natjones

Late to the party, but had a demo with the High End SolaFrame Studio, which is the super quiet version of the SolaFrame Theatre. When static, they were silent. Small amount of noise with movement etc, but great unit - very wide angle and punchy. Also fantastic, and which we ended up purchasing, are the GLP S350s, which have a slightly smaller footprint. White Light may be able to organise a demo for you, as it really is the best to see the units in action.

Another upvote for the Giottos rocket blaster. I bought one for my camera sensor over 15 years ago, and it sits on my work desk now. It's great for doing maintenance jobs and lantern cleaning, and is frequently borrowed to clean keyboards.

Where's the "high five" emoji on this thing?!? While the ad is poorly worded (it IS a facebook ad after all), it is not discriminatory, in a legal sense. If there is no deal for entertainment workers, the company is within their rights to not offer posts to non-EU citizens. When technical roles are advertised at my organisation, there is a statement that no certificate of sponsorship is available for the post, thereby excluding anyone that does not already have a visa. If someone already has a visa for Europe, I am sure they could appeal in their application. Work visas take a lot of admin and expense, and companies that do things on the cheap - like TUI - will not be willing to go to the hassle. They don't pay the resort staff very well, so why would they pay for their permit applications as expected? There may also be union rules that have come into effect, like trying to get a visa to do technical work in the US, which is nigh on impossible unless it's a creative role. Don't blame a European company. Blame the people who voted for Brexit and the government that has handled the entire process so incompetently. Sorry, will try to keep this non-political.

Thanks to those of you who have reached out personally - I completely understand not wanting to post publicly about certain opinions!

Hello I currently work in a university drama department, and like everyone else, we have had to adjust the curriculum delivery and production schedules in the hope that our MA students and 3rd year undergrad students will be able to stage their productions in the summer term. Some academic members of staff seem to think that everybody will have a vaccine and we can resume activity as normal after Easter. Given that this is particularly optimistic (I believe that would be a polite way of putting it...) I was wondering what other drama departments/conservatoires are offering their students for assessments or practical work? Obviously, we all want to provide the best training, education and experience that we can, but we're also very much aware of taking care of our own health. We've advised our staff and students that we will be taking our lead from professional productions and conservatoires when it comes to staging performances. Between September and lockdown 2 (rule of 6, etc) we had to fight of many requests for staging productions for live audiences, as many did not understand the guidelines and restrictions, and the resources required to do so safely. Our team's instinct is to advise that all performances are filmed or streamed to an audience rather than performed live with a socially distanced audience. I've seen evidence that last term, some institutions were putting shows on with reduced tech and staging, more like concert stagings to allow for social distancing (Royal Welsh), and others where their performances seemed to be fully staged with performers in close contact with each other (ArtsEd), but in either case performances were streamed. Is this something that others are expecting to be the norm? Unlike Nimax and LW, we don't have a dedicated team of ushers, so technical staff would be the ones operating front of house and there would therefore be an increase in contact with the general public that we would not be comfortable with, so anything that we can do to reduce contact (like streaming) is what we're going to suggest. With regards to bubbles of six if there has to be contact, we all know that the second students leave the rehearsal room, social distancing and safety measures go out the window. They may live with people outside those bubbles and to be young and amorous is to not care about close contact with strangers. So there is additional concern for staff about close contact with students during production periods. Our institution does not offer technical courses, so our team would normally be expected to work with students on technical and design aspects of their productions. Has anybody else found a good way of dealing with this? In general, I'm interested in how others are staging shows and assessments in light of the current pandemic (and having to deal with those who don't understand the practicalities of staging productions, but insisting that they go ahead).

I've used some Aladdin LED soft lights recently, which were great, but probably a bit pricey for this. There are soft boxes available that fit onto traditional tungsten lanterns, like Chimera, which I've seen at a good price on https://www.prolightdirect.co.uk But like Brian said, toughspun is great, and I've used LeeLux (Lee 400) in the gel frame to soften up theatre generics for filming.

Hello How many outputs does the laptop have? If you want to run an extended desktop on two screens, then you will need two separate outputs, and then attach each output to each screen using the correct cable. Select the correct inputs on the the TV screens, then use the desktop/graphics settings of you operating systems to set up and identify which screen is which. It's the same as adding two monitors - very simple and there are probably youtube guides available. The problem is with things like MacBook Airs, as some simpler laptops do not have the capacity to run extended desktops. You could use an HDMI splitter, but it will just be replicating the same thing on two screens. Maybe test it with your TV screen and a computer monitor to check the principle before hiring another TV in. In addition, if you are using sound, you will need to nominate which TV screen is going to output the sound and change the settings accordingly.

I know we don't have a FB style "Like" Button, but if we did I'd be using in for posts like this. Thankyou Bravo! It's stuff like that which makes this a lovely industry sometimes!

I 100% agree with Kerry. I currently work at a university, and absolutely everything involving students and young people needs to be risk assessed, with a policies & procedures document in place. This is not only for health & safety, but for your own protection too. We live in a very litigious culture now, and if any accidents occur with young people, you need to make sure that the right steps have been taken to minimise risks, even if the setting is informal. There might be additional concerns about insurance. Our institution is not insured for people under 18 in certain areas, as their safety cannot be guaranteed without adult supervision. I think that places like the National Theatre don't take under 18 work placements in some areas for the similar reasons, so it might be a good idea to ask your organisation to consider this. However, initiatives like this are usually fantastic resources for their communities, so thank you for your enthusiasm.

Someone at work insisted on one a couple of years ago. beware the £70 snow machines . They are awful - and that's video evidence. At least it provided a talking point as to just how awful it was... If you can, see if you can get a rolling drum filled with dry snow. A local hire company might be able to provide something. White Light do these https://hirewl.com/p...e-1-2m-chisman/ and https://hirewl.com/p...achine-6ft-16a/ which are quite effective

"£40 for a wiring set. Eesh. Thanks for the suggestion.." Tell me about it! I've probably spent at least a grand replacing Source 4 wiring sets over the years. But it's still cheaper than a whole new lantern or constantly blowing lamps, I guess... The good news is that once you've replaced it, it probably won't bother you again for 10 years if you're careful not to overtighten when you reassemble the lamp housing. The bad news is that if you've purchased a bunch in one go, you might see a run of the same problem.

Source 4s can also develop faults in the insulation of the wiring set. It's a bit of a design flaw, as the lamp housing assembly can bite on it if tightened too hard (insert innuendo here). Obvious check: Is the dimmer outputting power? The fuse might have tripped when the lamp blew. If an alternative lantern is working in the socket, and you've checked the wiring on the socket and plug, then a failed continuity test between the pins and lampholder would indicate this. The spares are easily available, but aren't cheap if you're on a budget. https://stagedepot.c...-par-wiring-set b

Production Technician Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance Location: EghamSalary: £24,551 to £28,849 per annum pro rata - including London Allowance Closing Date: Friday 02 October 2020 Interview Date: See advert Reference: 0920-191 Part-Time, Permanent (0.8 FTE/ 28 hours per week) The Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance at Royal Holloway University of London wishes to appoint a highly motivated and competent Production Technician to work as part of our Technical Team in a thriving department which enjoys international recognition for its outstanding record of research. The department seeks applications from practitioners with, amongst other things, an aptitude for resource distribution and coordination mainly involving the allocation of rehearsal and performance space plus technical theatre equipment. Ideally the successful candidate will have a background in stage management or technical theatre. This permanent position is well suited to an applicant with developed organisational skills who is passionate about helping to support students. In addition, candidates will work closely with the department's Production Manager, Multimedia Technician and Theatre Electrician to maintain high standards of technical theatre within the department's performance venues. Applicants must have: IT literacy as the post involves monitoring of resources; a knowledge of video conferencing as well as an understanding of social media is desirable; minimally a basic knowledge of lighting and sound operation; ideally a practical aptitude with making skills; the ability to work at height; as well as the capacity to instruct and support students in stage management and/or technical theatre practices; an interest in higher education; an understanding of current health and safety legislation and a flexible attitude to working hours as some evening and weekend working is required. This is a permanent part time, 0.8 FTE, appointment which is available from October 2020. This post is based in Egham, Surrey where the College is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near to Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London. For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Sean Brennan, Production Manager on s.brennan@rhul.ac.uk. To view further details of this post and to apply please visit https://jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk. The Human Resources Department can be contacted with queries by email at: recruitment@rhul.ac.uk Please quote the reference: 0920-191 Closing Date: Midnight, 2 October 2020 Interview Date: W/C 19 October 2020

As it's overhead, make sure that you've got something suitable for rigging in portrait. Unicol offer a mount that does just this. https://unicol.com/products/projector-mounts/projector-suspension-unit Also, Projector Central has a very nifty throw calculator here https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm Are you looking to buy, or hire? If it's a hire, the company who you're renting from should be able to advise and provide rigging mounts.

Well, when someone asks the same question that's been asked before... copy & paste

We've been very impressed with Sennheiser's D1 mics at our venue over the last year. They use digital rather than radio frequencies, and the transmitter and receiver are paired, so no pesky licence issues. Unless there are a lot of walls in the way between, they're pretty damn smooth. Some reviews mentioned latency when there are a lot of wifi routers nearby, but it's so minor that it wouldn't be noticeable for your applications. The belt packs are also nice and light compared to the older radio mics. We went straight to Sennheiser, and they do pretty tasty education discounts, I think.

There are loads of schemes, but it really depends on where you are. Tell them to check out https://getintotheat...type=experience who also run talks and open days. National Theatre, ENO, Royal Opera House, Donmar Warehouse, Trinity Laban and White Light have apprenticeships in London, and ATG, LW and HQ have schemes nationally. https://www.atgticke...pprenticeships/ They usually advertise annually.

We've been very impressed with Sennheiser's D1 mics at our venue over the last year. They use digital rather than radio frequencies, and the transmitter and receiver are paired. Unless there are a lot of walls in the way between, they're pretty damn smooth. Some reviews mentioned latency when there are a lot of wifi routers nearby, but it's so minor that it wouldn't be noticeable for your applications. The belt packs are also nice and light compared to the older radio mics. We went straight to Sennheiser, and they do pretty tasty education discounts, I think.

Many thanks for all of the advice. Managed to use a Crown XLS 2502 amp to test. Given that the Bose amp is at least 15 years old, and in a rehearsal room system, we've decided to replace it with a Behringer, while I poke at the PCB in my spare time

If you aren't able to hire, and decide to make up your pendants, you'll need to consider the following: 1) how long to the drops need to be from the lighting bar/hanging point? What is the distance to socket? This will help you calculate how much cable to buy. 2) how many dimmers do you have available? 3) do all of the lamps need to be on the same dimmer, or will some of them be sharing? To avoid grelco hell, you should consider wago clips to join multiple pendants in junction boxes to share power. Wagos are pricier than chockblox, but less fiddly. You shouldn't need sockets if you go this route. 4) wattage of your lamps so you don't overload your dimmer (like, 100x 60w lamps into 1 channel) and can calculate what cable thickness you should use between the junction and the plug. 5) do you need incandescent lamps/visible filament? It's difficult to get large quantities of incandescent lamps now, but the LED versions can be pricey and need to be dimmable. On the other hand, LED is much lower wattage. Also, take lamp base into account. BC is usually easier to find pendant fittings for than ES. 6) shop around. Compare prices of different components on websites like https://uk.rs-online.com/web/ , https://cpc.farnell.com/ , https://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/ , https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk , or screwfix. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of different prices and part numbers. Some stuff, like 15amp plugs you might need to get from Whitelight, Stage Electrics or Sparks. 7) don't underestimate how long this can take! Do as much prep as you can. What is your get-in/get-out time? 8) how are you going to attach these? Budget for tape/cable ties. Good luck!

Another vote for Andolite. Very good service.

Hello all. As a sparky by nature, I have a question about an audio set up. I've inherited a Bose system (4x 402 II tops, MB4 bass, Panaray Controller, 1800 Series IV amp and 1200 amp). I installed it as rehearsal room PA after our venue upgraded to a D&B system 4 years ago. We also use Drawmer limiter and small Behringer desk to complete the set up. The system recently developed a completely random crackle. I've changed out all of the cables & have taken components out to problem solve. It's not the limiter, it's not the desk, it's not the crossover. It's either something in the patch/facilities panel, or the amp driving the 402s. I'm trying to hire an amp to swap out to test this theory, but obviously, most hire companies stock more recent equipment. My PM had been told previously that Bose speakers require Bose amps, but I wonder if this is true. As long as the amp meets the power requirements, could I use something else? Was the "Bose needs Bose" a sales pitch? Your thoughts would be most welcome.

The Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance at Royal Holloway University of London wishes to appoint a highly motivated and competent Theatre Technician / Stage Manager to work as part of our Technical Team in a thriving department which enjoys international recognition for its outstanding record of research. Applicants are sought from practitioners with skills and experience in the field of technical theatre and/or stage management. The successful candidate will be fully involved in all practical aspects of theatre production within the department. POSITION: Production Technician (Permanent, Part Time) RATE OF PAY: 24,151 to £28,377 pro rata per annum (including London Allowance) DATE: permanent. Application deadline: 15 March LOCATION: Egham DESCRIPTION: For applications, please visit https://jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=0819-304 Candidates will work closely with the department's Production Manager and Theatre Electrician to maintain high standards of technical theatre within the department. Applicants must have: IT literacy as the post involves monitoring of resources; minimally a basic knowledge of lighting and sound operation; strong making and practical skills; able to work at height; the ability to instruct students in stage management and /or technical theatre practices; an interest in higher education; a clear understanding of current health and safety legislation and a flexible attitude to working hours as some evening and weekend working will be required. The Production Technician will also be required to provide some supervision and instruction to students in various aspects of technical theatre / stage management.This is a permanent part time, 0.8 FTE, appointment which is available from September 2019.This post is based in Egham, Surrey where the College is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near to Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London. For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Sean Brennan, Production Manager on s.brennan@rhul.ac.uk. To view further details of this post and to apply please visit https://jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk. The Human Resources Department can be contacted with queries by email at: recruitment@rhul.ac.uk or via telephone on: +44 (0)1784 276540. Please quote the reference: 0819-304 Closing Date: 20 September 2019 Interview Date: W/C 30 September 2019 Please note that it will not be possible for the College to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for successful candidates as this role does not fall into one of the standard occupational codes deemed eligible for sponsorship by UK Visas and Immigration and the pro-rata salary will not meet the minimum threshold set by UK Visas and Immigration. Successful candidates will therefore need to be eligible to work in the UK or have limited leave to remain in the UK and associated right to work for the duration of their employment with the College, in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Hello Do you mean 4x5 meters or feet? If it's feet, you could easily get 3 or 4 ETC Source 4 Junior zooms or Source 4 fresnels on Tank Traps and aluminium booms on each corner to achieve a nice 45 degree wash from the front and colour/gobo from the back, and run off a alpha pack or beta pack. You could consider running ETC nomad off a laptop if you want to store states. If you want something with colour changes, you'd need to go LED, though. Have a look on White Light or stage electrics to price up, or give them a ring. Or Sparks Theatrical.