Must have gadget

[ScaredOfHeightsLD]

So I was browsing through some past issue of Live Design and I came across this article about what designers always carried with them. Weather it be at their tech table or just on a day trip. What is that one gadget you just can't live without? It can be as simple as a bottle of water or as complex as a laptop. I think that if we all toss out ideas that amongst some of them each of us should find something where we can say "DUH why didn't I think of carrying that?!?" So yeah, basically just throw anything down that you like to have with you on productions and hopefully we can all pick up a new item or two.
-Mike

[soundlight]

As a designer, my laptop, and a color coded group chart for the show, that has the text highlighted in the gel color of the group. I also always have the latest Rosco swatchbook and the Apollo gel conversion chart when the venue has anything other than Rosco.

As a general technician, my leatherman, a 5-in-1 wire stripper/crimper/cutter/needlenose/screw chopper (jameco sells 'em), a paint marker, and my Streamlight. Also a 25' or so hank of parachute cord with a small spring clamp on the end of it to haul up gel when the gel person for the rig forgets to bring the cuts for my electric/beam/boom up. This also works for frames, gobo holders, twofers, and 5' stagepin.

[Jezza]

As designer: laptop, laminated and binded instrument schedule, laser pointer, lots of different pens, pencils, markers, etc.

As a technician: Gerber, Camillus Heat, Pin Splitter II, Surfire L4LumaMax, silver sharpie, white greese pencil, pen-style continuity tester, Lightspeed wrench

[Chaos is Born]

I always have my laptop on me, along with gel books for Apollo, Gam, Lee, and Rosco, a small rigging kit (for training porposes), two black pens (always on my person), Gerber spring assist open knife (super sharp and great for one handed work), and my graphing calculator for any random equations i need to do. I also carry two pairs of work gloves, along with all the tools in my toolcase (goes to where i am going to be stationed from and sits there, or sits in my car).

Wireless Router, also to be installed to the location i am working in for use during tech.

My camera is also rarely far off, usually in my car unless i know im working on something i want photos of or a photo call night or final dress of a design.

[icewolf08]

As an ME, my 8" Crescent wrench. I also love to have a GAMCheck handy.

[jfitzpat]

* General *

Earplugs: To save what is left of my hearing from sound checks and whiny clients

Advil: To ease any headaches I still get from sound checks and whiny clients

A lanyard holding; small flashlight, a small pocket knife and a small roll of athletic tape: Which are generally used for repairs and tiny emergencies but which, in a pinch, can be used to threaten and bind whiny clients

One tube of mycetracin: For all first aid needs (everything from gashes to gig, er, tush - if you can't fix it with a hefty smear of mycetracin, 6 advil (or whatever the 24 hour max), and athletic tape you belong in a hospital)

* Technician *

A small Leatherman type tool and a pocket multi-meter (the meter is handy with whiny clients as well - put it on ohms, press the probes on their skin, and tell them it is a pocket polygraph device)

* Designer *

A pocket note book and several pens/pencils, because I am now too old to remember everything I promise to whiny clients...



-jjf

[SteveB]

Designer/LD:

- Brain, turned on early with copious amounts of coffee, replenished throughout the day.

- Watch. To make dead certain I am where I need to be on time. Always.

- Laptop: And it's useless without software, so - Vectorworks 10.5 & 12.5, Lightwright 4, Emphasis OL, Expression OL, ETC CEMPlus, Net2 Config Editor, Unison Light Manager, Adobe Professional, Word, Excel, IE7, Outlook, Palm Desktop

- HP Laser printer w/ 11x17 capacity

- Palm Treo 700

- Assorted Rosco, Lee, GAM and Apollo gel books (or are they "Color Media Sample Books" ?).

- Assorted Gobo booklets

- Assorted pens, pencils, hi-liners, etc...


Electrician:

- Brain, turned on early with copious amounts of coffee, replenished throughout the day.

- Watch. To make dead certain I am where I need to be on time. Always.

- Lightspeed wrench

- 8" C-Wrench (I tried the new Crescent 8" adjustable with the sliding thumb adjustment. It's heavy and generally a pain to use, especially in the dark)

- 4 way switchable tip screw driver - I prefer the type that has 2 different nut drivers as well, useful for Altman screws, among others

- Victorinox Champ Swiss Army Knife. It does everything.

- Leatherman Wave, for everything else

- Beckman true RMS digital volt meter

- 1 ea, of Edison to 2P&G adapters - M->F/M and reverse, as well as a 15w lamp-on-pigtail socket with 2P&G male plug (needed for adding a load to an SCR dimmer for testing)

- AA Maglite, LED flashlight (not happy w/ it, anyone got a good recommendation for an LED that's bright, adjustable, AA and about the size of a AA Mag ?)

- Petzl Zipka LED headlamp. Compact, works great, expensive

- Assorted carabiners, the real type, good for hauling ropes, attaching drop/work bags, etc...

- Leather gloves

- Glasses

- Hearing Aids (30 years in the business, listening to one-too-many loud audio system, as well as it runs in the family)

- Good work shoes. Currently New Balance 747 leather walking shoes, or the waterproof version. No heavy, steel toed, hiking boots for me. I don't do trucks no mo'.

- Northface clothing, Fleece sweaters as well as GoreTex jackets. Best there is, though anything by Columbia works well too. (Remember to keep receipts, all clothing is a tax write-off, as is pretty much everything listed above - including your cell phone).

I'm sure I'll remember other stuff later

Steve B.

[Logos]

This one made me think and I actually looked in my tool box to see what I had.
Everything I need to test for safety or do minor electrical repairs (Aussie test and tag rules) including a small collection of different multi tools (its a bit of a joke by my grown up kids new multi tools seem to be given to me on birthdays etc. I even have a 19th century farriers tool in my box).
Minor dressings and headache tabs.
Lee Numerical and designer swatch books.
Various sharpies and grease pencils
assorted size a and b gobo's (mostly breakup)
1 pair of UHF walkie talkies (just cheap ones but surprosingly useful)
A copy of Francis Reid "The Stage Lighting handbook"
An a4 blank pad and a scale rule and an old fashioned strand fixture stencil
and obviously for any particular show the rig plan patch list colour call and fixture list all on laminated paper.

[Van]

as a TD at tech rehearsals:

1 legal pad
1 pencil behind left ear
1 pen usually being chewed on
1 squeeze light
1 binder with the rest of the notes in it
Several large cups of coffee.
1 pair needle nose vice grips clamped on my right ear to keep me from falling asleep.

[gafftaper]

Wow lots of good stuff here to think about adding:

I do some occasional overhire work at a nearbye highschool performing arts center. I can be called on to do anything from run the fly, house manage, hang and focus lights, or help the band/orchestra/ballet group set up their gear. So I have my "Ninja Bag" with a little bit of everything:

-Leatherman Wave
-Mag lights, one new LED clear, one old style double geled to extra dark purple color
-spare AA batteries
-C-wrench on lanyard... buy some of the old style coiled telephone handset cord, cut and tie tightly on end of C-wrench, a biner on the other end, and heat shrink tubing to secure the knots in the cord and make it all look cool.
-"Backstage hand book"
-4-in-1 screwdriver
-Small spool black tie line
-Roll of gaff
-3 rolls of spike tape
-Scissors
-Gel Swatch books
-heavy leather gloves and light weight mechanic's gloves
-A few band aids
-roll of black e-tape