Sarah Q Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I was just wondering what random tricks people had to make their jobs easier.... When I was learning lighting and doing shows that weren't called, I was told that, before blackouts, to close one eye and keep it shut until the blackout happened. When that cue was called, you then swap eyes, and you are automatically adjusted to seeing in the dark, and therefore when the scene change has been completed, without having to be cued... it really does work for me... Anyone else got tricks like this that make operating easier? I have been trying to pass on my "knowledge" to some work experience people at my theatre.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 OK, here are the rules for this topic... 1) Only relevant useful tips should be posted.2) One tip per post.3) No discussion of tips allowed. If it works for you then excellent, if it doesn't then it doesn't.4) All other posts will be removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiLL Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 When marking the stage in tape, a square of transparent matt dance floor tape over the top of your coloured marks makes sure that they stay on the floor, and not on the soles of your cast and crews shoes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Chivers Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 A 'thing' that I find very useful is a box fitted with an assortment of connectors - XLR's, Jack, Phono, various DIN's, etc. It makes holding a connector still while I solder it a breeze. It's one of those things that I saw someone else using one that they had made up and thought 'why didn't I think of that!' Helps with both Audio and Lighting control connectors if you choose the right assortment of chassis sockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 keep in your tool/bits box , two of every connector to bare ends, eg XLR (all types m+F 2-7pin) phonos , bnc's............... and a number of picces of chock block, theny you can bodg your way out of the sickky stuff every time and it goes without saying , dont do this with anything over 24v (before any one chock blocks a iec to a 3ph125A cfrom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmills Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 It is actually possible to passively split a DMX line and have all the impedances work by putting a 56ohm resistor in each of the 2 legs of each output (4 resistors total).Each receiver then sees 6db less signal (but RS485 is specified to work with as little as 200mV differential) which is fine. Make them up in a little diecast box with 3 and 5 pin outputs and a polarity reverse switch on one of the 3 pin outputs for a great little problem solver. Not as good as a proper fully isolated splitter, but something that can live in the toolbox along with the spare terminators a great deal more easily. Regards, Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lightnix Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Lazy moving light programmer's tip, No.32... ;) Programme colour / gobo / etc. chases with one less step, than there are beats to the bar. :) :) Let me explain... Most (pop) songs are structured around twelve bar verses, in three, four-bar phrases, with four beats to the bar: 1, 2, 3, 4; 2, 2, 3, 4, etc... Say we program a three step, Red-Green-Blue, colour chase to go with that; the first bar will go...1 2 3 4 This means that the second bar will begin with a new colour...2 2 3 4 ...as will the third bar...3 2 3 4 ...before the fourth bar repeats the first sequence...4 2 3 4 The fourth beats / phrases are often the least significant, so using them to repeat a colour / sequence "doesn't matter so much", as it were. The cunning continues with the second phrase of the song, which now begins with the second colour and runs...1 2 3 42 2 3 43 2 3 44 2 3 4 ...followed, of course, by...1 2 3 42 2 3 43 2 3 44 2 3 4 Not only that (*jumps up and down excitedly*), BUT... because we have a twelve bar structure, the verse / chorus will begin with the original first colour :D ...Which is a long-winded way of saying that less is more ;) Although you have only programmed three steps, it looks (to start with, anyway) like you have programmed more, because (almost) each beat / phrase begins with a new colour. The technique can be adapted to other time signatures, but works best with twelve bar songs in 4/4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 If you have dented SM58 heads... and lets face it - most of us do! Take the head off the mic and place it on the top of a broom handle,gently bang the brush against the floor while rotating the mic head on the top of the handle. This will make your mic head look all pretty and new(er) and mean you don't have to buy new one's for corporate gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody74 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Take an old credit card and wrap gaff tape around it many times; then when you need a small piece, instead of hunting for the roll, just pull out your handy stash. -w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmills Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 When pulling in video lines a pair of headphones is an easy way to check continuity (just touch the jack across the BNC), you can hear the frame sync and it is much more convenient then a monitor when working at height. Regards, Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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