travis1234 Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Well boys and girls, ive been contracted to do yet another talent show at a high school. And frankly after the site visit, I need ideas! The LX rig is the big issue, 12 quartet f's, and 6 profiles, 12 channel manual and a hardwired dimmer. F** all budget, with limited or no access to the lanterns. There are 2 scaff poles SL & SR which I can hang stuff from, the lanterns that are up are all open white, and I think thats pretty much it. So I need ideas, the theatre across the road is closed for refurb and all kit is being renewed so their old kit is elsewhere. I have got access to a tallescope but its getting it to the school thats the problem. Im in the Glasgow area btw! Any help/ideas MUCH appreciated! P.s show is on 28th!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I think in a way you've answered your own questions... 1. No budget - so you'll have to use what's to hand. 2. No access - so you'll have to arrange some. 3. 12 Fresnels and 6 Profiles - more than enough given the above constraints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 One of the major components of skilful lighting design is doing the best job you can with the resources that are available to you, however meagre they might be. Sounds like this is your chance to prove yourself ... Edit : Travis, I notice your profile says that you're an ALD member - with the greatest of respect, if you're doing enough work as an LD to be eligible for membership of the ALD, it strikes me as a bit odd that you're posting on the BR asking for ideas on what you should do with 12 channels of dimming and 18 lanterns. If I've got the wrong end of the stick, I apologise, but curiosity got the better of me and I have to ask! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I do a few of these sorts of things a year, I just turn up, walk the venue with a pad during rig-check (a/k/a finding which lamps have blown), label the desk, get a programme, spend a few minutes discussing it with the show director / co-ordinator / school head / whatever, program up a few looks when the talent has gone home, and then busk the show. Do a half competent job and they'll thank you enormously. Earlier this year I did an end of term bash for a mob who whilst being competent in what they did, had no stagecraft, so after the dress spent ten minutes explainging that visible shifters should wear blacks, marked up the stage, and giving the curtain op a walkie talkie so that we could co-ordinate house lights curtains and show lighting, turned a mess into something fairly passible. All the parents and hangers on went banannas over how much better the show had been than previous years. The local MP was there to present the prizes, and his office wrote a very nice letter saying how good the show had been, and the letter was forwarded to me with a note saying how this was all because of my involvement. This caused me distinct problems, as my head wouldn't fit out the door for days afterwards :) And this was with a rig you would cross the road to avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis1234 Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 ive done plenty of jobs, so im no amateur, but the reason im asking for ideas is because ive got 3 shows back to back and this is the one where I dont realy have much time but theyre bugging me about colour, they say they might aswell leave the house lights on, frankly I dont want to do the gig, but I didnt have the heart to say no because its a charity doo. Gareth, dont worry about it, no offence taken, I am a member, just not enough time to create a big plan or sit down and come up with ideas, so was just brainstorming for any quick suggestions. Travis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Understood, Travis. If you really want to do it, then go right ahead - but personally, if I was asked to do a charity thing the acceptance of which meant that jobs were backing up into each other like that, I'd just give them a polite "thanks for asking, but I'm afraid I can't help you". Doing a job under pressure and finding that you haven't got enough time to devote to it (with the very real possibility that it might all go t1ts-up as a result) is far worse than not doing it at all, IMHO. And at the end of the day, while it's always nice to do one's bit for 'charidee' from time to time, most of us are in this business to make money - if I had a clash between a non-paying job for a good cause and one that paid full whack, the charity one would be the one to go. Selfish? Perhaps, but I'm in this to make a living. Sorry, I seem to have strayed a bit from the topic! Just my £0.02-worth ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Travis, I think part of the concern is that you say that you have been "contracted" to do this job. Does this mean you are being paid for the job? If you have a contract what is in the contract?Design? Operation? Equipment supply? Of course in answer to your question, How is this event being staged?Is there as stage?Is it Thrust? Procenium? Traverse? In the round?Where are the current fixtures in relation to the stage?What is the power supply (perminant and temporary)What acts do you have? Is there any requirement for specials? James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis1234 Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 The stage consists of a 5x4m prolyte setup, it doubles as a canteen or something.The power supply from the dimmers is hard wired (and untested), but the poshest thing they have is a motorpowered seating bank from the wall. Thats pretty much everything, and as for "contracted", just the first word out the mouth, just lending a hand realy. Travis :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_pilborough Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I can understand your situation as I'm currently doing a production with 12 manual dimmers and about 20 lanterns on three sections of stage 5*4m, 2*2m and 1*1m.My advice would be Light as much as you can with what youve got - you won't get a perfect 'no shadows' stage but you will at least be able to see the actorsPut in some gels - a cheap way of making things more interestingFind a followspot if possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostlyharmless Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 I've done lighting for GCSE performances, so thats about 10 performances back to back throughout the day... just rig everything pointing at the stage, we did it in pairs, and usethe most common gels such as straw, steel blue, blue etc. And check with the acts if they need anything special, and what colours they will like. You can then busk the dress R, and come up with a plan for the main show. Does this school have any sort of tech team? Or students who know what they are talking about? They can normally be relied on more on the best ways to use the lights you have/ what doesnt work than the teachers will tell you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 How is this event being staged?Is there as stage?Is it Thrust? Procenium? Traverse? In the round?Where are the current fixtures in relation to the stage?What is the power supply (perminant and temporary)What acts do you have? Is there any requirement for specials? The stage consists of a 5x4m prolyte setup, it doubles as a canteen or something.The power supply from the dimmers is hard wired (and untested), but the poshest thing they have is a motorpowered seating bank from the wall. Travis :DHow is the event being staged. (How many acts, how are they going to get access, do they have set or personal props, is there an MC or a caller or a host?)Where are the current fixtures and rigging positions in relation to the stage?What is the power supply? (Perminant and temporary?) How much power comes into the building, what is assignes where, how many 13A sockets are arround.. What do you have available to use?? What are they going to need to use? Urns etc???What type acts do you have? (Song, Dance, Drama, Mime, Track, Band? )James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 I need ideas! The LX rig is ... 12 quartet f's, and 6 profiles, 12 channel manual and a hardwired dimmer. Any help/ideas MUCH appreciated! Travis, I notice your profile says that you're an ALD member - with the greatest of respect, if you're doing enough work as an LD to be eligible for membership of the ALD, it strikes me as a bit odd that you're posting on the BR asking for ideas on what you should do with 12 channels of dimming and 18 lanterns. ive done plenty of jobs, so im no amateur, but the reason im asking for ideas is because ive got 3 shows back to back and this is the one where I dont realy have much time but theyre bugging me about colour, Sorry to bang on about this, but as a Professional Member of the ALD myself, I'm shocked that someone who claims to be an ALD member should need help with such a basic design. I could give you 6 different designs off the top of my head without breaking into a sweat. I, too, am doing designs back to back at the moment, though in my case 5 in a row, and am having no trouble designing any of them - from a small school venue with 30 channels to a large pro venue with 200 channels. Admittedly, none of them are "bugging me about colour" but maybe that's because I've given them all rig plans with the colour marked on them. If you really need some help with your designs, PM me with a plan of where the circuits are and I'll gladly help with suggestions. JSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.