtual production competencies: lighting roles · Prepare and use equipment to modify and manipulate lighting: "ensure there is no spill light from conventional fixtures hitting the LED screen as this causes contrast issues"
ScreenSkills checklists are guides, not accreditation. This course is not endorsed by ScreenSkills.
Watch
2 films · about 40 minutes
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Don't touch the wall
- LED panels are fragile, expensive and live. Never lean on, touch, tape or mark the wall. Keep props, stands and cases clear of it.
- Fingerprints and knocks show on camera. A knocked module can go dark or shift colour.
- If something hits the wall, tell the LED crew at once. Don't try to fix it.
Hazards particular to a volume
- Height: walls and ceilings are built and rigged by trained crews. Don't climb anything.
- Power: the wall and processors draw heavy power. Power belongs to the electricians.
- Heat: walls run warm, and long days get hot. Drink water and take breaks.
- Eyes: bright walls for hours tire the eyes. Look away between takes.
- Cables: tracking and data cables cross the floor. Route and mark them; keep fire exits clear.
Flicker and faults: report, don't fix
- Flicker or banding on the monitor usually means the camera's frame rate or shutter doesn't match the wall's refresh. Tell the camera team and the brain bar.
- Ripples (moiré) mean focus is too near the wall. Tell the focus puller.
- Normal set rules apply: the safety briefing, stop if unsafe, report near misses, never enter stunt, SFX or weapons areas.
Check
3 questions drawn from 8 · pass mark 80% · safety-critical questions must be right · 3 attempts in 24 hours · new questions each time
Watch the films to open the check.
Do
Hazard spot: the volume · 15 minutes
Read the scene. Tick what you'd act on or report, then write the order and why.
Pre-call on a volume. A C-stand sits 10cm from the wall. A tracking cable runs over the fire exit by the brain bar. Two crew are rigging lights on the ceiling truss. A coffee cup is on the edge of the stage. The monitor shows faint banding. A runner is leaning on a wall panel, on their phone.
How it's marked
- Fire exit cable and the person leaning on the wall come first
- Keeps clear of the overhead work and tells others to
- Reports the C-stand to the grips or sparks, and banding to camera and the brain bar
- Explains the order by risk
Met or Not yet, with a comment from a trained reviewer. Until accounts open, open the model answer after you submit and mark your own work against it.
Model answer (open after you submit)
First the fire exit cable (tell the AD team) and the runner on the wall (ask them to step away). Keep clear of the overhead rigging. Tell the grips or sparks about the C-stand. Tell camera and the brain bar about the banding. Move the cup off the stage.
Reflect
Record
This is everything kept about this lesson. In the pilot it's held by Futures in Film CIC in your account; Screen Sisters CIC sees named records only if you agree. Your data
Moving on doesn't complete a lesson. A lesson is complete when the films are watched, the check is passed and the task is marked Met.