PuppetLight Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I am lighting and then stage managing a christimas concert tomorrow at a local venue. Today u discover they have no cans system or simmilar in place. Especially during lengthy staging reshuffling it is important that I can have something in place.Any advice for how to make a diy cans system, or something along those lines would be great. ThanksChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRW Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I am lighting and then stage managing a christimas concert tomorrow at a local venue. Today u discover they have no cans system or simmilar in place. Especially during lengthy staging reshuffling it is important that I can have something in place.Any advice for how to make a diy cans system, or something along those lines would be great. ThanksChris Two old telephones and a 9v battery/power supply :) My link Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddproduction Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Two small mixers, each with a microphone and headset, and 2 lines connecting them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Borrow a couple of walkie talkies - or of course just hire a set from one of the local sources, they're usually quite cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 The invention your looking for is a Telephone and Google. Stick "Comms hire 'Location'" into Google with Location being where you are, then call the resulting list of hire companies. As those lovely meerkats say: Simples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Hi Christian. First thing DON'T PANIC. We recently had a topic regarding cans where the upshot was that cans are an "add-on" and not an essential. Next, ask yourself why they have no cans and who it is that is going to be on the other end if you are LX and stage manager (and probably making the tea and sweeping the stage and...) Get my drift? Then ask yourself how many of what age children are involved and whether cans are practical when dashing to get the third fairy out of the toilet or the second shepherd out of a tree. (Been there, done both!) Finally DON'T PANIC! Most of us have done hundreds if not thousands of events where state of the art comms meant throwing stale buns at each other. It's a Christmas concert and the laws of nature are suspended. It will almost certainly all go horribly "wrong" from your PoV and the audience will absolutely love it. As long as you don't actually kill a child, and on rare occasions even if you do, parents will compliment you while you weep. As Noddy Holder said, It's Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Every year in pantomime, I have an ear piece radio receiver, gadgets and gizmos, and always offer the same to the asm's - more refuse them than accept. Like Kerry said - for years and years nobody had comms in theatres, and even those that did used telephones! Nothing portable. A few flashing lights, or maybe a buzzer for flys, but the need to actually speak to people is very over rated, and often used when the 6 P rule has not been followed. 6P RuleProper Planning Prevents P1ss Poor Performance Always worth remembering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Stale Buns? Luxury. We used to dream of having stale buns to throw at each other. [in appropriate norther accent]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetLight Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Thanks folks, from an LX and sound perspective the concert was a hit however I've never seen such a slow transition between a solo performance and an orchestra, compare couldn't be heard over the clattering and banging of music stands and chair (despite how loud the mic was). Ended up using Skype for the whole show (what a genius invention that Skype is) had LX, sound, stage management and front of house all in one chat.Have a good christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugarcoated Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Bit late/old.. Sorry!But have you thought about using smart phones? An app called "Zello" which is available on Android, IOS and Windows 7/8 - It turns your phone into a walkie-talkie which can operate over WiFi or 3g/4g You can create "channels" similar to CANS units So all your camera crew in one, stage on another. You can also do private messages to individual users etc Very good app indeed http://zello.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 He needed urgent help for a show on the 19th December. In another topic somebody suggested another piece of software for phones, but the delay e-e was a bit odd to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Very good app indeed http://zello.com/ That could be quite useful for some things, but, it's a bit laggy - I'm finding between about 1/2 second & 5 seconds at the moment. You certainly couldn't call a show on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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