EWA IWANEK

Week 1 (Ending Sunday, 19th of January)

This week, I got to do some real clean-up work in the main venue building. I found it pleasant, as I am still only getting familiar with the space, the people, and the equipment. I mostly spent time helping my direct superior Angelo, who is the main technician at VV. We organised everything into boxes, wrapped up a hundred cables, and Angelo introduced me to their storage system, which is still under development. I was surprised by the vast inventory!

The venue space is constantly being improved, so there was a couple of others on the team working with us. New signs were being put up, and the bar was being given a fresh coat of colour. One thing I must familiarise myself with is the different work culture here. It is unlike a regular job in customer service or retail like I have had before – everyone is very self-motivated, self-directed, and keen to work on miscellaneous tasks for the good of the venue. It could be Danish culture, or perhaps just event industry culture? Maybe it is unique to Volume Village. I have yet to find out.

Week 2 (Ending Sunday, 26th of January)

This week I had a goal of getting to know new equipment – the Chamsys lighting console QuickQ20. I met the goal and understand how to operate it, but I found many limits of this machine. My task was to figure out how make it accessible for people who know nothing about engineering lights for a show. This is because often there is no House technician at “plug & play” DJ sets. I thought about dividing scenes into colour/speed categories. There would be some chases pre-set, and some cues available to adjust or add/remove. I still have to confirm if this set up is too unprofessional, or if it’s good for beginners.

I also had a meeting with the new production manager Marie. She made up a schedule for 2025 with all upcoming shows and events. It seems to get busier as the weather improves throughout the year! Marie also started at Volume Village in January and she’s a very ambitious person. I think her approach is very direct and honest, and she clearly expresses what each worker has to provide from their end to make the organisation work. I found it inspiring this week.

Week 3 (Ending Sunday, 2nd of February)

In this previous week my primary focus was to produce a document with basic instructions for the lights mixer. This is to aid with accessibility, so anyone can use this equipment. I also found out this space is also often privately rented. Friday was my deadline, so I felt under a bit of pressure- however, I found it manageable in the end, because I asked for specific helpful notes on the structure of the document.

I learned that I should have checked in with my supervisor more often at the start of the process, rather than at the end, because I had to edit and simplify the guide quite a bit. I am satisfied with the end result though, and in the process, I am getting more and more comfortable in the potential role of a light engineer.

Week 4 (Ending Sunday, 9th of February)

Last week’s goal was to start on a new document that is meant for lighting engineers with more advanced skills. The aim of the document is to set up the user with knowledge of the basic workflow on the Chamsys QuickQ20. I found that there is not much information available online that will provide a quick guide to using the console. Besides the booklet that comes with the mixer, there’s not much else to help with user guidance.

The longer I spend working with QuickQ20, the more I notice limitations for the specific purpose of using it for improvised live lights mixing (which i learned is called ‘busking’). It is not outright said on the official console site; however, I am sure that this is more meant for very small venues and better suited for theatres. This is because there is a huge lack of freedom – everything must be preprogrammed to the specific hues and effects needed for the show.

In the future, I’d like to try using a more popular lights mixer. I still would consider myself a beginner, and I feel like using this console has been a ‘throw into the deep end’.

Week 5 (Ending Sunday, 16th of February)

This week I learned to set up show files on the QuickQ20 program. The way I did it was by constructing a file where a beginner lighting engineer could work with the constraints of customisation on this console and regain some of that control during a live show.

I consulted with my supervisor and was advised to categorise fader functions more clearly. The biggest challenge for me was understanding the way CUE mode and GROUP mode can interact, as this is not explained in the manual. A big change that I introduced to the setup was moving some effects onto the chase playbacks on the screen. This is significant because it’s the complete opposite of the DJ ‘plug and play’ session I had created before.

I made the decision to highlight GROUP mode as you can change light colour and intensity on the go, however it’s still a clunky experience. Sadly, this is just the charm of this mysterious machine. Working with this ChamSys console in general brought my attention to budgeting and managing finances of a venue. All decisions when it comes to spending need to be justified. And, while the last lights mixer had apparently a more intuitive layout, it had been stolen in broad daylight, so a replacement had to come quickly.

Also, we had an unexpected guest at the office!

Week 6 (Ending Sunday, 23rd of February)

This week my goal was to make my presence known to the other employees to offer help if they need it. I realised that I may have been boxed (and rightfully so) into the role of a sound/light engineer. However, this meant that during slow weekdays I was left with nothing to do. Therefore, I reached out to Tilde who does design and marketing for the venue. I offered to take care of office tasks like laminating/printing. She showed me the new design for the new ‘house rules’ posters.

Other than that, I had a link in with my supervisor, and I explained how I would prefer to have clearer tasks given to me, as working on lights when I have no prior experience can get tedious. We worked on structuring some of the processes on the lights console, and we made a plan for next week too, which eased my mind a lot!

Week 7 (Ending Sunday, 2nd of March)

Week 7 went by quickly – I had prepared a DJ setup along with the help of my supervisor, which was nice as I did need a refresher on the sound side of things. We plugged in a Pioneer DJ mixing desk to the main rack on stage, which was simple enough. Recently, my focus has been on lighting and my supervisor said I can act as the main lights engineer for an upcoming event. I told my supervisor that I am not comfortable with so much responsibility, so we will be doing a trial run at a smaller event where it would be acceptable to make mistakes and feel out this role at my own pace.

I had made it my aim to communicate my personal feelings more clearly, as I had been in a rut due to doing the opposite. I learned that if I feel I need a change, it is better both for myself and the team– I don’t feel so awkward and out of place. Being in a completely new environment turned out to be a lot harder than I expected but it did put me in a position where I am forced to learn how to express myself professionally regarding my own personal thoughts.

Week 8 (Ending Sunday, 9th of March)

A lot was going on this week for me! I had a bunch of small tasks in preparation for two events. First, I did some general cleaning around the stage area, and moved some equipment into the new storage container outside. I found a large extension lead with damaged outer coating, and I made an attempt to fix it which worked perfectly! I had to unscrew the main part and strip the copper wires from their coating to adjust the cable length in the copper inserts. I screwed everything back together and felt like an electronics genius (haha).

One of the events was an in-house presentation for some executives of Aarhus Volume, the parent organisation of Volume Village. I was asked to set up 4 microphones on stage, and my supervisor did a refresher course with me on audio processing for vocals. I did most of the work myself, and it was quite simple, with stage gaining, EQ’ing, compressing, etc.

We also had a live act on this week along with an Afrobeats DJ – I helped with setting up the equipment for that too. We had 2 DJ setups at once, as one of the acts wanted to be on stage, while the other wanted to be ground-level. It was cool to navigate with all these requirements, it felt like a challenge.

I also got the opportunity to work lights for the Afrobeats night at VV. It felt really good to have such understated control over the mood of the entire event. I made a few mistakes, such as turning up strobe lights by accident, but this means I can edit the programming of the console myself to make it safer for future events.

Week 9 (Ending Sunday, 16th of March)

This week felt like tying together a bunch of loose threads. I wrapped up the beginner’s lighting guide that I had been working on over the last few weeks. It’s been a longer process than expected, but seeing it come together made it worth it. I based a lot of the final edits on lessons learned during last week's events, like making sure to avoid accidental strobe use (oops). I took photos of the finished document and added it to my work portfolio folder. It felt quite satisfying to document something that could be practically used by others!

In addition to that, I started working on an inventory list. This is probably the most tedious task I’ve had so far- counting boxes, checking labels, measuring cables, and double-checking equipment against what’s in the storage containers. It’s slow work, but I know it will save a lot of time for everyone in the long run.

Week 10 (Ending Sunday, 23rd of March)

This week I found myself doing a little bit of everything. The biggest task was helping to build new shelving in the equipment container outside. I actually enjoyed it since it was nice to work with my hands and do something completely different from screens and cables for a change. The end result is already making a difference in how equipment is stored.

I also tried out the QuickQ Remote app for the ChamSys lighting console. The idea was to test if it could make operating lights more fluid during live events, especially from different points in the venue. The app connected fine after a bit of fiddling with IP addresses, but I found it slightly clunky to use in real-time. That said, I see potential, especially for smaller setups or basic cue changes during events. I’ll try to test it again under real conditions and maybe add a section about it in the lighting guide at some point.

On the side, I’ve started working on a website for my portfolio (the one you are viewing right now!). I’m aiming for something that can showcase both technical and creative work. I’ve never made a full site before, so it’s a mix of exciting and intimidating. Still, it feels nice to make something that’s all mine.

Week 11 (Ending Sunday, 30th of March)

This week had a slightly different energy- there’s a sense of anticipation in the air as everyone at Volume Village is starting to prepare for SPOT Festival in Aarhus. It’s one of the bigger events coming up, so there’s lots of buzz around making sure the venue is looking sharp and operating smoothly. I’m really looking forward to being part of it and seeing how the space transforms during a large-scale festival setup.

On my end, I decided to take initiative and create a 3D model of the Volume Village stage using SketchUp. I hadn’t used the program since my ‘studio design’ module ages ago, but once I got into the rhythm, it all came back. The goal was to make something that could help visualise gear placement, cable runs, and general stage planning.

I showed the early version to Angelo, and he seemed genuinely impressed! There were only a few small things to adjust, mostly scale-related. Apparently, the venue has never had a proper visual layout like this before, so it felt really validating to bring something new to the table. It was my idea, and knowing that it’s already useful to the team makes it feel extra rewarding.

Week 12 (Ending Sunday, 6th of April)

This week took an unexpected but super exciting turn! While working at the venue, I ran into a group of film students from a local film school called Potemkin - den Jyske Filmskole. We started chatting, and it turned out they were looking for a lighting engineer for their short film project, "Late Night Dilemma". Even though I’ve never done lights for film before, I said 'Yes'! Something about the challenge and spontaneity just clicked with me.

We had a meeting where they explained their vision, and I got to read the script. It tells a powerful little story about a girl walking home late at night who gets harassed by a strange man. It’s tense and real- but the ending flips the narrative: she defends herself using a can of dry shampoo. I liked the message a lot, and it made me even more motivated to be part of the project.

Since I was new to the world of film lighting, I did some crash-course research (aka a YouTube deep dive). I learned a bit about three-point lighting setups, soft vs. hard light, and how to shape light to follow the emotional arc of a scene. It’s super different from stage lighting – way more intimate and deliberate. I’m still figuring it out, but the crew has been kind and open to ideas.

Week 13 (Ending Sunday, 13th of April)

This week was all about prep work for Late Night Dilemma and setting the stage- literally- for one of the key scenes. I met up with Anna (producer), Adele (director), and Cecilie (sound) to go over the logistics of transforming Volume Village into a dreamy 70s-style game show set. We tested how long it would take to fully dress the stage, and I volunteered (maybe a bit too enthusiastically) to be the one to climb the ladder and hang all the streamers from the trusses.

It was slightly terrifying being up that high, but also kind of exhilarating. Having the girls cheering me on made it feel like a weird team -building exercise in a glittery fever dream. The streamers ended up looking SO good. Beforehand, I had also pre-programmed some light scenes in pink, blue, and purple- a colour palette they said they wanted for that hyper-surreal, dreamy vibe.

Once everything was in place, streamers fluttering, carpet rolled out, lights on- we did a test shot with the camera. It was wild how much the space transformed. For a second, it genuinely felt like we weren’t in Volume Village anymore. Everyone gasped when we turned on the lights. It’s one of those moments where all the little efforts snap together into something way bigger than the sum of its parts.

We’re filming next week, and I already can’t wait to see it come to life on camera.

Week 14 (Ending Sunday, 20th of April – written 25th of April)

We spent the whole weekend filming Late Night Dilemma, and I didn’t even realise it was Easter until halfway through the first day! I helped set up some lights at the start of each day, though lighting for film is a whole different beast. The focus wasn’t on aesthetics this time, but practicality- Buster, the camera guy, needed as much light as possible for the footage to be usable. I learned a cool trick: always over-light when filming, because it’s much easier to make things darker in post than to fix something that’s underexposed.

There were 25 extras on set, and I became the unofficial on-set helper during breaks. I curated a playlist to keep the vibes up while people waited, and it totally worked- I felt like a master DJ. I also made sure to secure all the cables before the extras arrived, which felt like a small but essential victory.

I talked to so many people and heard even more Danish. I’ve noticed I understand way more than I can speak, but this weekend alone probably levelled up my comprehension by at least 3%. The whole thing went surprisingly smoothly- we stayed ahead of schedule every day, which felt like a miracle considering how many moving parts there were.

I also ended up socialising way more than I expected. It was tiring, for sure, but also rewarding. I felt really present and connected to everyone working on the project.

Now that the film shoot is wrapped, it’s full steam ahead prepping for SPOT Aarhus. I’ll be on standby at Volume Village too- ready to jump in whenever they need me.