Recent content by martyclynch

Thank you all for your advice so far. I think the AT 3000 series looks far better than anything I looked at before. Reading through this thread has reminded me just how much I do not know about sound. When are one of you guys going to publish a Theatre Sound for Dummies book?

Here is the scoop:We are a small College with a small but stable annual budget. We will never be able to afford a full sound overhaul but we can slowly build up a decent stock of equipment if we do it correctly. We have good amplifiers and sufficient speakers that more than fill out our...

I have had great success using plain old joint compound on hollywood flats. If I need to cover a seam I can use tape but it rarely comes to that. I will say that there was one show I painted where the shop had the time and the money to basically cut out one single piece of muslin for the...

Once I designed for a well-to-do theatre that built the standard studio flat, then proceeded to skin it again with quality muslin. I may never see such perfect walls again.Most other theatres I work with has done putty. Too many use nothing. I like putty, but I always use a nail set to go...

You aren't going to find a list of theatre safety laws starting with THOU SHALT NOT. At least I didn't. Let me know if you do.You should contact your AHJ, probably the fire marshal, and get on the same page so there are no surprises. We have to alert our Police of every performance and get...

1" per foot is what I have always heard. I attended a forum where a few AEA representatives answered questions like this (how steep can you rake a stage? Does water have to be 80 degrees? How high of a platform can you go before needing a railing? etc.) and they were more understanding than...

We don't have fees or money set aside, but we do have a deposit. Our students get in for free, but they have to put down a $5 deposit that is forfeit if they don't show up. It's cut down on no-shows and helped us keep students' tickets free.

I'll try to answer these questions all at once for you guys:I don't personally know the seller, but the buyer asking me for advice does. I believe they are close friends. I am sure, however, that this is a strictly "as is" purchase.The quoted price is $6,600The instruments are being...

I was approached about purchasing some used equipment, and I wanted some opinions on whether or not to buy it.The Equipment: 6 Coemar Ispot 150 and 4 ColoPro HXiI have an Expression 3 console, and I have it from ETC that the fixtures would work, but that programming it might be kind of a...

Which of these books would you recommend first for a novice like me?

I have had good luck with an EF 50mm f/1.8 II on my Canon Rebel 2000. That is a nice affordable lens with a low(-ish) f-stop. I'd love to get my hands on a lens with a 1.4 or 1.2, but that's crazy expensive. The drawback with a fixed lens is that you have a set frame for your photos. I have...

Thank you. Our AHJ was pretty understanding and said we could go ahead with a few qualifications.I personally don't like the precedent it sets, but I figure the AHJ is the final word. I just hope I don't wind up having to call the poor guy with some new question on every single production.

Okay,So I am the lone voice saying that the fire curtain must not be broken under any circumstance here, and my certainty is being shaken. Can anyone help me in giving a definitive answer on this?The question is whether or not an area rug may break the fire line. It is less than an inch...

Hello,My name is Marty and I am teaching at the University level in South Georgia. I am a set designer in a TD position, so I am always looking for a little guidance in solutions. Specifically, I could use help finding a Theatre Sound for Dummies (set-up, not design) manual. And if anyone...