Why has this not been done before?

[GridGirl]

I've just read this article in The Stage - what a good idea! Wonder why no-one has set this kind of thing up before?

[paulears]

I'm not really sure it's got legs?

 

If it is a set of s specific show, then assuming it's not been hired in from one of the usual suppliers, it's going to either be expensive, difficult to store and of limited appeal - or it's going to be something very specific - like maybe flats, custom built to suit specific design, or often space problems. A venue can't hire the 'official' set because they're too tall - too wide, or maybe won't fit through the access door (like my venue where the dock door is out of use). I can see the weird and wonderful items, like wild west bars, with swing doors that are only 5m wide and 2.4m high having purpose - another small venue would find them excellent - but the sporadic demand won't match the sporadic availablility. Most sets that get scrapped are destroyed because of storage issues - so the chances of having somebody looking for exactly your item in the three week window before it has to go are a bit unlikely. If you look in the stores of all the common suppliers - they are HUGE, and have sets that may hand around for years, then go out a few times, then fall back out of popularity.

 

It would be nice - but unlike freecycle, show producers are unlikely to scour lists every week for a year to find bits of set for their next show - won't they wait until the show's confirmed, then make one or two calls and have their set, all packaged ready to go.

 

Maybe it will work if what they're thinking of aren't sets - but things like treads, tables, rostra - the building blocks?

[andrewg112]

I think its a great idea. I will certainly be checking the site to see if there is anything useful.

 

Like Paul said, The only potential problem would be the size of the sets which is obviously custom made in most cases, meaning anything that would be acquired may have to be chopped/changed to get it to fit in.

 

It might be a great idea for Schools who have a bit of space for storage, and indeed the space on the stage. I hope this works well.

 

Andy,

[kerry davies]

A good idea but of limited practicality as Paul hints.

 

The free nature means that companies could not recoup costs which is a disincentive to store them until they are needed. Re-use of parts and materials used to build the original is prevented. Transport to and from storage is another problem and all in all, in these frugal times, anything that costs will be under pressure.

 

One way it could work is for the recipients to appear at the the end of the run and take the sets away saving the originating companies transport and handling. The problem then being that someone, somewhere has paid for the original and giving it away for free raises the difficulty of re-use on a commercial basis.

 

I, for one, will be looking to see what monetary gain can be had from removing free sets and selling bits on to commercial enterprises. Decent business model, that one!