Drops in unique spaces...

ACTSTech

Well-Known Member
arch.jpg
So we're debating the best way to hang a drop in here. Obviously there will be a grid above the stage once it's renovated, but because of the arched walls, we can't go wall to wall without some curvature. I suggested hanging from the pipe (which isn't there yet, but will be) and squaring it off by folding, the director wants to try to bring it to the wall, so would attaching some sort of pipe that follows the curvature be the way to go? I'm not sewing velcro to a rented drop, and I hate using gaff tape for that. Someone suggested truss, but that's sort of bulky. We have time to plan, it's all theoretical at the moment.
 
Unless I am totally not understanding the issue, why wouldn't you simply hang a U or C shaped pipe in there at the desired height? Just like what there would be for a curved cyc on a proscenium stage.
Then you just use the tie lines on the drop per normal practice. Not sure why velcro or gaff tape has anything to do with it. If the drop is too wide to fit the curved pipe, you just fold it back.
 
Unless I am totally not understanding the issue, why wouldn't you simply hang a U or C shaped pipe in there at the desired height? Just like what there would be for a curved cyc on a proscenium stage.
Then you just use the tie lines on the drop per normal practice. Not sure why velcro or gaff tape has anything to do with it. If the drop is too wide to fit the curved pipe, you just fold it back.
I probably didn't explain it clearly, and I don't even know how to explain it now (I'm overthinking...) The drop needs to be tied along the top to a regular straight pipe, it's the sides that are the issue. I'd do like you said and tie the extra width back where the pipe meets the wall, but he doesn't want that, he wants to drop to follow the contour of the arch... I guess I'll be engineering some sort of rigging, but I can't visualize it yet.
 
Is it going to be deep in the arch or right at the front? Like, is the inside of the arch part of the stage or will the whole nave (inside of the arch space - I think that’s what it’s called) be backstage space?
 
I probably didn't explain it clearly, and I don't even know how to explain it now (I'm overthinking...) The drop needs to be tied along the top to a regular straight pipe, it's the sides that are the issue. I'd do like you said and tie the extra width back where the pipe meets the wall, but he doesn't want that, he wants to drop to follow the contour of the arch... I guess I'll be engineering some sort of rigging, but I can't visualize it yet.
Are you saying He ( The director who thinks he's God. ) wants the top curved rather than the ends?
Could you add length to the supplied tie lines as required or add your own longer ties into the drop's grommets then secure their ties out of sight either up your ties or behind the drop?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
I probably didn't explain it clearly, and I don't even know how to explain it now (I'm overthinking...) The drop needs to be tied along the top to a regular straight pipe, it's the sides that are the issue. I'd do like you said and tie the extra width back where the pipe meets the wall, but he doesn't want that, he wants to drop to follow the contour of the arch... I guess I'll be engineering some sort of rigging, but I can't visualize it yet.
Here is what I meant by a curved cyc. If a curved top pipe is made to fit the horizontal curve of the inside of the arch space, it could be hung at whatever height you anticipate the drop to be.
Doesn't really have to be pipe as conduit could also work by hanging at more points or even with Unistrut off the wall, and you could probably borrow a conduit bender or rent one.
The upstage part could be made straighter/less curved than the drawing shows. Or maybe I still don't know what you are trying to accomplish!


cyc.JPG
 
Sorry, after rethinking this, I'll try to explain better. The drop will be 10 feet behind the front wall inside of the domed area. The batten will be about 16' off the stage level (currently under construction) and will provide a "backstage" area for crossover as well as serve as a portal for entry and exit. What I'm having an issue with is that the drop itself will be tied to the batten for most of the span, but once we get to the side walls, they curve, so the batten will end and there will be roughly 4' (which SOUNDS like a fabulous egress to me) of space which will be uncovered. His idea was to tape the drop along the curvature of the wall so it's still along the same plane left to right. just the sides will follow the contour of the archway.

@theatricalmatt - There's not going to be any flying here unless he finds a way to blow up the roof and invent a super structure to work off of (in which case I wouldn't have this headache!). Also, even if we could afford a video wall, I can't find one vendor to even make a site visit. I can't even get a vendor who will bring a few movers to demonstrate.

@microstar - I understood the concept, I'd just need to hang the shape of the curved cyc vertical rather than horizontal. Which doesn't work for travellers but since this won't be on a traveller, it might be what I end up doing (not to the track, just to conduit extensions). We need the shape of the batten to look more like an upside down U than a sideways I

If the renovation doesn't put me over the edge, the first show will.
 
Would it maybe make sense to have the drop level for the whole width, and then have a presumably custom semicircular border/teaser along the top (and presumably attached to the ceiling or to some sort of a batten attached to and curving with the ceiling)? Adapting a rectangular curtain to hang in an irregular hexagon opening seems like an unnecessarily challenging proposition to me.
 
Sorry, after rethinking this, I'll try to explain better. The drop will be 10 feet behind the front wall inside of the domed area. The batten will be about 16' off the stage level (currently under construction) and will provide a "backstage" area for crossover as well as serve as a portal for entry and exit. What I'm having an issue with is that the drop itself will be tied to the batten for most of the span, but once we get to the side walls, they curve, so the batten will end and there will be roughly 4' (which SOUNDS like a fabulous egress to me) of space which will be uncovered. His idea was to tape the drop along the curvature of the wall so it's still along the same plane left to right. just the sides will follow the contour of the archway.

@theatricalmatt - There's not going to be any flying here unless he finds a way to blow up the roof and invent a super structure to work off of (in which case I wouldn't have this headache!). Also, even if we could afford a video wall, I can't find one vendor to even make a site visit. I can't even get a vendor who will bring a few movers to demonstrate.

@microstar - I understood the concept, I'd just need to hang the shape of the curved cyc vertical rather than horizontal. Which doesn't work for travellers but since this won't be on a traveller, it might be what I end up doing (not to the track, just to conduit extensions). We need the shape of the batten to look more like an upside down U than a sideways I

If the renovation doesn't put me over the edge, the first show will.

Demos? They're selling everything that makes it here from China. Not that we're being blown off, simply that everything that can be sold IS being sold.

I haven't priced LED tiles for a year but presume they've gotten more expensive due to loss of chip foundries.
 
Would it maybe make sense to have the drop level for the whole width, and then have a presumably custom semicircular border/teaser along the top (and presumably attached to the ceiling or to some sort of a batten attached to and curving with the ceiling)? Adapting a rectangular curtain to hang in an irregular hexagon opening seems like an unnecessarily challenging proposition to me.
That's what I was thinking, anchor some pipe to the wall and find a way to secure the drop to it. Basically tie the top to the batten at trim height, then as it meets the side wall and the height drastically tapers down, secure it that way. Someone suggested building a frame from wood that mimics the arch to add support.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
 
I think I've got the idea of what you're trying to do, but a sketch would be very helpful.

Perhaps for the curved portions at each end of the straight pipe, you could make curved wood battens that sandwich and clamp to the drop. You'd be folding the drop back along the curve and clamping the wood sandwich to the fold. I would still worry that you'd clamp some folds into the drop to the extent that it's damaged. Maybe a ground-supported wood frame (basically a flat frame) for each "wing" section would be best.
 
Wow. Good lesson in re-considering what your givens are in problem-solving.
Well, one of the problems is the givens aren't always givens. In the renovation, some of the givens we had turned into unknowns and some of the givens turned into fallacies.

The contruction drawings we had weren't quite exact, as the church was built in the 1800s and the blueprints were non-existent, so when we started construction we ran into unique issues. Originally, the dome was staying, then after exploration, it was being removed, then after more exploration, it was staying due to other issues, then after discussion, it was being cut into to add support as the steel beams we didn't know were there didn't add the support that the engineers thought maybe they did after they discovered them.......

So since we had to cut into the dome, after consulting with the engineers as to how high we can actually cut and where the previously unnecessary but now mandatory LVL beams will be placed, we made more cuts. Might not be pretty, and I might hate it later, but it's done.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back