New Control Booth (Audio/Lights)

[mattjh]

At my school we are currently looking to upgrade our sound system for our theatre department. We have already figured out what we needed and priced it out, and we came under budget. We had been throughing around the idea of a control booth for the lights and the sound. After doing research on various search engines with no luck, I cannot find what is the optimum way to make the control booth. I do know it should be centered and the it should be slightly off the ground, but thats about where my knowledge of it ends. If you could provide us with any help as to how it should be built and wiring, or even a floor plan, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Its difficult to offer one size fits all, especially without a plan and section. We often put sound control in center of the house - at a crossaisle if there is one, and house the gear in a desk with cover, roll top or otherwise.

We usually design a booth at rear of main floor and usually Ami imum of 18' of "frontage" - three 6' positions - lights, stage manager, and a/v. Sometimes there is space for a video projector, so eti es none for a/v if it will always and only be in house. 30 to 36" deep counters, large and low windows - maybe 5' wide and 2 1/2 or 3' tall with will at counter ht - 30". 9 to 10' deep - a little tighter but you have to have 5' clear behind counter for a wheel chair to maneuver and it must be wheelchair accessible. We "float" the counter 2-3" off the wall for continuous cable pass but grommets OK. Troffers for set up and work, dimming track light for running, dark and acoustically absorptive surfaces. I'm sure there is more but a start.

 

[Brandofhawk]

As a lighting / electrics tech, my favorite booths are ones where I can be center, have enough counter space. Usually in the house I'm able to set up in about 5' of a 6' table and be happy, but it really depends on what the light board is. I usually am on an Ion, so the monitors sit above my laptop on my left, board in the middle, fader wing on the right and com next to that.
Then I'll use a music stand for a script stand next to me, or a small side table (like a tv dinner table kind of thing).
Also thoughts of if you want to move the board out in to the house, you may want hookups wherever your tech table set up will be.

The window mentioned is important, right now I'm working in a blackbox booth, which is fine...except with how the stage is setup this time, I cannot see anything from sitting at the lightboard. The windows here are just not low enough to see the whole performance space. (And these ones could have been dropped 6 - 8" to accommodate that, oh well.)


Also please think about the REASONS behind having a booth.
You get to lock up the gear.
You get to put your technicians somewhere that light and sound can be contained.
You get to put your technicians somewhere they can be contained.... haha