I NEED HELP FAST

achstechdirector

Active Member
At ACHS we are doing Fiddler on the Roof and we have no and i mean no sound equipment (PREVIOUS STOLEN)

I need a new sound system fast (exactly one month) How do we get the funds?

I need a good sized one (mics and all)


1,000 seat theatre


WIRELESS MICS ARE NECESSARY
 
hmm, rent one... or look into soundcraft series two for your board, your administration or drama dept. should fund it
 
Stolen? Get the Sheriff's Dept. on that one ASAP. It should be kinda hard to walk off with a whole sound system for a 1000 seat venue. But if you can't, you're probably gonna have to rent a system.
 
insurence and public schools dont get along
 
I would think that insurance would be your answer, thinking back to the total value of the sound system from the 1,000 seat venue I used to work in...

Otherwise, is your crew friends with crews from other highschools surrounding yours? My highschool crew was friendly with the crew from a highschool in a neighboring town, and I would probably try to source a loaner portable sound system from them if something that drastic occurred.

Renting is likely your only other option on such short notice - maybe try to find a rental outfit that has a discount for non-profit organizations?
 
In the long run you probably want to buy a house system, but a month isn't nearly enough time to scrape that kind of money together so you may be better off renting for now. You're insurance company really should take care of it, public school or now, but my experience with the bureaucratic processes of schools is that they tend to be painfully slow, and that's before you rope an insurance claim into it.

You have to be a little more specific as to what your needs are; when I think high school musicals I usually expect no more than 20 wireless mic's w/ headsets, maybe 3-4 orchestra mic's, so around the 24 or 32 channel range.

On top of that you'll have to account for any house speakers/stage monitors you want. If you're going with a live orchestra then you might need a couple monitors on stage and a single monitor carrying only vocals for the band director to use.

Given the price tag you'll drown in just for the wireless mic rentals, it's best if you arrange to have them for the least amount of time; so enough time before hand that whoever ops, students or adults, has worked some rehearsals, but also make sure that equipment is returned the day after the final show. The other equipment (power amps, speakers, mixers), shouldn't be too costly in comparison for the mic's. I would advise you make a few phone calls, see if you can find a rental company that will cut you a special deal with consideration to your circumstances and the fact you're with a school. (If you do find somebody that treats you well, certainly don't forget about their business in the future)

I don't know how you're school does budgeting for shows; most I work with take rental expenses from the show's budget, not from a school's general fund. HOWEVER, it would be worth your time to see if you could work something out where the school helped to pick up the tab.

I was doing a large Madrigal dinner that was at a local high school this past year; in the school's recent electrical upgrade our power feed had been removed. The price for bringing in an adequate power feed was about $1300 and nobody was in agreeance at first to who would foot the bill; be it the show or the buildings and grounds crew. A quick talk with the principal surprised me and he flat out gave me all of the money I needed and we got our feed in about two days before curtain. (We would've been a little more prepared but the school district's electrician failed to mention that they were not footing the bill on this one, and so plans made two months in advance rolled past until a week and half from the show when we had to start asking questions why nothing had been done yet)

My point is, school administrators usually have some funds available for miscellaneous expenses during the year; you should check to see if anything can be done to at least ease the cost of your rentals.
 
So many potential issues and questions...

As already noted, is insurance involved? If a claim has already been filed then that may affect what you can or should do as well as what you can realistically expect for a budget for replacement.

What was stolen? Mics and such are one thing, but were rack mounted equipment, flown speakers, etc. also involved? In that case you are looking at not only replacing equipment, but installation, system testing, rigging, etc. Potentially even repulling any cable that may have been damaged. This could certainly affect whether it is realistic to have a new system in within a month.

What is the procedure for purchasing equipment or systems? Is there a dollar limit above which you have to go through a bid process? If you have to replace an entire system the process to do so may take longer than you have as well as requiring certain documentation be provided before it can even be bid.

Are you looking to directly replace what was stolen or to take those funds and perhaps do something different?

What do you need to get you through this next performance? I have to agree that unless it was really only certain items stolen, then trying to get a complete new system installed in one month when you have no funds is almost certainly impractical. Consider what you really need and get some prices for renting a system. Or even consider renting a different facility, if not at another High School then maybe a local community or college theatre will work with you.

Don't let yourself get forced into buying gear just to fit a budget and serve you for one event. If it is an installed system then getting the right speakers for the room and use, the right console, etc. are critical. Don't put everyone in a bad long term situation just because of one show. And watch for easy mistakes from being in a rush like the one project that forgot to specifically state that the equipment was to be installed and assuming that installation was included in the bids received. They ended up with a big stack of boxes and reels of cable, the provider having technically fulfilled their contract.
 

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