Course # / Title / Credit:  MBU 4590/ TOUR PRODUCTION/  3 Hours

Instructor: Chris Lisle    Contacts: (615) 330-6008, lislec@mail.belmont.edu

Semester:  Fall 2008; Class Location:  TBD

Meeting Time(s):  T  6:30-9:15 PM  Final Exam:  TBD

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music: 1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship.  2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

Course Description: A practicum based study of tour-support personnel and their responsibilities including pre-production planning, technical coordination, transportation logistics, and the associated contracts and organizational paperwork. Special emphasis is placed on the role of the "Production" and "Tour" manager.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To analyze and evaluate how a touring production functions.
2. To identify, interpret, and classify the major roles within a touring concert production.
3. To manage a concert tour based on examples and templates created during the semester.

Performance Criteria:

The student will be able to:

1. Recognize the processes involved in touring within the entertainment industry.
2. List and demonstrate the job responsibilities of a Tour Manager.
3. List and demonstrate the job responsibilities of a Production Manager.
4. Define and distinguish the various sub-roles of a Touring Production (i.e. – lighting designer, audio engineer, video director, tour rigger, and others)

Honor Code:  It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code.  “In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”

Accommodation of Disabilities:  In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities.  If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.

Course Requirements:

1.  Attendance: 

Your participation in this class is of the utmost importance to me. By missing even a lecture, you are missing a piece of a very big puzzle. I do, however, recognize that there are certain circumstances that may require you to miss a class. These include, but are not limited to:

ú Absence to attend an official campus activity (as designated by the Dean’s Office)

ú Absences for personal or family emergencies (as verified by the Dean’s Office)

ú Absences for medical reasons (as discussed with instructor)

If you miss a class, please see me about missed lectures and/or assignments.  Please try to get any missed notes from a classmate.

2.  Materials: 

We will not be working out of a textbook this semester, however printed notes will be handed out, along with notes taken by you the student.

We will be creating real-world templates of forms and paperwork commonly used in the touring industry. I highly recommend the use of Microsoft Word and Excel for these templates.

3.  Assignments: 

Along with creating templates, there will also be a “mock tour” project that will involve homework. Assignments will be delegated during class time, along with expectations of due dates. Homework not turned in by the due date is subject to a loss of three (3) points for every day that it is not turned in.

4.  Testing:  

There will be 4 tests given during the semester: two regular test, one mid-term exam, and one final exam.  Absolutely NO “MAKE-UP” TESTS ARE ALLOWED.  The final exam will be comprehensive.

5.  Basis of grade evaluation: Grading scale as per the current Undergraduate Bulletin. 

For this class, I will use a basic letter grade system. For testing purposes the points will convert into grades based on the following:

A+ = 97-100          B+ = 87-91            C+ = 77-79            D+ = 67-69             F = 60-0

                   A  =  93-96            B = 83-86              C   = 73-76            D   = 63-66

                   A- = 90-92             B- = 80-82             C- = 70-72             D-  = 61-62            

Your final grade will be based on the following:

                        30%                  Templates/Mock Tour Project (Homework)

                        30%                  Tests during semester (3 total)

                        40%                  Final Exam

6.  Class Schedule: 

Although my goal is to keep as close as possible to the schedule below, inevitably it will change on occasion. Also, due to my current touring schedule, there will be several occasions where a guest lecturer will be present as a substitute.

Class                                                                                                   

9/2/08                           Introduction

9/9/08                           Tour Manager Pt. 1 & 2

9/16/08                         Tour Manager Pt. 3 & 4

9/23/08                         Tour Manager Pt. 5 & 6                          Test

9/30/08                         Tour Manager Pt. 7       

10/7/08                         Fall Break – No Class                           

10/14/08                        Production Manager Pt. 1                      Mid Term Exam

10/21/08                        Production Manager Pt. 2 & 3               

10/28/08                        Production Manager Pt. 4 & 5               

11/4/08                         Stage Manager

11/11/08                        TBD Field Trip  

11/18/08                        Video/Other Tour Pos.                           Test

11/25/08                        Audio/Lighting

12/2/08                         Production Design                               

12/9/08                         Show Safety /Review

TBD                              Final Exam This Week