Moving Light Workshop at Wits

Unoiversity of The Witwatersrand Students, staff, and highschool visitors and their teacher pay attention to Nick Britz pf DWR Distribution as he demonstrates a high-tech moving light using the GrandMA console

I have a dream that my students, whether they be in America or South Africa, will be able to compete on a global scale for jobs in the entertainment industry. I deeply believe that students need to be globally prepared in order to adapt through exposure to other cultures’ methods and madness of getting a show up on the boards. This new global student needs to be technically savvy; She needs to know the basic tools of the trade well-enough to adapt to permutations of the same found in other countries, or even just other venues. I believe most strongly that people like us who work in the entertainment industry are well-placed to continually update their knowledge base at the drop of a hat or, rather, at the first challenge a director or designer may place before us.




Today, we have some of the highest-ranking technology on the Wits Main Theatre stage. It is no surprise that DWR distribution, a company that answered a need for major cutting edge lighting technology during the FIFA World Cup is here today. They want to share the VARI-LITE, the ROBE and other fantastic technology with us. DWR believes that the technology they bring to the industry needs the talents and skills of all of us, especially our students. Thanks to their generosity, we are looking forward to a significant hands-on experience.



The professional lighting designers and technicians with us today are keen to share with each other and their future colleagues what they wished they learned in school, and where the future of lighting design is headed. These are the folks who actively use all kinds of lighting technology every day. These are the people who pilot the ship of our industry. We will hear their wise words and concerns about the future of our profession.



We are merging technology, art and education when we finalize the programming for our highly technical light show at the end of the day. We are facilitating the acquisition of knowledge for the future pilots of our industry. We are all adept and able learners, being made so because our industry has the most imaginative issues that require problem-solving. Fortunately, like the 15th Century Galileo, our technology stands ready to be tested, retested, and refined.



Welcome to the first DWR Distribution / Wits Theatre lighting workshop.

DWR Distribution's equipment on the Wits Main Theatre's stage for the Moving Light Workshop.