Technical Project
GMA3 Maker
Open-source Lua plugin tooling and console workflows for GrandMA3 lighting systems, built to automate repetitive show-file preparation, standardize layout generation, and enforce hardware safety interlocks during live events.
The problem
Preparing weekly multi-service lighting showfiles involves repetitive sequence creation, macro wiring, and layout updates under tight rehearsal windows—while hazardous stage effects require two-hand safety interlocks so they cannot be triggered accidentally.
How I approached it
I built reusable Lua plugins for GrandMA3 to automate sequence and pool setup, alongside a DMX-inverted 'deadman switch' architecture (patching an inverted dimmer on Universe 99.512 tied to a DMX Remote macro) that dynamically assigns hazardous sequences to an executor only while the operator physically holds the safety enable button.
Inside the build
- Built reusable plugin-driven automation for common show-programming actions.
- Designed a hardware-enforced deadman safety switch using an inverted DMX dimmer fixture on Universe 99.512 and DMX Remote macros so hazardous sequences exist on the surface only while held.
- Reduced repetitive manual operator steps in live production programming and cue-stack organization.
- Published open-source plugin code and operator documentation on GitHub.
The result
Cut showfile prep time across multi-service productions while standardizing operator layouts and hardware-enforced safety interlocks.