The Institute of Professional Sound (IPS) has announced its UK Training Weekend, running from the evening of 15 March to the afternoon of 17 March at the University of Warwick, near Coventry.
Featuring specialists from multiple audio disciplines, the event focuses on topics ranging from the implementation of Audio-over-IP, to explaining why there is an increase in latency and lip sync issues. Aiming to unite a fragmented audio industry, the IPS says it plugs a gap by delivering practical audio training in a rapidly evolving industry.
‘Huge changes have been absorbed by professional audio practitioners over the past few years with the adoption of IP, remote production and distributed working, and there is very little formal training to keep people across everything,’ says IPS Events coordinator, Ian Sands. ‘Meanwhile, the majority of today’s sound engineers are freelancers and the days of certified training from the principal media institutions in the UK are long gone.
‘The IPS strives not only to provide training for its members, but for our entire community, and we are encouraging participants from across our industry to get involved. While IPS members do receive more favourable rates, all our tickets are very affordable.’
Sessions include broadcast audio manager Richard Merrick on the real-world implementation of AoIP, and how robust systems can ensure the reliable flow of audio. Meanwhile, Hugh Robjohns identifies and fixes common connectivity faults, and sound supervisors Andy James and Pete Bridges investigate the causes of lip-sync and latency, how to measure them, and how to fix them.
Live sound engineer Griff Hewis chairs a session on designing live audio for large events and dubbing/re-recording mixer Kate Davis explains what modern post houses are looking for from location audio. Meanwhile, Dr Russell Mason from the University of Surrey explains the science of sound perception and spatial audio, and Sennheiser’s Marcus Blight and Jonathan Edwards from Terry Tew Sound & Light examine the practical aspects of RF, including spectrum management, and mixing analogue and digital systems.
Finally, Boiling Point’s Production Sound Mixer Kiff McManus and Lost in London’s Head of Sound Tim Fraser describe how they overcame the practical and technical challenges on both of those single-shot feature films.
‘This is the first residential training weekend we have held since Covid, and outside of the training sessions we plan to host a number of social and other activities with industry manufacturers, suppliers and facility houses,’ adds Sands. ‘As well as being educational it is also an ideal opportunity for our attendees to get together, swap notes and build networks.’
With many traditional routes into the industry blocked, the IPS is also hoping that the event will attract more young people into the audio industry.
Prices include attendance to all sessions, any support materials, en-suite hotel style accommodation, all meals, refreshments, and car parking for the duration of the weekend.
