Tales of Stupid
- Thread starterGrog12
- Start date
Okay since I asked for it I guess I should start it off...
How about the teacher that I told I'd programmed everything for the show already and had it saved... so she didn't get a tech to run lighting! Apparently she thought once you'd programmed it all you had to do was turn on the desk and it would run itself
.
How about the teacher that I told I'd programmed everything for the show already and had it saved... so she didn't get a tech to run lighting! Apparently she thought once you'd programmed it all you had to do was turn on the desk and it would run itself
.
shiben
Well-Known Member
I dont know if this counts as stupid, or just rude, but today the LD and i were working with some gobo effects, trying to get a "hippie" look down with some glass gobos and rotators and whatnot. I was up on the ladder, which was positioned in the aisleway of our space, so that i could reach the light without getting on the fresh paint on the stage. He was at the board doing stuff, when the harpist for the orchestra walks in, and tries to move my ladder (the theater is the only accessible way to reach the auditorium stage. Its probably not ADA approved, but its an old space with no room for a new elevator). Needless to say, i was not pleased. Besides nearly getting me very injured, I could have also dropped a twin spin with 2 very expensive glass gobos in it to grab the pipe. She then proceeds to try and bring her harp onto the painted floor. Fortunately for her, she realized it was wet when she stepped on it. So I came down and got her a paint tray with water in it and a couple rags to clean her shoe off, meanwhile, she goes and walks all over the place, and nearly gets the ladder down (by dropping it, it got caught on a Source 4 somehow). This kind of belongs in the punching bag, but it sure seems like a nice tale of stupidity.
masterelectrician2112
Active Member
A bit of stupidity on my part, I once spent 15 minutes trying to find out why I wasn't getting a feed in the headset, only to realize that the volume was down all the way. I even stumped someone else with it.
That, along with all the times I've accidentially overwritten the wrong cue on the Innovator.
That, along with all the times I've accidentially overwritten the wrong cue on the Innovator.
marshmolly123
Member
I've definitely done that as well... Although the LD at the time was helpful enough to come over, turn up the volume, and call me a dumb***
A story of my own: one of our techs (actually "tech" is probably inaccurate, he just sort of shows up and annoys people once in a while) was trying to get a Source 4 up into the catwalk, but apparently was too weak to carry it up a ladder one-handed. We have a rope hanging down next to the ladder, so he decided to tie it to that and then haul it up (mind you the ladder is about 10 feet tall). I saw no problem with that, but reminded him to tie a bowline. He said of course he would, and next thing I know I hear a clatter of the light falling to the floor. He'd tied a slip not, defending it with "That's how I tie my bowlines!" :shock: Just glad I wasn't standing underneath it...
Les
Well-Known Member
I've definitely done that as well... Although the LD at the time was helpful enough to come over, turn up the volume, and call me a dumb***
A story of my own: one of our techs (actually "tech" is probably inaccurate, he just sort of shows up and annoys people once in a while) was trying to get a Source 4 up into the catwalk, but apparently was too weak to carry it up a ladder one-handed. We have a rope hanging down next to the ladder, so he decided to tie it to that and then haul it up (mind you the ladder is about 10 feet tall). I saw no problem with that, but reminded him to tie a bowline. He said of course he would, and next thing I know I hear a clatter of the light falling to the floor. He'd tied a slip not, defending it with "That's how I tie my bowlines!" :shock: Just glad I wasn't standing underneath it...
In his defense, one-handed ladder climbing isn't a very smart thing to do, even if it is only 10' tall. Not that I didn't do similar things in my younger, less informed days
marshmolly123
Member
Les
Well-Known Member
This is true!!! What's that saying... is it "the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask"? I think so!!!
We once had a client that was a pretty well known artist in his community. Their sound guy couldn't make it, so I was running sound. We had to rent FX processors. I got everything working before the show, but when it came to sound check, the reverb didn't work. The entire room was looking at me as I scrambled all over FOH, checking everything.
A minute later, I said "ah-ha!", reached over, and unpressed the bypass switch on the reverb, which I had pressed fifteen minutes earlier.
Oh, and all those times I swear I hear a change when I move the EQ knobs only to realize that the EQ is off...
Not quite the stupidest thing I've heard, but it made me feel like an idiot...
I've been told that the board needed to be moved on stage because of the delay due to the 100 feet of cabling. The delay... at the speed of light? There wasn't even a DSP in the equation...
A minute later, I said "ah-ha!", reached over, and unpressed the bypass switch on the reverb, which I had pressed fifteen minutes earlier.
Oh, and all those times I swear I hear a change when I move the EQ knobs only to realize that the EQ is off...
Not quite the stupidest thing I've heard, but it made me feel like an idiot...
I've been told that the board needed to be moved on stage because of the delay due to the 100 feet of cabling. The delay... at the speed of light? There wasn't even a DSP in the equation...
shiben
Well-Known Member
You my friend have experienced the wonderful qualities of "Frobbing", when an annoying piece of "Talent" wants something changed, you pretend to fiddle with the knobs, and because they see you doing something, they hear a change. Its wonderful with the more annoying indie guys who feel the need to have everything "exactly right".
edmedmoped
Active Member
Not very 'stupid', more funny, but I didn't want to make a new thread.
We did a 'stars in their eyes' type performance at our school. Before each act, there was a short clip about who they were going to be. For this, the act before needs to come off, the projector screen needs to come down and the dvd needs to be played.
At the end of an act, the tabs needed to be closed as it was the penultimate act, so they closed as the projector screen came down, and they both collided, making the screen crease. The guy that was running tabs then panicked and brought them back in and then waited for the screen to come all the way down before he tried again.
He got the call to send them out, and tried to turn the handle but couldn't and preceded to shout down cans "they're broken, they're broken!". He then realised he was turning the handle the wrong way.
All was well in the end though
We did a 'stars in their eyes' type performance at our school. Before each act, there was a short clip about who they were going to be. For this, the act before needs to come off, the projector screen needs to come down and the dvd needs to be played.
At the end of an act, the tabs needed to be closed as it was the penultimate act, so they closed as the projector screen came down, and they both collided, making the screen crease. The guy that was running tabs then panicked and brought them back in and then waited for the screen to come all the way down before he tried again.
He got the call to send them out, and tried to turn the handle but couldn't and preceded to shout down cans "they're broken, they're broken!". He then realised he was turning the handle the wrong way.
All was well in the end though
misterm
Active Member
Just yesterday we were setting up our LEDs for the homecoming pageant and i was training some of my new techies. So many moments of "duh" even for non-experienced techs. "What I do with this?" asks one as he grabs the extension cord I point to. "Um, plug it into the outlet...." He runs off, comes back a few moments later, "Do what, again?" He mostly bumbled around, complaining or talking about all of his ideas.
I've seen some stupid stuff but I think the funniest stupid moment I've ever experienced was during my first show junior year. We were doing Little Shop of Horrors. Before every show we check the lights to make sure none of them are burnt out or have bad connections, etc. During one of the LSoH shows a light burnt out right after intermission. The light tech and I noticed and we both were kinda irritated that it went out but hey, what can you do. The ME voiced his concern, "darn. That light went out" and the sm looks over at both of us, "What do you mean?" So I said, "Well, the lamp burnt out." She then goes on to say, "I thought you checked them." and the lighting tech answers with, "yeah, and they were all working fine then." She said, "Wait, so you're telling me that even if you check the lights before the show they can still go out?"
She was serious.
I couldn't even hold myself back from laughing at her.
She was serious.
I couldn't even hold myself back from laughing at her.
I was at the house of my (ex) girlfriend's parents, and when told that I was a theatre Lighting Designer, her mother was astonished: "Don't they just flick a switch or something?"
Shortly thereafter I was dating my new girlfriend / future wife -- a stage manager. A cautionary tale about dating outside of the tribe, people . . .
Shortly thereafter I was dating my new girlfriend / future wife -- a stage manager. A cautionary tale about dating outside of the tribe, people . . .
Les
Well-Known Member
I have a few cautionary tales of dating within the tribe, myself
hey, whatever works!!!
misterm
Active Member
Alright, same kid today....we're hanging the LEDs around the gym for homecoming DANCE. I notice he has a LOT of slack in the cables run between each fixture, which are just simple par64s, no movers, scanners, nothing. I asked him why there was so much slack and that he needed to move the fixture down more. his reply? "well we need the slack for when the light moves."
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