--- title: "et cetera... - David Fox emphasizes the \"craft\" in stagecraft" description: ETC trainer, David Fox develops in-person and online training sessions. ETCP recognized courses are available via LearningStage ETC's online training image: https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/console_training.jpg --- - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [ABOUT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [AUTHORS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [CONTACT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [![EtCetera_319x104](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "EtCetera_319x104")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) [![ETC Blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "ETC Blog")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) Search ## [![blog-header](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-header.png?width=476&height=155&name=blog-header.png "blog-header")](https://www.etcconnect.com) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [✕](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/02/david-fox-emphasizes-the-craft-in-stagecraft#gwen-offcanvas-primary) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) # David Fox emphasizes the “craft” in stagecraft ![Rachel Frederick](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/rachel-author.png?width=34&height=34&name=rachel-author.png)By [Rachel Frederick](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/rachel-frederick) 2 Feb 2017 ![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/console_training.jpg) Education has been at the center of every industry job David Fox has ever held. Starting with his time as an ETC dealer where he trained end users, through his days at UCLA teaching grad and undergrad students how to find their way around a lighting rig, and on to ETC- first in phone support and now as a training and documentation specialist, it’s clear that he’s passionate about sharing his knowledge of the theatre. ![David Fox ETC](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/14ebf2b-e1482868652389.jpg?width=199&height=199&name=14ebf2b-e1482868652389.jpg) "I take the ‘craft’ in stagecraft very seriously,” says Fox. “What we do requires specialized knowledge, artistry, and technical skills. I believe that everyone who calls themselves a technician has a certain level of responsibility to keep learning and to share what they know.” As an ETC trainer, Fox spends a fair amount of time teaching and traveling. He develops and presents in-person training sessions across the world on a variety of topics. And while there is something to be said about the quality and effectiveness of training in a live, hands-on session, it’s not always the most cost or time-effective way to share information. “It was as we were preparing for the [Paradigm](https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Architectural-Systems/Paradigm/) release that I was traveling nearly every week. I’d get to a site, train 8-14 people, and fly home again. I’d see my family for a few days before I was on the next flight out to repeat the same training for another group of 8-14 people. With the goal of training over 300 service providers, it seemed inefficient, but it was the only option we had.” In 2003 the [ESTA](https://www.esta.org/) Board of Directors created the Entertainment Technician Certification Program, or [ETCP](https://etcp.esta.org/) and from fairly early on, David Fox was there to help get the word out, and find ways to get ETC’s live training sessions accredited for continuing education points. If you’re not familiar, this is an organization that is centered on the safety and training of those who work in the live event industry. As [ETCP](https://etcp.esta.org/) grew, so did the advancements in online training technology. In 2013, Fox started discussions with [ETCP](https://etcp.esta.org/)’s Certification council organization about offering some of ETC’s in person training sessions as accredited online courses so their members could meet the continuing education requirements needed to maintain their certification. They were completely on board. He hoped to have his first course launched within a year but, as we all know, things rarely move as quickly as we’d like. Countless hours were spent creating content, and recording and editing videos. Below is a photo of the recording studio setup in his home for some of the off-hours recording sessions. (Yup, that’s a cat carrier under the cardboard box supporting the mic.) ![David Fox recording studio](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Recording-Studio-350x263.jpg?width=350&height=263&name=Recording-Studio-350x263.jpg) Additionally, ETC needed to implement a robust online learning platform to host the classes. Now, nearly four years later, Fox is proud to have been part of the team to make this all available. Currently, in addition to console training and service provider prerequisite classes, we have four [ETCP](https://etcp.esta.org/) recognized courses available through [LearningStage](https://courses.etcconnect.com/), ETC’s online training platform. Each takes about an hour to complete and is worth a single point of renewal credit. “Instead of training a dozen people in a week, we can now reach hundreds,” says Fox. The class model is a little different than other online [ETCP](https://etcp.esta.org/) continuing education options. Many are setup as a package of courses that can be worked through one by one. While they are worth multiple points, they come at a much higher price tag. “We’ll continue to play with the format,” Fox says. “If we need to adjust the price point, we will. If we find that people are asking for classes that we don’t offer, we’ll look into it. That’s what’s great about our industry. It’s small enough that we can have those conversations and adjust accordingly. Our main goal is accessible continuing education.” *If you have comments, questions, or suggestions for David, he’d love to hear from you. He can be reached at **[david.fox@etcconnect.com](mailto:david.fox@etcconnect.com).***  - - - 0 [#Paradigm](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/paradigm) [#ETCP](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etcp) [#Certification](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/certification) [#LearningStage](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learningstage) [#ETC trainer](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-trainer) [#Education Center](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/education-center) [#LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) [#Education](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/education) [#Training](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/training) ### Battle of the bulbs [Previous article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/02/battle-of-the-bulbs) ### Out of Control: Navigating with Magic Sheets [Next article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/01/navigating-magic-sheets) [Rachel Frederick](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/rachel-frederick) ![Rachel Frederick](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/rachel-author.png?width=180&height=180&name=rachel-author.png) Rachel has worked with ETC since 2007. She takes advantage of the limited warm months in Wisconsin by participating in outdoor activities like camping, paddle boarding, kayaking, and riding waterslides. She has several gardens that she swears she’ll be able to keep up with someday. And she enjoys stretchy things like new socks, yoga, and taffy. She writes a lot, she reads a lot and she plays with her kids a lot. #### You may also like [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/IMG_0117.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/investing-in-skills-how-etc-training-continues-to-evolve) [FEATURED](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/featured) ### [Investing in Skills: How ETC Training Continues to Evolve](https://blog.etcconnect.com/investing-in-skills-how-etc-training-continues-to-evolve) By [Katherine Stamp](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/katherine-stamp) 29-Jan-2026 As the entertainment lighting industry continues to evolve at pace, so too do the skills required to work within it. From increasingly complex lighting rigs to networked systems and data-heavy... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/investing-in-skills-how-etc-training-continues-to-evolve) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/dreamstime_156301424-1.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/back-to-school-with-etc) [FEATURED](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/featured) ### [Online Training with ETC](https://blog.etcconnect.com/back-to-school-with-etc) By [Rachel Frederick](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/rachel-frederick) 1-Oct-2025 Thoughts of cooler weather, fall sports, and pumpkin spice-flavored everything go hand-in-hand with heading back to school. That is why we thought it might be the perfect time to take a closer look... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/back-to-school-with-etc) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Ion_Training_Century_2018_15-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2022/02/spotlight-on-training) [ETC](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc) ### [ETC keeps the spotlight on training](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2022/02/spotlight-on-training) By [Bruce Jordahl](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/bruce-jordahl) 10-Feb-2022 Product training opportunities have increased significantly over the past several years as ETC continues to grow. Having recently celebrated its 45th year in business, ETC has gone from modest... 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