Return-Path: X-Processed-By: Virex 7 on prxy.net X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.1.8 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #27 Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 16:16:19 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #27 1. Re: Counterweight Rigging by "Delbert Hall" 2. Re: Counterweight Rigging by IAEG [at] aol.com 3. Re: Counterweight Rigging by usctd [at] columbia.sc 4. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Charlie Richmond 5. MicroVision Disks by "Nikel, Andrew" 6. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by Steve Larson 7. Re: MicroVision Disks by Steve Larson 8. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Charlie Richmond 9. Re: Ring Cycle by "Stephen E. Rees" 10. Re: MicroVision Disks by Charlie Richmond 11. Re: MicroVision Disks by Herrick 12. Re: Counterweight Rigging by schreinerpd [at] longwood.edu 13. Re: Counterweight Rigging by Rigger 14. Doonesbury (Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please.) by Michael Powers 15. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Rigger 16. Re: Michael Moore by "Rob Carovillano" 17. by Michael Powers 18. Re: I went to Home Depot today by "MARK OBRIEN" 19. Re: Food for thought by "Hofmann, Christopher" 20. Re: Michael Moore by Rigger 21. Re: Michael Moore by Charlie Richmond 22. Re: by "Matthew Breton" 23. Re: Automation Grenade by Jason Tollefson 24. Re: Counterweight Rigging by Michael Powers 25. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) and Dave Vick by ken [at] kenholyoak.com (Ken Holyoak) 26. Re: counterweight rigging by "MARK OBRIEN" 27. Re: Counterweight Rigging by Michael Powers 28. Power quality, electrical system specs by "Steven Haworth" 29. Re: Ring Cycle by "Jon Ares" 30. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Fred Fisher 31. Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought by Fred Fisher 32. Re: Microvision disks? by Brian Aldous 33. Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) by Bruce Purdy 34. Guinness Arbor by b Ricie 35. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Bruce Purdy 36. Re: MicroVision Disks by Steve Bailey 37. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Brian Aldous 38. Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) by Herrick 39. Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) by IAEG [at] aol.com 40. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Rigger 41. Re: Food for thought by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 42. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by "Sam Fisher" 43. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Rigger 44. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 45. Overhead, overlong by "William Knapp" 46. Re: Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) by "Michael Finney" 47. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 48. Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 49. Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) by Steve Larson 50. Re: Welcome back Frank by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 51. Re: Counterweight Rigging by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 52. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by doran [at] bard.edu 53. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by doran [at] bard.edu 54. Rings by CB 55. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by CB 56. Re: Power quality, electrical system specs by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 57. Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) by CB 58. Wal-mart by CB 59. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by CB 60. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by Rigger 61. Re: Powerpoint Background by CB 62. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by Herrick 63. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by Herrick 64. Re: Counterweight Rigging by doran [at] bard.edu 65. Re: Automation Grenade by usctd [at] columbia.sc 66. Re: Powerpoint Background by "Jon Ares" 67. Re: Food for thought by CB 68. Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) by Rigger 69. Re: Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) by "Storms, Randy" 70. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by CB 71. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by CB 72. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by CB 73. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Jerry Durand 74. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by CB 75. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Rigger 76. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Charlie Richmond 77. Re: Guinness Arbor by Jerry Durand 78. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Jerry Durand *** Please update the subject line of your reply to use the subject *** line of the message you are replying to! Please only reply to *** one message subject in each reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Delbert Hall" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 06:38:18 -0400 Organization: ETSU Message-ID: <000001c4488d$b8b0a730$6400a8c0 [at] delbert> In-Reply-To: Here is a simple idea for making counterweight systems safer. Keep your counterweight system the same as it is now, except make your arbor well as deep as your grid is high (half that for double purchase systems). Make your lift lines and purchase lines long enough so that when the batten is at low trim, the arbor will be at the locking rail. You can then load weight at stage level (no worries about dropping weights). As the batten goes up, the arbor sinks into the well. If there is a runaway and the arbor crashes, it is in the well, where no humans are, protecting them from falling weights. This will add more cost to the construction of the theatre, but probably not near as much as a bunch of winches. This idea is for new construction since it would be impractical for most existing theatres. OK, what do you think? -Delbert ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1d9.22d4f9a0.2def1027 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 07:12:39 EDT Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging In a message dated 6/2/04 3:40:10 AM, halld [at] etsu.edu writes: << This will add more cost to the construction of the theatre, but probably not near as much as a bunch of winches. This idea is for new construction since it would be impractical for most existing theatres. OK, what do you think? >> sounds interstesting, , here in Florida you would definately need mucho SUMP PUMPS for that well to keep it dry ! very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1200.207.201.197.39.1086181961.squirrel [at] webmail.columbia.sc> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:12:41 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging From: usctd [at] columbia.sc Wing space is premium real estate. The only advantage of the weight rail is that the pigs are out of the way. I find the idea interesting, though. We are all thinking about solving the problem with weight. What about resistance? What if you had a cable reel that atached to the bottom of an "arbor"? The reel would be at deck level pulling down acting as weight. The technician would be able to adjust the tension on the reel thus adding or removing weight. An immediate problem here is there is no safety if the reel craps out. You could have a second reel that would activate in an overspeed situation?...Yeah, that sounds inexpensive....Oh well, just thought of it. -- Eric Rouse TD-University of SC, Columbia Freelance Foyboy > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > > Here is a simple idea for making counterweight systems safer. Keep your > counterweight system the same as it is now, except make your arbor well > as deep as your grid is high (half that for double purchase systems). > Make your lift lines and purchase lines long enough so that when the > batten is at low trim, the arbor will be at the locking rail. You can > then load weight at stage level (no worries about dropping weights). As > the batten goes up, the arbor sinks into the well. If there is a runaway > and the arbor crashes, it is in the well, where no humans are, > protecting them from falling weights. This will add more cost to the > construction of the theatre, but probably not near as much as a bunch of > winches. This idea is for new construction since it would be > impractical for most existing theatres. OK, what do you think? > > -Delbert > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:36:04 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: Michael Moore's newsletter of May 5, 2004: Disney Has Blocked the Distribution of My New Film... by Michael Moore May 5, 2004 Friends, I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter. Yesterday I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film, "Fahrenheit 911." The reason? According to today's (May 5) New York Times, it might "endanger" millions of dollars of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will "anger" the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush. The story is on page one of the Times and you can read it here ("Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush"--http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/national/05DISN.html?ex=1084334400&en=89983012bdce5ec0&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE ). The whole story behind this (and other attempts) to kill our movie will be told in more detail as the days and weeks go on. For nearly a year, this struggle has been a lesson in just how difficult it is in this country to create a piece of art that might upset those in charge (well, OK, sorry -- it WILL upset them...big time. Did I mention it's a comedy?). All I can say is, thank God for Harvey Weinstein and Miramax who have stood by me during the entire production of this movie. There is much more to tell, but right now I am in the lab working on the print to take to the Cannes Film Festival next week (we have been chosen as one of the 18 films in competition). I will tell you this: Some people may be afraid of this movie because of what it will show. But there's nothing they can do about it now because it's done, it's awesome, and if I have anything to say about it, you'll see it this summer -- because, after all, it is a free country. Yours, Michael Moore mmflint [at] aol.com www.michaelmoore.com ------------------------------ Subject: MicroVision Disks Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 07:46:48 -0500 Message-ID: <93FE13C1F8D37D4D89A28A78F975D669F3300A [at] stagepost.vari-lite.corp> From: "Nikel, Andrew" I also vote for the 3.5" Double Sided Double Density disks but as I = recall, it depended on the disk drive. Some could take the HD and worked = fine, others could not. The drives were sourced from different = manufacturers over the life of the product, I believe. Andrew << Ok for the record we're at 3 experts that say double density and 3=20 experts that say HD is fine. seeing as how I can't find any single=20 sided DD's I'm hoping the latter 3 are correct. >> ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 08:46:33 -0400 Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 From: Steve Larson Message-ID: In-Reply-To: You can go to CompUSA and pay twice what you can buy it for on the web. I use Epson #041143 for a nice photo paper and #S041069 for a xerox type paper. Go to one of the PriceGrabber or PriceNet type of sites and search for the cheapest. Watch the shipping. Some will ship as inexpensively as $4.95 for up to 3 20-sheet pkgs of the nice stuff. Some places lice TheNerd.com wanted $22 to ship the same order. Last time I believe I paid $22 a 20-sheet pkg for the nice stuff. Ordered three pkgs and paid $4.95 shipping. I got it in 3 days. Steve on 6/1/04 9:56 PM, Mason, Richard at rmason [at] richmond.edu wrote: > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > > Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, other > than taking paper to a paper cutter? > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 08:58:24 -0400 Subject: Re: MicroVision Disks From: Steve Larson Message-ID: In-Reply-To: This thread has gone on long enough, already. Can't someone just dig into the old box in storage and pull out a half dozen of the DSDD disks and send them to whomever wants it. I know I've got a box of old disks that I've never thrown away. If you want some email me off list with your address and I'll send them. Too many people on this list thrive on trying to make something work by spending hours talking about it on the list and trying to "rig" this or "rig" that when they can solve it much more efficiently just by asking if anyone has a spare disk or making one phone call to the computer lab or calling geeks, incorporated. Save bandwidth, quit beating a dead horse. Steve on 6/2/04 8:46 AM, Nikel, Andrew at ANikel [at] vlps.com wrote: > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > > I also vote for the 3.5" Double Sided Double Density disks but as I recall, it > depended on the disk drive. Some could take the HD and worked fine, others > could not. The drives were sourced from different manufacturers over the life > of the product, I believe. > > Andrew > > << Ok for the record we're at 3 experts that say double density and 3 > experts that say HD is fine. seeing as how I can't find any single > sided DD's I'm hoping the latter 3 are correct. >> > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:08:20 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: Devil's advocate, eh? hmmmm... On Tue, 1 Jun 2004, Steeve Vajk wrote: > Free speech rights are individual. They LET you say what you want, they > do NOT require someone else to pay for it. Disney had the right to deny distribution of a film that would make them a lot of money for a short period of time but jeopardize their long-term financial benefits in Florida, in their estimation. How long the Bush dynasty will be around is a calculated risk though ;-) Some people think they put their money in the wrong place, including the board to whom Eisner tendered his resignation ;-) > responsive to market demands. They don't dictate what you need to buy, > they have to *forecast* what you need. Pretty tough job, if you ask me. Not a given. With so much floor space, they can clear any mistakes in a matter of hours and get the suppliers to eat the rest and provide what the customers say they want 'now' with a minimal amount of market research ;-) > And again, if they didn't do at least a halfway decent job of selling > what people wanted to buy, they wouldn't have the money to be so big. Their technique is to do a decent job of undercutting the competition till they go out of business, then they can sell and charge what they want to (within certain limits, but which always involve the lowest input costs and enough markup to ensure good profitability and continued low retail prices) If a significant cometitor starts making inroads in a local market, they simply use their financial strength to undercut them again for a while. This does not always mean they don't serve their customers well by offering the products they want at good prices but they do have an employment monopoly in local markets and employees often see that they either work for or against Wal-Mart but always at Wal-Mart wages and conditions because that's what they have brought employment standards down to. > A) Do you think USITT and ESTA are evil organizations? They "are > willing to use their money and power to affect the political and social > world that we live, work, and perform in". Oh, but they're supporting > an agenda that you (presumably) support; safety in theatre and keeping > an eye on government regulation to make sure it actually helps the > industry, among other things. They may not have the money that Wal-Mart > has, but I bet they wouldn't mind if they did. EVERYONE has an agenda; > even you. I have no idea why you are equating a profitable retail chain with non-profit, member-driven organizations that have completely different purposes. This paragraph seems like a confusing smokescreen for something ;-) > B) Wal-Mart's policies have NOTHING to do with civil liberties. My rant > on censorship should have made that clear. Wal-Mart has been around for > years, yet to this day, they have not stopped me from doing, saying, > thinking, or reading a single thing. They don't want me in jail or They may have stopped you from supporting companies who treat their employees fairly and pay them and those of their suppliers a decent wage because they have eliminated your options. > fined for ANYTHING I do... that would impact my ability to spend money > in their store. :) They do not and cannot BAN anything. They can only > choose not to sell it. Actually, Wal-Mart can get extremely nasty about local groups who campaign against the approval of their plans to locate stores in new locations and they fight very hard against those groups and the individuals behind them, even to the extent of political interference and whisper campaigns that are well-funded and very close to slander. The tricky part of all this is that these battles are all fought one at a time on local levels and rarely are raised to a national level of consciousness. > C) Free market IS the "American way of life". And your point is? ;-) > D) If you keep ammo under your bed for fear of Wal-Mart and Disney, you > might want to get some aluminium foil to keep their radio waves out of That won't work. Use copper screening. > your head. Don't worry, Wal-Mart carries big rolls of it. :) They don't sell that, though ;-) > But seriously, you sure didn't buy that ammo AT Wal-Mart, because > Michael Moore turned market pressure on them after Columbine, and now > they don't sell guns or ammo. You should be upset that they're Yeay Michael! Disney knows the power he has and is really afraid of it ;-) > infringing on a right that actually does get mentioned by name in the > Constitution. Are you? I gather you are referring to the right to bear arms, written when guns were muzzle loaded, single shot awkward suckers ;-) > Disclaimer: I am by nature a Devil's Advocate. This is offered in the > spirit of a lively political debate. It is assumed that all > participants are reasonable adults, and that no personal offense is > intended or taken by any. Absolutely likewise ;-) Charlie ------------------------------ Message-ID: <40BDD31A.5020806 [at] fredonia.edu> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:16:10 -0400 From: "Stephen E. Rees" Subject: Re: Ring Cycle References: Loren, You, Sir, need to get out of the sun!!:) Steve Loren Schreiber wrote: > So, OK--I mow the lawn, I do the heavy lifting, etc. Wife does the > laundry, but I'm thinkin' "What the hell, I'll give it a shot." So I > look at the freakin' washer and there ain't no freakin' "ring cycle" > anywhere. I ain't no anti-semite, but I think might have some in mah > drawers, so I'm looking for the freakin' "ring cycle." Well, "spin > cycle" was about as close I come. I don't think it works as good. I can > still feel them anti-semites in my drawers. I think I'll use Wisk next > time. Got me some from Wal-Mart. > > Loren "ah gradumated from LSU" Schreiber ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:11:17 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: MicroVision Disks In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: On Wed, 2 Jun 2004, Steve Larson wrote: > This thread has gone on long enough, already. Can't > someone just dig into the old box in storage and pull > out a half dozen of the DSDD disks and send them to > whomever wants it. I know I've got a box of old disks > that I've never thrown away. If you want some email > me off list with your address and I'll send them. I've got hundreds of them, as well. The major difficulty is they are in Canada so they usually have to cross a border to get where they are wanted but they are available ;-) Charlie ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:26:13 -0400 Subject: Re: MicroVision Disks From: Herrick In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <6B43C500-B498-11D8-8378-0003934521EC [at] hglightingdesign.com> Indeed I'll take Steve up on his offer but it's more about getting the right answer to the question. "What type of disks does a microvision take? " Apparently the answer is both...depending... -H > Herrick Goldman Lighting Designer, NYC www.HGLightingDesign.com "To the scores of silent alchemists who wreak their joy in darkness and in light bringing magic to life, we bow most humbly. "-CDS ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20040602093624.dmx5wwwg0swg8osc [at] webmail.longwood.edu> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:36:24 -0400 From: schreinerpd [at] longwood.edu Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging References: In-Reply-To: > But I'm REALLY intrigued by the liquid counterweight idea. Aren't there > some super dense materials that are still a liquid at the range of > temperatures in most theatres? Guinness? I could have some pretty dense > homebrew ready in four weeks or so. Actually, since the specific gravity of alcohol is less than that of water, you'd be better off leaving the yeast out of the equation entirely for this. I've already got a name for the system though..."counter-wort". ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:47:01 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging At 6:38 AM -0400 6/2/04, Delbert Hall wrote: >Here is a simple idea for making counterweight systems safer. Keep your >counterweight system the same as it is now, except make your arbor well >as deep as your grid is high (half that for double purchase systems). > >impractical for most existing theatres. OK, what do you think? I think the cable transfer would be a sidewise bitch to deal with. And around here that'd put the arbor well deep into the water table. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:56:20 -0400 From: Michael Powers Subject: Doonesbury (Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please.) Cc: Chip.Wood [at] motorola.com (Wood Chip-P26398) Message-id: <1086184580.40bddc844655e [at] mail-www3.oit.umass.edu> Wood Chip-P26398 writes: <> Chip, Yes. I read every single name, one at a time. One at a time, ... and cried. Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Theatre Department 112 FAC West 151 Presidents Drive, Ofc.2 Amherst, Ma. 01003-9331 413-545-6821 voice 413-577-0025 fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:54:36 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) At 1:36 PM +0100 6/2/04, Charlie Richmond wrote: > Michael Moore's newsletter of May 5, 2004: Well, there's his side of the story, and there's Disney's side of the story, and then there's what probably *really* happened. I wouldn't trust either Michael Moore or Disney to tell the truth as far as I could throw them. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Message-ID: <001b01c448a9$a1d796b0$a8a44481 [at] rcarovil> From: "Rob Carovillano" References: Subject: Re: Michael Moore Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:58:06 -0400 Thought you might all like an update since it has been talked about so much. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&e=2&u=/ap/20040602/ap_en_mo/michael_moore_film Disney stated to Miramax and Moore over a year ago that they would not distribute the film. They had that long to solve the problem, but they waited until the last minute so they could get the extra free marketing by creating a conflict. A very smart marketing move. Rob Carovillano Technical Director Bluett Theatre Saint Joseph's University rcarovil [at] sju.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:08:04 -0400 From: Michael Powers Message-id: <1086185284.40bddf44d0e04 [at] mail-www3.oit.umass.edu> "Matthew Breton" writes: >>I have often wondered why there is no "liquid" counter weight >>system out there. >Given how hot it gets backstage on some shows, evaporation must >factor in somehow.... Matthew, One would think that the fluid in such a system would be contained in a closed system and that the fluid would probably be something akin to hydraulic fluid, so evaporation would be close to neglegeble. Of course, it would still require periodoc topping off, filtering and flushing and replacing. On that note however, a long time ago I read a passage about stagehands at a theatre that used open vat saltwater dimmers having to top the vats up daily. I wonder about hot days and or two show days???? Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Theatre Department 112 FAC West 151 Presidents Drive, Ofc.2 Amherst, Ma. 01003-9331 413-545-6821 voice 413-577-0025 fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu ------------------------------ From: "MARK OBRIEN" Subject: Re: I went to Home Depot today Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 07:09:44 -0700 Message-ID: While babysitting someones house while they had a fence put in, I watched the workers put up a dog run up in about 20 min. Quickcrete? one may ask. I saw them use regular concrete mix, and put in a bag of plaster. Voila! poor mans quickcrete. Damn did they move fast after that. It was only about 80 out. (bit chilly) Mark O'Brien > > >So I went to Home Depot today. Got a bunch of lumber for a new fence and >was looking for post hole concrete among the other concrete mixes. Asked >the young lad where to find post hole concrete and he asked, "Is that like >Quickcrete?" When I finally found the material (in the garden department) I >took the time to relocate the young lad, dragged him, albeit unwillingly, >over to garden and pointed to the bags I had been looking for. In the >future, this young man will know the correct answer to the question. Ah, my >life as an edumacator. > >Loren > _________________________________________________________________ Stop worrying about overloading your inbox - get MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! http://join.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Food for thought Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 10:11:00 -0400 Message-ID: <56439B09A4ADDC46876BDFF2BBD35DF001C173D6 [at] ex1.capecod.edu> From: "Hofmann, Christopher" >A US Supreme Court justice stated that he doesn't know what obscenity is, either, but he did >say that "he knows it when he sees it". /s/ Richard US Sepreme Court Justice Potter Stewart From http://www.michaelariens.com/ConLaw/justices/stewart.htm "Somewhat unfortunately, Stewart may best known for his statement in Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964), an obscenity case, that "I know it when I see it," in determining whether the film was obscene." Chris ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 10:12:48 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Michael Moore At 9:58 AM -0400 6/2/04, Rob Carovillano wrote: > They had that long to solve the problem, but they > waited until the last minute so they could get the > extra free marketing by creating a conflict. > A very smart marketing move. And typical of that whiny-butt Moore. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:14:31 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: Michael Moore In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: On Wed, 2 Jun 2004, Rigger wrote: > And typical of that whiny-butt Moore. Hmmmmm..... very interesting imagery ;-) CBR ------------------------------ From: "Matthew Breton" Subject: Re: Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:33:11 -0400 Message-ID: >One would think that the fluid in such a system would be contained >in a closed system and that the fluid would probably be something >akin to hydraulic fluid, so evaporation would be close to >negligable. Of course, it would still require periodoc topping off, >filtering and flushing and replacing. I was being about as serious in my comment about evaporating water as others are in their thoughts about Guinness. :) And about as serious as I would be in suggesting the stagehands could top the saltwater dimmer vats you mention off with (ewww!) sweat. It seems to me that while a liquid counterweight system might be more precise, the gear needed to run it -- pumps, filters, cooling units and so on -- are probably more cumbersome than the current arrangement of weights and pulleys. Plus, anything that looks like a refrigerator is bound to be a Facilities job, not Technical. ;) And -- not to make light of another's injuries -- but if Unka Bill almost got clobbered by a stage brick, imagine the havoc a leaky hose under pressure could wreak. Might be a good way to cool off everyone ... 'cept the producer. Matthew Breton Technical Director Green Street Studios _________________________________________________________________ Watch the online reality show Mixed Messages with a friend and enter to win a trip to NY http://www.msnmessenger-download.click-url.com/go/onm00200497ave/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20040602143338.59650.qmail [at] web50301.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 07:33:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Jason Tollefson Subject: Re: Automation Grenade In-Reply-To: > > Many times the eyes that should be watching stuff move are > > occupied doing other things or have been lulled into a false sense of > > security because it has worked 500 times in a row uneventfully. And how many times have you seen a technician onstage either pushing a wagon or pulling a counterweight line while looking for a spike mark instead of watching stage for errant actors and such? > Sorry I was not clear. I was talking about the permanent type shows that > we are seeing in Florida and Vegas, for example. Obviously tours are a > different story. But then they don't have 100 winches in the show either. I certainly can't speak for every "permanent type show" in Florida but speaking for the show I currently find myself working with at one of the Theme Parks here in Orlando I must take exception to the implication that we are lax in our attention to safety. Yes the Show Control Operator is in the control booth at the back of the house but onstage, next to every automated effect and with direct access to an E-Stop there is one and in some cases two technicians tasked monitoring the automation. That is in addition to the E-Stops at the Show Control and the Stage Manager's positions in the booth who are watching the show live onstage and on video monitors with infrared cameras for monitoring during blackouts. Each and every day we run a Global E-Stop test and a Test Show without performers or light cues to test the automation systems in full light to make sure everything is working properly. Let's not forget that ANY mechanical effect, whether operated manually or via automation can be dangerous. We use automation for those parts of the show that must sync with the soundtrack or that would be too complicated or dangerous to operate manually. Unsynchronized effects, especially those which interact with the performers, are manually operated. Both have their place. Jason Tollefson LD-at-Large (and Theme Park Technician) Orlando, FL www.tollefsondesigns.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:32:47 -0400 From: Michael Powers Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Message-id: <1086186767.40bde50fe6e6b [at] mail-www3.oit.umass.edu> "Big Fred Schoening" writes: << ...... stage weights is stored at the top, just under the head block. The lift lines all run through slots in the weights,.... Of course, ... that would require an assload of weight .....>> Fred, Sounds like you may have the beginning of a mechanically workable system. Ecconomicly or practically workable .... maybe, maybe not. Obviously there'd have to be a safety interlock to prevent the "Pin" from being pulled if the weights were not fully supported from below. Wow! Think of an entire full arbor stack of weights making a sudden trip, headblock to traproom. Also, can you imagine trying to rig a carpet hoist on that system?? Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Theatre Department 112 FAC West 151 Presidents Drive, Ofc.2 Amherst, Ma. 01003-9331 413-545-6821 voice 413-577-0025 fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu ------------------------------ From: ken [at] kenholyoak.com (Ken Holyoak) Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) and Dave Vick Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:37:37 -0500 Message-ID: <002f01c448af$27080450$0900a8c0 [at] COMPAQ> In-Reply-To: Couldn't have said it better my self. Thank you Kenneth. H. Holyoak Information + Insight = Profit POB 68633 Indianapolis, IN 46268-0633 ken [at] kenholyoak.com 317-253-7000 -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Rigger Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 8:55 AM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- At 1:36 PM +0100 6/2/04, Charlie Richmond wrote: > Michael Moore's newsletter of May 5, 2004: Well, there's his side of the story, and there's Disney's side of the story, and then there's what probably *really* happened. I wouldn't trust either Michael Moore or Disney to tell the truth as far as I could throw them. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ From: "MARK OBRIEN" Subject: Re: counterweight rigging Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 07:39:47 -0700 Message-ID: I worked a show a few years back, where the counterweight for the operating piece was steel shot. It worked great, but on load out, it was discovered that there was moisture in the mix, and the shot did not flow through the ball valve on the bottom of the vessel. Was not my problem, but they did not appear to be having fun. They also spilled 16th inch balls all over backstage. So if you are backstage at Bill Grahm Aud. in SF, and you find a bunch of little balls underfoot... Mark O'Brien >From: "Delbert Hall" >Reply-To: "Stagecraft" >To: "Stagecraft" >Subject: Re: counterweight rigging >Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:36:35 -0400 > >For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending >your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ >--------------------------------------------------- > > >When I get back to the office on Thursday, off doing BEAUTY AND THE >BEAST, I will try to find my copy of the patent that used steel balls or >pellets as counterweight. I have no idea how much cheaper this kind of >system would be than using a winch. You could still have a runaway if >you did not drain the counterweight before unloading the batten. I'll >let ya'll know if I find it. > >-Delbert > > > >-----Original Message----- > > >I have often wondered why there is no "liquid" counter weight system >out > >there. > >Given how hot it gets backstage on some shows, evaporation must factor >in >somehow.... > >Though you could always distribute some extra Poland Springs to it, same >as >for the follow spot ops. :) > > >Matthew Breton >Technical Director >Green Street Studios > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page - >FREE >download! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/ > > _________________________________________________________________ MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – FREE download! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:06:24 -0400 From: Michael Powers Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Message-id: <1086188784.40bdecf077eda [at] mail-www3.oit.umass.edu> "Kevin Patrick" writes: << .... It would be very, very bad, if ever the arbor flew up at an uncontrolled rate. .... I've never seen it, but how often does an arbor fly up uncontrollably? It's pretty difficult to accidentally add #500 to a pipe when it's gridded....>> Kevin, Not offten, granted, but I have seen the results of such a runaway. It was at a small theatre in Oklahoma City in '64. I was part of the crew hired to clean up the mess, repair and replace the equipment. The loading galery had been cut during construction for $$$ reasons. Arbors were sent up with a block and fall attached and pipe weight plus maybe 50 lbs extra. The scenery was loaded onto the batten and then the arbor was hauled down to the floor to load. The accident was what you would expect, heavy scenery at the grid, under weighted arbor at floor level and the load came loose. We never did find out how it got loose but the result was catestrophic. The very heavy, wood frame set piece hit the floor at full speed, shattered and broke loose. Judging from eyewitness accounts and examining the pieces, it seem that the pipe didn't stop just because the scenery hit the floor, it kept right on toward the trap room. The pipe hit part of the set piece (before it completely shattered and fell) and one end bounced back up 10' - 15' and when it fell back down, the shock load broke one or two of the dogclips on the trim chains and the threaded coupling. As mentioned earlier, the arbor was sent up pipe weight + 50 lbs. so now half the pipe and all the scenery wwere gone and the arbor mad it's trip back down. Unlike Paddy's brick eppisode this was the end of the accident, only one trip up and one back down. Well, the end except that the broken section of pipe was not centerd on the two lift lines that didn't break so it went up hanging vertically. The trim chain loops were not tight to the batten and when the upper end hit the underside of the grid, the pipe slipped out and came back down. The good news, no one was hurt. Bottom line, it can happen. << ... Aren't there some super dense materials that are still a liquid at the range of temperatures in most theatres? Guinness? ...>> Now you're talking my language! Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Theatre Department 112 FAC West 151 Presidents Drive, Ofc.2 Amherst, Ma. 01003-9331 413-545-6821 voice 413-577-0025 fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu ------------------------------ Subject: Power quality, electrical system specs Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 10:16:03 -0500 Message-ID: <721DC9EE550F834A92EC08BDC332B0EE01607F45 [at] trader.river.idm.com> From: "Steven Haworth" Howdy. I came across a really good article on electrical requirements to keep = sound clean in stage environments, where computers, lighting dimmers & = such all interact. It's got some guidelines which probably should be = part of the requirement specs for any new or upgrade performance space. http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_harmonics_nightclubs_electrical/ - Steven (sjh [at] idm.com) --------------------------- http://www.stagelights.info ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00d301c448b4$906b97e0$0201a8c0 [at] BRUTUS> From: "Jon Ares" References: Subject: Re: Ring Cycle Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 08:16:21 -0700 > So I look at the > freakin' washer and there ain't no freakin' "ring cycle" anywhere. Loren, you spelled it wrong... it's "wring" cycle. Ya need to go look out there on yer front porch (by the refigator and davenport up on blocks) and sees if you gots one of them fancy warshing machines with the wringer on top. I reckon. -- Jeb Ares www.hevanet.com/acreative ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:05:04 -0500 From: Fred Fisher Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-reply-to: Message-id: <5.2.1.1.2.20040602100008.00bb7ac8 [at] wiscmail.wisc.edu> References: > > > What I don't understand is why Disney had the rights in the first place. >Everyone knows Moor's politics. If Disney doesn't like them, why did they >get involved in the first place?? > >Bruce >-- >Bruce Purdy >Technical Director >Smith Opera House Miramax , a subsidiary of Disney, financed the movie. They have enough independence to produce what movies they want to and Disney gets to distribute them. Given that the movie won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, I expect it will get a distributor soon. I know we will see it as a family and I'm sure we'll show it here when the students get back in the fall. Fred ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:09:05 -0500 From: Fred Fisher Subject: Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought In-reply-to: Message-id: <5.2.1.1.2.20040602100632.01fee608 [at] wiscmail.wisc.edu> >Richard Neiderlander wrote: >Yes, Peter Townsend is a 'poet of the theatre'; a Rock Opera is still an >Opera... > > > See me, feel me, touch me, heal me. > > Good ol' Tommy > > Mike Rock The movie "A Nightmare Before Christmas" is also an opera. Fred ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: Cc: Herrick [at] hglightingdesign.com (Herrick Goldman) From: Brian Aldous Subject: Re: Microvision disks? Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 11:24:19 -0400 OK, yes, it was fun watching the house techs light up when I showed them that all sorts of programming they wanted to do but didn't know how could be done if they used the GOLD key. Where are you exactly? Would I be out of line if I just sent you half a dozen DD disks for your very own? BA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:38:03 -0400 Subject: Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > but the truly > great thing is that we do this, here on the list and everyday at our jobs. We > have ideas and then look for ways to realize them. We create problems and > then > solve them. And we have some fun along the way. What else could you ask for? Well said Bill, except ...... We "Create" problems? Identify problems - yes, but I for one try not to create problems! : ) Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20040602154733.44192.qmail [at] web50609.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 08:47:33 -0700 (PDT) From: b Ricie Subject: Guinness Arbor In-Reply-To: As I stated, the "Liquid" arbor has been floating around my head for a while, as well as each time I have to make a trek to a loading rail. Another added benefit to a dense liquid arbor would be the ability to change the weight in the arbor as the weight on the pipe changes. No more having to run the legs in order to build enough steam to land them. Gosh, I am sure you could throw a computer into the mix that was told to keep the arbor in perfect balance at all times. Yes, I am aware that would take work away from a human and give a job to a machine, but seeing how it is now, I would be happy to give up that part of my work. ===== Brian Rice b_ricie [at] yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:51:17 -0400 Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > Sam's right. When you replace a thimble with a larger diameter object like a > pipe, placing a sleeve right down on top of the pipe is no good. The cable > coming into the sleeve comes in at a severe angle and side loads the sleeve. > Less holding capacity. > > IMHO, a trim chain or batten clamp is the way to go. Now I understand that the context of this conversation is attaching the batten to the fly lines, but what about attaching scenery to the batten? The way I've always done it, and seen it done by others, is to wrap the wire rope around the batten and attach a pair of cable clamps. (Thimbles are used on the bottom end where it attaches to the plate on the scenery.) Do others use chain or baton clamps for hanging scenery as well? Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:59:28 -0400 From: Steve Bailey Subject: Re: MicroVision Disks Message-id: <003e01c448ba$95ca5a40$6401a8c0 [at] computer> References: ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Larson" > This thread has gone on long enough, already. Can't > someone just dig into the old box in storage and pull > out a half dozen of the DSDD disks and send them to > whomever wants it. I know I've got a box of old disks > that I've never thrown away. Taken care of. Herrick's borrowing my un-used MVFX, complete with whatever blank DSDD disks I still have (half dozen or so). Should see him fine Steve B. Brooklyn College ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: From: Brian Aldous Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:07:35 -0400 There's been plenty of reportage on this story - just the sort of publicity money can't buy for Michael Moore. Disney owns Miramax. Refusing to distribute a film which Eisner (head of Disney) warned Weinstein (the head of Miramax) that he didn't want to fund well in advance, and which the Miramax division went ahead with anyway, is well within Disney's rights. If someone is paying you to produce content, and you make something they don't like, then you made the mistake, and it doesn't matter if you are Michael Moore and your funder is Disney or you are Michelangelo and your funder is Pope Julius. When it becomes censorship is when an external power or group which didn't fund your work (typically but not necessarily the government) quashes your work or keeps your opinion from being heard in the public forum. When a congressman ignorant of art punishes a museum or theatre for displaying something that that congressman's campaign donors mightn't like (forgetting that tax money comes from ALL of us 'murricans), that too is censorship. It's all about who pays the bills. BTW, I rather like Moore & want to see his film. Remember his "John's of Justice" routine on TV? Bringing a truckload of portajons to places - a Broadway Theatre included - where the line for the Ladies room was longer than the line for the Mens? BA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:10:28 -0400 Subject: Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) From: Herrick In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <5D8CFB63-B4AF-11D8-9919-0003934521EC [at] hglightingdesign.com> OK stop already! At this point I'll be the worlds largest clearing house for DS/DD disks!! Steve Larson may be mailing me some. Voytko is in the East Village (I may drive by tomorrow) with a few, and Aldous if you are in the office tomorrow I'll stop by to say hi anyway. For reference I am not incapable of sourcing these disks on my own. I was just trying to find out which disks I need. (I will however take all donations) Also since the rest of the gang should be recognized. I'm going to request that Cape Rep Theatre put special thanks in the program to Stagecraft. Due to the response to the 3 questions I have posted for my production of "Glass Menagerie" I have or will have received the generous help and loans of: 1. Strand BP "Followspot" (a la Les Mis) 1. Microvison with working capacitor for hard memory Multiple offers of DS/DD disks an offer of storage space should I not be in town to pick up said BP spotlight. an offer of pick up, delivery, and return for repair of my original microvision's capacitor. beyond all that i have a great excuse to meet a few folks i've never met before and to go visit some folks I haven't seen in awhile. Thanks go out to the following generous folks: Steve Litterst Steve Bailey Steve Larson (what's with the helpful Steve's?) Ken Romaine Andrew Nikel Sara Clausen Aaron Meadow The afore mentioned Voytko and Aldous. FWIW It sounds like I have a few spare rooms on Cape Cod for about 10 days starting next Monday. Come visit and bring a wrench. :) I gotta start asking for better gear..I wonder what else we could get. Anyone have any Space Cannons lying around? My AD is wrestling with procuring "Magic Lantern" projections. How about a Catalyst?(kidding i'm kidding..we don't have the room) Thanks Y'all _H On Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004, at 11:24 America/New_York, Brian Aldous wrote: > > Where are you exactly? Would I be out of line if I just sent you half > a dozen DD disks for your very own? > > BA > > > Herrick Goldman Lighting Designer, NYC www.HGLightingDesign.com "To the scores of silent alchemists who wreak their joy in darkness and in light bringing magic to life, we bow most humbly. "-CDS ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <92.c77c816.2def5913 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:23:47 EDT Subject: Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) In a message dated 6/2/04 9:12:44 AM, Herrick [at] hglightingdesign.com writes: << FWIW It sounds like I have a few spare rooms on Cape Cod for about 10 days starting next Monday. Come visit and bring a wrench >> a wrench? or a wench ? very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:27:49 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations At 11:51 AM -0400 6/2/04, Bruce Purdy wrote: >The way I've always done it, and seen it done by others, is to wrap the >wire rope around the batten and attach a pair of cable clamps. (Thimbles are >used on the bottom end where it attaches to the plate on the scenery.) > >Do others use chain or baton clamps for hanging scenery as well? I prefer to use a short (1' or so) piece of rated chain attached to the piece's liftline. Wrap the chain around the batten and shackle it back to itself. It's just a system liftline trimchain flipped upside-down. (or umop-ep!sdn, if you prefer) ((yes, I'm bored today)) -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <21.3f12d3fd.2def5cc3 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:39:31 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought In a message dated 02/06/04 01:07:10 GMT Daylight Time, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: > Finding out just what is > > obscenity is > > another trick altogether. Like beauty, obscenity is in the eye of the beholder. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: "Sam Fisher" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:42:56 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: "I prefer to use a short (1' or so) piece of rated chain attached to the piece's liftline. Wrap the chain around the batten and shackle it back to itself." Dave Vick, IATSE #274 I'm assuming that should have read (around the batten and shackle it back to the thimble of the liftline.) Side loading a chain link is bad. Sam Fisher ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:44:02 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations At 12:27 PM -0400 6/2/04, Rigger wrote: >I prefer to use a short (1' or so) piece of rated chain Make that 18"-2' or so. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:02:19 EDT Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In a message dated 02/06/04 01:07:12 GMT Daylight Time, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: > How True! The season patron pays a small fortune each year to be assured > that the company can and will provide them with the finest operatic > entertainment, no matter what 'Guest Artists' are jobbed in to sing the > lead(s). Grand Opera's closest cousin is the huge Vegas 'Production > Show'. The trouble with casting opera, worldwide, is that, in a major house such as the Met, Covent Garden, La Scala, or Vienna, you have to cast singers who are known to sing the roles well. Not just adequately, but well. In "La Fille du Regiment", for example, you need a tenor who can reliably hit a torrent of high Cs. In a performance with Sutherland, that was where Pavarotti made his name. But such singers need booked years ahead. Most German cities run to an Opera House, and many French ones. Some recruit international stars, but most make do with what they have available, importing others as they need, and adjusting their programmes. All are competent, but there's a big gap between that and being great. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: "William Knapp" Subject: Overhead, overlong Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:17:36 -0400 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: OOf, sorry to prolong this pissing contest, but. My rigging is 1000% safe (you somehow believe that I do not have that capability to make that determination) just the manner of manufacture differs from local standards. So I'm going to show the locals my rigging and put the onus on them to determine that it is not up to local standards. If they do so and if it's in the contract that the costs to re-rig are mine so be it. I'm not going to go out of my way to spend thousands of pounds to remake a system that's already safe until I have to. It's a subtlety in handling the situation. A similar example, however trickier, is fireproofing. Everywhere one goes one has to meet local fire-proofing regulations. They are usually very specific about types of retardants, application etc. I get the goods treated at home and carry New York fireproofing certificates for all the fabric goods, all that does is say that they meet NYC standards. I also have several drops made by Gerriets that are Opera plastics or other space age materials that are inherently fire-retardant, Gerriets USA doesn't have English spec sheets on the make-up/fire-proofness of the drops. I suppose I could pay a couple of hundred dollars to have someone spray retardant on my plastics just in order to have a certificate that isn't worth the paper it's printed on in another country. No, I show up knowing that all my goods are fireproofed and will pass any test, I work with local fire authorities, let them cut pieces off the drops for testing if they like. So far I've been lucky, no one has asked that a piece of scenery be re-fireproofed, but if they did, so be it I don't have prevailing authority. The point of my posting was not to call the guys at the Barbican assholes, they're not. Nor did it make any comment on the reasonableness of UK standards. I posted my experience to an existing thread: "I went to the UK, local regulations made me redo my tail downs. They were expensive but of excellent quality." Since then my production management has been called "Poor"(tony.miller10 [at] btopenworld.com digest#23 message#30), "arrogant" (Bsapsis [at] aol.com digest#23 message #37) and sub-third world (see below). Nice list. I and everyone I work with are as concerned with safety as anyone. We all have spotless histories in that regard. Nothing I have written suggests any different, so I bristle at any suggestion otherwise. All this thinking about those tail downs have reminded me of an interesting point. The cables that were remade for us in London were beautiful: perfect swages, all exactly the same length. But they didn't use thimbles on the eyes, that wouldn't pass in New York. Tony, we'll be in your part of the world again this fall: Barbican, Sheffield, The Lowry, Warwick, Oxford, Brighton, Edinburgh. Please stop by to inspect the rigging. Will Knapp Production Manager Merce Cunningham Dance Company 55 Bethune St. New York, NY 10014 212-255-8240 X20 mobile: 646-732-9274 mailto:will [at] thebase.com > Tony, when you tour to New York City how will exactly will you check on New > York Health and Safety rules that pertain to theater? Even with the internet > I think you'd have a difficult time. I work with shows all over the world. Mainly around Europe but at least a couple of times a year somewhere in a different continent. If I'm going somewhere I can't get information on local rules and conditions then we must either make a recce or bite the bullet and employ someone who can sort it for us. This is often the case when we take a show to the USA, we will employ a US based Production Manager. > The Barbican contract does specify that all rigging must meet local > regulations. In prep we discussed the probability that our rigging would not > pass inspection, but we'd wait until we got there. So you thought your rigging would fail inspection and you thought you would wing it and see if you could get away with it. Not rig to the highest common denominator and the safest standard but wing it and see if you could get away with it. > This production management has done shows in a couple hundred theaters in > more than 30 countries. There's always something local you didn't anticipate > no matter how good your planning. You do what you gotta do, no hard > feelings. Sometimes when you get to the point that you anticipate there may > be a problem, but then again you may just get away with it, you wait for the > other party to make it an issue. That's good and practical production > management. That is not what I regard as good and practical production management especially with something as safety critical as rigging. I regard that as slapdash and have worked with third world touring theatre companies that couldn't be faulted on their preparation and implementation even though they are working with tiny budgets and zero backup. Getting off my high horse now, Tony Miller. Subject: Re: Overhead... From: Tony Miller Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > Tony, when you tour to New York City how will exactly will you check on New > York Health and Safety rules that pertain to theater? Even with the internet > I think you'd have a difficult time. I work with shows all over the world. Mainly around Europe but at least a couple of times a year somewhere in a different continent. If I'm going somewhere I can't get information on local rules and conditions then we must either make a recce or bite the bullet and employ someone who can sort it for us. This is often the case when we take a show to the USA, we will employ a US based Production Manager. > The Barbican contract does specify that all rigging must meet local > regulations. In prep we discussed the probability that our rigging would not > pass inspection, but we'd wait until we got there. So you thought your rigging would fail inspection and you thought you would wing it and see if you could get away with it. Not rig to the highest common denominator and the safest standard but wing it and see if you could get away with it. > This production management has done shows in a couple hundred theaters in > more than 30 countries. There's always something local you didn't anticipate > no matter how good your planning. You do what you gotta do, no hard > feelings. Sometimes when you get to the point that you anticipate there may > be a problem, but then again you may just get away with it, you wait for the > other party to make it an issue. That's good and practical production > management. That is not what I regard as good and practical production management especially with something as safety critical as rigging. I regard that as slapdash and have worked with third world touring theatre companies that couldn't be faulted on their preparation and implementation even though they are working with tiny budgets and zero backup. Getting off my high horse now, Tony Miller. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 10:18:50 -0700 Message-ID: From: "Michael Finney" "Joe Meils" wrote: <>=20 Amen! And by all means support your local small bookseller....here in LA we lost a wonderful Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror bookstore called Dangerous Visions a few years ago, and (as a result) lost a wonderful resource, gathering place, and "destination" for signings by most any major (and many minor) genre author you could mention. They're still around on-line (www.readsf.com), but it really isn't quite the same. Hmmm...back to "support your mom and pop stores 'cause they're a unique resource".... Michael Finney Thinkwell Design & Production mfinney [at] thinkwelldesign.com =20 http://www.thinkwelldesign.com =20 (PS - yep, "Starship Troopers II" is fairly abysmal....almost bad enough to achieve "B movie" classic status. But the CGI work is darned good, and works well on the small screen. Amazing how much dodgy art direction you can cover with a few flash CG images and a lot of haze.... ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:20:56 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In a message dated 02/06/04 01:07:12 GMT Daylight Time, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: > Let's not compare Apples (literature) with Oranges (live on stage). The > Music alone leads me to prefer stealing rings from the Nibelungen under > the Rhine than from the inhabitants of Middle Earth. In fact, I an > listening to Valkyries sing in the background as I type this, and I am in > Valhalla! So, oddly enough, am I! But your 'Apples', allow me to create my own pictures. Your 'Oranges' interpose the director's vision between me and the work. I have often found this unsuccessful. For example, when Hunding returns to his house, in a bowler hat, black jacket and striped trousers carrying a briefcase, and the next morning fights Siegmund with a broadsword, I find my credulity stretched past breaking point. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <6b.2af743c2.2def66e6 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:22:46 EDT Subject: Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought In a message dated 02/06/04 01:32:30 GMT Daylight Time, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: > Yes, Peter Townsend is a 'poet of the theatre'; a Rock Opera is still an > Opera... That is open to question. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 13:35:34 -0400 Subject: Re: Microvision disks? (boy what a fun list) From: Steve Larson Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Disks are in the mail. Steve on 6/2/04 12:10 PM, Herrick at Herrick [at] hglightingdesign.com wrote: > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > > OK stop already! At this point I'll be the worlds largest clearing > house for DS/DD disks!! > > Steve Larson may be mailing me some. Voytko is in the East Village (I > may drive by tomorrow) with a few, and Aldous if you are in the office > tomorrow I'll stop by to say hi anyway. > > For reference I am not incapable of sourcing these disks on my own. I > was just trying to find out which disks I need. (I will however take > all donations) > > Also since the rest of the gang should be recognized. I'm going to > request that Cape Rep Theatre put special thanks in the program to > Stagecraft. > > Due to the response to the 3 questions I have posted for my production > of "Glass Menagerie" I have or will have received the generous help and > loans of: > > 1. Strand BP "Followspot" (a la Les Mis) > > 1. Microvison with working capacitor for hard memory > > Multiple offers of DS/DD disks > > an offer of storage space should I not be in town to pick up said BP > spotlight. > > an offer of pick up, delivery, and return for repair of my original > microvision's capacitor. > > beyond all that i have a great excuse to meet a few folks i've never > met before and to go visit some folks I haven't seen in awhile. > > Thanks go out to the following generous folks: > > Steve Litterst > > Steve Bailey > > Steve Larson > > (what's with the helpful Steve's?) > > Ken Romaine > > Andrew Nikel > > Sara Clausen > > Aaron Meadow > > The afore mentioned Voytko and Aldous. > > FWIW It sounds like I have a few spare rooms on Cape Cod for about 10 > days starting next Monday. Come visit and bring a wrench. :) > > I gotta start asking for better gear..I wonder what else we could get. > Anyone have any Space Cannons lying around? My AD is wrestling with > procuring "Magic Lantern" projections. How about a Catalyst?(kidding > i'm kidding..we don't have the room) > > Thanks Y'all > > _H > > > On Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004, at 11:24 America/New_York, Brian Aldous > wrote: > >> >> Where are you exactly? Would I be out of line if I just sent you half >> a dozen DD disks for your very own? >> >> BA >> >> >> > Herrick Goldman > Lighting Designer, NYC > www.HGLightingDesign.com > > "To the scores of silent alchemists who wreak their joy in darkness and > in light bringing magic to life, we bow most humbly. "-CDS > > > ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <103.4747622b.2def6ee0 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:56:48 EDT Subject: Re: Welcome back Frank In a message dated 02/06/04 06:18:51 GMT Daylight Time, lschreib [at] mail.sdsu.edu writes: > Yo, > > Frank! Mah man! Cool to have you back. Thanks for the welcome. Uh huh. What you know about > series-wound, universal motors is all $^%$& up! But, hey, nobody's prefect. Well, not a lot. They didn't turn up often in my end of the world. But enough. The starter motor in your car is probably one. Enormous torque at low revs, and enormous currents. 300A is not unusual, and that from a 12V supply. I have it in my mind that they were also used to power steel rolling mills. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <160.303349e4.2def7071 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:03:29 EDT Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging In a message dated 02/06/04 14:37:05 GMT Daylight Time, schreinerpd [at] longwood.edu writes: > > > But I'm REALLY intrigued by the liquid counterweight idea. Aren't there > > some super dense materials that are still a liquid at the range of > > temperatures in most theatres? Guinness? I could have some pretty dense > > homebrew ready in four weeks or so. Yes. Mercury. Liquid, density 13.6, Also, hazardous. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1086199886.40be184ee5b76 [at] webmail.bard.edu> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:11:26 -0400 From: doran [at] bard.edu Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations References: In-Reply-To: Bruce, Yes. 18"-24" trim chain to 7x19 GAC (connected with a shackle) is our preferred method here. Thimbles, of course, at both ends of the wire rope. For finer adjustments, we like to hide a forged jaw/eye turnbuckle within the scenery where practical. Also, if you have to lengthen your trim, doing it in wire rope just puts a kink in the GAC somewhere in the standing line where the cable clips were initially. And while we're at it, while a hitch around the pipe with wire rope does increase the radius of the turn the wire rope makes, it doesn't provide the necessary side support to the cable, allowing the cable to flatten under load. This is one of the things a thimble does well. Just my input, Andy Champ-Doran Technical Director Bard College Departments of Dance and Theater Quoting Bruce Purdy : > > Sam's right. When you replace a thimble with a larger diameter object like > a > > pipe, placing a sleeve right down on top of the pipe is no good. The > cable > > coming into the sleeve comes in at a severe angle and side loads the > sleeve. > > Less holding capacity. > > > > IMHO, a trim chain or batten clamp is the way to go. > but what about attaching scenery to the batten? > > The way I've always done it, and seen it done by others, is to wrap the > wire rope around the batten and attach a pair of cable clamps. (Thimbles are > used on the bottom end where it attaches to the plate on the scenery.) > Do others use chain or baton clamps for hanging scenery as well? > Bruce Purdy > Technical Director > Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1086200309.40be19f5e4f3c [at] webmail.bard.edu> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:18:29 -0400 From: doran [at] bard.edu Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) References: In-Reply-To: Fred, My beautiful bride tells me she heard a radio newscast this morning that said they now have an American distributor, and the move is scheduled for release on June 26. Let us know what else is heard. Andy C-D Quoting Fred Fisher : > Miramax , a subsidiary of Disney, financed the movie. They have enough > independence to produce what movies they want to and Disney gets to > distribute them. Given that the movie won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, I > expect it will get a distributor soon. I know we will see it as a family > and I'm sure we'll show it here when the students get back in the fall. > Fred ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602105514.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:55:14 From: CB Subject: Rings >Head and shoulders above practically >everything put to paper in the past 70 years, IMHO. > >As an aside, anyone else here seriously disappointed with the butchering (I >mean, adapting) that was done in turning it into a screenplay? HMmmmm... Head and Shoulders above? Maybe if you're talking about the shampoo. J.R. was good, and I loved the book, but there was a lot of really great stuff written in that huge time period. Uhm, 'Stranger in a Strange Land'? 'Hitchhiker's Guide', the five (now six) book trilogy? And yeah, if you want your kids to learn anything from Mr. Tolkien, I suggest you have them read the books. And I wasn't that dissappointed with the editing of the film. It's like telling the LD that you want the floor to be mirror, but you don't want a buncha bounce. Some things are more easily done the short way when you don't have a narrator and are stil trying to cut the fiolm to three hours. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602110123.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:01:23 From: CB Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) >The whole Faramir thing is my biggest beef. Especially since I've used >"Faramir" for an internet handle since about '95. You're a geek. The above quoted statement gives it away right up front, but you confirm it with a blow-by-blow description of how you would actually have re-edited the films. Off the cuff, as it were, as if you had already gone over this in your mind a dozen times. Look, I'm as geeky as the next guy, but I hide it under a thin veneer of professional interest and intillectual excercise. Ya gotta learn to blend, mah brutha! ; > Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <12f.43116233.2def7926 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:40:38 EDT Subject: Re: Power quality, electrical system specs In a message dated 02/06/04 16:16:37 GMT Daylight Time, sjh [at] idm.com writes: > Howdy. > > I came across a really good article on electrical requirements to keep sound > clean in stage environments, where computers, lighting dimmers & such all > interact. It's got some guidelines which probably should be part of the > requirement specs for any new or upgrade performance space. I am baffled. I read the article, and got no information from it. OK, your eectrical distrubution systems are hidden from me, but three-phaase, whethwer ay 220V or 440V is not. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602111057.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:10:57 From: CB Subject: Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) >Speaking of film butchery, I note that they will now add insult to injury by >releasing "Starship Troopers II" Imagine, if you will, the interior of a film makers (read: money guy's) office: MG: So, what do you want? Technical SpEfx Guys: We just found a very cool way to do HUGE insects! MG: And? TSG: Well, we want to make a movie. MG: What movie? TSG: One with HUGE bugs. MG: Which one with HUGE bugs. TSG: We don't care, but it'd be better if the bugs were the bad guys, this software makes 'm pretty scary-looking. MG: So, you don't know WHICH script you want to do? TSG: Uhm, nmo. Is that a problem? MG: Uhm, the bugs are really cool, right? TSG: Oh yeah. REALLY cool. MG: Ok, I'll put the marketing guys on it. While the conversation isn't recorded verbatim, this is basically how 'Stormship Troopers' was born to the big screen. I wonder what they've invented this time? Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602111237.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:12:37 From: CB Subject: Wal-mart >You know guys, this bashing of wal-mart is stupid. >Wal-mart is the life blood of small town, high school >theatre. We get the majority of all of our props, >paint, music and alot of other stuff for our >productions there. The first highs are always free. The worse the dope is for you, the better it makes you feel. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602111712.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:17:12 From: CB Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) >I lived with Bakshi's animated version for far too long. Did that lead you to any of Ralph's earlier works? While most of his 'Fritz' stuff was a rip-off or Robert Crumb, Robert was way too strange to do anything with it anyways. Bakshi and Crumb are probably responsible for my taste in women more than anyone else on the planet, and some of my wierder tastes as well... Oh, and merely knowing who Bakshi is makes you a geek. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:58:26 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) At 11:17 AM -0400 6/2/04, CB wrote: > Oh, and merely knowing who Bakshi is makes you a geek. Guilty as charged. (i own 'wizards' on dvd.) -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602113045.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:30:45 From: CB Subject: Re: Powerpoint Background >Consult Google, under "region 1 DVD format." >The Reader's Digest version: Nope; incompatible. HMmmm.. What I found under the search for "region 1 DVD format" only told me that content of the DVD differed. I didn't see anything about format and output. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:07:05 -0400 Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) From: Herrick In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <09AB5966-B4C8-11D8-9919-0003934521EC [at] hglightingdesign.com> I am NOT a GEEK! I am LoTGs (Lord of the GEEKS!) Yes I am particularly fond of Bakshi's "wizards" but you probably even know my favorite quote from it anyway. On Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004, at 11:17 America/New_York, CB wrote: > > Oh, and merely knowing who Bakshi is makes you a geek. > Herrick Goldman Lighting Designer, NYC www.HGLightingDesign.com "To the scores of silent alchemists who wreak their joy in darkness and in light bringing magic to life, we bow most humbly. "-CDS also "Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards for the are subtle and quick to anger" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:07:41 -0400 Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) From: Herrick In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <1ED2AAB7-B4C8-11D8-9919-0003934521EC [at] hglightingdesign.com> wait ..it's out on DVD? !!!! cool ..ok you win. On Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004, at 14:58 America/New_York, Rigger wrote: > > > (i own 'wizards' on dvd.) > > > Herrick Goldman Lighting Designer, NYC www.HGLightingDesign.com "To the scores of silent alchemists who wreak their joy in darkness and in light bringing magic to life, we bow most humbly. "-CDS ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1086203513.40be26794f7b1 [at] webmail.bard.edu> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:11:53 -0400 From: doran [at] bard.edu Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging References: In-Reply-To: Kevin, Go down to the US Air Force Academy's Arnold Hall in Colorado Springs. Ask them what happened in about '87 or '88 when their projection screen rigging failed. If anyone is around that remembers, you'll find a combination of causes, but a chain hoist hooked up to the bottom of the arbor enabled that thing get well out of weight, pipe-heavy by more than 500 lbs. for sure. The arbor only travelled up a short distance, but the results were catastrophic whan that brake caught the runaway. Fortunately, spreader plates were in place to keep the weights captured. No serious injuries to people, but the percussion insturments took quite a beating, so to speak. Andy Champ-Doran Quoting Kevin Patrick : I've never seen it, but > how often does an arbor fly up uncontrollably? It's pretty difficult to > accidentally add #500 to a pipe when it's gridded. > Kevin Patrick > Theatre.colstate.edu ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3537.207.201.197.75.1086205825.squirrel [at] webmail.columbia.sc> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:50:25 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Automation Grenade From: usctd [at] columbia.sc Obviously I can't speak for every show either. My point was not to point out a lax nature regarding safety. My point was that with large automation shows there is a very good oportunity for very bad things to happen no matter how well prepared you may be. And we have all been there. No matter what everyone may say, after you do a show a couple hundred times eyes and thoughts tend to wander in and out of focus. By the way, you described the exact scenario I advocated in my mailing regarding automation effects safety. -- Eric Rouse TD-University of SC, Columbia Freelance Foyboy > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > >> > Many times the eyes that should be watching stuff move are >> > occupied doing other things or have been lulled into a false sense of >> > security because it has worked 500 times in a row uneventfully. > > And how many times have you seen a technician onstage either pushing a > wagon or pulling a > counterweight line while looking for a spike mark instead of watching > stage for errant actors and > such? > >> Sorry I was not clear. I was talking about the permanent type shows >> that >> we are seeing in Florida and Vegas, for example. Obviously tours are a >> different story. But then they don't have 100 winches in the show >> either. > > I certainly can't speak for every "permanent type show" in Florida but > speaking for the show I > currently find myself working with at one of the Theme Parks here in > Orlando I must take exception > to the implication that we are lax in our attention to safety. Yes the > Show Control Operator is > in the control booth at the back of the house but onstage, next to every > automated effect and with > direct access to an E-Stop there is one and in some cases two technicians > tasked monitoring the > automation. That is in addition to the E-Stops at the Show Control and > the Stage Manager's > positions in the booth who are watching the show live onstage and on video > monitors with infrared > cameras for monitoring during blackouts. Each and every day we run a > Global E-Stop test and a > Test Show without performers or light cues to test the automation systems > in full light to make > sure everything is working properly. > > Let's not forget that ANY mechanical effect, whether operated manually or > via automation can be > dangerous. We use automation for those parts of the show that must sync > with the soundtrack or > that would be too complicated or dangerous to operate manually. > Unsynchronized effects, > especially those which interact with the performers, are manually > operated. Both have their > place. > > Jason Tollefson > LD-at-Large (and Theme Park Technician) > Orlando, FL > www.tollefsondesigns.com > > > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002801c448d5$97c46140$0201a8c0 [at] BRUTUS> From: "Jon Ares" References: Subject: Re: Powerpoint Background Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:12:47 -0700 > > HMmmm.. What I found under the search for "region 1 DVD format" only told > me that content of the DVD differed. I didn't see anything about format > and output. I figured someone else might have noted this, and maybe someone did... if you manufacture your own DVD, you have the ability to make it "region-free" - so it's not limited to playing on a restricted player. Many (but certainly not all) DVD players sold in Europe will play NTSC as well as PAL video, but you'd have to check with each and every household your video might be shown. (Some do SECAM and PAL, but not NTSC.) -- Jon Ares www.hevanet.com/acreative ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602114327.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:43:27 From: CB Subject: Re: Food for thought >A US Supreme Court justice stated that he doesn't know what obscenity is, >either, but he did say that "he knows it when he sees it". Yeah, that's the tricky part I referred too. When asked what kind of music they like, lots of folk will say that they don't know how to quaintify it, but they know what they like when they hear it. My old partner in 'Interplanetary Productions' (the driving force behind the grinning planet blowing raspberries and the frindly 'Don't Panic' on our business cards) used to accurately sum up why they didn't accept new, original tunes, , "They don't know what they like, but they'll like what they hear when they know it." Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:21:01 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Rings (warning: almost completely OT) At 3:07 PM -0400 6/2/04, Herrick wrote: > wait ..it's out on DVD? !!!! Welcome to the year 2000, Herrick. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Message-ID: From: "Storms, Randy" Subject: Re: Totally OT: Starship Troopers II (Was: Ring) Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 12:31:45 -0700 Christopher Weuve, who apparently has *lots* of free time to think about Heinlein, wrote a fairly cogent thesis about the novel versus the movie. http://www.kentaurus.com/troopers.htm#about Cheers, -- r. Randy Storms rstorms [at] bham.wednet.edu ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602115914.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 11:59:14 From: CB Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) >the artists themselves were shunned >- not for their product - their songs - but purely personal issues. Uhm, that's "political issues". It wasn't like CC didn't like their clothes or their hairstyles. The didn't like their political statement. Period. And whether or not you agree with their legal right to do this, it does show their feelings about the constitution and the rights that tehy feel humans should have, and all, don't it. Just because it's LEGAL don't maek it right. > What I don't understand is why Disney had the rights in the first place. >Everyone knows Moor's politics. If Disney doesn't like them, why did they >get involved in the first place?? Two (of all the) possible reasons: 1. The Rat thought that he'd be able to stifle MM's 911F from the beginning. It was all part of his evil plan. 2. The Rat was so blinded by the potential profits he temporarily lost sight oif his underlying political motivations, and bought the film in a greed-head lust frenzy. It's Disney. Imagine the darkest, most reviled reason that you can think of why they do anything, and you're probably not too far off. BTW< MM's movie DID get sold and will be released today or tomorrow-ish. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602122116.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:21:16 From: CB Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) >Sounds like political statements. >Do artists now have an entitlement to access any venue they choose? My point is that these artists already had access to these venues, as long as they made their corporate daddies good money and didn't act up. As soon as they made political statements that they believed in, their access was denied. Denied due to, and only to, expressed political reasons. The US constitution and Amnesty International (just to name a couple) believe that humans must be able to express themselves politically to be free. Disney and Clear Channel believe that this right extends making them money without disagreeing with their political (read: financial) agenda. This is wrong, even if it isn't illegal. It is censorship, even if it isn't LEGALLY censorship. Its bad, and it threatens us at the very basic core of who we are, and what we do. You're either part of the problem or part of the solution, and if you want to choose which side you want to be on based on available perks, you really can't complain when you find yourself up against the wall trying to peek around the blindfold. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602123221.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:32:21 From: CB Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) >The logical conclusion of what you're saying is that, if you invest >your own private money in a performers' act, you are forever obligated >to continue to invest YOUR money in them Sigh... If you don't see it coming, you can pretend that your still safe and happy... No, the logical conclusion would be that corporations are taking a hard line on money. Personal rights, human rights, persons and humans are all taking a back seat to how much money they can make. It isn't a good thing. It's a bad thing. The things I've posted about are examples of an ideology, not crimes (Hey, didn't I say that, like, forurteen times?) Just for more clarification: IT AIN"T ABOUT THE LAW, HERE, PEOPLE. ITS ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT. OK, now that we've gotten over that, tell me how society at large benefit from the aforementioned actions by Disney, Clear Channel, et al. I have taken these actions and pointed out potential peril, and all I have received in return was head-in-the-sand denials of any wrong-doing. Legally, wrong, that is. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040602125217.02627c28 [at] localhost> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 13:04:35 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: References: At 06:08 AM 6/2/2004, you wrote: > > infringing on a right that actually does get mentioned by name in the > > Constitution. Are you? > >I gather you are referring to the right to bear arms, written when guns were >muzzle loaded, single shot awkward suckers ;-) Not to start an arms race (I'm a pyro so I appreciate things that go bang and the BATFE has my photo and fingerprints on file) but... The constitution says "the people" have the right to bear arms. At the time there were militia type groups and there has been some debate over the years if what they really meant was it is ok for gropups like the National Guard to bear arms. The constitution never mentions INDIVIDUAL people having this right. I also wonder why it's ok to have 50 pounds of black powder stored under your bed in an apartment building as long as you own a black powder gun, canon, or shooting anvil, but it's a felony to have one molecule of black powder outside of a magazine if you don't have a gun, canon, or anvil. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040602123540.0168f118 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:35:40 From: CB Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) >I believe that Disney had only 'first refusal' rights to distribute films >under their deal with Miramax I ain't no lawyer, but why would Mike have to sue (or threaten to sue) if Disney on had rights to 'first refusal'. Might be legalese, but I would guess that first refusal means that Mike is free to have the movie released elsewhere if Disney chooses not to. Mike had to get all legal on their asses to get the movie released. Is there a legal definition of 'first refusal' that I'm not familiar with? Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 16:18:56 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) At 1:04 PM -0700 6/2/04, Jerry Durand wrote: > The constitution says "the people" have the right to bear arms. > At the time there were militia type groups and there has been > some debate over the years if what they really meant was it is > ok for gropups like the National Guard to bear arms. The > constitution never mentions INDIVIDUAL people having this right. For your information, the courts in several jurisdictions have recently ruled otherwise; that the right to bear arms is in fact an individual right. I suggest respectfully that we drop the 2nd Amendment debate from this thread; it's a topic that you do *not* want to get me wound up on, trust me. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 21:47:33 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: On Wed, 2 Jun 2004, Rigger wrote: > I suggest respectfully that we drop the 2nd Amendment debate from > this thread; it's a topic that you do *not* want to get me wound up > on, trust me. I do agree it's become OT and this isn't really the best list to discuss it ;-) But, really, do we ALL have to do what you want just because your mainspring is wound too tightly? ;-) Charlie ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040602134058.02781318 [at] localhost> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 13:49:42 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Guinness Arbor In-Reply-To: References: At 08:47 AM 6/2/2004, you wrote: >As I stated, the "Liquid" arbor has been floating >around my head for a while, as well as each time I >have to make a trek to a loading rail. Another added >benefit to a dense liquid arbor would be the ability >to change the weight in the arbor as the weight on the >pipe changes. No more having to run the legs in order >to build enough steam to land them. Gosh, I am sure >you could throw a computer into the mix that was told >to keep the arbor in perfect balance at all times. >Yes, I am aware that would take work away from a human >and give a job to a machine, but seeing how it is now, >I would be happy to give up that part of my work. You could also use a hydraulic cylinder in a multi-purchase system (the cylinder goes between the floor and the lower block). Set it up like an elevator, the output orifice is so small that a broken hose only leads to a controlled descent. Use two or more sets of cables and you have a safe system, even if a cable broke. You could still add some counterweight like elevators have, just to help. The fluid could be water, that was used for elevators and car crushers for a long time. Another possibility would be a dual winch with a speed brake on it (again taking from elevators, if the RPMs are too high or the motor loses power, a brake engages). Of course each of the two cables should be able to hold all the load with a good safety factor. Of course these would both have an e-stop button on both sides of the stage, in the booth, and any place else that seemed reasonable. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040602141925.02628ff0 [at] localhost> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 14:30:21 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: References: At 01:18 PM 6/2/2004, you wrote: >I suggest respectfully that we drop the 2nd Amendment debate from this >thread; it's a topic that you do *not* want to get me wound up on, trust me. No problem dropping the 2nd amendment argument since as I said I'm not against it in the first place. Something that IS theater related is us pyros trying to be legal while the BATFE makes more and more stuff illegal (while at the same time saying that a gun owner can safely store all his ammo and powder in a home). In a recent court case the government said according to their new definitions that self-lighting charcoal is an explosive and you need a magazine to keep it in. They also added "anything that can be made to explode" as a regulated explosive now (which you need permits and a magazine for). Under the current rules anyone in this country can be arrested, if they feel like it. My wife and I are still working on our operator's permits for California and still own part of the Rocket Ranch, but it sure is a pain at times. Hopefully pyro isn't totally banned as a terrorist activity. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #27 ****************************