So, my highschool doesn't have a theatre. Instead, we have a large room that has been made into what we call the Commons. It was once the schools original gym, before the new one was built in the 50's. The space today was last renovated in the 90's, when three phase power was wired in the ceiling and five, 6 channel Rosco hanging dimmers installed. We only use the dimmers to their max for the fall play, which is usually in November, and we last used them in February for a convention. Well, yesterday I was focusing a few PAR's for a Revival being held in the commons, and only four channels on one of the packs worked. So, I made a few cable runs and was fine. Well, that night when we went to turn on the lights for the revival, nothing came on. Luckily the Revival wasn't dependant on theatrical lighting, but I want to know what happened to thew power.
I talked with maintenance today. They first tried resetting all the circuit breakers, which did nothing to help. Maintenance said that they believe the three phase power has shorted out and are going to call in an electrician. I don't see how in two months between use an entire system can suddenly short out when no one has touched it.
If the school ever does get a theatre, which is doubtful, or even a blackbox, which is also unlikely, then they might want to consider getting an actual dimmer rack and then wiring some distribution boxes and such in the ceiling. The Commons could be a very viable performance space, if only the school had put more long term planning into it. As it is now, we need at least two dimmers packs for every play we do. However, it is a private school, so I know that they could eventually find the money for such a project, but there is one major obstacle: the Michigan economy.
However, it's my senior year. I have thirteen class days left. I have been one of "those people" who have a passion for what they do and have done what I can to learn what I can in my highschool experience. They won't have someone like me next year, who knows the difference between a 360Q and a Source 4. I am setting up a sort of guide to help introduce them to the equiopment that will be passing into their care and the common setups that we have done over the years. I've been teaching my replacements, but the thing I have to keep telling them is I didn't become Lighting Head over night. I had to start out reading all I could, in a sense teaching my self and learning by doing. Unless they take the time to really learn, it will just be illumination.
I talked with maintenance today. They first tried resetting all the circuit breakers, which did nothing to help. Maintenance said that they believe the three phase power has shorted out and are going to call in an electrician. I don't see how in two months between use an entire system can suddenly short out when no one has touched it.
If the school ever does get a theatre, which is doubtful, or even a blackbox, which is also unlikely, then they might want to consider getting an actual dimmer rack and then wiring some distribution boxes and such in the ceiling. The Commons could be a very viable performance space, if only the school had put more long term planning into it. As it is now, we need at least two dimmers packs for every play we do. However, it is a private school, so I know that they could eventually find the money for such a project, but there is one major obstacle: the Michigan economy.
However, it's my senior year. I have thirteen class days left. I have been one of "those people" who have a passion for what they do and have done what I can to learn what I can in my highschool experience. They won't have someone like me next year, who knows the difference between a 360Q and a Source 4. I am setting up a sort of guide to help introduce them to the equiopment that will be passing into their care and the common setups that we have done over the years. I've been teaching my replacements, but the thing I have to keep telling them is I didn't become Lighting Head over night. I had to start out reading all I could, in a sense teaching my self and learning by doing. Unless they take the time to really learn, it will just be illumination.