News
February 2011
Chris Newton, School Stage
A Lighting & Sound International Interview by Julie Harper
Click here to download and view the PDF of the interview.
School Stage is a dedicated, performing arts installer, providing an all-in-one solution, at a professional level, exclusively to primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities. “We deal only with the schools and education market,” specifies MD, Chris Newton. “We live and breathe schools and nothing else. It’s not just ‘lighting for schools’, we see it as education for the future.”
Having been involved in lighting and sound at school and amateur level through his early years, Chris had already built his own toy theatre, complete with lighting rig, when, aged 7, he contacted lighting designer, Ian Scott. Ian had just re-lit Sadler’s Wells’ 1987 production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “Ian presented me with my first copy of Lighting & Sound International and a Theatre Projects lighting stencil,” says Chris, “and the seeds were sown!” In 1998, at the age of just 17, Chris started C.W.N., a lighting and sound hire company.
The company immediately took off in both the production events and electrical contracting industry but, perhaps a victim of his own success, Chris found himself torn in several directions and in danger of losing focus. “Luckily at this point I was given two valuable pieces of advice,” he says. John Montier of Pandora Productions identified Chris’s skill at understanding the school market. “I did not see this as particularly positive at this stage as I viewed myself as a lighting and sound company.” But when this view was reiterated by self-made multi-millionaire Steve Joynes, MBE (owner of Hoar Cross Hall spa resort in Staffordshire) Chris began to take notice. “I wanted some impartial feedback from a businessman not in our industry,” says Chris. “Mr Joynes, whom I befriended, advised me to focus on what I did best, the schools market, and make it my core market.”
The result was the formation of a new registered brand within CW Newton Ltd, School Stage, in 2006. The company prides itself on being dedicated, efficient and professional with a young outlook and a fresh approach.
“No-one else was willing to commit exclusively to this market,” says Chris. “Too often you see the same lighting and sound package rolled out to schools regardless of individual needs. But it takes time and effort to really understand what is needed in each job to deliver the best possible solutions. What works in one school won’t necessarily work in another.
“The systems we design are not driven by money or any standard ‘formula’. We are not tied to any particular manufacturers. We create bespoke systems that suit the application and budget to provide what is right for that school.”
School Stage’s first and most important move is to build a relationship with the client. “If we can’t make a connection, we don’t do the job! I always insist on speaking directly to the person who will be using the equipment on an everyday basis. Only by understanding the exact, and often wide-ranging, usage can you build a scenario and design a system to suit the purpose. You also gain the trust of your client and generate a healthy interaction which means we build the best system and they have a better understanding of it after we have left.”
A significant part of School Stage’s role is advisory: “It’s not uncommon for systems to be designed by a teacher. In the entertainment industry you can rely on a certain amount of technical knowledge, but in schools there can be next to none. You can’t expect a teacher to have an in-depth knowledge of lighting or sound, or to understand how to use equipment. What they ask for can sometimes, therefore, be impossible and it is part of our job to help guide them to what they really need.”
Schools expect their systems to be semi-professional and highly adaptive, able to provide lighting, sound and visual connection, relay to other rooms and be operated by children and non-technically minded adults. The cheapest route is not necessarily able to provide a system of sufficient quality and flexibility.
“We encourage schools to think of their system as an investment on two levels. Firstly, the systems must also deliver outside of school hours: parents evenings, productions, after- school clubs and adult education classes. Schools now recognise that their facilities can be beneficial to the wider community and that, by investing in a good quality system, they can generate income from this.
“Secondly, it is an investment in the future: pupils are introduced to professional level equipment similar to that which they would encounter in the outside world. They have the opportunity to become familiar with it which gives them a head-start should they choose to move on to a career in the industry.”
School Stage includes training, of pupils and staff, as a standard part of their installation package. “We feel the education side of our industry is still very lacking which is worrying when you consider how technical it has become. The issue is starting to be addressed by the organisations like PLASA and by companies such as ours who consider this such an important part of our future.”
Adapting to the schools market has been an education in itself: “It’s a very different world with a different way of thinking from theatre and live events. You need to be tough, adaptable and learn a new way of thinking.”
Logistical considerations include working around timetables, the flow of children, security rules, access hours and the risk of theft or personal injury. School Stage staff are chosen for their skills and their suitability to conduct themselves properly in front of children and teaching staff.
“Our team spend one day a month visiting primary and secondary schools at class level. They observe lessons in all subjects, assist children of all abilities with their work and mentor those who have lost ambition. Investing in this type of training enables our staff to gain a better understanding whilst at the same time finding it really rewarding.”
Chris’s own educational background and route to becoming a successful young businessman has enabled many young people to follow suit and better themselves.
A few have already entered the professional industry through Chris and now are working at the top end of live events and the music industry. “I am very proud of them,” says Chris.
School Stage has successfully developed a brand recognised for providing systems with professional standard lighting and sound capabilities. They are 100% dedicated to listening to the needs of their clients, engaging with students and children and promoting the industry and PLASA in secondary schools and colleges. “What better stage is there to introduce youngsters to entertainment technology and to familiarise them with it before going out into the professional world?” says Chris. “A lot of children don’t consider themselves as X-Factor, but they might just have the Tech Factor!”
