Brad Schiller Part 1: Feeding The Machines

Brad Schiller was there as the job of Automated Lighting Programmer emerged, and he has influenced the job's evolution over the last 25 years as he moved from freelance to High End Systems to Philips Vari*Lite to Martin Professional.  We sat down with Brad and discussed his remarkable career, but the interview was so packed with information that we decided to present it as two episodes.  In this episode, we discuss his philosophy on programming and how he's seen the programmer's role evolve, his work on the 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies, his time with the band Crystal Method, and how he became part of the High End Systems programming department at a critical time for both he and they.

Brad is also a writer – we discussed Brad's book The Automated Lighting Programmer's Handbook, which has helped many programmers along their way, including your host.  It's worth a read for anyone who interacts with intelligent lighting as a designer, operator, or technician.  Brad also has a monthly PLSN column about programming, Feeding The Machines; during the interview, he mentioned two articles of note: An Automated Lighting Programmer Is What You Want To Be, a humorous look at programming in a Dr. Seuss vein (page 75 of the PDF), and An Offer You Can't Resist, about ACN and the E1.31 protocol.

If you're attending LDI this year, you can catch Brad on the four Art Of Programming panels, all taking place on Thursday, 10/22.  Brad also writes In The Know, an insider blog about Martin Professional.  Thanks for checking out our latest episode!