I'm currently working on a production at another high school in my district. We're using hanging mics, the lighting design is extravagant, and there is a lot of drapary for this show. So, there is a lot of flying going on. Lately I've been hanging mics on the grid, and students aren't even calling lines properly. There aren't audible to the whole stage and surrounding areas, quite frankly it scares me. I'd like to bring up this to the TD. Yesterday I just barely heard a call that a line was coming up midstage. There are just under twenty lines or so at this venue. Thats a good 6-10 lines at midstage, "WHICH ONE?!!!!". And I'm standing directly above the line right next to it's cables. On top of it all I have a hanging mic in my hand. The students aren't even watching the mic and they just knocked it off axis. They were flying the line way too fast, and it smacked the the portion of the grid directly under me. It's scary as hell that they don't even pay attention to the "Man on the Grid" or "Clear the rail" rule. The TD allowed flying but students would have to call it all out and get approved by everyone on stage and up above including the grid.
Another thing I noticed...I was making my way up to the grid when I noticed three students unloading on the load rail. First of all, they were two students not on the rail, they were standing over the arbors with one leg on the exterior of the rail and one on the opposite side. I personally along with someone assisting me could have easily unloading the arbor without even remotely coming close to the drastic measures these individuals were taking. Second, it took two students to lift a single weight. The only student who was on the rail taking the weights could barely lift the weights, she had to actually use the rail's railing to actually support the weight. Two students should not combine efforts to lift a single weight while lifting over a rail. While it may be easier, if one slips the other better have God-like grip because those weights are heavy and generally are fairly slippery. Thirdly, there were people on stage near the rails. They did not even request to clear the rail. About human strength...I'll admit it, I'm a pretty scrawny guy to begin with, those things can wear me out pretty badly and being up so high knowing you could drop a weight at any moment can be intimidating. I stop when I feel the slightest doubt of anything. I'll switch off with who ever is assisting and hold the locks and readers above. If you cannot lift an arbor weight without any add ional support you should no be loading or even flying for that matter. After all these dangerous measures taken, they were resting on the circular stairs and sitting on each other and goofing off.
Quite frankly, this all scared the @%#@&$% out of me! I would prefer not work with these people if they are going to take such dangerous measures. These people will suddenly forget the difference between upstage and downstage when calling out an action, and then correct themselves while actually implementing an action. You should be watching while you fly and none of these kid's watch, that's the whole point.
Does anyone ever experience this? These people should be picking up trash with their rigging and stagecraft skills. It's dangerous as all hell. Fortunately I do not need to be in those situations anymore, all thats left to do is just mix the show. But I do notice changes to where our mics are hung occasionally. For example this morning I noticed our mics were on the other side of a teaser and were pushed futher down stage. We had to fly the teaser out and pull it futher upstage to get the mic back into position. We strictly setup up our mics out of the way of all the flying lines, but they're always pushing things around and it throws things off. I hope no one here does what these people do. Always practice safety.
Another thing I noticed...I was making my way up to the grid when I noticed three students unloading on the load rail. First of all, they were two students not on the rail, they were standing over the arbors with one leg on the exterior of the rail and one on the opposite side. I personally along with someone assisting me could have easily unloading the arbor without even remotely coming close to the drastic measures these individuals were taking. Second, it took two students to lift a single weight. The only student who was on the rail taking the weights could barely lift the weights, she had to actually use the rail's railing to actually support the weight. Two students should not combine efforts to lift a single weight while lifting over a rail. While it may be easier, if one slips the other better have God-like grip because those weights are heavy and generally are fairly slippery. Thirdly, there were people on stage near the rails. They did not even request to clear the rail. About human strength...I'll admit it, I'm a pretty scrawny guy to begin with, those things can wear me out pretty badly and being up so high knowing you could drop a weight at any moment can be intimidating. I stop when I feel the slightest doubt of anything. I'll switch off with who ever is assisting and hold the locks and readers above. If you cannot lift an arbor weight without any add ional support you should no be loading or even flying for that matter. After all these dangerous measures taken, they were resting on the circular stairs and sitting on each other and goofing off.
Quite frankly, this all scared the @%#@&$% out of me! I would prefer not work with these people if they are going to take such dangerous measures. These people will suddenly forget the difference between upstage and downstage when calling out an action, and then correct themselves while actually implementing an action. You should be watching while you fly and none of these kid's watch, that's the whole point.
Does anyone ever experience this? These people should be picking up trash with their rigging and stagecraft skills. It's dangerous as all hell. Fortunately I do not need to be in those situations anymore, all thats left to do is just mix the show. But I do notice changes to where our mics are hung occasionally. For example this morning I noticed our mics were on the other side of a teaser and were pushed futher down stage. We had to fly the teaser out and pull it futher upstage to get the mic back into position. We strictly setup up our mics out of the way of all the flying lines, but they're always pushing things around and it throws things off. I hope no one here does what these people do. Always practice safety.