And proceeded to treat them like crap, threw it all in the 53 ft trailer that YOU rented, that lacks E-track for load control straps and load beams, and now are wondering why the rental shop set you 103 pictures (that blew up your email in box) and got a 5-figure bill for the repairs to the set pieces and props. If the wardrobe is in similar condition you'll be seeing a bill for nearly the same amount.
The money you saved with the budget transportation, convict/temp labor crew and absolute lack of consideration in handling the goods will now be spent 2X over (or more) in repairs.
Don't make me name your theater company on a public forum...
Here's the deal: kids, I'm an IATSE stagehand when I'm not doing my other job as an audio systems engineer. We handle truck loading and unloading for a producing theatre company that has probably 40 shows in inventory, from things done 25 years ago to shows they did this year. I know what it looked like and how it worked and how the hardware box was packed with everything you needed to put it together. I know how many ratchet straps are needed and how many packing pads/blankets are used... and you just sent back (name of show here) with exactly 1 strap, no load beams, and 1 hand towel substituting for the 30+ packing pads used when the show was shipped to you via Clark Transfer. You picked the return carrier and trailer and you did thousands of dollars worth of damage in use and in transportation back - after the renting company specified 3 acceptable logistics firms that understand theatrical transportation. The renting company sent you pictures of the truck pack (or a diagram), too, so what the F happened?
Oh, the rental company also told you, in the contract, what trailer sizes and features were necessary - no roll up garage doors (must be wing doors), no tail gate lifts, and must have E-track. Why did you send trailers with both lifts AND roll up doors? Why did you hire a logistics company that can't find the warehouse with a full, correct address and direct phone number to the rental manager (the driver went to another city in another state, we never found out where he was but waited hours for him after the dispatcher insisted he was 30 minutes away, and went into meal penalty).
Why do theatre companies treat rented sets, props, or lights & sound like crap? I'm guessing that there are no bragging rights for taking care of stuff; there is no sense of professionalism to be found in making sure the set is complete, with all proprietary hardware, and that it's packed in the truck safely. There must be some kind of reward for doing the absolute least amount of work with the crappiest of attitudes, work that is guaranteed to do further damage than you managed to do while assembling or disassembling the set (some of which is expected as normal).
I guess taking care of things once the final curtain comes down is not considered a professional responsibility. Bah humbug. A plague on both your houses and more Shakespearian curses to you. May someone say "Macbeth" repeatedly in your theater.
The money you saved with the budget transportation, convict/temp labor crew and absolute lack of consideration in handling the goods will now be spent 2X over (or more) in repairs.
Don't make me name your theater company on a public forum...
Here's the deal: kids, I'm an IATSE stagehand when I'm not doing my other job as an audio systems engineer. We handle truck loading and unloading for a producing theatre company that has probably 40 shows in inventory, from things done 25 years ago to shows they did this year. I know what it looked like and how it worked and how the hardware box was packed with everything you needed to put it together. I know how many ratchet straps are needed and how many packing pads/blankets are used... and you just sent back (name of show here) with exactly 1 strap, no load beams, and 1 hand towel substituting for the 30+ packing pads used when the show was shipped to you via Clark Transfer. You picked the return carrier and trailer and you did thousands of dollars worth of damage in use and in transportation back - after the renting company specified 3 acceptable logistics firms that understand theatrical transportation. The renting company sent you pictures of the truck pack (or a diagram), too, so what the F happened?
Oh, the rental company also told you, in the contract, what trailer sizes and features were necessary - no roll up garage doors (must be wing doors), no tail gate lifts, and must have E-track. Why did you send trailers with both lifts AND roll up doors? Why did you hire a logistics company that can't find the warehouse with a full, correct address and direct phone number to the rental manager (the driver went to another city in another state, we never found out where he was but waited hours for him after the dispatcher insisted he was 30 minutes away, and went into meal penalty).
Why do theatre companies treat rented sets, props, or lights & sound like crap? I'm guessing that there are no bragging rights for taking care of stuff; there is no sense of professionalism to be found in making sure the set is complete, with all proprietary hardware, and that it's packed in the truck safely. There must be some kind of reward for doing the absolute least amount of work with the crappiest of attitudes, work that is guaranteed to do further damage than you managed to do while assembling or disassembling the set (some of which is expected as normal).
I guess taking care of things once the final curtain comes down is not considered a professional responsibility. Bah humbug. A plague on both your houses and more Shakespearian curses to you. May someone say "Macbeth" repeatedly in your theater.