No javascript ETIC | Technical Arts Course Technical Arts – Lighting, Video & Creative Technical Direction

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    Technical Arts

    British International Certification Years 1-2

    Duration:: 2 years

    Level: 5

    Dates:: Oct 2026 - July 2028

    Schedule:: Mon-Friday 9:00am – 1:00pm

    Language:: English

    Classes:: In person/Max. of 16 students

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    OVERVIEW

    Modern productions demand versatile professionals who can merge lighting, video, and automation into seamless experiences. In a market of compact, multidisciplinary teams, success comes from mastering multiple technologies and creatively integrating them to transform events into immersive spectacles.

    This pioneering course trains Technical and Creative Directors to lead productions across concerts, tours, projection mapping, theatre, cinema, dance, museums, live streaming, television, corporate events, nightclubs, and immersive installations.

    The focus is on creativity, emotion, and intuition, turning tools into mediums and concepts into high-impact sensory experiences. Students gain hands-on expertise in light, video, automation, and networked systems, preparing them to design, coordinate, and direct productions with precision and confidence.

    We don’t just train operators—we prepare versatile professionals, ready to design and coordinate productions across various sectors:

    Visual Design: Concerts, tours and projection mapping;
    Culture & Arts: Theatre, cinema, dance, museums and immersive installations;
    Digital & Broadcast: Live streaming, television and corporate events;
    Leisure & Entertainment: Nightclubs, entertainment venues and fixed installations.

    LEARNING METHODOLOGY

    The School’s teaching is based on a project-based learning (PBL) approach, delivered in small classes of up to 18 students, ensuring close student-teacher interaction. Students learn by seeking solutions to real-world challenges, often working in teams, fostering their creative, critical, and personal development.

    TEACHERS

    The teaching staff is composed of active industry professionals, and students are encouraged to participate regularly in workshops, conferences, and study visits to enhance their knowledge and gain exposure to real-world professional environments.

    PROGRAMME

    YEAR 1: CONCEPT & DEVELOPMENT + CREATIVE PROJECT
    Applied Electricity and Cabling Standardization

    This unit empowers students in Electrotechnical Principles, Earthing, and Safety, providing fundamental electrical knowledge and safety practices for handling video and lighting equipment. Simultaneously,
    Topologies and Video and Data Wiring Standardization explores organizational patterns, network topologies, and standardized cables (Ethernet, SDI, HDMI), ensuring the design of robust and reliable cabling systems for live performances and shows.

    Projector Technology

    In this unit, we will study from the analysis and practical application of static projectors to advanced Moving Headtechnology, also covering scenic space modeling and light quality control.
    We will explore the structure, programming, and maintenance of automated fixtures, maximizing their creative potential in performances and lighting concepts.

    Display Systems and Signal Management

    In this unit, we will study from large-scale video solutions, such as video wall installation and projector optimization, to signal management through matrices, also covering the complete source-to-screen signal path, conversion between analog and digital standards, and high-quality distribution to ensure image integrity in professional performance environments.

    Structures, Lifting Systems and Safety

    In this unit, we will study from fundamental rigging components and safe attachment techniques to complex metal structures, also covering load analysis and vector forces. The focus is on material selection, working at height standards, and structural safety, ensuring reliable setups according to international and local regulations for the entertainment industry.

    Protocols and Control Network Architecture and Content Automation

    In this unit, we will study from DMX-512 addressing and large-format console operation to advanced network protocols such as Art-Net, sACN, and Dante, focusing on latency and data convergence. It also covers implementation in Virtual Consoles and show automation via QLab, ensuring integrated multimedia control and data security for complex systems in professional environments.

    Immersion Technologies and Extended Reality (XR)

    In this unit, we will study from Media Server architecture and technical signal flow to the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual (VR) on stage. Also covering advanced video switcher operation, including switching, scaling, and composition, we empower students to create immersive experiences and manage complex visual content in real-time for modern performances.

    Specific Video Systems and Transmission

    In this unit, we will study from the particularities of video systems applied to museum and exhibition installations to technical solutions for live events. Also covering the configuration and distribution of content via Live Streaming, we empower students to master the broadcast workflow and the integration of visual media in permanent or temporary exhibition spaces.

    Audio Fundamentals and Miking for Stage

    In this unit, we will study from the introduction to sound and signal chain analysis to advanced miking techniques and wireless systems. Also covering specific cabling and frequency management (ANACOM), we empower students to operate robust audio systems and coordinate radio frequencies safely, ensuring sonic clarity within live performance environments.

    Technical and Stage Management

    In this unit, we will study from Professional Ethics and Leadership within the performance context to the fundamentals of Technical Direction and Stage Management. Also covering team coordination and backstage process management, we empower students to take on technical and artistic responsibility, ensuring organization, safety, and excellence in the execution of cultural

    ETIC LAB

    This Laboratory aims to unify connections within the community. It serves as a meeting point and exchange of experiences, a space dedicated to creativity where interdisciplinary practices are explored and developed, both inside and outside the school environment. Communication is the main key to this process. The lab seeks to identify and mobilize trends, experiment with new ways of thinking and conceptualizing, and facilitate synergies among students. This is a laboratory presented as a learning tool.

    ENGLISH

    Our courses share content and present challenges with an international perspective. We prepare and support our students with best practices in mind, regardless of geography or nationality. For this reason, knowing English is a fundamental tool for breaking down barriers: gaining access to more references, discovering more professional contexts, and developing a portfolio aligned with the best work being produced, without borders.

    YEAR 2: PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT + PROFESSIONAL PROJECT
    Lighting design for corporate, museum and exhibition environments

    In this unit, we will study from Design for Corporate Events and Conferences, focusing on sobriety and visual clarity, to specialized design for museum and exhibition environments. Also covering accent lighting and preventive conservation, we empower students to create lighting concepts that enhance brands and artworks while respecting the technical requirements of each specific space.

    Lighting design for performing arts and film productions

    In this unit, we will study from design for performing arts, such as theatre and dance, to the technical specificities of cinematic productions. Also covering advanced light control techniques and integrated video in scene design, we empower students to master visual storytelling and lighting aesthetics across multiple artistic contexts, ensuring cohesion between the stage and the lens.

    Lighting design for performing arts and film productions

    In this unit, we will study from advanced Media Server operation and programming to calibration techniques for irregular projection surfaces and LED systems. Also covering geometric mapping and image warping, we empower students to project dynamic content onto complex architectures, ensuring perfect alignment and edge blending of multiple projectors in immersive performances and large-scale shows.

    P.A. Engineering and Monitoring Systems

    In this unit, we will study from the characteristics and setup of P.A. systems (Line Array and Conventional) to stage monitoring techniques and In-Ear systems. Also covering the technical interconnection between audio and lighting, we empower students to optimize sound coverage and promote efficient collaboration between crews, ensuring technical harmony and peak performance for artists on stage.

    Integration and Programming of XR Systems (AR/VR)

    In this unit, we will study from the integration of AR/VR tracking systems into the technical production workflow to the creation of complex virtual environments for real-time production. Also covering spatial data synchronization and the interaction between the physical and digital worlds, we empower students to master extended reality tools, transforming the stage into an immersive and innovative technological space.

    Lighting Design for Musical Events

    In this unit, we will study from Lighting Design for Concerts and Touring, focusing on the logistics and visual impact of large tours, to specialized design for nightclubs and special environments. Also covering rhythmic synchronization and the creation of immersive atmospheres, we empower students to develop creative concepts that enhance the musical experience and meet the dynamic demands of live entertainment.

    Project Management, Rider and Technical Coordination

    In this unit, we will study from the practice of Technical Direction and the implementation of Stage Management to the detailed analysis of Technical Riders and the execution of complex projects. Also covering logistical planning and resource management, we empower students to interpret demanding technical requirements, ensuring the transition from paper to stage is efficient, safe, and faithful to the production’s artistic vision.

    Live Streaming and Broadcast Engineering

    In this unit, we will study from the configuration of platforms and multichannel streaming infrastructure to the mastery of transmission protocols and signal quality. Also covering real-time technical diagnostics and network monitoring, we empower students to manage complex broadcasts and ensure data flow stability, guaranteeing a seamless and professional viewing experience in high-demand broadcast environments.

    Integrated Final Project

    In this unit, we will study from the development and execution of a complete technical-artistic proposal to the structuring of final technical documentation. Also covering pitch techniques and high-impact professional portfolio formatting, we empower students to consolidate all acquired knowledge, defending their creative and technical choices before a jury and preparing their competitive entry into the global job market.

    ETIC IDEA

    The objective is to prepare students for the project-driven dynamics of the creative industries, encourage teamwork, promote interdisciplinarity, foster a sense of responsibility and goal achievement, and also develop personal presentation and self-promotion skills. In this way, the school environment is brought closer to the reality of the professional world and its demands.

    CERTIFICATION

    At the end of the second year, students receive the Pearson BTEC Level 5 Professional Certification (240 CATS*).
    Certification follows the British education system; ETIC is not a higher education institution.

    *CATS: Credit Accreditation Transfer System

    TEACHING STAFF

    Coordinator

    Paulo Abelho

    Tutor

    NUNO RUA

    PROGRAMME MANAGER

    André Prista

    CAREER PATHS

    Performing Arts & Culture
    Technical Director (Theatres & Auditoriums)
    Lighting & Video Designer for Stage
    Digital Scenography Technician

    Entertainment & Live Events
    Stage Manager
    Media Server Operator / Programmer
    Light Jockey (Club Lighting Designer)

    Broadcast & Digital Media
    Live Streaming Engineer
    XR (AR/VR) Systems Specialist

    Corporate & Commercial Spaces
    Corporate Events Technical Coordinator
    AV Integration Consultant
    Immersive Experience Designer

    Technical Production & Management
    Project Manager (Rental Companies)
    Systems Maintenance & Configuration Technician

    ERASMUS + & Internships

    At the end of the programme, and subject to academic performance, students may apply for:

    • an international internship through the Erasmus+ Programme;
    • a national/international internship or job opportunities for industry placements with partner companies;

    Applications are submitted through the Professional Integration Department (estagios@etic.pt).
    ETIC provides a digital platform to communicate job offers and employment opportunities from partner companies.

    Facilities

    ETIC is a school equipped with state-of-the-art technology, tailored to meet the specific demands of each area of study and industry:

    • Computer labs are equipped with individual Apple iMac workstations with headphones, audio interfaces and MIDI keyboards. Software used includes Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Ableton Live.
    • Performance spaces include stages with PA systems and Pioneer DJ stations, alongside a range of musical instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, and acoustic drum kits (Fender, Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz Bass, Yamaha).
    • Sound studios feature Universal Audio and Audient consoles, valve preamps, AVID Pro Tools HD, Ableton Live with plugins from Waves, FabFilter and UAD, and Genelec, M-Audio, and ADAM studio monitors.
    • Mixing consoles include Midas, Allen & Heath, Behringer and Yamaha, with digital recorders (Fostex HD) and processors (Lexicon, TLAudio, SPL, Yamaha). Microphones include Neumann, Sennheiser, AKG, DPA, Shure, Sanken, Studio Projects, and portable recording equipment from Sound Devices, Tascam and Roland.

    APPLICATION

    The programme is delivered in English. Recommended english entry level:  B1*

    Requirements
    – Submit a motivation letter, outlining reasons for applying and professional goals;
    – Submit portfolio or showreel (not mandatory);
    – Attend an interview.

    How do I start my application?
    – Fill in the form by clicking the APPLY button.
    – You will receive an email with dates options for your interview.

    *According to CEFR Levels . If you would like to take a free online test , please click English Test

    TUITION FEES

    There are several financing programs in different banking institutions:  Caixa Geral de DepósitosSantanderBanco CTTBPI, among others.

    TERMS AND CONDITIONS

    The opening of each course/class/schedule is subject to a minimum number of registrations. Registration at the desired time is limited to the number of places available.
    Teaching is face-to-face and project based. The course program includes classes without a teacher to develop autonomous exercises and design practices. Autonomous or project work is important for the student’s progress in their learning. Teachers can request the development of work outside the established class hours. Classes may occasionally be scheduled outside of established times, for example to respond to projects that require this flexibility, to meet project-specific equipment needs, to respond to exercises carried out in a real context with partners, or for any other reason that supports the better achievement of the programme.
    Specific technical classes and/or workshops can take place on Saturdays.
    The duration of each class may vary depending on its theoretical or practical nature.
    The class can be divided into groups for better learning and intensification of the development of projects and subjects.
    The curriculum and the list of course teachers may be changed for reasons of pedagogical suitability or for reasons of force majeure.

    For more information contact us.

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