Speaking the language of our business

Re: Seeking the language of our business

Thelightinggal said:
Well, oh dear....I am a grad student, this was an undergrad who said "crossover" and I did not know what in the world was going on. At a job I work at back home, ive heard them just referred to as adaptors In my undergrad I always was taught turn around was stage pin to edison... I was either taught wrong, or some people use different terms even if they are wrong. But thanks for telling me! I will remember now that a turn around is to change genders. And with a cross over having pins swapped, could you describe what you mean? Thank you so much!

And- in addition - I knew what this kid was saying because he was describing what he wanted to do, he just used an odd term..I really wanted to correct him, but in order to not look like I was not sure what I was saying, I just floated over it...yeah it is a good idea to pick battles wisely.
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To make crossover easier to grasp, think of the Cat5 standards A and B, one is a straight cable and the other is a crossover cable. A turnaround is a M-M or F-F to turn a cable around. This should never be used in electricity except when reversing grounds and nuetrals in single conductor tie-ins. Since you are the grad student and he is the undergrad, fix him.
Shiben:
I call S4s, S4 lekos, it's what guys in my area understand. Now I call an Altman PAR a PARcan. I call a S4 PAR exactly that.
 
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Re: Seeking the language of our business

Its funny how people can speak the same language but different dialects, so it literally seems like there speaking different languages !!! Somebody should post a glossary somewhere
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

Very true, and being you are from across the pond, you introduce the differences in culture. You guys call things different just from being from another country. It brings up the question, are there the same type of differences between disciplines in England? Also, do terms change from England to Australia? I would assume yes in both cases but just don't know.
I was working with a English guy and he told me to have the guys bust the C clamps on the set. He was pround that he had used the American term instead of telling us to break the G clamps.
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

It's definite that things change depending on which part of the world you're in. We spell & use grammar much as the UK do (we still have u's in words i.e. , colour ... and spell things correctly... it's Alumin-i-um not alumin-um !! ;-) ) but have been very influenced by American TV, so are an odd mix.
In Theatre here we tend to not have such grand titles, but Touring Tech or Theatre Tech seems to cover a myriad of roles.
How do you define a title for someone who is any of the roles depending on which show or day it is?
i.e.Today I am doing administration/staff scheduling, next week I wil be designing lighting for a dance season, the week after running 16 radio mics and a full band in the orchestra pit for a school musical production....

Lekos/ERS, we call anything like that a 'profile' with sometimes the manufacturer or product name. i.e. S4 Profile, Strand SL profile. The name Leko never made it here.
 
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Re: Seeking the language of our business

I had a heck of a time working with the folks from Sydney Theatre Company last year. They don't use Stage Left and Stage Right, They use Prompt Side and Off Prompt. < at least their US and DS aren't upside down...>
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

In France they don't use SR and SL either; because of the design of castles centuries ago they have "court" and "garden".
 
Van said:
I had a heck of a time working with the folks from Sydney Theatre Company last year. They don't use Stage Left and Stage Right, They use Prompt Side and Off Prompt. < at least their US and DS aren't upside down...>
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So which is which?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

Agreed that dimmer beach and monitor world are usually opposite. I have found that dimmer beach is almost always SR and Monitor world SL. There is a town nearby that for some reason every venue has them opposite. It is true enough times that I laid my lighting and sound taps out that way when we remodeled.
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

waynehoskins said:
I've done shows in two theatres where both lock rail and circuit patch are SR. With both landmarks SR, how do you denote SL? :)
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I've done shows where the locking rail was on SR, and there was no circuit patch on stage. What about those?
 
I'm not in the theatre world and I've never heard anyone on the job referred to as an electrician. An electrician is someone who wires buildings, taps transformers, etc. Most electricians I've talked to have no idea what Camloks are and don't understand the requirements of temporary power for production. At the same time, most electricians in the "real world" would probably take offense to the job title of "master electrician" in the theatre as it infers a certain level of achievement in one's craft, rather than an appointed job title.
 
bishopthomas said:
I'm not in the theatre world and I've never heard anyone on the job referred to as an electrician. An electrician is someone who wires buildings, taps transformers, etc. Most electricians I've talked to have no idea what Camloks are and don't understand the requirements of temporary power for production. At the same time, most electricians in the "real world" would probably take offense to the job title of "master electrician" in the theatre as it infers a certain level of achievement in one's craft, rather than an appointed job title.
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Well, In the "non-real world" anyone who deals with lights is an Electrician. Master Electrician refers more to a posistion than a skill level, you could insert Managing Electrician but that sounds even dumber. I've never met an electrcian in the real world who took offense at Theatrical titles. I happen to know a lot of Real world electricians who understand not only temporary power but deal with cam-loks, hubbels, and facility disconnects all the time.
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

derekleffew said:
Sort of like how Dimmer Beach (SR) is always opposite Monitor World (SL).
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What is where can be very dependent on the venue layout, which in turn may be driven by numerous factors, and it is interesting to watch people try to apply such 'standards' in facilities that don't really support them.

In most states the reference for installing electrical systems is to Electrical Contracting and Electrical Contractors, however in some states licensing does apparently refer to "Electricians" and even specifically to "Master Electricians" and I've always wondered about the "Electrician" title in those states.

I've also wondered where the dividing line really is in regards to needing to be a licensed Electrical Contractor. For example, here in Georgia the legal definition related to licensing is ""Electrical contracting" means the installation, maintenance, alteration, or repair of any electrical equipment, apparatus, control system, or electrical wiring device which is attached to or incorporated into any building or structure in this state but shall not include low-voltage contracting." Hanging and focusing lights is one thing but in terms of working with installed dimmer systems, power distribution systems, lighting control systems, etc., at what point do you cross into work that legally requires a licensed Electrical Contractor?
 
Re: Seeking the language of our business

museav said:
What is where can be very dependent on the venue layout, which in turn may be driven by numerous factors, and it is interesting to watch people try to apply such 'standards' in facilities that don't really support them.

In most states the reference for installing electrical systems is to Electrical Contracting and Electrical Contractors, however in some states licensing does apparently refer to "Electricians" and even specifically to "Master Electricians" and I've always wondered about the "Electrician" title in those states.

I've also wondered where the dividing line really is in regards to needing to be a licensed Electrical Contractor. For example, here in Georgia the legal definition related to licensing is ""Electrical contracting" means the installation, maintenance, alteration, or repair of any electrical equipment, apparatus, control system, or electrical wiring device which is attached to or incorporated into any building or structure in this state but shall not include low-voltage contracting." Hanging and focusing lights is one thing but in terms of working with installed dimmer systems, power distribution systems, lighting control systems, etc., at what point do you cross into work that legally requires a licensed Electrical Contractor?
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I would venture to say the line is when it becomes permenant. Temperary taps generally don't need a licensed electrician, simply a trained competant person. Once you get into facility repairs, modifications or new installations then you need the license.
I don't have a problem with calling hands working on lights, electricians, but calling the head of electrics a master electrician is a stretch. I'm sure that goes back to the early days of NY and Local one but in a HS/college/regional theatre ME may be a bit strong. Especially since most of them are simply King of the Booth.
 
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