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Confusing Tech Specs


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Hello

 

I apologise in advance for the vagueness, but unfortunately it is necessary. I am reading through some tech specs of a theatre (cannot say which) and I am thrown by the heights to fly floor and grid that have been listed. I will admit that I am a theatre virgin and usually work in academies/arenas/festivals but the height to the fly floor is stated at 11.8m and to the grid is 22.5m. This seems far too big considering most arenas are between 20 and 30 metres floor to celing.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong but are those figures far too high to be believed?

 

Thanks in advance...

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Those heights are quite normal for a medium - large theatre, though obviously since you don't name the theatre in question no-one can offer you an opinion about whether the numbers you have are accurate in this case.
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Theatres have the whole height to prosc arch and a bit more above the proscenium so that full height set can be lifted out of view.

 

Grid in this instance isn't an arena mothergrid type setup, but the large structural members and working floor where all the fly pulleys live. Most theatre grids have beams suitable for 500kg chain points, but you'll need long chains or a 'stinger' (steel drift between the point and motor hook) to allow proper fly height.

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Those heights are quite normal for a medium - large theatre, though obviously since you don't name the theatre in question no-one can offer you an opinion about whether the numbers you have are accurate in this case.

 

Indeed, I know I am never going to get accuracey as I cannot name the venue, but just a sense that theatres of this size do exist would be good. Enough confirmation of that will stop me worrying about it =)

 

Theatres have the whole height to prosc arch and a bit more above the proscenium so that full height set can be lifted out of view.

 

When you put it that way it makes more sense, the proscenium opening is just short of 9m heigh so having a fly floor at 11m makes it nicely hidden. I'm just not used to a world where all technical/rigging gubbins is hidden so that joe public doesn't get distracted from the action on stage.

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Indeed, I know I am never going to get accuracey as I cannot name the venue,

Why can you not name the venue? That does seem a little odd, as it's only basic information.

For instance, the theatre that I'd guess Shez was referring to will be the Birmingham Hippodrome as both he and I are casuals over there, and yes, it is a very high grid!

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Why can you not name the venue? That does seem a little odd, as it's only basic information.

 

It's nothing suspicious, I am just doing some pre-production research on a range of venues and the people I am researching for do not want to reveal their intentions before anything is finalised.

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Those values seem fine to me for a 'typical' larger proscenium theatre.

 

I do find it easier when going through tech specs to also have both plans and sections available to determine what distance relates to which part of the stage - for instance a venue's fly floors could be a one level but a gallery crossover be a little higher, or one side is higher than the other to allow for the dock doors.

 

Hope this helps

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Thanks for all the educated guesses, I knew I was never going to get anything concrete. They did put my mind at rest though.

 

Actually saw the venue in the flesh today and the trim heights were indeed correct - that'll teach me to doubt tech specs again!

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