This has been my experience. There's one ballet academy that rents out my school's theater once or twice a year, and their parents behave pretty well. This last show I did, though, was at the local community college, because a friend called me in to help. We announced several times that flash shouldn't be used as it's a matter of dancer safety, but a lot of the parents didn't seem to care.
Theater etiquette
- Thread starterruinexplorer
- Start date
I like the turning in phones to the SM thing. I assume that is during both rehearsals and shows. I should get our hs director to do that, especially for actors during rehearsals and techs during shows.
From my expreience cell phones causing problems is pretty rare (with equipment-- not attention spans). Our crew ALWAYS has our cell phones on us or within reach on vibrate. However we do not answer calls unless it is another crew member (or some pre-arranged extenuating circumstance-- I want to say our audio guy was on the phone once when one of his techs had a crisis on another show and our run crew chief had a family emergency right before a show once). This is mainly because we have lost comms during shows before and switched to cells. On one show we didn't have enough radios so I would call our spot op whenever there was a spot cue added (the director kept changing things during the show).
shiben
Well-Known Member
At Calvin, we have solved the issue of cell phone use in the theater department quite effectively. No one can use a cell phone in our venues at all. Literally. Our main venue, a 350 seat open vista stage, is build with 75% of its volume below ground, and our black box is in a fallout shelter. Both have a few feet of concrete and steel over them, and all the walls are sand-filled cinder block with acoustical panels on them.
There is no reception, and our department blocked a move to get a cell phone repeater installed specifically to boost signal to the theater. Unfortunately, we still have wifi. Most egregious offense ever was probably the person who tried to record from an HD video camera and at the same time send emails on their laptop. Disconnected the local wireless system and told him that if his camera didnt disappear he would be booted. He complained that I turned off the wireless and that I was rude to him. What a hoser.
There is no reception, and our department blocked a move to get a cell phone repeater installed specifically to boost signal to the theater. Unfortunately, we still have wifi. Most egregious offense ever was probably the person who tried to record from an HD video camera and at the same time send emails on their laptop. Disconnected the local wireless system and told him that if his camera didnt disappear he would be booted. He complained that I turned off the wireless and that I was rude to him. What a hoser.
tweetersaway
Member
I recently met a stage manager at OSF who can hold phone conversations and text during the show he's calling and he's never missed a cue.
If it were legal in the U.S. of A. I would definitely install a cell-phone signal blocker into my concert hall. We are one of, if not the only country in the world, where phone signals cannot be blocked.
It is bad enough that people are texting during a performance, but I have had to stop people from broadcasting a live performance using their phone cameras. If the talent's people were to see something like that happening, the lawsuits resulting from the violation of the rider would be extremely expensive.
As for the SM who can talk, text and call show cues, all at the same time....he will never work for me. Do one thing at a time and do it the very best that you can.
It is bad enough that people are texting during a performance, but I have had to stop people from broadcasting a live performance using their phone cameras. If the talent's people were to see something like that happening, the lawsuits resulting from the violation of the rider would be extremely expensive.
As for the SM who can talk, text and call show cues, all at the same time....he will never work for me. Do one thing at a time and do it the very best that you can.
Sir appears to be grossly misinformed. Australian law specifically prohibits the use of a jammer. A friend who works for a telco tells me that the fine is 50K for possession 150K is it's switched on when the suits arrive.
If I look up OFCOM in the UK, it is illegal in the UK under Section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 to use any apparatus for the purposes of interfering with any wireless telegraphy. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/featu...pedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_jammer#Legalities
kiwitechgirl
Well-Known Member
I half-agree, half-disagree with this! Texting during a show is a huge no-no in my book (phone stays off and in my bag when I'm on show call), but I also think that a great stage manager should be able to multi-task. I work in a venue where on a straight play I have me as SM and a single operator, and that expands to a sound operator and an ASM on musicals (I think our production of The Producers 18 months ago is probably the only time that show has ever been done with a crew of four!); I can call cues, sort out someone's radio mic pack (I never have radio mic techs) and figure out how the next scene change is going to work given that something has jammed or broken - if I couldn't multi-task my job would be way more difficult.
Chris15....I stand humbly corrected. Thank you for putting me right.
Kiwitechgirl....when I stated "do one thing at a time", what I meant was concentrate on the show. I was under the impression that the SM in question was holding phone calls and texting on subjects unrelated to the show. Multi-tasking during a show is pretty much a given if one has any responsibilities and people working under them. To you, I also apologize for any misunderstanding.
A double dose of crow for me today. ;-)
Kiwitechgirl....when I stated "do one thing at a time", what I meant was concentrate on the show. I was under the impression that the SM in question was holding phone calls and texting on subjects unrelated to the show. Multi-tasking during a show is pretty much a given if one has any responsibilities and people working under them. To you, I also apologize for any misunderstanding.
A double dose of crow for me today. ;-)
shiben
Well-Known Member
If you are looking for a way to block cell phone signals, but dont really want to get in trouble, could you get away with installing brass or copper mesh enveloping the hall? It would act as a faraday cage and block all the signals coming in... Would that be illegal? You could claim that you had an issue with RF interference if people complain about it, but if its illegal I probably wouldnt do it. Also, find out if your walls are sand filled cincerblock. Seems to make it more difficult to get signal through that.
IANAL, but I know of no regulations that would prohibit you installing a wire mesh surrounding a facility.
As for wireless mics, it might both improve reception in the hall, by blocking outside signals, and keeping the mics from interfering with anything else.
Of course, with the cost of copper, you could probably pay for many more important things for the theater, and just live with the cell phones
-Fred
As for wireless mics, it might both improve reception in the hall, by blocking outside signals, and keeping the mics from interfering with anything else.
Of course, with the cost of copper, you could probably pay for many more important things for the theater, and just live with the cell phones
-Fred
Hmmm, TEMPEST security for the theatre. All you need is the same construction budgets that some secure government and military facilities have. Good luck on that!
Theoertically it might work. However, considering the wavelengths potentially involved, getting a building or room envelope to not have 'holes' in the shielding could be difficult and expensive. I also think that practical issues such as doctors and others attending events that need to be able to receive emergency wireless communications might be legally problematic. And I have worked on some ALS/interpretation and wireless production communication systems where I rely on the signal extending outside the main space, a shielded room could be worked around for those systems but would likely increase their cost.
Theoertically it might work. However, considering the wavelengths potentially involved, getting a building or room envelope to not have 'holes' in the shielding could be difficult and expensive. I also think that practical issues such as doctors and others attending events that need to be able to receive emergency wireless communications might be legally problematic. And I have worked on some ALS/interpretation and wireless production communication systems where I rely on the signal extending outside the main space, a shielded room could be worked around for those systems but would likely increase their cost.
I think it's more a symptom of the casualization of society in general. Now, I don't want to go as far back as mutli-layered formal clothing and introducing oneself with an actual card... but I then we are moving into the "overly casual" side of things a bit.
I also think it's allot of the selfish "it's all about me" line of thought along with a general lack of social stigmatization for those who are overly selfish (i.e. not taking a screaming child out of a public space when I was young would result in direct action from those around the offender) doesn't help.
I worked several summers at a local concert venue because I liked the majority of the shows they offered and I also like to people watch
but I never understood the people who spent that kind of money on tickets, and then would almost match it in the equivalent of booze - and then get so bombed that I highly doubt they could remember anything signifiant of the evening afterwards. You can drink to the amnesia stage at home and save a bundle while not menacing your fellow humans People are indeed strange (and inconsiderate!).
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Tex
Active Member
Unfortunately, I've auditioned (successfully) for directors who were typing, eating, talking and and/or smoking. Not that unusual...
I recently was LD for a show where the assistant principle was on his phone during the show. The following week, my theatre teacher was complementing the tech and mentioned that the asst. principal had been a paid employee of his college's scene shop, so he understood the sorts of things that we worry about.
Joshualangman
Active Member
It is now illegal to use a phone in all New York theatres, on penalty of $50 fine and eviction.
Cell Phones Banned in New York City Theatres - Playbill.com
Cell Phones Banned in New York City Theatres - Playbill.com
That's awesome. Now if they would just allow low-power jammers, even if you had to get a license....
