Last November, Obsidian Control Systems initiated Train the Trainer workshops aimed at training its European partners on the specifics of the intuitive ONYX lighting control platform. The sessions, specifically designed to springboard an Obsidian awareness campaign and grow the ONYX community, are bearing fruit as trainers across Europe amplify the platform’s reach by training other partners and end-users. 

One of the youngest participants in the Train the Trainer sessions, held at Obsidian’s European headquarters in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, is 16-year-old Martin Pokorný from the Czech Republic. Martin completed the training sessions in February alongside Obsidian’s 3-day ONYX course and is now training Obsidian users in the Czech Republic. 

“For young people just entering the lighting control market, I think ONYX is the best platform out there,” Martin stated. “It is intuitive and easy to learn but still has a very powerful engine and isn’t limited in its functionality. It is as capable as many of the larger boards but is so reasonably priced it is accessible to most users, especially those just starting out.” 

Koy Neminathan, head of business development at Obsidian, has been instrumental in rolling out the Train the Trainer workshops. He comments, “As we equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively train others in the powerful features of ONYX, trainers like Martin are key in taking those skills back to their local market network. That’s how we spread our message of better lighting control and effectively grow Obsidian’s userbase worldwide.”

Martin began in lighting three years ago but was unhappy with the lighting desk he was using. He went in search of other opportunities and connected with Elation’s Czech distributor, WD Lux, who introduced him to the ONYX platform. Eventually he bought his own NX1 console, Obsidian’s scalable, full-featured lighting desk, and he’s happy he did.  

“It only took me a few days to learn the basics and I was off and running,” he recalls, adding that it’s possible to learn the entire system via online ONYX tutorial videos, as well as the in-console manual. For Koy, it’s no surprise that someone so young is capable of learning the ONYX platform and creating great shows. “That’s a key component of the ONYX system and something we often hear - the platform is user-friendly and easy to learn,” he said.

For Martin, not only was the cost of other consoles prohibitive, the layout on some of them looked outdated and unadaptable. “My NX1 gives me the opportunity to expand the console depending on the show,” he said. “I’m not limited to 10 faders and then have to go out and buy a larger console when I need more. I can easily add an NXP fader wing or the NXK control surface. The layout is excellent and really intuitive.” Martin also highlights the built-in DyLOS media engine as another great advantage. “It’s great for graphics and I don’t need to worry about connecting a separate computer or external power supply.”

After honing his skills working on festivals, concerts, theatrical shows and other events, both through WD Lux and as a freelancer, Martin attended a Train the Trainer workshop in February. “I wanted to see how the software operates directly from an official trainer. I wanted to be certain I was doing it correct and the easiest way, so that I could take that back to the Czech Republic for our own trainings. I also wanted to learn some advanced techniques.” 

Martin works with WD Lux to train users on the ONYX platform, offering a basic and intermediate/advanced course. Looking ahead, he looks forward to working on bigger shows and continuing to grow the Obsidian brand in the Czech Republic. “When I do shows with ONYX, lighting designers will often ask me about the console and I show them, which is a great real-life training opportunity,” he said. “Combine that with our ongoing trainings and we’re building a great foundation of ONYX users in the Czech Republic.”

Koy concludes, “Train the Trainer has been quite successful for us and we can see that it has created momentum for the brand. The potential to grow our userbase is huge and now that we have a growing team of accredited trainers like Martin trained on the latest software, we can only see positive growth in Europe.”