Stupid Front of House Lights

[jason0]

hey, I find myself in similar situations needing a crazy solution to something. The thing that pisses me off though, is that I will spend 2 days coming up with a great idea that would work and only require stuff laying around the tech shop or my basement, and the teacher will be like, dont bother. Our TD spent a year as a stagehand (running cable, thats all he ever did) at a college theater, and now thinks he knows everything, while I have done a lto to advance my knowledge in the area. Students are not allowed on the lift, in our not designed by a theatrer consultant black box. Our old theater (called the lecture center because thats what it actualyl is) has a 14 foot ladder for ceiling work, but the FOH pipes are only like 10 feet off of our excessively stadium seating so they are easy enough to reach.

for a really cheap solution, can i recommend an extension ladder? IF you have an I-beam or other hard point you can safely brace off of, try it. But, tie off when you get up there, in case you fall. I find myself often leaning as much as 4 or 5 feet off the ladders not wanting to climb down 15 feet and move them. I work in industry to make money, so I have a good idea of OSHA req's, but my school doesnt, so i do what i can and deal without.

ALso, I totally know what you mean about being the sophomore who actually knows stuff and being stuck with a crap job just because of seniority.

 

[JChenault]

OK - I know this is an old post - but there was one approach to the original question which I did not see addressed.

As I understand the original post, there is a venue with a motorized - unaccessable FOH batten. The issue is how to focus the lights. Reading further, it sounds like there are a small number of configurations that need to be handled.

In the old days of touring, you would see the electricians hang a pipe, and lay out a groundcloth with the shutter cuts marked on the groundcloth. It seems to me that this approach could be used in this situation.

1 - figure out some way to accurately position a ground cloth on the seats. ( This might be the hardest part of the problem)
2 - bounce focus one of the looks. Mark the position of each fixture on the pipe.
3 - Lower the pipe to a known height. Lay out your ground cloth. Mark the beams for each fixture.

Next time you need that look - drop the pipe, hang the fixtures in the appropriate place. Lay out the ground cloth. Focus to the cloth. Raise the pipe up - and you are done ( or at least very very close)

 

[derekleffew]

Good idea, JChenault. Somewhere we've discussed the fact that it's surprising Focus cloths aren't used more regularly. For another possible solution to the original problem, see Lighting Angle Focus Solution | Mt. Vernon High School Performing Arts.http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/jchenault.html

 

[DBFJohn]

Have a look at these, I used one in a house that had steped seating, rolled through the chairs perfectly.
UpRight Aluminum Scaffold - UpRight Scaffold