Tech 101

[Charc]

Alright, this should be a short post, because I have to get some work down before bed.

I've asked for, and tentatively received, Tuesday's tech class for a Tech 101. What prompted me to ask for this period was our first day of class, in which the first words were "Carry those flats over there", at which time I had to gather the new people around me, and explain what a flat was.

I don't have much time to prepare for this period, which I hope I do receive. I was hoping some of you guys could have suggestions on topics to cover during the 40 minutes I theoretically have.

I want to work in Safety, and some basic tool nomenclature, stage directions, and some other stuff. I don't want to throw too much information into their heads.

*Pass out sheets where students can indicate their interests: Lighting/Sound/Scenic/Costuming.

*Cover the importance of safety. Always wear eye protection when handling a Power Saw, Pneumatic Staple Gun. Always wear hearing protection when using a power saw. Situational awareness, who/what is around you? Don't startle the person at the table saw. Always be aware of who is below you. If you're carrying something, and the other person is backwards, let them know about objects, help guide them. Do not push them while they are going up/down stairs, or near the edge of the stage. Calling out "Thank You", "Noise".

*Cover basic tools, screwgun, battery pack/charger, phillips vs slotted, power miter saw, saber saw. (What specifics on these tools?)

*Lighting / Sound to be covered separately with interested students. (Fall arrest training to be covered with this group? Or with everyone?)

Sorry this list is in shambles, these are my first thoughts on the issue, but I'm trying to get the ball rolling.

[Footer]

I know you have a bit of a strange fall arrest system in place, I would not cover it in your 40 min thing. You simply don't have the time to explain it enough to be safe, you have just enough time to get them to the point where they are dangerous. I would cover the basics, and really just give a "how to not get killed on stage speech". I do the same thing with our casts before we go into a show, basically giving them a run down on what is going on onstage and how to best work onstage to avoid the hazards.

[soundlight]

I'd say figure out what they'll be interacting with, and deal with that and it's safety. So the first thing you should do is get them acquainted with stage directions, and what you call parts of the theatre, then tell them how they could get hurt in your theatre and how to prevent getting hurt.

In the future you can qualify people on tools as necessary. Figure out which people have some carpentry experience and get them going while others learn the basics.

[willmanc]

I agree... the "how to not get yourself killed" direction is probably the most important. Second most important... "How to not kill others." Dealing with an educational environment, it is your duty to provide a safe and educational environment.

From there, its your call... but a lot of the posts so far are going in the right direction. Make sure they know the vocabulary you will be using. My suggestion is to figure out what area your students will be working in first, and concentrate on that... vocabulary, safety, procedures. If they're going in all directions, try to contain them as much as possible.

Make sure they ask permission before they do anything!

Hope this helps.

[lieperjp]

Originally Posted by Charc

Our first day of class, in which the first words were "Carry those flats over there", at which time I had to gather the new people around me, and explain what a flat was.

What class? Are you teaching it? Is it a regularly scheduled class taught by a teacher?

The first thing you want to do is clearly, and more importantly - specifically, define what you want need to teach. Then, figure out how to go about going about this. A term I hear constantly in all my education classes is "Scaffolding." (I.E. Build upon previous knowledge. If you do not teach the basics well, the advanced stuff will be difficult and may go bad, because it was built on a shaky foundation.)

I would agree that safety is the Top priority. But that might not be what I would do first. Perhaps give a short (five minute) intro about the theatre, your theatre program (the hierarchy of the head people,) your building (where to find things that may be needed that not everyone will know about,) and your equipment, not to mention establishing credibility - after all, you are a student, not a teacher, though I do not know how the people in this class look at you.

[philhaney]

Originally Posted by soundlight

I'd say figure out what they'll be interacting with, and deal with that and it's safety. So the first thing you should do is get them acquainted with stage directions, and what you call parts of the theatre, then tell them how they could get hurt in your theatre and how to prevent getting hurt.

In the future you can qualify people on tools as necessary. Figure out which people have some carpentry experience and get them going while others learn the basics.

We have several places on our stage, and nearby, that have specific names we use to refer to them. When a fellow stage crew member asked me where a set went and I said, "The Stack." I got a blank stare. So definately cover stage directions, but also cover locations (or conditions) that you have your own names for.

Oh yeah, don't forget, "One hand high, and one hand low, makes the scenery go."

[philhaney]

"One hand high, and one hand low, makes the scenery go."

Originally Posted by Charc

The Pneumonic could use a little work, but covering the basics of carrying stuff might be good too. I will post my list a little later out.

All of our sets are on wheels. When I started in 1986, the TD told us that silly little rhyme, and because it was silly I still remember it to this day.

(And the TD and I still work at this venue. )

[ogivol]

I'm not going to pretend I'm some sort of technical director or anything, just a high school junior, but I do have some advice.

My first days of tech basically involved stage directions and simple tool usage,

And believe me it isn't easy to remember that right on the stage is actually stage left

As far as safety goes I'd give them the whole safety drill but I wouldn't go into specific tools as of yet. Give them general safety advice. Teach tools as the need arises.


Lets say you'd like to build a few platforms. Have a few people designated to build them and teach them how to use a drill/clamp, the works, but theres no need to tell them how to saw unless they actually need to saw. It's to much information for one day

As well it is those people who now know how to use that tool well that could also theoretically, help others learn the craft. Our TD does an excelent job in teaching others to teach others

As a final note, I would not encourage (unless they are all mostly familiar with tech) handing out sheets with areas of intrest. Encourage an enviroment in which you basically go over the basics of everything with everyone. A sound guy could do lighting for your next show with just a bit more than general instruction. It's like cultivating stem cells, just develop them in a way that allows you to differentiate them into other types of cells, but still in essense, be a different cell later


Hope that helps a little bit

[loki]

Yeh, i agree, im starting to teach people who are taking over from me things and i basicaly did it as follows

1) What you should never do in theater
2) How to be safe
3) What parts of the theater are called
4) Specialised knowledge (A/V, Stage Crew, etc)

[gafftaper]

Hey Charc a bunch of my lecture notes will be arriving in your e-mail account soon...