Student Production Services
Student Production Services (SPS) is a student-run organization that operates sound and lighting equipment at events for undergraduate student clubs and organizations.
We are dedicated to providing friendly and knowledgeable production technicians, free of cost, to create lighting and sound setups for Brandeis University undergraduate events. See our Instagram @spsbrandeis for videos and photos of our lighting and sound set ups.
Please request our services at least three weeks prior to your event or first rehearsal as dates can fill up quickly. We cannot guarantee that we can work every event nor will our equipment be suitable for all occasions.* Please allow one business week for a response.
You must be a member of an Undergraduate Student Union recognized student organization to request SPS for your events. SPS is not available for individual, private, or outside events. If you would like professionally trained sound technicians for graduate student organization or department events, please contact University Events.
*Please note that SPS does not lend out any of our equipment. We don't have projectors or video screens. If you would like to rent A/V equipment from Media Technology Services (MTS) for an event, please contact University Events. If you would like musical instruments, keyboard stands, DJ equipment, etc. please contact SIMS.
SPS Guidelines
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- A table (6 ft or longer) for our lighting/sound equipment
- A list of all acts/performances in the order of the show
- If you need to use the projector for your event, please email MTS@brandeis.edu to arrange to borrow the necessary cables. Additionally, please bring your own computer to use for projections - SPS can only run lights and sound from our computer
To help us run the sound and lighting for your event as smoothly as possible, we have put together this information that details what we need from you.
If you have outside groups performing, please make sure they receive these guidelines and send any of their audio files/cues prior to the first rehearsal as well.
Please make sure to save all cue documents and sound files in a Google Drive folder with link sharing enabled and send the link to sps@brandeis.edu at least one week before the first rehearsal.
- All audio files should be in .mp3 format
- Do not send links to YouTube videos. If you want audio from YouTube, please download it as a .mp3 file.
- Except for before/after show or intermission playlists, please do not ask us to play music from any of your own devices. Keeping track of phones/laptops/tablets slows down the transitions in your event and we cannot be held responsible for any devices left with us
- Make sure all sound files play before sending them to SPS
- Make sure all sound files have similar volumes before sending them to SPS. While we can adjust the volume of songs while they are playing during the shows/rehearsals, there will be noticeable differences in the volume until we can make adjustments.
- We cannot guarantee that we will be able to play files that are not in .mp3 format
- We cannot guarantee that we will be able to play files that are not received prior to the first rehearsal
- Please send all sound files digitally (through email or Google Drive). We can’t plug USB drives into our sound computer
Our general lighting setup includes color changing and white front light that we set up from the balcony. This light covers the whole stage. We can also set up lights along the back wall of the stage to change the color of the wall and add the ability to use silhouettes in light cues. For this, we have 9 lights that sit on the floor of the stage against the back wall. They are visible from the audience, but they are approximately 6” tall and 4” wide so they aren’t very obtrusive. Please let us know prior to the first rehearsal if you would like us to use these lights in addition to the ones on the balcony.
- Please format your cues like this: [start-end] [duration] [color]
- Here is a sample cue list for a song that is 1 minute and 47 seconds long:
- 0-0:13 13s red silhouette (note: silhouettes are only possible with the lights described above)
- 0:13-0:15 2s blue flashing light
- 0:15-0:30 15s green, center stage
- 0:30-1:47 77s multicolor wash
- Make sure you include specific timings for the end of the song. If the song ends at the 3:52 mark, do not just say 3:45- END, say 3:45-3:52.
- Make sure that you do not skip any seconds! The last second of the first cue is the first second of the next cue. Example:
- CORRECT: (0:13 appears twice - there are no gaps between the listed times)
- 0-0:13 13s red
- 0:13-0:15 2s blue flashing light
- INCORRECT: (there is a one second gap between 0:13 and 0:14)
- 0-0:13 13s red
- 0:14-0:15 2s blue flashing light
- If you have any questions about what we can do, don't be afraid to email us! Below are some examples:
- We CAN make half the stage one color and half the stage another color.
- We CAN have the lights rotate through all colors to create a rotating multicolor wash effect
- We CAN target spotlights to isolate specific performers. The closest we can do is isolate the left, right, and middle of the stage.
- We CANNOT do strobes (extremely rapid flashes)
- If you want the left and right to be different, please specify stage right/left or house right/left
- Stage right and left are from the perspective of someone standing on stage facing the audience
- House right and left are from the perspective of someone standing in the house (audience) facing the stage
- We cannot guarantee that we will have time to record cues that are not sent in the specified format
- We cannot guarantee that we will have time to record cues that are not received prior to the first rehearsal
- We need to spend some of the rehearsal time programming the light cues. We can play music for you to rehearse during this time, but the lights will not match the music. Time permitting, we can run through cues after they are programmed and make minor fixes prior to the show.
- When you book us for a rehearsal, we need to receive a rehearsal schedule that includes:
- when people are rehearsing,
- what group they are,
- what kind of act they are,
- what songs or lighting they will need
- what instruments or mics, if any, will be utilized during the performance
- The rehearsal slot that you book us for should be a scheduled time for each performer, not a time slot for performers to come within. This is to ensure proper scheduling for our technicians and helpful rehearsal opportunities for performers.