SHOWAVE ACADEMY / LEARNING STUDIO

LEARN A TECHNIQUE.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN.

A place to prepare, practice and build the next generation of show-making. Start with a short rehearsal, write down what happened and prepare a lesson someone else could learn from.

SHOWAVE · Powered by Afro Unity Group

A learning space for the current previews. Lessons describe the documented workspace and practical rehearsal steps. Windows preview.4, Linux preview.2 and Android preview.2 have different limits; there is no stable release yet. Check release notes ↗

01 / PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE

Four tracks. Your own pace.

Suggested times are rehearsal estimates. There are no certificates, completion claims or automatically tracked scores.

01 / LIVE

Live visuals

Prepare a small show, check the media and make each cue deliberate.

40 minutes suggested rehearsal · 3 lessons · go at your own pace

01Start with one familiar file~10m
  1. Choose an original image, video or audio file you know well.
  2. Load it into Live and inspect the prepared media.
  3. Record what you expect to see or hear before triggering the clip.

Desktop preview accepts original-file media. Android is an offline interface and player review with different limits.

02Build a three-cue rehearsal~15m
  1. Prepare three clips or layers for a short opening, main moment and closing.
  2. Write down their intended order and check each cue separately.
  3. Run the sequence and note the cue that needs attention.

Chaser handles slice sequencing; Timeline concerns timecoded automation. Check the current workspace and actual integration rather than assuming every output is ready.

03Prepare before you take~15m
  1. Review a supported modern presentation in Presenter Preview.
  2. Prepare a slide, then use Take to commit the pinned feed.
  3. Use Send to Show intentionally and record the observed result.

Modern PowerPoint support does not cover legacy PPT/PPS or macros. Rehearse advanced slide features on the actual desktop preview.

Loading prepares media; it does not trigger Show. Rehearse your actual media and output before a production.

Read the current guide ↗

02 / BROADCAST

Broadcast

Compose in Preview, check the picture and make a controlled Take.

45 minutes suggested rehearsal · 3 lessons · go at your own pace

01Compose your first scene~15m
  1. Create New → Blank and add an available source.
  2. Move, resize or rotate its picture; compare Fit, Fill and Stretch.
  3. Use Input Selection for cropping and Output Transformation for placement.

Camera, screen and other source availability depends on the platform and permissions. Start with a local media source if a device is unavailable.

02Practice Preview to Programme~15m
  1. Prepare two simple scenes and apply the next scene to Preview.
  2. Check the prepared picture while Programme retains the last taken scene.
  3. Use Cut or Fade deliberately, then repeat in the reverse order.

Editing or selecting a scene does not take it automatically. Treat the Take as its own operator action.

03Rehearse picture and sound~15m
  1. Check the mixer and each intended input at a sensible rehearsal level.
  2. Compare a Solo, Split, PiP or Grid arrangement in Preview.
  3. Record which actual output or destination you tested and what still needs a check.

This Academy page does not connect to a camera, mixer or streaming account. Test those inside the installed preview and your production setup.

Taking a scene to Programme does not start an online broadcast. Capture devices, audio and destinations require their own checks.

Read the current guide ↗

03 / MAPPING

Mapping & LED planning

Turn the physical surfaces into a clear signal and rehearsal plan.

45 minutes suggested rehearsal · 3 lessons · go at your own pace

01Draw the surfaces and signal path~15m
  1. List the stage surfaces and their intended content.
  2. Record the dimensions, resolution and the planned input-to-output path.
  3. Identify the surface you can safely test first.

Map is the output-mapping workspace. Begin with a small known surface and check the actual display setup.

02Plan one LED grid~15m
  1. Use Grid Tool to describe a small LED layout.
  2. Compare the layout with the real panel order and signal plan.
  3. Save a written checklist of mismatches to resolve before a show.

Grid Tool covers LED planning and signal mapping. Confirm exact panel specifications and hardware behavior in your own setup.

03Give slices a rhythm~15m
  1. Prepare a simple slice or pixel-map arrangement for Chaser.
  2. Review a short sequence and compare it with your intended timing.
  3. Record where Live content, Chaser sequencing and Timeline automation meet.

Use documented current controls and rehearse timing locally. Do not assume unfinished native integrations are production-ready.

Map, Grid Tool and Chaser have distinct workspace roles. A workspace preview is not proof that every physical output path is supported.

Read the current guide ↗

04 / LIGHTING

Lighting preparation

Prepare an accurate patch and a rehearsal checklist for a real rig.

40 minutes suggested rehearsal · 3 lessons · go at your own pace

01Know the fixture before the patch~15m
  1. Write down the fixture model, mode and intended DMX footprint.
  2. Find the personality that matches the actual unit and mode.
  3. Review the patch for address conflicts before preparing cues.

A vendor-neutral starter personality is not a substitute for a verified fixture profile. This website does not send DMX.

02Prepare a restrained first cue~15m
  1. Review the programmer and the patched fixture parameters.
  2. Prepare a simple cue using documented current controls.
  3. Write down the intended playback order and how to stop or reset the rehearsal.

Confirm control behavior in the linked Lighting Library and your physical rig. Keep the rehearsal supervised by the responsible operator.

03Make the handoff clear~10m
  1. List the cues that should align with Live visuals or a presentation.
  2. Record timing, responsible operator and the intended output check.
  3. Document the actual rehearsal result and the remaining work.

Preparing a timing plan does not imply a finished cross-application or hardware integration. Confirm each real connection separately.

GSL5 Lighting Library is a linked product. Starter personalities are examples; use profiles for the exact fixtures. Physical output is explicitly armed in the application.

Read the current guide ↗

02 / KEEP THE USEFUL DETAILS

Your learning activity.

Capture a rehearsal, lesson notes or a training-video idea. Browse and export your own collection.

Browser-local drafts. This collection stays in this browser profile. It is not a public feed or verified learner activity. Exporting creates a file only when you choose it. Shared publishing, learner accounts and moderation need a future service. Read local-preview privacy ↗

Create a local draft

NOT PUBLISHED
Author on this draft

Choosing anonymous removes the display name from the saved draft and export.

Links remain links. Videos are never embedded or loaded automatically; opening one uses its external site.

Choose a video on your device to review it. Its file contents, filename and playback URL are not saved or exported. Preview files up to 512 MB; support depends on your browser.

Your draft collection

0 DRAFTS

Your first rehearsal starts here.

No activity has been added in this browser. Save a draft to build your own collection.

Up to 100 drafts per browser profile. Clearing browser data removes them. A JSON export is a portable copy, not a published post.

03 / HELP THE NEXT OPERATOR

Turn a useful lesson
into a next step.

A careful rehearsal report helps explain what works and what still needs attention. Prepare it here, then review the community and feedback paths. Public Academy publishing is planned.

THE NEXT WAVE STARTS WITH YOU.

Help build what
comes next.

Support the people creating SHOWAVE: better tools, clearer manuals and more time with real productions.

Contribute your experience, sponsor the work, or give what you can. You can also continue straight to the download.

Support the project ↗

Current Flutterwave recipient: Novus Foundation Uganda. Explore the initiative ↗