High school techie

[techiesfixit]

Hey everyone! My name is Britt i'm the main student at my school interested in lighting, i'll be handling all of the lighting this year and i still have tons to learn. But, i do every part of tech that needs to be done, I've stage managed, set construction/design, and most everything else. I work on every production I can and our upcoming show is Bomb-itty of Errors. I'm really just looking for help and to bounce around ideas with people. There's really no lighting teacher i can go to so I'm trying to figure most of it out on my own. Any suggestions on what i can do to learn more is always much appreciated.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Welcome aboard!

If you provide more information about the lighting equipment you have (manufacturer, model, number of instruments, type of performance space (proscenium, thrust, arena, black box, gymnatorium, cafetorium, etc.), rules governing what you can and cannot touch, we may be able to point you at training materials specific to your equipment, and design constraints.

 

[techiesfixit]

Im glad to be here, thanks. The board I'm working with is a Leviton Innovator series. Proscenium stage, 2 electrics and a catwalk. The first electric at this theater is labeled "11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22" so that the duplicate numbers are patched together. the second electric is patched the same, but 1-10 instead of 11-22. The cat has 23-54, but isn't patched to 2 instruments as before. We have enough ellipsoidals for the cats with about 5 extra. probably about 20 pars and 20 Fresnels. We are also currently trying to convert our theater classroom into a black box. I haven't been told to leave anything alone yet, so I'm allowed to fix/fiddle with everything i know of. Any other information or anything i could clarify?

 

[derekleffew]

... The first electric at this theater is labeled "11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22" so that the duplicate numbers are patched together. ...

Known in the industry as "duplicating circuits" or "repeating circuits." Very common. Most people despise them since their purpose is to reduce two-fer s, but the receptacle s are rarely if ever in convenient locations. So it ends up, "if we use 11 here, don't use 11 over there." We'd all prefer every outlet to be on its own dimmer, but that would mean: more dimmers, and larger borderlight cable going from the gridiron junction box to the connector strip, and more wire from the dimmer rack to the j-box.

Here's a tip: click on any yellow-dotted underlined word to be taken to that term's wiki definition. And, if you're feeling adventurous, !Please Help the Glossary! always has a list of terms waiting to be defined. It's fun, really. You know you want to; all your friends are doing it.

 

[techiesfixit]

Thank you so much! Is there a good way to utilize duplicating circuits? Is focusing them to the same spot and using one as a warm and the other as a cool my best option for a wash? I definitely do despise it, i just transferred into this school, my last school wasn't like that, im having a hard time working with it.

 

[derekleffew]

... Is there a good way to utilize duplicating circuits? ...

Perhaps something from this thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...5-duplicating-repeating-circuits-raceway.html .

... Is focusing them to the same spot and using one as a warm and the other as a cool my best option for a wash? ...

That's one implementation of The McCandless Method, but of course you sacrifice the ability to adjust the balance between the warm and cool. Most designers avoid putting fixtures with different colors on the same dimmer/channel.

As I said, it might be best just to leave the other outlet unused. Perhaps a scheme where you use all the odd circuits on SR of CL, and the evens SL, or the reverse.

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One more thing: about your use of the "T-word," see the, quite long, thread http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/general-advice/198-technician-vs-techie.html .

 

[hslighting]

Ugh duplicating circuits... I have the same at my school and I hate it. The ones on my cat arent even at even intervals, just randomnly dispersed. When I came into the school for the first time last year with no rep plot or even diagram of the space with circuit locations, I walked through for the first minor talent show and just wrote down every circuit from SL to SR and crossed out as I hung or refocussed an existing fixture.
As general advice from someone who didnt have one, make sure you have a good rep plot if you dont already. I cant tell you how many times I found out about a show a day in advance and had to throw together something. It always worked out but it took alot more work to do. Make it as easy as you can on yourself. You'll probably be doing atleast one talent show, dance show, band/orchestra concert so work it out for those.

 

[techiesfixit]

derekleffew, thank you for the advice and the very long entertaining thread. When i graduate i guess i can drop that lovely "ie". I hadnt thought about not being able to adjust the warm and cool... leaving one unused seems like the best idea so far. Would it be possible to find 2 gel colors that worked well together so i wouldnt have to adjust if i used both?
hslighting, sounds like we have/had the exact same problem. I threw together our big fall and spring plays within 5 and 4 days (respectively). I made a diagram of where each circuit is around the holidays and it certainly helped the spring show.

 

[hslighting]

Yeah it happens alot, little notice and none of the equipment you need, but that builds character There are alot of great threads on here on lighting that really helped me get my stuff together. Aside from a rep plot, a magic sheet is good. I just make one with lets say all my washes with respective circuits (Warm- 22,31,48,77) and all my specials (Telephone Booth- 14), and any other important fixture groupings. It really saves alot of time during programming or busking even if I have them all on subs/faders.

 

[josh88]

It doesn't build character, it teaches you to think on your feet! That has been one thing I've learned is important. If you can adapt and work around problems and do it quickly, you'll always have a place somewhere.


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[hslighting]

Yeah that was more of a joke. Its an answer to most questions, i.e. Why do I have to carry these lights up to the loft instead of using the pulley? It builds character.
But seriously, alot of people can make a great plot with 4 months of planning and access to any fixture they need, it takes a lot of skill to design under tight constraints and makes you a much better overall designer

 

[josh88]

No worries, I knew what you were getting at and pointing out that while a joke, there was a worth while serious point to it haha. Seriously thinking quick is great, but I would still gladly take months of planning over that. It's just.... calmer and less stress filled that way haha.

In either case, glad to have you Britt! Hope we can help

 

[techiesfixit]

Thank you so much! Working under tight constraints has become normal for me at this school. Learning how to do a proper light plot and put together a good portfolio for college interviews this year is going to be the tough part.
hslighting, yes it helps tons, i usually make a channel sheet and a submaster sheet so i have them on hand at all times. I got a peice of advice from a lighting designer my freshman year, he said something to the effect, make sure your notes and paperwork are good enough so someone else can run the show if you drop dead.

 

[StellarTechnician]

Hey everyone! My name is Britt i'm the main student at my school interested in lighting, i'll be handling all of the lighting this year and i still have tons to learn. But, i do every part of tech that needs to be done, I've stage managed, set construction/design, and most everything else. I work on every production I can and our upcoming show is Bomb-itty of Errors. I'm really just looking for help and to bounce around ideas with people. There's really no lighting teacher i can go to so I'm trying to figure most of it out on my own. Any suggestions on what i can do to learn more is always much appreciated.

Hey man, my name is Alex. You just described my last three years of high school. I graduated this last May, so by no means am I a professional. But in the area of being 16-18 years old and being the only person to do all these things. It gets stressful. I played football on top of being over everything technical in my school (dealing with the theatre that is). Literally, the principle pulled me out of class several times just so I could turn all the lights on or work the fly system. I'm self taught and now have a scholarship in technical theatre. If I can do it, you can. I figure i might be able to drop some advice, seeing as I recently went through it. Ask me anything!

 

[derekleffew]

... Would it be possible to find 2 gel colors that worked well together so i wouldn't have to adjust if i used both? ...

Well sure. Bastard Amber and Steel Blue is a classic combination, as is Special Lavendar and No Color Pink. Any pair of complementary colors in pale tints might work, depending on the desired effect.

...I usually make a channel sheet ...

Magic sheet, Cheat sheet, Channel Hookup, Instrument Schedule, focus charts.

... make sure your notes and paperwork are good enough so someone else can run the show if you drop dead.

Wise and valid advice for anyone in any show run situation. See definition#3 of track sheet. Everyone likes to think they're irreplaceable and essential to the performance, but things do happen. The higher the stakes, the more important backups (for both equipment and personnel) become.

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...Literally, the principle pulled me out of class several times just so I could ...

Was that the principle principal, the vice principal, or the second principle? Welcome StellarTechnician. Start your own intro thread so we can interrogate/berate you there.

 

[blindbuttkicker]

Welcome to the Booth Britt, and we're glad to have you, once again. My name is steve (my username, if your and anybody is wondering why either, is blindbuttkicker came from me having a Visual Impairment, no vision in left eye, 20/80 out of right, hence "blind" but not completely. "Buttkicker" came from my own creatvity, lol, so no im not out here to kick people's butts, (unless you destroy something in the booth, then i might have a reason to kick you around the block once or twice with some harsh words and lots of arm flailing while i find something else to yell at you about lol) I am an Audio/Visual/Media Services/Technical Support Operator for my local church and former HS Student A/V Operator, and our LiteSys (Lighting System creative term) at church is similiar to what you are describing. So if i can be of any assistance please dont hesitate to PM,email me, or PM me on AIM. Once again welcome to the booth! Hope you enjoy your stay. And yes, i agree having backups in case something happens is critical sometimes for the run of a show. Happens even at curch sometimes, as im in the process of writing some lighting, sound, cd recording, and powerpoint/projector reference and training material for new Techs as "ok this is to help you as you learn and get comfortable after we've already trained you, so take this home and review it for reference." for the church staff, its more of a "here's wat you should know for basics and here's what to do if the basics fail so we dont have to come in at 11:30 at night cause someone called us saying the lights are flickering" (if anybody would like to review a copy of the materials ive currently produced, just so i can get some fresh eyes and ideas, feel free to PM me and i will either start a thread or will deliver it via PM for review and critique)