gibbothegreat Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hi, I've got a job which requires a front projection screen at least 3m wide, but the catch is that there isn't any room to erect a folding screen. The largest pull-up I've been able to find locally is 2m wide, which will be too small. Does anyone know where I might source a larger one to hire, or have an alternative suggestion? Location is Livingston West Lothian, and date is 27th Jan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djw1981 Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 do you mean not enough room for the legs? or no hanging provision? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave m Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 How much "stage" space DO you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskers Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 white paint on the back wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 do you mean not enough room for the legs? or no hanging provision?It's an event which is being 'forced' on top of a week-long show which has a pretty substantial set. This is because the Chief executive's office somehow forgot to book the auditorium for the annual event on a particular date... so the only option is to drop the tabs and put it in front of there. There's no possibility of flying the screen there. How much "stage" space DO you have?It's a curved forestage, at centre it's around 2.5m deep, going down to about 60cm at the sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
empyfree Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 When you say not enough space, are you referring to laying out a folding frame flat on the floor while you attach the surface? If so there's a couple of tricks for avoiding this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 When you say not enough space, are you referring to laying out a folding frame flat on the floor while you attach the surface? If so there's a couple of tricks for avoiding this. Bingo! That's what I was hoping for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave m Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 so... the tabs are held up by a tab track? fly the screen off that on a bit of sash/chains. or fold the T shaped fast fold type legs into an L section and add loads of weight on the back.This is the same as holding up a flat with a french brace.Add a top restraining guy if needed. or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 so... the tabs are held up by a tab track? fly the screen off that on a bit of sash/chains. or fold the T shaped fast fold type legs into an L section and add loads of weight on the back.This is the same as holding up a flat with a french brace.Add a top restraining guy if needed. or am I missing something? Flying might be tricky, in that our tabs are on a counterweight, but with the particular fun catch that the cradle isn't accessible, it's sealed in (by the installers, presumably on the basis that it would never need altering...). The amount of set on stage means that I won't be able to get our Genie in to it. I can over-run the tabs in to a point where I can get the Genie to the bar from downstage once it's cleared the house header, but I can't get to the control rope to put a lock on it, so I'd have to rely on the brake - so that's not viable either. Typically, we do the L legs trick with weights, but that isn't the issue here -it is assembling the screen. Our in- house one is 14½' x 10', which is a good size for the auditorium, but what there isn't in this set-up is that amount of clear stage or flat space to attach the screen to the frame, and I'm not willing to try doing that over bits of set or seating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I can over-run the tabs in to a point where I can get the Genie to the bar from downstage once it's cleared the house header, but I can't get to the control rope to put a lock on it, so I'd have to rely on the brake - so that's not viable either. Having overhauled the bar, could you then chuck a couple of lines over it? Tie the screen on downstage, haul screen directly over the bar, tie down to a few stageweights or other suitable ballast behind the tabs. It's a bit rough but v unlikely to do any harm as long as you don't make a habit of it, and no need to get the Genie out or overhaul the tabs bar again for the out. I'm not willing to try doing that over bits of set or seating. Is this a fast-fold screen we're talking about here? Really shouldn't be that tough to do in the auditorium, as long as you're not trying to do it on your tod. If you're concerned about damaging the skin perhaps unfold it elsewhere and then roll it. Assemble the frame in the auditorium, attach the top and topmost couple of side studs of the skin on the forestage (shiny side up, obviously), and the rest when the frame is vertical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Having overhauled the bar, could you then chuck a couple of lines over it? Tie the screen on downstage, haul screen directly over the bar, tie down to a few stageweights or other suitable ballast behind the tabs. It's a bit rough but v unlikely to do any harm as long as you don't make a habit of it, and no need to get the Genie out or overhaul the tabs bar again for the out. OK, maybe I'm missing something here, but that still relies on me holding an out-of-balance bar on just the brake whilst I get the Genie along the bar to attach the ropes...? (And in fact, in a total d'Oh! moment, I realise I've missed one obvious thing, which is that, from the description of the set, it may well not be possible to get the Genie to downstage anyway.) Is this a fast-fold screen we're talking about here? Really shouldn't be that tough to do in the auditorium, as long as you're not trying to do it on your tod. If you're concerned about damaging the skin perhaps unfold it elsewhere and then roll it. Assemble the frame in the auditorium, attach the top and topmost couple of side studs of the skin on the forestage (shiny side up, obviously), and the rest when the frame is vertical. Planning for it so far has been on the basis of a one-person job, but if the client's willing to pay I can bring in a casual. See what you're saying about an assembly method. Again, the Genie is a relevant consideration here, as I wouldn't feel comfortable applying the amount of force needed to stretch the screen onto its fasteners off a ladder. It does give me something to think about, though, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 ... because the Chief executive's office somehow forgot to book ... Sorry but the CE's office need to fund the staff needed to do the job, they are asking for effectively double use, it will come with added costs, or one client will not come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 OK, maybe I'm missing something here, but that still relies on me holding an out-of-balance bar on just the brake whilst I get the Genie along the bar to attach the ropes...? You're missing the full extent of the bodge-ness I'm suggesting. ;)I'm not saying attach the rope to the bar, merely lob it over. (If you have good aim, a beanbag and a length of string, perhaps even from floor level.)Attach it to the screen downstage of the bar, and to the floor upstage of the bar. The load on the bar is therefore a bit more than the weight of the screen (which should still be relatively trivial compared to the weight of the tabs), and there's a chance you may chafe one or two of the ties on your tabs if you're careless and/or unlucky. Planning for it so far has been on the basis of a one-person job What I'm suggesting is definitely too awkward for that. TBH, it doesn't sound to me like you're likely to come up with anything that doesn't require a second pair of hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbothegreat Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 You're missing the full extent of the bodge-ness I'm suggesting. ;)I'm not saying attach the rope to the bar, merely lob it over. (If you have good aim, a beanbag and a length of string, perhaps even from floor level.)Attach it to the screen downstage of the bar, and to the floor upstage of the bar. The load on the bar is therefore a bit more than the weight of the screen (which should still be relatively trivial compared to the weight of the tabs), and there's a chance you may chafe one or two of the ties on your tabs if you're careless and/or unlucky. Ah, I see! What I hadn't conveyed is that the tabs are pretty tight to the house header, so the only way of getting a rope over would either be being able to access it at height and thread it down, which is problematic because of the restriced space on stage, or to get the bar belowe the bottom of the header, which requires a fair degree of overhauling What I'm suggesting is definitely too awkward for that. TBH, it doesn't sound to me like you're likely to come up with anything that doesn't require a second pair of hands.I certainly won't be unhappy if this ends up costing the client more... http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Is it time for my Frankie Howerd impression? "Lone working? Ooh, dear. In a theatre?: Now, now, wait wait, have patience you lot. Titter ye not. Working at height possibly? Ooh, dear, no dear, stop it!" Seano has my vote but it is a two person job whichever solution you come up with. Struggling on your own will take too much time and be too risky when all is said and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.