Everything Master Electrician

[derekleffew]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

...So does anyone have any advice to maybe make me feel better? Any experience going into a new venue like this? Not knowing any of their stock or what they've ordered or anything? ...

1. Has the designer designed at this new, to you, venue previously?
2. Does the venue have a house electrician or TD who knows the facility and its idiosyncrasies?
3. Who is handling the shop order, if applicable, and the expendables order?
4. You have to trust that whoever engaged the overhire electricians made correct estimations of time required to complete tasks with adequately skilled personnel.
5. Will you be the LBO also?

 

[Shawncfer]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

"Has the designer designed at this new, to you, venue previously?"
To be honest, I have no idea. I think so, but Im not sure.

"Does the venue have a house electrician or TD who knows the facility and its idiosyncrasies?"
It has a TD who I have not yet talked to, but who is suppose to get in contact with me tomorrow.

"Who is handling the shop order, if applicable, and the expendables order?"
From what the LD told me earlier, they have everthing in stock. I don't know if that means that the gels are already cut and used, or if they ordered brand new sheets already for this show or what.

"Will you be the LBO also?"
I will not. They're hiring a separate person to program and run.

I know I'm not very helpful with this. But I just got the call today asking me to do it. The person that originally had the job had dropped out, or was fired, or whatever. And he is/was the regular ME for the venue. But I wasn't the original ME for the show. As far as I know, all I'm doing is taking the plot, and getting the crew to hang the plot. Im just more afraid that the crew will be older men and women who have a problem listening to a college kid who just got thrown into this job. And especially if theyve worked at this venue before, and know more about whats what (in the venue) than I do.

 

[avkid]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

Im just more afraid that the crew will be older men and women who have a problem listening to a college kid who just got thrown into this job. And especially if theyve worked at this venue before, and know more about whats what (in the venue) than I do.

This is a situation I am quite familiar with, being a crew chief or in a management position with a large age difference. The most important thing is being self confident, but at the same time not acting you're the best thing since sliced bread.
There's a fine line between being viewed as a professional or a pack animal.

 

[ElectroCarp]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

A thing that might be helpful is when you go in at 8 (or if you can get in on an earlier day) just walk around, turn stuff on, see what they have etc. It should help a good deal to have that in your mind for when your thinking about crew assignments during calls. Also if they have dimmers in weird positions it helps to be able to know where they are when youre deciding where your cable runs will go. Hope it goes well!

 

[mstaylor]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

A couple of things. Are you hanging from scratch or modifying a rep plot? Is the designer going to be on site to answer questions, usually you would have the plot more than two days to familiarize yourself. When running a crew that you don't know, especially if they are older or more experienced than you, is to remember the golden rule. Treat them like you would want to be treated until they give you a reason not to. If you are modifying a rep plot, try checking the internet and see if they have information of what is there or at least stage layout, load-in areas and anything else that will help ahead of time.

 

[rochem]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

Try to find out what kind of circuiting they have. Are there dedicated electrics with raceways? Drop boxes located throughout the theatre? Mult runs to an offstage dimmer room? Something else? That's really going to be the biggest determining factor in what your workload is like. If you have raceways, your hang MIGHT be very easy, assuming the designer has designed with these constraints in mind. Or alternatively, it might be a horrible day if you have to marry two pipes together and jump every circuit off the raceway to another pipe. If you have mults or drop boxes, you just need to think intelligently about where you want to place them to maximize efficiency with cabling. Do you need to build any positions, like booms or specific electric placements? I know you don't get the plot until late, but maybe you could talk to the designer about getting a "rough plot" a few days earlier - just something that will give you a basic idea about what positions you'll be using, how many instruments you'll need, and will let you head off any potential problems before the final plot comes in.

 

[PeterBuchin]

Re: First time MEing in a new theater

It's gonna be fine, Shawn.

I was in this exact same situation once before.

Think about what might go through the mind of one of the stagehands. "Oh, my buddy <fired guy> isn't around - I guess this here college boy must've figured our a way to get his job. ****ed if I'm gonna give him the time of day." ...and then he starts talking about it behind your back with everyone else when he should be working. If that happens, you're screwed, blued, and tattooed.

What I'd do at 10AM Friday is call everyone together and address the situation head on. Something like, "Hi, my name's Shawn. I'm a student over at the U. I know a lot of you were expecting <fired person> but, for whatever reason (and I don't know that reason,) he is not here. I was just called in on Monday, after <fired guy> was no longer an employee. I've never worked here before so I'm asking for your help in making this go as smoothly as possible." Short and to the point. Their buddy is gone, it isn't your fault, and you have no information as to why he's gone. Talking about it brings it out into the open and will end all speculation and possible blame. It'll give them all the opportunity to treat you with respect because you are treating them with respect.

And you *should* ask for their help. "Who knows how to tie-in/ route cable from here to there/ how the board works." You don't know this venue and many of them do. When an obviously non-college educated person used to show me a handy shortcut I'd say, "Hey, that wasn't on page 87 of my textbook. Thanks!"

Rely on your resources - your crew, the house TD, the LD. It'll go nicely and you'll be furthering not only your education but your reputation as well.

 

[Shawncfer]

Thanks Everyone for all the advice! Sorry I haven't been able to reply lately, I've been super busy with school (this drafting class is kicking my butt :neutral.

Just to give you a little update on the situation, I talked to the TD, asked a bunch of questions, found out a bunch of answers, and feel pretty confident. Unfortunately, a couple of things have changed the past few days making it a little more confusing, but I still feel like I have a handle on things. Apparently the LD and the Director got in a huge argument, LD quit, and director found a new LD. Which, with load in happening tomorrow, and tech in a couple days, I think is pretty crazy. This isn't exactly a small production, and for them to bring in a new LD last minute like this bobbles my mind. But any who, he doesn't have time to draft up a plot or anything, but, the house already has a rep plot thats hung. He made some changes to it, moving around lights here and there, and shifting a pipe with drop boxes upstage a couple pipes. So moving all the lights and boxes up. On top of that, it has all the gels he wants and Ill have to order those and gobos and stuff tomorrow. I have a crew of 5. One board op, and 4 electricians to hang/focus. One of which will also be a Deck Elec for the show. It also turns out that all the crew is IA, with whom I have worked a couple ins/outs with, so I actually know 2 of the guys.

So thanks guys for everything! I really appreciate all the help.

 

[hemi392]

Thanks Everyone for all the advice! Sorry I haven't been able to reply lately, I've been super busy with school (this drafting class is kicking my butt :neutral.

Just to give you a little update on the situation, I talked to the TD, asked a bunch of questions, found out a bunch of answers, and feel pretty confident. Unfortunately, a couple of things have changed the past few days making it a little more confusing, but I still feel like I have a handle on things. Apparently the LD and the Director got in a huge argument, LD quit, and director found a new LD. Which, with load in happening tomorrow, and tech in a couple days, I think is pretty crazy. This isn't exactly a small production, and for them to bring in a new LD last minute like this bobbles my mind. But any who, he doesn't have time to draft up a plot or anything, but, the house already has a rep plot thats hung. He made some changes to it, moving around lights here and there, and shifting a pipe with drop boxes upstage a couple pipes. So moving all the lights and boxes up. On top of that, it has all the gels he wants and Ill have to order those and gobos and stuff tomorrow. I have a crew of 5. One board op, and 4 electricians to hang/focus. One of which will also be a Deck Elec for the show. It also turns out that all the crew is IA, with whom I have worked a couple ins/outs with, so I actually know 2 of the guys.

So thanks guys for everything! I really appreciate all the help.

And remember, unless you are a renowned experienced Jean Rosenthal level LD you are going to be beholden to the director. They usually have some idea of what their production should look like. I've worked with enough equity playwrights and directors to know that they always have some tweak or some effect they want put in. No sense in antagonizing the director. You just may establish a long lasting relationship.

 

[soundman]

. It also turns out that all the crew is IA, with whom I have worked a couple ins/outs with, so I actually know 2 of the guys.

If the local is pretty strict on breaks keep that in mind. It would not be a good use of time to send a few guys into a catwalk for a 30 minute project 15 minutes before break because you will waste so much time in transit better to have a few 'make work' projects to fill in the gaps if they knock out a task quicker than planned.

 

[jstandfast]

Yeah, in general in situations like yours, it's good policy to hunt down the shop steward at the top of the call and get the skinny on breaks and the
last ditch stuff like: can you you swing lunch breaks so sound has quiet time while rest of the gang is at lunch?