Interesting day.

BillESC

Well-Known Member
Hired today to design and over see the installation of a complete new lighting system for a local community amatuer theatre.

Stage us 32' wide by 30' deep to the thrust.

Control will be the ETC Ion XE 20 that we will provide along with all fixtures and new electrical infrastructure

The next six months are going to be a lot of fun. Love what I do.
 
Looking forward to seeing what you do with the space. Please include photos/ pictures of the rig if possible.
Regards
Geoff
 
This will probably be the last major renovation I'll design for an entertainment space.

I'll post details of the space. All suggestions will be condisered.

Lets have fun with this. Pics to follow.
 
I love working on such spaces... Really hard to leave them once done stringing ethernet cables etc. strung everywhere. Have fun with the adventure.
Part of what keeps me vibrant in theater is just going out on quotes for work. Crawaling around under the first 1880's raked stage to figure out wiring for it or the below ball room. Going to the top of some Community Center in Indiana without a grid, instead 2x6 planks between beams, and worrying how to quote out their fly system, lighting system and fire curtain. Or just going to a high school, loving their modern design and easy quote, but having to go back to adjust what we did, (was busy during the install of) or should have been done.. with the local TD... And learning theater history from him while doing so. Installs are a spark of life once no longer designing.
 
The theatre's light guy Mike has hung and wired all three demo fixtures I've spec'd and tomorrow at two I get to see them in the space, (not my mind.)

The 44 year old theatre has a smattering of old fixtures and a few attempts at LED but they are mostly DJ level stuff. I've been tasked with a ceiling down renovation.

The next couple of months will be a hugh challenge but perhaps the crowning jewel of my career.

98' Windows 11 touch screen install next week at the library if delivered in time and then the Westmoreland Players project into the summer.

I'm having a lot of fun for an old roadie.
 
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Met with the head lighting guy this afternoon. We discusses lighting theory, design, needs and future desires.

The theatre's board wants to move along with me as the head designer/supplier for the upgrade to all LED.

The initial phase will be a somewhat major fixture/control upgrade to start with one or two additional purchases over the next two years as warranted. (They will continue to use some of there better inventory for now and I will upgrade their ETC ellipsoidals with the LED retrofit available.

My retainer and materials costs for this first phase will be in the neighborhood of 85K. Ordering fixtures and control will happen next week with an anticipated delivery of 16 to 20 weeks. (Hard to do business in this supply chain)
 
Finished to quote for the theatre today, it came in at $ 76000.00 and sent them a 4K invoice for my design, delivery and assisting their crew in the hang and wiring.

It is a done deal with the install probably 20+ weeks from now. The supply chain sucks.

Also got tracking for a wireless mic system I ordered in early February for a client and received an email order from a 40+ year client for $ 460.00 of hanging mics for the High School's theatre.

I also mowed my nearly 2 acres of grass, but who cares.
 
What did the quote include? I'm doing the research for a found space conversion.
 
I’m guessing they had sufficient front wash for you to start with stage downs and high sides. Wild guess but 3 LXs 7 8 7 downs 30z 1 & 2 and 15s 3?
 
Be sure to show before and after photos! Sounds exciting.
 
I always find it interesting when a venue only gets two of a moving head. When I try to think of what they could be used for, it never feels like enough.
 
I always find it interesting when a venue only gets two of a moving head. When I try to think of what they could be used for, it never feels like enough.
This is an intimate theatre with an 11 to 12' trim height. I'm considering movers to be effect lights like strobes or black lights.
$ 3000.00 for two to play with is probably money not well spend IMHO. How many times in a play will movers really be called for?
 
Be sure to show before and after photos! Sounds exciting.
I'll be at the theatre this week with my electrical contractor and will take pics.

Currently all of the power distribution for the performance area is through two CD80 24 channel dimmers and to other 12 channel packs. The theatre wants to save one of the 12 channel dimmers for practicals.
The others will be removed and the power supplies of the dimmers fed to breaker panels to provide land power to the new LED fixtures.

I'm thinking this may add another 10K, should know by weeks end.

On another note, I just took a call from a casino on the north shore of Lake Tahoe to whom I was recommended by an old client and they want all new fixtures for the showroom.

Rocking on, 73 years old having the time of my career.
 
You inspire me in turning 55 this month.... Should I do the ETC training on stuff I'm already doing or land the plane on a steady course to.... Thanks.
 
I'll be at the theatre this week with my electrical contractor and will take pics.

Currently all of the power distribution for the performance area is through two CD80 24 channel dimmers and to other 12 channel packs. The theatre wants to save one of the 12 channel dimmers for practicals.
The others will be removed and the power supplies of the dimmers fed to breaker panels to provide land power to the new LED fixtures.

I'm thinking this may add another 10K, should know by weeks end.

On another note, I just took a call from a casino on the north shore of Lake Tahoe to whom I was recommended by an old client and they want all new fixtures for the showroom.

Rocking on, 73 years old having the time of my career.
OK... sooooo... what're they gonna do with the OLD stuff and what is it? (I may be intere$ted...)
 
I have agreed to remove all of the current hanging inventory.

Mike, the current LD wants to keep about a dozen of the best LED washes.

What I will take down along with back stage extras and older inventory from the barn will probably be 60 or more fixture from the theatre's 44 year history.

There will also be a couple of CD80 dimmer packs and more.

I'll be posting a complete inventory over the next year as I have time to inventory, etc. Penny's on the dollar should suffice.
 

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