Nathan Schmalbach
I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. My studies provided me with a wide breadth of knowledge in the different aspects of entertainment business from event planning to intellectual property to marketing. Individual projects each course provided the opportunity to focus the curriculum towards live entrainment and in particular theatre and entertainment technology. I received Course Director’s Awards in Introduction to Management, Managerial Accounting, and International Business upon graduating for “exemplifying the spirit of the class within each course.”
My experience and knowledge of live entertainment technology and production extends beyond the classroom to the field, going back to 2004 when I joined the then fledgling technical arts team at GraceWay Bible Church. During my time with the technical arts department at GraceWay I have served in range of roles with responsibilities running the gamut from simply pulling cables to designing renovation concepts to supervising major upgrades. I am particularly honored to have been trusted with implementing and leading the newest division of the technical arts department, lighting, as well as playing a key role in the complete overhauls of the audio and video systems. Successfully implementing entertainment technology in spaces not built nor even imagined for them has proved challenging requiring solutions from outside the box, but has ultimately provided me with greater knowledge than could be gained from more traditional spaces.
Since 2009 I have also served as lighting & sound designer and technical director for GraceWay’s Christmas Live production. This interactive theatrical production with a cast and crew of over 300 attracts thousands from surrounding communities. Christmas Live has provided me with an additional range of experience from ticketing to script revision to rental contracts. To learn more about the technology behind Christmas Live check out the article by Dan Daley in Worship Tech Decisions.