food and drinks in the control booth

[temper]

Hey all - so, here's a question for you all. When I was doing theater/tv/etc work in college, we had a simple rule - don't break stuff. That meant, don't spill your coffee on the avid. We were pretty much allowed to have food and drinks in control rooms, editing rooms, stages, etc because well, a lot of times we would be in a studio or editing room all through the night working on a project. However, in my church we have a few volunteers in varying stages of their teens, and so I decided that there's no food or drink in the control booth. Frankly, we aren't there for more than a couple hours, and they can step out to have a drink if they need to.

I initially thought it was a good idea, but I'm second guessing myself. What do you all do, especially for those in middle school / high school environments. I know college/pro is very different.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

In middle school and high schools, yes, no food/drinks in the booths. It's just a lot easier to enforce and safer for all parties and equipment involved.

 

[Jamyo]

Hey all - so, here's a question for you all. When I was doing theater/tv/etc work in college, we had a simple rule - don't break stuff. That meant, don't spill your coffee on the avid. We were pretty much allowed to have food and drinks in control rooms, editing rooms, stages, etc because well, a lot of times we would be in a studio or editing room all through the night working on a project. However, in my church we have a few volunteers in varying stages of their teens, and so I decided that there's no food or drink in the control booth. Frankly, we aren't there for more than a couple hours, and they can step out to have a drink if they need to.

I initially thought it was a good idea, but I'm second guessing myself. What do you all do, especially for those in middle school / high school environments. I know college/pro is very different.

At my auditorium we have an all high-school crew. In the booth we allow food and drink but only at the back counter, not at the counter where the audio and light board live. Too much of a risk to have liquids near the controls.

 

[Aman121]

Yeah I second gaffs thoughts. At both of the spaces at school there is no official rule, but anybody who cares to run the equipment is sensible enough to keep their Doritos off of the console trackpad. But in schools with large student crews, it's a good rule to have.

 

[Morte615]

My go to rule has always been nothing but CAPPED water next to work stations. That includes drafting tables, workshops, control desks, ect. And any other food or drink must be kept clear at least 6 feet, if the room is too small for a 6 foot clearance from all work stations then no food or drink allowed (other than capped water.) And of course no food or drink allowed on stage AT ALL without prior authorization. IE a special event or for needs of the show, and sometimes for build out and rehearsal allow capped water.

Of course all these rules are always subject to change depending on the age and maturity level of the cast and crew as well as on a whim by higher-ups

 

[techieman33]

We had the back wall rule in high school, it worked well. Also had napkins on that shelf so it was easy to clean up your hands. No one wants grease and food bits on their console.

 

[np18358]

At my school, they allow any food or drink anywhere. Personally, I have never and will never bring anything except capped bottled water in the control room. Especially, because there is a whole Tech department with changing rooms, and little rooms to eat in right down the hall. At my old school, they enforced a strict no food, no drink whatsoever policy, however, the TD would unofficially allow capped bottled water for some of the big musicals. I think the second method makes much more sense, and in the future, when given the choice, I will enforce this rule.

 

[JonasA]

At my high school, we also had the back-wall rule, which worked well given we had a huge workbench that you could sit at. That didn't mean there wasn't always a bag of lollies next to the lx desk; just no pizza/pasta/whatever you pulled out of the fridge. I do like Morte's 6' rule, though. That would come in handy when they're working around a lot of equipment (ie. bump-in time, where someone always thinks that it's a good idea to leave open energy drinks on top of road cases...)

Frankly, I found the easiest way to get the kids to keep food a safe distance from equipment was to let them leave a few pizza boxes or whatever in the control room for a few days. After they'd done a show choking on the smell of two-day-old food, they not only didn't eat in there, they learnt to clean up after themselves!

 

[Dovahkiin]

We don't have any official rules against it, but all of the people who use the booth are pretty much in agreement that we should leave that stuff in the stairwell leading up to the booth. If it's going to be a late night or we're pulling back to back rehearsals without much of a break, we tentatively allow capped drinks and crumb-less food as long as it's kept away from the board at all times.

 

[MarshallPope]

I agree with most of the others - I think it is good to have the no-food-no-drink rule, with the provision for bottled water. Depending on situations, such as space and responsibility levels of those involved, yeah, there may not be anything wrong with allowing the occasional snack or Coke. But having the rule and allowing for it to be broken at times is a lot better politically than not having any rule and then coming across as a jerk at those times when there really doesn't need to be anything there.

That being said, when I'm going to be behind a board for 3 or 4 hours and up, I'm going to have a bottle of water or a Coke and a bag of pretzels or something, unless you have a d--n good reason for me not to. But I'm careful with it, and I know how much everything is worth. I'll always keep any drink that isn't capped either a foot or so away from equipment or sitting inside a roll of gaff tape (excellent no-spill coaster).

Once someone knows to lean away from the desk when getting a drink, and to wipe the potato chip grease off of your fingers before touching anything, that's when you can have some leeway.

 

[JLNorthGA]

MUST HAVE CAFFEINE! MUST HAVE CAFFEINE!

My beverage of choice is Diet Coke. Joshua, our sound guy, prefers Mountain Dew Code Red.

It's not a problem. Food on the other hand - we eat outside of the booth - unless it is stuff that pops in the mouth - such as M&Ms.

 

[gafftaper]

When I was teaching high school the rule was no food or drink in the booth. That booth got really hot during shows, so I allowed water. It had to be kept in squeeze top style sports bottles (which I gave the crew) which had to be kept on the floor away from the consoles.

At the college I expanded my rules, if you have time to leave the booth, don't eat in the booth. So no eating before shows, at intermission, or after shows. However, it is okay to eat in the booth during things like a marathon tech rehearsal. Drinks are okay at any time as long as they are not in an open container. If you are eating or drinking in the booth, the food and drink must never leave the table at the back of the booth (which is more than 6 feet away from anything that could be damaged).

 

[temper]

Thanks all - lots of food for thought (oh, I'm good!). I feel like it's not a totally unreasonable rule!

 

[jlusardi]

Thanks all - lots of food for thought (oh, I'm good!). I feel like it's not a totally unreasonable rule!

It's not an unreasonable rule at all...I think what's most important is that you follow through and enforce whatever you decide the rule to be. Also that people are aware of whatever exceptions you decide to make (ie capped beverages, during a very long rehearsal, only something like m&ms/pretzels).

 

[gafftaper]

I forgot to mention that at the college I would tell the crew assume food is not okay in the booth and I will tell you when the schedule is so demanding that exceptions are acceptable.

 

[bobcatarts]

I see some evidence of food/beverages in the booth even though there is a big sign prohibiting it. That said, there has been no issue so far (knock on wood). I make it clear to all of my resident companies and renters know: You break it, you bought it.

We're all adults though, generally respectful of very expensive gear (and my wrath and that of others that use the space) so unless it becomes a problem I won't get on anyone for it.

 

[Robert]

I dumped a vodka rocks into a Kliegl Performance board once. Shut it off, opened it up, and took out a hair dryer and cleanded it up. Worked fine, but just luck I'm sure. Pepsi Syndrome anybody?

 

[neotrotsky]

In our house, it's simple: No food or drink at consoles or racks. We don't have a "booth" at our venue since the consoles are open and actually in the venue (it's a strange situation...tiny historic venue and it makes thinks awkward). Other houses I've worked and TD'ed at, it's been the same rule. And, if I find a bottle of Mountain Dew or the like at the console, that is a suspension. No dispute.

Harsh? Take the price of your average audio and/or lighting console, factor the cost if you *can* repair it after spilling a 20 oz to a liter on it, and then factor the cost of a SECOND console to replace it while the first is being repaired so the show doesn't come to a grinding halt because one couldn't keep their caffeine addiction in check. That is the cost of not having that rule. It's not there to put production staff on a power trip. It's there to keep everyone's paychecks rolling in.

Then again, when you make your mortgage payments off of show production, your views do change a bit.

 

[Blake]

At my HS the official rule (put out by the theatre manager) is no food or drinks beyond the the stairs (we have an elevated booth). Our TD is super cool and you can get away with water sometimes depending on his mood, but no food EVER! Granted the majority of ours techs are very irresponsible (I think I will post a rant later) so its not unreasonable.

 

[chieftfac]

It hard to try to rule against food or drink in the booth when it's my mini fridge in the booth... And microwave... And yes microwave is not run from 1 hour pre show to end of show... It's unplugged just in case...