tech rehearsals

[djw1981]

But equally you can end up with a crew where although the department heads know what they are doing, other crew are husbands and sons brought in to provide some muscle. These people would really benefit from a practice or 4.

[paulears]

Perhaps I'm missing something here.

 

If it is a tech - then it starts and stops, or even repeats IF IT IS NECESSARY!

 

That's it.

[J Pearce]

Quite often the tech is also the first rehearsal for the pit with actors/actresses.

 

In my last show as a musician we had to stop and start which gave the crew a chance to talk over how they were going to get round that tricky scene with pyros, snow and smoke....

[gareth]

Quite often the tech is also the first rehearsal for the pit with actors/actresses.

Nope. The whole point of a tech is to run it without turns.

 

In my last show as a musician we had to stop and start which gave the crew a chance to talk over how they were going to get round that tricky scene with pyros, snow and smoke....

Which is exactly what a tech is for, so no problem there.

[J Pearce]

I think you might have understood me.

 

We - the pit - had to stop and this often coincided with the techs having to stop.

 

And surely - for the noise boys anyway - the tech would require the turns to be present?

[gareth]

And surely - for the noise boys anyway - the tech would require the turns to be present?

For a musical, then yes, they might need principals. But in a tech they wouldn't do their entire thing - just the bits that were relevant to any technical goings-on.

 

By far the best way to get a flavour of how a tech rehearsal is run in 'real world' theatre is to see if you can get yourself in to observe one at your local venue some time. Quite a few places seem to be happy to allow someone who shows an interest to lurk in the the auditorium for a while and watch what's going on, and it can be a real eye-opener if you've never experienced it before! :D

[mac.calder]

I wish I could get across to our director how important a tech rehersal is. She just likes to run the show start to finish on tech night without any stops. I would much prefer to run through each cue 2 or 3 times but it just wont happen. Luckly my crew are well trained and used to it by now. Anyone else had this kind of problem?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If your SM, you don't need to get it accross to the director, just do something like this:

 

SM: Hey _____, I have scheduled the tech rehearsal for ___/___/___

Director: Oh... Okay....

SM: Just as an asside, I want to talk to you about how we will run it. We don't have enough time to do a run through and perfect the technical elements, so how about we do it like.....

 

The director will either say yay or nay, (of course the director will be diplomatic). If in amdram, you can just say "Look, a tech rehearsal is the only rehearsal my crew get. I really need to run this rehearsal my way", note the possessives, it always throws directors off a little, that the crew are not a part of their baby, they are not a member of the artistic team so to speek...

 

Just be shure to nutt out all the details with them before the event (and in private). If you don't budge from what you want, they will EVENTUALLY come arround to what you want.

 

Remember - your an SM, be resourcefull.

[Genus]

Hey, I am not sure about the point in doing a tech run without actors present.

 

In the professional venues I have worked in (both London and overseas) the actors are always there. Timings need to be established.

 

E.g. how long will this scene change take, bearing in mind that the actors all need to get off stage. What about followspot cues, radio mics and the mix (for a noise boy). None of these can be done without cast.

 

If there are lots of complicated scene changes there should be a set-change rehearsal with no cast before the tech.

 

Also a tech would be the time where the LD looks at the plotted show with actors standing in the light, and mutters a lot to the board op to "bring up channel 20 to 50%... okay update that cue" because I have never yet seen a plot become perfect after the plotting session because there are no actors. And you don't really know how it will look once the whole cast moving in the space.

 

G

[paulears]

As Gareth said - the turns only need be present if what they do contributes to or is somehow linked with the technical process. The thing everyone must understand is that it isn't an extra rehearsal for them - You get daggers, of course. I remember being in desperation stakes in the wings, and striding on stage SHOUTING over everyone including the band - "STOP, STOP, STOP". It ground to a halt and the director said, "why have we stopped, it was going so well?" He hadn't noticed an entire scene change, with trucks and frenchmans hadn't happened!!!!

 

Tact, diplomacy...... and ranting.

[mac.calder]

Hey, I am not sure about the point in doing a tech run without actors present.

 

In the professional venues I have worked in (both London and overseas) the actors are always there. Timings need to be established.

 

E.g. how long will this scene change take, bearing in mind that the actors all need to get off stage. What about followspot cues, radio mics and the mix (for a noise boy). None of these can be done without cast.

 

If there are lots of complicated scene changes there should be a set-change rehearsal with no cast before the tech.

 

Also a tech would be the time where the LD looks at the plotted show with actors standing in the light, and mutters a lot to the board op to "bring up channel 20 to 50%... okay update that cue" because I have never yet seen a plot become perfect after the plotting session because there are no actors. And you don't really know how it will look once the whole cast moving in the space.

 

G

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Re the LD changing things during the tech, how on earth do you have time to fit them in. I mean top and tailing all the cues, the LXop often does not have time for the extra operations, especialy when there are no other tech elements between scenes - I also find the LD is often in the audience, observing there, rather than the box. In the few productions I have done, I have noticed that it works best if the plot sessions (done with walkers) are done, then the tech, LD in audience with a notepad. Afterwards, I try and schedule at least an hours work in time, where all actors are available, and have it the next day. That way anything not requiring actors can be done pre-work in, then there is a quick replot of the occasional state with actors, which can be done quickly. I picked up that idea from the person who mentored me, and have always used it, other people of course do things differently. A lot does depend on the production schedule.

 

One bonus of doing loads of AmDram though is that you often end up with the actual actors being walkers in the plot sessions, so there is minimal change needed in the work in time. The draw back is to amdram is when you find out that although you know you purchased a roll of 195 for that cyc, it has gone missing because another Amdram company thought that the locked filing cabinet that was our private gel draw was fair game, so you end up saying "Imagine that is magenta" or "Imagine that it is dark and stormy, not bright and sunny, because we still have not got that gell." Which means that only in the final dress rehearsal when the gel order comes in do you realise that you need to replot all these scenes because the intensity is slightly up the creak.

 

I love Amdram.

[PDD]

Just had an interesting tech last night where the designer (who bizarrely was also flyman) had a complete wobbly because the director didn't like and wanted to cut one of his flown effects. As SM on-the-book I was left to field the tantrum down the cans and no doubt will get a b*****ing this morning as, equally bizarrely, the designer is also the 'tech manager' of the theatre and my boss. Oh the joys of working in a school theatre!

[Genus]

From my experience, during the tech the LD is next to the board op who is on a production desk in the stalls.

 

If not most comms systems have two channels, keep one for the cues and the other for designer.

 

How often during the tech do LX cues take preference? not very often, too busy dealing with set, so whilst they are doing that the LD edits. I have been around some very good board op's/programmers, where this kind of thing is possible. Speed plotting to the extreme.

 

I find that its best to keep the production desk in the stalls until at the very earliest the dress. It's councter-productive having people so far apart at the tech. What with directors passing notes with the LD, the programmer speed plotting etc....

 

I also find that unless the lx cue is crucial - timing wise- that it doesn't matter if its a few seconds late during the tech whilst things change. It can be quite stressfull though, the DSM calling a cue whilst the LD asks you to change things. You need a calm and very quick programmer.

 

Genus

[Bryson]

Care to explain the inverted commas there...or are you in enough trouble already?

[PDD]

Care to explain the inverted commas there...or are you in enough trouble already?

 

Basically, he's not really the Tech Manager, as I work for a school theatre, so therefore I actually run the theatre, whilst a teacher (read 'Tech Manager') is officially in charge. His job title is actually 'Director of Theatre Productions'. Only further complicated by the fact I also work for the Head of Drama!!

 

P.