Return-Path: X-Processed-By: Virex 7 on prxy.net X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net Received: by prxy.net (CommuniGate Pro PIPE 4.2.6) with PIPE id 9068815; Thu, 16 Dec 2004 03:01:21 -0800 X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.2.6 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #229 Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 03:01:02 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.1 (2004-10-22) on prxy.net X-Spam-Status: No, score=-4.8 required=5.0 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,AWL,BAYES_00, URIBL_SBL autolearn=ham version=3.0.1 X-Spam-Level: X-TFF-CGPSA-Version: 1.4f2 X-prxy-Spam-Filter: Scanned For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #229 1. Re: holiday threads by "Nigel Worsley" 2. Re: Question about shop duty breakdown by Michael Powers 3. Re: holiday threads by Michael Powers 4. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by Michael Powers 5. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by "Stephen E. Rees" 6. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by Shawn Palmer 7. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by Stephen Litterst 8. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by MissWisc [at] aol.com 9. Re: Fire in Tucson Convention Center Arena by "Paul Guncheon" 10. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Paul Schreiner" 11. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Paul Schreiner" 12. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by usctd [at] columbia.sc 13. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Paul Schreiner" 14. Re: Fire in Tuscon by Mark O'Brien 15. Re: contrast ratios by "Karl G. Ruling" 16. Re: Question about shop duty breakdown by "jknipple" 17. Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 18. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 19. Re: holiday threads by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 20. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Paul Schreiner" 21. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" 22. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by "Phil Johnson" 23. Re: holiday threads by "Waxler, Steve (waxlers)" 24. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 25. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 26. Re: holiday threads by Bill Sapsis 27. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Paul Schreiner" 28. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by "Joe Meils" 29. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" 30. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by Bruce Purdy 31. triscuits by Chuck Mitchell 32. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" 33. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by Bruce Purdy 34. Re: Job announcement and description by Bruce Purdy 35. Tech Briefs Live by "Stephen E. Rees" 36. Re: holiday threads by usctd [at] columbia.sc 37. Re: Tech Briefs Live by "Stephen E. Rees" 38. Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question by Greg Bierly 39. Re: Tech Briefs Live by Greg Bierly 40. Re: Job announcement and description by MissWisc [at] aol.com 41. Re: Fire in Tucson Convention Center Arena by CB 42. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by Shawn Palmer 43. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by CB 44. Re: Job announcement and description by John Bracewell 45. Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) by CB 46. Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) by CB 47. Re: Job announcement and description by Fred Fisher 48. Re: Fire in Tuscon by CB 49. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by CB 50. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by CB 51. Re: fixing radio mic by CB 52. Rosco 1500 by "Jay, Jay Maury, Maury" 53. Internships in Germany by Mark Harvey 54. Comment on lighting design by Todd Lipcon 55. Re: Comment on lighting design by Mark O'Brien 56. Re: Comment on lighting design by Herrick Goldman 57. Re: Comment on lighting design by "Jeffrey E. Salzberg" 58. Re: Rosco 1500 by "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" 59. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 60. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 61. Re: Comment on lighting design [ long] by Todd Lipcon 62. Re: rosco 1500 fogger by "RODOK!!!" 63. Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 64. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 65. Re: Rosco 1500 Question by "Michael Burris" 66. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by Bill Sapsis 67. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Waxler, Steve (waxlers)" 68. Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... by "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" *** 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <04a101c4e29d$d8069770$0c00a8c0 [at] Nigellaptop> From: "Nigel Worsley" References: Subject: Re: holiday threads Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:01:42 -0000 Riter, Andrew (Head Ltg) wrote: >> From: "Paul Schreiner" >> >>> Hey gang we could do our own list Nativity Scene, we have=20 >>> lots of Wise Men and Shepherds ...................oh wait,=20 >>> what are we missing? >> >> I'd wager...virgins? >> > > We're missing the all-seeing, all-knowing entity? Oh, has Frank left the list then? :-) Nigel Worsley ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 07:43:17 -0500 From: Michael Powers Subject: Re: Question about shop duty breakdown Cc: production [at] shakespeare.org Message-id: <41C03165.50404 [at] theater.umass.edu> "Shakespeare & Company Production Department" writes: <> Nathan, The precise duties of these jobs will vary from company to company, depending on the individuals hired and other things specific to any particular company. That said, In most venues, the TD is in charge of this particular group. He is responsible for taking the designer's drawings and delivering a finished product to the stage. He is responsible for the budget, purchasing, engineering and drawings and "other". Just how much and which parts of this are done by the ATD depend on the company and the various skills of the TD and ATD. Most often the ATD works under and for the TD but is not in charge of the Shop forman or MC. The shop forman is in charge of the shop and the MC is the best Carp that works with him. If the build crew is also the install crew then the hierarchy remains the same. If the shop crew does not do the in, then the stage or house head carp is in charge of the in, with directions and advice from the TD and ATD in that order. Feel free to drop by my office and chat if you want. Classes are over for the semester so call to make sure I'll be in. Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Amherst 112 FAC West Amherst, Ma. 01003 413-545-6821 Voice 413-577-0025 Fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu mptecdir [at] aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 07:50:14 -0500 From: Michael Powers Subject: RE: holiday threads Message-id: <41C03306.5080403 [at] theater.umass.edu> > > >> From: "Paul Schreiner" >> > > >>> > Hey gang we could do our own list Nativity Scene, we have=20 >>> > lots of Wise Men and Shepherds ...................oh wait,=20 >>> > what are we missing? >> >> >> >> I'd wager...virgins? >> > > If we have shepherds, then we're probably missing the sheep, unless you've recently done "Curse of the Starving Class". Or, maybe it's virgin sheep we're missing, or.......... mmmm Never Mind! Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Amherst 112 FAC West Amherst, Ma. 01003 413-545-6821 Voice 413-577-0025 Fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu mptecdir [at] aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:28:52 -0500 From: Michael Powers Subject: Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question Cc: shorrock [at] fau.edu Message-id: <41C03C14.5010901 [at] theater.umass.edu> THOMAS M SHORROCK writes: << ......... we are looking at a texas triscuit system. I'm curious as to what solutions people have arrived at for custom shape and sizes in the deck.......... >> Tom, Several people have responded to this already, but failed to notice you were talking about the STEEL FRAMED Texas Triscuit, developed by Tim Francis at Trinity U., Yale Tech Briefs # 1283. For those not familiar with the Texas Triscuit, it is 3'-11-7/8" square like the classic triscuit, but it is framed in 1" sq. steel tube and has only a top skin and of course is not a stress skin unit. With the 1" frame and no bottom skin, the Texas triscuit is actually thinner (1-5/8" thick) and lighter (52 lbs.) than a triscuit. If you use 18 ga steel tube and a 5/8" lid, the texas triscuit is 3 lbs lighter but it can be slightly springy. 16 ga or 14 ga steel tube and/or 3/4" for the lid take care of this. Now Tom, back to your question. I have found that a few half triscuit triangles can be useful, but other than that, build custom shapes on an "as needed" basis. As to the frames, assuming you have people and tools for the welding and bending, I would build them the same as my stock. That way legs, stud walls, or whatever support system you are using can be consistent through out the deck. One thing I learned, make sure you file all the burrs and rough edges off the open exposed INSIDE edges of any end pieces. Fingers seem to have an uncanny ability to find these open holes. HTH. Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Amherst 112 FAC West Amherst, Ma. 01003 413-545-6821 Voice 413-577-0025 Fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu mptecdir [at] aol.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41C03D09.6050007 [at] fredonia.edu> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:32:57 -0500 From: "Stephen E. Rees" Reply-To: Rees [at] fredonia.edu Subject: Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question References: Tom, I use a stress skin system as well. Mine are 4x8, 5/4 x 6 skeleton (4 lengthwise 16" OC with end pieces across width) Perimeter frame is inset ~2" from edge to accommodate 5/4 x 4 splines to mate adjacent units. Up to about 18" or so, we stack 2" thick, 18" x 18" squares of extruded FR polyurethane into pylons. A typical platform will have six to eight such pylons spaced about. Higher than than that, we do kneewalls (studwalls) as necessary. Where necessary, we will frame plugs from 2x4 w/ 5/8" lids and stand them on compression legs. Once the deck system is assembled, the whole mess will get skinned with Masonite, MDF, or lauan depending on service or paint requirements. All joints in the top skin are offset relative to the decking system. All parts of the "system" are reusable. However, were I to do this again, I'd do 4x4 squares, not 4x8 rects. It has been in use for about 15 shows now and is still in OK shape. HTH, Steve Rees, TD SUNY-Fredonia > -----Original Message----- > From: THOMAS M SHORROCK > To: Stagecraft > Hi all. > > We are getting ready to ramp up a new theatre with a new set of stock > platforms. [snipped] ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41C03A98.6030502 [at] northnet.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 07:22:32 -0600 From: Shawn Palmer Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger References: In-Reply-To: > Any suggestions on fixing a leaky Rosco 1500 fogger? It's about 10 years > old, has been cleaned with distilled water after each run of a show, and > with the advent of cheapo foggers on the market, is it worth repairing? > Rod Osiowy > Wild Theatre > Cranbrook, BC Last year I bought two replacement pump kits for our two 1500s. The kit included the pump, two tygon tubes, some tube clamps and a new nozzle. I got them at a theatrical supplier. They were less than $30 each. They were fairly easy to replace. Now the foggers work like champs again. I also noticed (and cleaned) a lot of sediment and rust particles built up in the tube leading from the fluid to the machine, where it attaches to the machine. I too would recommend against the cheapo machines, if there is a choice. Shawn Palmer Neenah, WI USA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:55:20 -0500 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger Message-id: <41C04248.810C5EBC [at] ithaca.edu> Organization: IC-Dept. of Theatre Arts References: "RODOK!!!" wrote: > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Any suggestions on fixing a leaky Rosco 1500 fogger? It's about 10 years > old, has been cleaned with distilled water after each run of a show, and > with the advent of cheapo foggers on the market, is it worth repairing? If the archives are up, there is some pretty extensive discussion of proper care and feeding of a fogger. Generally distilled water is considered a bad idea. Water is more corrosive to the internal plumbing than the fog fluid, and may be contributing to your leak. If you must flush with distilled water, make sure you run the machine dry and then refill with fresh fluid and run it until fog comes out. The 1500 is a good unit, if a little old. With some work you should be able to get it running normally. The cheapo foggers on the market won't have the legs that the 1500 does, either during production or over time. Steve Litterst -- Stephen C. Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College Dept. of Theatre Arts 607/274-3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: <80.1d21858a.2ef19dad [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:01:17 EST Subject: Re: Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question Anyone know where this name came from? Was it named for the cracker? (I'm not certain if this product is available world wide... in the USA "Triscuit" crackers are flat, whole wheat squares about an inch and a half wide.) <> Kristi ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002e01c4e2b2$46690400$0202a8c0 [at] MyLastPC> From: "Paul Guncheon" References: Subject: Re: Fire in Tucson Convention Center Arena Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 04:27:57 -1000 > I > know for a fact that one of the set decorators/painters KNOWS the old > 'exploding creamer' trick, 'cause I showed it to him. Usually the set decorator and painters are not "on set" during filming. You might have a standby painter and an on-set dresser, but the decorator(s) and painters are off prepping the next work. How do you do the exploding creamer trick... just for the information of course, so I can say "Never do exactly this..." Laters, Paul "Do you know where radio is" Tom asked CB. "I have a good view of the sting insect" Tom told CB. "So what did you do doing the war" Tom asked CB. ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:39:31 -0500 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A74ADE4 [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" Don't believe I'm jumping in on this again (last year around this time, maybe?) but here goes... > > whereas in stage combat you try and *not*=20 > strike your=20 > > partner. >=20 > No. absolutely no! If you want to achieve any degree of=20 > realism, every blow=20 > must be aimed to hit. That is why exact choreography is so=20 > important. The=20 > parries must be as precice as the attacks. But all strikes=20 > must be aimed at the=20 > opponent's body. Aimed at the partner's body? Yes. Trying to actually hit your partner? Absolutely not. That's the difference between two people hacking about on stage with weapons, and two people doing safe stage combat. I try NOT to hit, but to make it LOOK like I'm trying to cut my partner's head off. If I'm trying to actually hit you, Frank, and we mess up the "choreography", there's no level of safety; you're gonna get hit. If I'm doing proper stage combat, and we mess up, it may look awkward--but you're not going to get hit by my weapon. If you get hurt during a combat scene with me, it's my fault. I take that very seriously. Likewise, if I get hurt, it's your fault. =20 My responsibility is to my partner's safety first, the realism of the scene second. ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:55:08 -0500 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A74ADE6 [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" Okay...just to clarify and put my qualifications out there, I've done professional fight choreography. Back when the SAFD actually certified actor-combatants, I was one of those too. Combat was actually my inroads to theatre, and the reason I took it on as a major. Studied it for a number of years, did the teaching assistant thing as well, worked with and studied under an SAFD Certified Teacher for about four years. > I do not claim to be an expert here but I have done a little fight=20 > choreography (and even taught stage combat) and I was taught=20 > (and teach)=20 > that every attack is make to a very specific area of the body=20 > so that the=20 > actor parrying the attack will know exactly where to position=20 > the parry, BUT=20 > (in most cases) the "fencing measure" - the distance between=20 > the opponents=20 > in the fight- is such that the attacker cannot actually make=20 > a "hit."=20 Well...not exactly. Distance is a good starting point, but there are plenty of combinations and moves that require modifications to that distance. Sightlines during the fight sequence are also important, and usually mean that you can't keep that "ideal" distance the way you describe. What's more important is the direction of the force. If I'm attacking my partner's shoulder with a slash (for example), and I were actually trying to hit, I'd be sending the force through the center line of his body--driving the blade through the near shoulder into the chest cavity. For safe combat, I instead send the force out past my partner's shoulder (akin to casting a fishing line) so that if he forgets the sequence I don't take his arm off, but instead stop outside his body. > Also, stage fights=20 > are usually done=20 > at "three-quarter" speed - fast enough to look good, but slow=20 > enough so that=20 > the actors are in complete control. =20 There's another reason for going at this speed... Audiences, on the whole, are stupid. And I mean that in the best possible way. Anything faster than 3/4 speed, and people can't process the visual information quickly enough to follow the fight. Everything becomes a blur, and at the end you get an almost universal "What happened? How did he get hit?" reaction. > BTW, Wilmington is 375 miles from me, if I can help. 273 for me. But I don't know any choreographers in that area... ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1159.129.252.241.105.1103124165.squirrel [at] webmail.columbia.sc> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:22:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question From: usctd [at] columbia.sc I did notice that he asked about the Texas Triscuit. Michael is mistaken about the size of the frame in the Tech Brief. It's actually 1-1/2" steel tube not 1". Well, they do use 1"x1-1/2" on edge to cut down on weight. This is why I mentioned the use of 2x4. You can rip it down to 1-3/8" so that when you lay down the 3/4" ply it would match the texas triscuit thickness. This is also why I mentioned that you would need to add some extra legs (compression legs would be good here) as those platforms would be significantly weaker that the triscuits. -- Eric Rouse TD-University of SC, Columbia Freelance Foyboy > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > Tom, > > Several people have responded to this already, but failed to notice you > were talking about the STEEL FRAMED Texas Triscuit, developed by Tim > Francis at Trinity U., Yale Tech Briefs # 1283. > > For those not familiar with the Texas Triscuit, it is 3'-11-7/8" square > like the classic triscuit, but it is framed in 1" sq. steel tube and has > only a top skin and of course is not a stress skin unit. With the 1" > frame and no bottom skin, the Texas triscuit is actually thinner (1-5/8" > thick) and lighter (52 lbs.) than a triscuit. > > Michael Powers, Technical Director > > > > > ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:05:04 -0500 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A74ADE7 [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf=20 > Of Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson >=20 > Excellent Frank. Doom Doom, I'm shocked that you're actually agreeing with Frank here that you're supposed to be trying to hit your partner in a stage combat scene... ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: Cc: marko [at] email.arizona.edu (Mark O'Brien) From: Mark O'Brien Subject: Re: Fire in Tuscon Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:16:41 -0700 The movie was being shot in an exhibition hall, adjacent to the rear of the arena. They share a common escalator/ elevator system that could be a pain until they built a new exhibition hall on the other end of the arena. Offices, and meeting rooms were above the hall with the movie set, and were damaged by smoke & ash. Some of the set was undamaged, as the sprinklers did a good job of containing the fire. Damage to the arena was limited to water & some smoke damage. "Evacuation went smoothy" of course, because there were approx. 2,000 people in the arena built to seat about 10, 000.... Of course the promoter of the concert was the one who won big :-) Mark O'Brien Opera Technical Director University of Arizona, School of Music Tucson, AZ 520/621-7025 520/591-1803 Mobile On Dec 14, 2004, at 4:29 PM, Riter, Andrew (Head Ltg) wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > --------------------------------------------------- > > What kind of arenas do you have there where there is a rock concert > AND a movie shoot at the same time? I'm guessing it they weren't > happening in the same ice rink (a typical Canadian areana). Was the > movie shoot Up Stage of the concert's backdrop? > > Or is it more like a trade and convention centre with multiple large > rooms, so the two events were actually separated? > > Can someone please clarify? > > Andrew M. Riter > Head Lighting Technician > Chan Centre > > ------------------------------ From: "Karl G. Ruling" Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:52:31 -0500 Subject: Re: contrast ratios Reply-to: kruling [at] esta.org Message-ID: <41C0257F.5563.642CA7 [at] localhost> In-reply-to: Frank Wood wrote, in part: > >conditions, 50:1 is usually what is percieved by the viewer. If you > >start off with 100:1, just > 2% of > >peak white level being reflected from the screen will knock it back > >to 34:1. To which, Chris "Chris" Babbie beat up on Frank Wood and disparaged his grandmother with: > "MIGHT, ideal, may, normal, usually, if..." This doesn't sound like a > very scientific text, Frank. Truth be told, granny may start at 100:1 > nowadays, and if the lights are on and the curtains are open, she may > be knocking it back to 30:1, but lest stop generalizing based on > Granny's old console with the round screen, shall we? Lets start > basing our engineering on something from this decade at the very > least, yes. Frank, if you dion't have current information, you don't > have correct information. So, how about some current information? Google to the rescue! Christie DS+25 projector: 2500 ANSI lumens, 2500:1 contrast ratio Christie FP40 flat panel LCD monitor: 470 cd/m=B2 brightness, 600:1 contrast ratio Sanyo PLC-XF41 projector: 7700 ANSI lumens, 800:1 contrast ratio How you measure the contrast ratio is a trick and there are different ways used. Some companies compare a white screen to a black screen. Some compare the blackest part of an image on the screen to the whitest part of the image. Some compare an image of a black square next to a white square. Some don't tell you how they derived the numbers. Some companies say they use "ANSI standards" but if they don't tell you which ones, you don't really know much more than if they said nothing. Of course, you won't get contrast ratios any where near these quoted numbers, however they were obtained, if your source material doesn't have this contrast. None of this current information contradicts Frank's comments about the deleterious effects of ambient light. If you have a 7,000 lumen projector lighting a screen that is 10' by 20', your white levels are only at about 35 foot candles. If you want to maintain an 800:1 contrast ratio, you have to keep the ambient light bouncing into the black areas from bringing them above 0.044 foot candles. BTW, my paternal grandmother never had a television, and I don't remember my maternal grandmother having one either, so forget about commenting on their round-tubed receivers. There was life before television; there is life without television. ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Question about shop duty breakdown Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:57:20 -0500 Message-ID: From: "jknipple" Cc: production [at] shakespeare.org At Rep Stage, the TD is responsible for delivering the goods, so to speak. I coordinate all aspects of the tech of the theater. I don't work too much with budget, as the production manager handles most of that. I just communicate projected expense numbers. We've never really run into a set that needed to be pared back because of budget (ah, the joy of working in residence at a well funded college). I also handle all of the purchasing and working drawings for the build crew. The ATD (well, what I call my ATD) works with me on interpreting drawings. She also acts at the shop foreman, maintaining inventory (and communicating with me about what to purchase), ensuring that the shop is clean and safe, etc. She also acts as me when I'm not around. The master carp is basically the person who I go to with the more challenging projects. He also is a person that the other crew go to with process questions (though the ATD and I are often in that loop as well). So I'm the guy at the top. They all report to me (along with the Master Electrician). Our lines get a little blurry regarding whether the MC is directly under the ATD (for some things he does, others he doesn't).=20 James Knipple =20 Technical Director REP Stage - www.howardcc.edu/repstage Student-Alumni Arts - Howard Community College=20 - www.howardcc.edu/studentarts jknipple [at] howardcc.edu 410-772-4451 -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Shakespeare & Company Production Department Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 1:20 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Question about shop duty breakdown For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- I am currently in the beginning phases of hiring for next summer, and was wondering if anyone could tell me the duties assigned to the following crew: T.D. A.T.D. Master Carp Shop Foreman We are a theatre company that is growing into spaces and productions larger than we've been in, and we have tried many different packages. I am specifically interested in the differences anyone may know of between shop foreman and Master Carp. You can reply off-list if you like. Thanks in advance, Nathan Towne-Smith Production Manager Shakespeare & Company (413) 637-8302 x15 (office) (413) 637-4274 (fax) production [at] shakespeare.org This e-mail message is intended for the use of the named recipient. It may contain information that is confidential or privileged. If the reader is not the intended recipient and has received this communication in error, please (1.) immediately REPLY to the sender, stating "This message was received in error," and (2.) delete all copies of this message and attachments. Thank you. ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1a1.2cc84a9a.2ef1c9e4 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:09:56 EST Subject: Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) In a message dated 15/12/04 00:10:44 GMT Standard Time, jdurand [at] interstellar.com writes: > I didn't say GOOD gear. You pick the gear that matches the > demographic. If this is the local news, the talent should KNOW to not wear > check/striped clothes (or ones the same color as the green/blue/orange > screen). If you're making an advertisement to play on the radio during > commute time, you use an automobile with standard factory sound. If you're > selling (pretty much ALL radio and TV is about selling, nothing else) to > rich young people, you make it work best on higher quality systems. > > There are basically two types of home audio/video setups. The type that > has the latest and actually knows how to hook it up and then just about > everybody else with their Walmart TV and bookshelf stereo (both made in > China out of recycled parts). It doesn't quite work like that in the UK, and particurlarly in the BBC, where I was trained. There was a positive obligation to provide backwards compatibitity. When we changed from monochrome to colour, for instance, the colour transmissions had to be compatible with old monochrome receivers and displays. When new technology would have made colour transmissions simpler, from an engineering point of view, we held to the old standards, so that people with older receivers were not at a disadvantage. Features of the PAL system, such as the Bruch blanking sequence, were invented when TV sets all used valves (tubes). It is there to make burst locked oscillators easier to design. Superfluous now, but it's still there. The ethos is changing. Everything is going digital, and analogue recievers now have a limited life. It dosen't bother me personally, because I went down the cable and satellite route years ago. But, think of those who are making do with an old TV, because they can't afford a new one. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:25:08 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 00:15:36 GMT Standard Time, theatricalmatt [at] hotmail.com writes: > And here our philosophies differ. And the philosophies of every fight choreo > I've worked with. > > Consider the usual parallel made between unsheathed weapons and loaded guns: > > would you allow one actor to point a pistol at another's head? This is a > discussion we've had on this list before, iirc. If I were satisfied that the venting was safe, yes I should. If the sword strokes are not aimed at the recipient's body, the fight will appear unrealistic. This is not what we are trying to do. I remember, many years ago, agreeing to fight a duel in a gala. My opponent and I rehearsed it carefully, and the President of our fencing club said that he would provide the weapons. He was also the head honcho on the UK fencing scene. Just as well that it was thoroughly rehearsed. The weapons he provided were real, sharp swords. I suppose that it's a measure of the trust he placed in us. But we were damn careful! Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:30:28 EST Subject: Re: holiday threads In a message dated 15/12/04 12:05:18 GMT Standard Time, nigle [at] dsl.pipex.com writes: > >> I'd wager...virgins? > >> > > > > We're missing the all-seeing, all-knowing entity? > > Oh, has Frank left the list then? :-) I'm happy to accept the role. But, as I rember, He wasn't actually there. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:33:52 -0500 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C65A [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > > would you allow one actor to point a pistol at another's=20 > head? =20 >=20 > If I were satisfied that the venting was safe, yes I should. I've gotta assume that you're talking about a sealed-barrel weapon here. If there barrel isn't sealed, there's no way I'd point a gun directly on line with any part of a performer's body. There's no way to determine on stage (unless it's worked into the action of the scene) that something hasn't gotten lodged in the barrel, for example, Brandon Lee-style. Subtle changes to the line of fire--slight movement upstage of the target actor, for example--are impossible to detect from the audience's perspective when staged appropriately. Much safer. ------------------------------ From: "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:36:28 -0800 Message-ID: <007b01c4e2cc$9c699f30$8d90fea9 [at] DrDoomsComputer> In-Reply-To: As were the broadswords I used for royal Hunt of the Sun. In point of fact Frank, hard to believe, I was in communication with Sir Lawrence Olivier at that time as the National Theatre was also mounting a production and we shared notes. I was overwhelmed but grateful. Doom -- Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson, Risk International & Associates, Inc. - www.riskit.com Latest workshops for Educational and Entertainment Industry Performing Arts Personnel (Riggers, and Public Assembly and Educational Technicians) www.riskit.com/workshops International Secondary Education Theater Safety Association (ISETSA) - www.isetsa.org -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 9:25 AM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 15/12/04 00:15:36 GMT Standard Time, theatricalmatt [at] hotmail.com writes: > And here our philosophies differ. And the philosophies of every fight choreo > I've worked with. > > Consider the usual parallel made between unsheathed weapons and loaded guns: > > would you allow one actor to point a pistol at another's head? This is a > discussion we've had on this list before, iirc. If I were satisfied that the venting was safe, yes I should. If the sword strokes are not aimed at the recipient's body, the fight will appear unrealistic. This is not what we are trying to do. I remember, many years ago, agreeing to fight a duel in a gala. My opponent and I rehearsed it carefully, and the President of our fencing club said that he would provide the weapons. He was also the head honcho on the UK fencing scene. Just as well that it was thoroughly rehearsed. The weapons he provided were real, sharp swords. I suppose that it's a measure of the trust he placed in us. But we were damn careful! Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-Id: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:37:01 -0600 From: "Phil Johnson" Cc: shawnp [at] northnet.net Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger While we are on the subject of the rosco fogger. Anyone have any ideas on how to clean out the heating unit. I don't seem to get any juice through the heater. The pump and tubes are clean ( I repaired the ruptured tubes) When it gets to the heater there seems to be little reaction. It is rather old, maybe a new one is in order. Philip Johnson Designer/Technical Director Texas A & M University - Corpus Christi ------------------------------ Message-ID: <886EF25AF8BEF64EB89A820EF84064FF069E0D44 [at] UCMAIL4> From: "Waxler, Steve (waxlers)" Subject: RE: holiday threads Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:37:48 -0500 You must be talking about FRANK!!! Steve Waxler Technical Director College Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati (513) 556-3709 -----Original Message----- From: Riter, Andrew (Head Ltg) [mailto:chanlights [at] exchange.ubc.ca] Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 6:31 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: holiday threads For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- > > From: "Paul Schreiner" > > > Hey gang we could do our own list Nativity Scene, we have=20 > > lots of Wise Men and Shepherds ...................oh wait,=20 > > what are we missing? > > I'd wager...virgins? > We're missing the all-seeing, all-knowing entity? (sorry, Bill, you're close, but not quite there yet) Andrew M. Riter Head Lighting Technician Chan Centre ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1f0.31303953.2ef1d185 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:42:29 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 14:40:18 GMT Standard Time, pschreiner [at] rmwc.edu writes: > Aimed at the partner's body? Yes. > > Trying to actually hit your partner? Absolutely not. > > That's the difference between two people hacking about on stage with > weapons, and two people doing safe stage combat. I try NOT to hit, but > to make it LOOK like I'm trying to cut my partner's head off. I agree. That is the whole thing about stage combat. > > If I'm trying to actually hit you, Frank, and we mess up the > "choreography", there's no level of safety; you're gonna get hit. If > I'm doing proper stage combat, and we mess up, it may look awkward--but > you're not going to get hit by my weapon. If you get hurt during a > combat scene with me, it's my fault. I take that very seriously. > Likewise, if I get hurt, it's your fault. Here, I disagree, although this ought to have been sorted out at rehearsals. In a well choreographed fight, if I get hurt, it's my fault. I have made a bad move. > Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <6d.3aaa4842.2ef1d2b6 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:47:34 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 14:56:03 GMT Standard Time, pschreiner [at] rmwc.edu writes: > Anything faster than 3/4 speed, and people can't process the visual > information quickly enough to follow the fight. Everything becomes a > blur, and at the end you get an almost universal "What happened? How > did he get hit?" reaction. This is really up to the choreographer. Stage fights really need big, bold movements. A real fencing match, with any weapon, would leave an audience cold. Errol Flynn got it right. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:50:24 -0500 Subject: Re: holiday threads From: Bill Sapsis Message-ID: In-Reply-To: on 12/15/04 12:37 PM, Waxler, Steve (waxlers) at WAXLERS [at] UCMAIL.UC.EDU wrote: >> >> From: "Paul Schreiner" >> >>> Hey gang we could do our own list Nativity Scene, we have=20 >>> lots of Wise Men and Shepherds ...................oh wait,=20 >>> what are we missing? >> >> I'd wager...virgins? >> > > We're missing the all-seeing, all-knowing entity? (sorry, Bill, you're > close, but not quite there yet) Yikes! Close? No way. Not even the same time zone! ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:02:24 -0500 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C65B [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > > I'm doing proper stage combat, and we mess up, it may look=20 > > awkward--but you're not going to get hit by my weapon. If you get=20 > > hurt during a combat scene with me, it's my fault. I take=20 > that very=20 > > seriously. Likewise, if I get hurt, it's your fault. >=20 > Here, I disagree, although this ought to have been sorted out=20 > at rehearsals.=20 > In a well choreographed fight, if I get hurt, it's my fault.=20 > I have made a bad=20 > move. This shows the differences between our respective types of training, Frank. The concept of me protecting my partner at the expense of all else in the scene is something that was drummed into my head from the day of my first rehearsal as a spearchucker in Othello, many years ago. I am responsible for my partner's safety, and s/he for mine. =20 The responsibility does not lie in the choreography, or the rehearsal itself; when things change in performance (as they will, inevitably...it is live theatre after all and not video), my first job is to keep my partner safe. If s/he forgets a beat or makes a wrong move, I have to be performing my moves in such a way that I will not--CAN NOT--inadvertently injure my partner because of it. That's my responsibility to the show, and to my partner, and to the audience. I don't care how many times a scene has been rehearsed, or the quality of the actors involved, or anything about that. Things are still going to change from night to night. Some changes will be extremely subtle, others will have the potential to cause the proverbial train wreck. But if I'm not going into a scene with my partner's safety foremost in my mind, the level of risk involved increases dramatically (pun intended). This doesn't just hold for weapons, mind you, but any part of the choreography...if my footwork is off, my partner needs to be able to steer me back onto the line we had originally established. If my partner isn't mentally 100% there that evening because of something outside the theatre, I need to adjust accordingly. Rehearsal for fight scenes isn't entirely about getting the choreography down...it's also about establishing a level of trust between the combatants, a level of non-verbal communication rivalling that of good married couples, and a knowledge of the partner thorough enough to be able to pick up on those very subtle unconscious clues so that you can be more fully prepared in case s/he goes up. That's why the standard rule of thumb is to require 1 hour of rehearsal time for every 5 SECONDS of actual, one-on-one fight time. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <000001c4e2d0$952dd3e0$55ecbed0 [at] hppav> From: "Joe Meils" References: Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:02:50 -0600 No, I'm afraid that your 1500 fogger is utterly worthless. Tell you what though, I'll be happy to take it off your hands. Just put that peice of junk into a box, and ship it to: Joe Meils C/0 UCA Drama Department Conway, Arkansas 72034 You'll be glad you did. ;) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Litterst" To: "Stagecraft" Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 7:55 AM Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > "RODOK!!!" wrote: > > > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > > Any suggestions on fixing a leaky Rosco 1500 fogger? It's about 10 years > > old, has been cleaned with distilled water after each run of a show, and > > with the advent of cheapo foggers on the market, is it worth repairing? > > If the archives are up, there is some pretty extensive discussion of > proper care and feeding of a fogger. Generally distilled water is > considered a bad idea. Water is more corrosive to the internal > plumbing than the fog fluid, and may be contributing to your leak. If > you must flush with distilled water, make sure you run the machine dry > and then refill with fresh fluid and run it until fog comes out. > > The 1500 is a good unit, if a little old. With some work you should > be able to get it running normally. The cheapo foggers on the market > won't have the legs that the 1500 does, either during production or > over time. > > Steve Litterst > > -- > Stephen C. Litterst > Technical Supervisor > Ithaca College > Dept. of Theatre Arts > 607/274-3947 > slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ From: "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:20:57 -0800 Message-ID: <008701c4e2d2$d2e5c6a0$8d90fea9 [at] DrDoomsComputer> In-Reply-To: Absolutely! Doom In film, movies, etc. My partner is a stage combat and film fight person, trained and skilled, and I reckon I learn a tad from him. Doom -- Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson, Risk International & Associates, Inc. - www.riskit.com Latest workshops for Educational and Entertainment Industry Performing Arts Personnel (Riggers, and Public Assembly and Educational Technicians) www.riskit.com/workshops International Secondary Education Theater Safety Association (ISETSA) - www.isetsa.org -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 9:48 AM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 15/12/04 14:56:03 GMT Standard Time, pschreiner [at] rmwc.edu writes: > Anything faster than 3/4 speed, and people can't process the visual > information quickly enough to follow the fight. Everything becomes a > blur, and at the end you get an almost universal "What happened? How > did he get hit?" reaction. This is really up to the choreographer. Stage fights really need big, bold movements. A real fencing match, with any weapon, would leave an audience cold. Errol Flynn got it right. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:21:23 -0500 Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > Any suggestions on fixing a leaky Rosco 1500 fogger? It's about 10 years > old, has been cleaned with distilled water after each run of a show, and > with the advent of cheapo foggers on the market, is it worth repairing? Beware of the "Cheapo foggers"! I bought one at Wallmart a couple of Halloweens ago thinking it might be a low budget bonanza. It will only allow you to produce fog when a green light comes on, and the light cycles on and off periodically. (Thermostat controlled?) The fact that the light is off - and it is in the "Won't work right now mode" right when the fog cue comes up, makes it impractical for theatrical work. Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:24:39 -0600 From: Chuck Mitchell Subject: triscuits Message-id: <003501c4e2d3$56d1bfa0$10e25c90 [at] Chuck> A simple and economic way to make triscuits is to use 7/16" osb for the decks and 2x ripped in half for the framing pieces. The framing exception is the ends bearing on studwalls should be 1". We use these and studwalls with studs 2' on center. Chuck Chuck Mitchell Scene Studio Supervisor University Theatre-University of Wisconsin Madison 608-263-3330 FAX 608-265-4075 ------------------------------ From: "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:35:05 -0800 Message-ID: <00af01c4e2d4$cd7668d0$8d90fea9 [at] DrDoomsComputer> In-Reply-To: Do not be shocked on my part. Working with European and Japanese stunt people, Frank is right on, however in American the land of gentleness, gosh, maybe I erred. doom -- Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson, Risk International & Associates, Inc. - www.riskit.com Latest workshops for Educational and Entertainment Industry Performing Arts Personnel (Riggers, and Public Assembly and Educational Technicians) www.riskit.com/workshops International Secondary Education Theater Safety Association (ISETSA) - www.isetsa.org -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Paul Schreiner Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 7:05 AM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- > From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf > Of Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson > > Excellent Frank. Doom Doom, I'm shocked that you're actually agreeing with Frank here that you're supposed to be trying to hit your partner in a stage combat scene... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:37:46 -0500 Subject: RE: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > We use triscuits and stud walls all of the time! Here is the Yale Tech > Brief that explains them: > > http://www.yale.edu/drama/publications/tech_brief/samples.html > > Click on: The Triscuit-Studwall Deck System I have some 2x4 / plywood platforms that a community theatre group left behind several years ago. I occasionally use them with 2x4 legs for drum risers, but they are in poor condition and I'd like to come up with something better. I have no budget for aluminium platforms and had been thinking of building some newer platforms. I have been considering Triscuts and parallels. Having never worked with Triscuts, does this sound like a practical solution for a drum riser? On another note: I was looking at the Yale Technical Briefs website, and although there is a form to subscribe, all of the items listed on the "Catalogue" page have dates from the '80's and '90's. Nothing as recent as 2000. Are new tech briefs still published? Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:43:43 -0500 Subject: Re: Job announcement and description From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: > * Hearing sufficiently to clearly hear voices, alarms, bells and horns > and to distinguish colors That takes some amazing hearing to be able to distinguish colours! Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41C08872.9030208 [at] fredonia.edu> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:54:42 -0500 From: "Stephen E. Rees" Reply-To: Rees [at] fredonia.edu Subject: Tech Briefs Live References: Bruce, Yes, Yale Tech Brief is still published. Can't speak for the website but here is the contact info I have. Editors: Ben Sammler, bronislaw.sammler [at] yale.edu or Don Harvey, donald.harvey [at] yale.edu Circulation: laraine.sammler [at] yale.edu (203) 432-8188 HTH. Steve Bruce Purdy wrote: [snipped] Are new tech briefs still published? > > Bruce ------------------------------ Message-ID: <2841.129.252.241.105.1103138782.squirrel [at] webmail.columbia.sc> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:26:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: holiday threads From: usctd [at] columbia.sc Your right. He would more than likely be a Westcoaster. That way east coast would be awake and he wouldn't have to wait to make phone calls! Not that he would REALLY need a phone, though. -- Eric Rouse TD-University of SC, Columbia Freelance Foyboy > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > on 12/15/04 12:37 PM, Waxler, Steve (waxlers) at WAXLERS [at] UCMAIL.UC.EDU > wrote: > >>> >>> From: "Paul Schreiner" >>> >>>> Hey gang we could do our own list Nativity Scene, we have=20 >>>> lots of Wise Men and Shepherds ...................oh wait,=20 >>>> what are we missing? >>> >>> I'd wager...virgins? >>> >> >> We're missing the all-seeing, all-knowing entity? (sorry, Bill, you're >> close, but not quite there yet) > > > Yikes! Close? No way. Not even the same time zone! > > > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41C08AC6.50407 [at] fredonia.edu> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:04:38 -0500 From: "Stephen E. Rees" Reply-To: Rees [at] fredonia.edu Subject: Re: Tech Briefs Live References: Whoops! Sorry about Ben Sammler's email. I threw in an extra space. It should be: bronislaw.sammler [at] yale.edu Steve Rees Stephen E. Rees wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Bruce, > Yes, Yale Tech Brief is still published. ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <2020E942-4ECE-11D9-B305-000D936BFA94 [at] dejazzd.com> From: Greg Bierly Subject: Re: Stock Platform "texas triscut" system question Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:18:39 -0500 > On another note: I was looking at the Yale Technical Briefs > website, and > although there is a form to subscribe, all of the items listed on the > "Catalogue" page have dates from the '80's and '90's. Nothing as > recent as > 2000. Are new tech briefs still published? I subscribe and receive them a couple of times a year. The first set of briefs are in a bound set of two books. All of the new ones arrive punched and ready for a three ring binder. You can get a healthy discount as a USITT member. I highly recommend the entire set and pick up any back issues you might have missed. VERY useful. ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <73353DDE-4ECE-11D9-B305-000D936BFA94 [at] dejazzd.com> From: Greg Bierly Subject: Re: Tech Briefs Live Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:20:58 -0500 > Bruce, > Yes, Yale Tech Brief is still published. Can't speak for the website http://www.yale.edu/drama/publications/tech_brief/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:27:11 -0500 From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Subject: Re: Job announcement and description Message-ID: <7DFD199F.679A9FD4.007B9F2A [at] aol.com> Bruce said it takes amazing hearing to hear colors... friend of mine in college had perfect pitch. Would drive me crazy! He could tell me that I was playing a Bb, D and F on the piano but didn't know if it was a major or monor chord. He heard them as individual pitches, not as the harmoic whole. When I asked him how he did that, he told me that Bb is a "pale blue, like the winter sky" D is "deep red... think burgundy wine" and F is "bright green like grass". No wonder he played drums. :) Kristi ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20041215125006.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:50:06 From: CB Subject: Re: Fire in Tucson Convention Center Arena >One of the few things that would get one 86'd from a bar like the >Buffet, not that I know anything about that. They actually 86 folk from the Buffet? I know of one gentleman that pulled a knife on a guy in there, went to jail, and came to the Buffet the day he got out. No one said a thing. (One of the reasons I no longer GO to the Buffet). 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: <41C09476.1000506 [at] northnet.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:45:58 -0600 From: Shawn Palmer Cc: Phil.Johnson [at] mail.tamucc.edu (Phil Johnson) Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger References: In-Reply-To: Phil Johnson wrote: > While we are on the subject of the rosco fogger. Anyone have any ideas > on how to clean out the heating unit. I don't seem to get any juice > through the heater. The pump and tubes are clean ( I repaired the > ruptured tubes) When it gets to the heater there seems to be little > reaction. > > It is rather old, maybe a new one is in order. Phil, When I bought the pump 'kits' initially I only replaced the pumps. It seemed to be pumping juice... but no fog to speak of. Then I took the old nozzles and tried to clean them out. It worked OK for one unit, but not the second. I finally replaced both the nozzles too, and the difference was amazing. Have you tried replacing the nozzles? Shawn ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20041215130929.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:09:29 From: CB Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... >You are less that fair. They know about weapons, and about their safe use. Hmmm... I 'd thought that I'd given them that. In case there was any misinterpretation of my humble attempts at communication, SCA Rapier folk fight with steel swords every week. They know about weapons of this type, their care and maintenance, and their safe use *as applied to actual fighting*. As far as stage fighting, most of them know very little, and their experience in actually trying to deliver blows which would kill or maim (were the swords sharp and not blunted, and were the participants not wearing any armor) might confuse the safety issues in a stage fighting environment. This is not to say that you may happen onto a rapier fighter who has fenced olympic style AND been trained in stage fighting techniques. If you were to come to one of my practices, you'd find one there in me. There would be no guarantee, however, that someone who is able to handle a blade deftly in a fighting situation would be able to handle one safely in a theatrical environment. They are two different and diametrically opposed disciplines, who's only intersection would include using swords and concern for safety. Its as much as saying any combat vet or target shooter will be able to stage gunplay for a theatre. In fencing (of almost any type) the object is to put the pointy end into the other guy, or at least slash him in some way. In stagefighting, contact with working end of the blade by either fighter is considered bad form. In stagefighting, the attacker should show his intentions to the defender in great and obvious (to his opponent) detail. In fencing, this is considered a bad thing (tm), and is to be avoided. In fencing, parrying is the primary thing that keeps your opponents blade from contact. In stagefighting, a missed parry *should* not matter, the blade should not make contact. I could go on, but I think that you get the drift at this point, no pun intended. There, Frank, fair enough? 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, 15 Dec 2004 15:07:09 -0500 From: John Bracewell Subject: Re: Job announcement and description In-reply-to: Message-id: <5.2.0.9.0.20041215150608.00bb45d0 [at] pop.lightlink.com> >he told me that Bb is a "pale blue, like the winter sky" D is "deep red... >think burgundy wine" and F is "bright green like grass". No, no, no. He's wrong. D is like bright brass! -- JLB ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20041215133112.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:31:12 From: CB Subject: Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) >The publication date is 1969, Ehm, OK, that's a century in television technology... And I still take issue with the use of the words "may, might, usually, if, etc." in a discussion of engineering. >"Of course, if we were designing it nowadays, we shouldn't do it quite this >way". One of the early pioneers of television said basically the same thing. Color information had to be accepted and viewed on teh popular black and white sets when it first came out. Color would have been accepted far later if it meant your old set was no longer functional. PAL being so much better than NTSC is a direct result of television starting in the US. Europeans had the opportunity to see what we had done, and build on that instead of having to incorporate it in their design. >>Frank, if you don't have current >> information, you don't have correct information. I still stand by this statement >Then do so. Post some documented facts. I have yet seen none from you. I've posted the suggestion that you google "television contrast ratio" and see the specs for yourself, instead of taking my word for it. These specs, while they may not be nuts on accurate, give a general idea of what is available today. If you need more accurate and timely information, I suggest you look in on the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) standards page. Here is the URL: These gentlemen are the last word in the television industry here in the US. Argue with them, please. 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: <3.0.6.32.20041215133425.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:34:25 From: CB Subject: Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) >This is actually quite common - essential for jingle and commercial studios ;-) I don't mix much for televison anymore, but when I did I would bring a small portable set into the control room with me to check my mix on that. Shaders and vision mixers would occasionally stop in to see what their stuf looked like, and soon there was a televison in the video portion of a few control rooms! 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, 15 Dec 2004 14:33:25 -0600 From: Fred Fisher Subject: Re: Job announcement and description In-reply-to: Message-id: <5.2.1.1.2.20041215142942.018b8f08 [at] wiscmail.wisc.edu> References: > > KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: > > > * Hearing sufficiently to clearly hear voices, alarms, bells and horns > > and to distinguish colors > > That takes some amazing hearing to be able to distinguish colours! > >Bruce I once had a sitar player complain that the color of one of the washes was adversely affecting the tone of his instrument. It was something about the wavelength of the light having improper harmonics with the sound waves. Fred ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20041215134400.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:44:00 From: CB Subject: RE:Fire in Tuscon >What kind of arenas do you have there where there is a rock concert AND a movie shoot at the same time? Welcome to Tucson! Actually, your latter supposition ws correct. The movie was being shot in the north exhibition hall, sorta next door to the arena. The two are connected by some VERY large doors and a bit of a hallway. As I understand it, the doors are fireproof but the smoke was getting into the arena, and as the arena is downhill from the ex-hall, that's where the water was ending up, so they evacuated. 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: <3.0.6.32.20041215135250.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:52:50 From: CB Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... >If you want to achieve any degree of realism, every blow >must be aimed to hit. That is why exact choreography is so important. The >parries must be as precice as the attacks. But all strikes must be aimed at the >opponent's body. Somehow, Frank, the word "appear" seems to have been deleted from some of the above quoted sentences. I believe you meant to say, "every blow must *appear* to be aimed to hit", and "all strikes must *appear* to be aimed at the ooponents body". Kids, take it from someone who has been there. Most attacks in stagefighting with swords are actually made with the hilt and are designed to go nowhere near the opponent. This insures that the blade doesn't KILL anyone should the opponent fail to make his parry. Depending on the skill of an actor with three or four weeks training to defend his life with a sword is simple folly headed quickly down a steep hill towards criminal negligence. Do not ever try to hit the body of another actor with a sword unless you intend to do that actor grave bodily injury! Do not ever try to hit the body of another actor with a sword unless you intend to do that actor grave bodily injury! Do not ever try to hit the body of another actor with a sword unless you intend to do that actor grave bodily injury! Frank, you should be ashamed of yourself! Really, this is too much. Next you'll be telling them that stage gunplay requires real guns and real bullets, and real bloodshed to achieve realism. You really should apologise to anyone who may have taken you seriously. 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: <3.0.6.32.20041215140401.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:04:01 From: CB Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... >every attack is make to a very specific area of the body so that the >actor parrying the attack will know exactly where to position the parry, BUT >(in most cases) the "fencing measure" - the distance between the opponents >in the fight- is such that the attacker cannot actually make a "hit." For closer combat, the attack that is telegraphed is made with the hilt of the weapon. The blade comes up for the attack, the forward motion is in the hilt, and the parry comes and makes contact with the attacking blade to *appear* to have stopped the it. In the event that the recipient of such a blow forgets his 'lines', the worst that can happen is that the blow seems to stop for no apperant reason. My favorite response to "How did the show go?" has and always will be, "Well, nobody died". 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: <3.0.6.32.20041215142803.018028f8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:28:03 From: CB Subject: Re: Re: fixing radio mic >Depending on the pattern of the mic (are there any that aren't >omnidirectional??) Yeah, there are a few, but none that I like... Take Kristi's advice here. She offers a half-dozen (good) ideas and there are plenty more. As a sound engineer (or an A2) you'll have to come up with your own every once in a while. There are as many ways to attach a lav as ther are costumes, actors, hairstyles, and mics. Different approaches will work beter for different situations. For theatre, the most common I have run into are: Toupee clips. One in the front, one in the back, mic placed just barely forward of the hairline between the ear and teh peak of the forehead. Pitfalls are hairspray and sweat. Elastic. A headsized loop is created with elastic as one half and the mic cord as the other. This loop wraps around the actors head, just under the hairline, and the mic can be placed at the hairline anywhere along the front. Adjust as necessary. 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: <20041215215610.21148.qmail [at] web54005.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:56:10 -0800 (PST) From: "Jay, Jay Maury, Maury" Subject: Rosco 1500 In-Reply-To: If the fogger is leaking before the pump and heat unit; the filter and check-valve are windshield-washer-system parts. Any auto parts store, I reccomend HELP brand replacements. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:22:19 -0600 From: Mark Harvey Cc: blou0016 [at] d.umn.edu Subject: Internships in Germany Message-ID: <2147483647.1103127739 [at] umd52-36.d.umn.edu> In-Reply-To: References: A student in our theatre program is interested in working as an intern in theatre production in Germany next summer. She's an undergraduate in our prgram and is working towards a BFA degree with an emphasis in scenic design and lighting design. She is fluent in German and will already be in Germany during the summer months. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows of a theatre production company in Germany that would possibly consider her application. Thanks! ____________________________________ Mark Harvey Associate Professor, Theatrical Lighting and Sound Design University of Minnesota Duluth http://www.d.umn.edu/~mharvey ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 18:37:53 -0500 (EST) From: Todd Lipcon Subject: Comment on lighting design Message-ID: <20041215182806.C77087 [at] mercea.mercea.net> Hi all, I've recently completed my biggest/most complicated lighting design to date, and was hoping that some list members could take a look at some photos and comment. I know that photos don't tell the full story of a lighting design at all, but I've done this in the past on this list, and some of the responses have been very helpful in terms of developing composition/color usage. The photos are online at: http://barbour-king-196.resnet.brown.edu/psyche/photos/photos.html If interested, plot (minus a few modifications made during tech week) is online at: http://barbour-king-196.resnet.brown.edu/plot1.pdf http://barbour-king-196.resnet.brown.edu/plot2.pdf http://barbour-king-196.resnet.brown.edu/plot3.pdf Also, if you could recommend some "favorites" that you think would best represent my work in my portfolio, I'd really appreciate it. I find it hard to pick portfolio-photos myself, since my perception of them is inextricably linked to too many other factors that cannot be communicated in this medium. Thanks a lot, -Todd ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: Cc: marko [at] email.arizona.edu (Mark O'Brien) From: Mark O'Brien Subject: Re: Comment on lighting design Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:42:09 -0700 While I am no lighting designer, I find the quality of the photography excellent. For our information, can you tell us what you used, and how you did it? Mark-O On Dec 15, 2004, at 4:37 PM, Todd Lipcon wrote: > Hi all, > > I've recently completed my biggest/most complicated lighting design to > date, and was hoping that some list members could take a look at some > photos and comment. I know that photos don't tell the full story of a > lighting design at all, but I've done this in the past on this list, > and some of the responses have been very helpful in terms of > developing composition/color usage. > Mark O'Brien Opera Technical Director University of Arizona, School of Music Tucson, AZ 520/621-7025 520/591-1803 Mobile ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 19:24:38 -0500 From: Herrick Goldman Subject: Re: Comment on lighting design Todd, tell us more about the show...I don't know Psyche. Is it a comedy? A tragedy? a Musicomicagedy? Your photos are good but a close up every now and again never hurts. (I usually only do full stage shots as well) What were you trying to achieve? Were you happy with it was your director? Then it's good. You'll get 50 opinions here on your work. There are only two that matter. Yours and the director's. As for picking the best ones the wide one towards the bottom of page 2 jumped out at me as a nice dramatic shot. that and I'm a big fan of side light. Frank will tell you you used too much color...feel free to listen to him...or not..... _Herrick -- 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 ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "Jeffrey E. Salzberg" Subject: RE: Comment on lighting design Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 19:33:39 -0500 Message-ID: <000001c4e306$e3c4f020$6601a8c0 [at] Dell> In-Reply-To: > What were you trying to achieve? Were you happy with it was your > director? Then it's good. You'll get 50 opinions here on your work. > There are only two that matter. Yours and the director's. I'd add that none of us know what your concept was. Few, if any, of us know the script at all, and therefore have done no analysis of it. Photos (and yours are very nice) can't shows us the cues in context, and certainly can't show us how you got from one cue to the other. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.811 / Virus Database: 552 - Release Date: 12/13/2004 ------------------------------ From: "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" Subject: RE: Rosco 1500 Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:54:11 -0800 Message-ID: <005801c4e309$c3085310$8d90fea9 [at] DrDoomsComputer> In-Reply-To: My only, oh ya, comment is: once you begin to add your store bought fixer up parts, you become the manufacturer. You have a fogger that works ... however, if something goes awry, possible, then you are liable, and that is a consideration to at least give some thought to. Doom -- Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson, Risk International & Associates, Inc. - www.riskit.com Latest workshops for Educational and Entertainment Industry Performing Arts Personnel (Riggers, and Public Assembly and Educational Technicians) www.riskit.com/workshops International Secondary Education Theater Safety Association (ISETSA) - www.isetsa.org -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Jay, Jay Maury, Maury Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 1:56 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Rosco 1500 For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- If the fogger is leaking before the pump and heat unit; the filter and check-valve are windshield-washer-system parts. Any auto parts store, I reccomend HELP brand replacements. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 20:03:32 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 18:03:22 GMT Standard Time, pschreiner [at] rmwc.edu writes: > This shows the differences between our respective types of training, > Frank. It does. I come at it as a trained fencer, rather than as a choreographer. Maybe that's a bad place to start from. I will certainly do my best not to damage my opponent (and there's a telling word). All the same, if you're doing the Scottish play, with reasonably realistic swords (2' 6" of 2" x 3.8" steel), once you have started a move it's hard to change it. They have a lot of inertia. I have seen splinters fly from the shields. > > The responsibility does not lie in the choreography, or the rehearsal > itself; when things change in performance (as they will, inevitably...it > is live theatre after all and not video), my first job is to keep my > partner safe. I disagree, within limits, and at rehearsal. A good, solid bruise is a reminder to get it right, next time. If s/he forgets a beat or makes a wrong move, I have to > be performing my moves in such a way that I will not--CAN > NOT--inadvertently injure my partner because of it. That's my > responsibility to the show, and to my partner, and to the audience. The whole point of rehearsals is to make sure that this doesn't happen. And, of course, of choreographing a fight, and writing it down. That is why you need so much rehearsl time. The actors should be able to do it in their sleep. > > This doesn't just hold for weapons, mind you, but any part of the > choreography...if my footwork is off, my partner needs to be able to > steer me back onto the line we had originally established. If my > partner isn't mentally 100% there that evening because of something > outside the theatre, I need to adjust accordingly. In dance, I'll buy that. But it's unprofessional. > > Rehearsal for fight scenes isn't entirely about getting the choreography > down...it's also about establishing a level of trust between the > combatants, a level of non-verbal communication rivalling that of good > married couples, and a knowledge of the partner thorough enough to be > able to pick up on those very subtle unconscious clues so that you can > be more fully prepared in case s/he goes up. This depends on where you are starting from. If your actors hardly know which end of a sword is sharp, when you begin, I think that following the choreography exactly is the only way to go, particularly if you are short of rehearsal time. All you can really do is to tell them, if it's going wrong, is to retire out of distance, touch your blade to the floor, and then start the phrase again. That's why the standard > rule of thumb is to require 1 hour of rehearsal time for every 5 SECONDS > of actual, one-on-one fight time. I like the theory, but how many shows can spare the time? The only show I have done where this would have been posible was the 'Hamlet' I did, with an understanding director. Even so, he saddled me with a left-handed Laertes! Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 20:16:55 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 20:07:47 GMT Standard Time, psyd [at] cox.net writes: > In fencing (of almost any type) the object is to put the pointy end into > the other guy, or at least slash him in some way. In stagefighting, > contact with working end of the blade by either fighter is considered bad > form. In stagefighting, the attacker should show his intentions to the > defender in great and obvious (to his opponent) detail. In fencing, this > is considered a bad thing (tm), and is to be avoided. In fencing, parrying > is the primary thing that keeps your opponents blade from contact. In > stagefighting, a missed parry *should* not matter, the blade should not > make contact. I could go on, but I think that you get the drift at this > point, no pun intended. > There, Frank, fair enough? Fair enough, but totally wrong. The choreographer will, if you like, have programmed the moves that each party should make, and when And, the actors should have learnt them. A stage fight is not a free-for-all. All the moves are precisely specified. And there should be a get-out clause. Retire out of distance, lower your blade to the floor, and start the phrase again. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 20:23:00 -0500 (EST) From: Todd Lipcon Subject: Re: Comment on lighting design [ long] In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20041215193559.A77087 [at] mercea.mercea.net> References: On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Jeffrey E. Salzberg wrote: >> What were you trying to achieve? Were you happy with it was your >> director? Then it's good. You'll get 50 opinions here on your work. >> There are only two that matter. Yours and the director's. > > I'd add that none of us know what your concept was. Few, if any, of us > know the script at all, and therefore have done no analysis of it. > Photos (and yours are very nice) can't shows us the cues in context, and > certainly can't show us how you got from one cue to the other. > I absolutely agree with what both of you have said. Often times, though, a portfolio is meant to convey something _without_ that context, which is why I was hoping to get some responses without giving it about which photos were particularly eye-catching, etc. Whenever I insert something in my portfolio, I try to put some text with it, but I don't know whether people actually read that. So now, the context: None of you does know the script, because it's an original musical. The story is that of Psyche and Eros, a Greek myth (the most well known version is by Apuleus, I believe, though I'm pretty sure Ovid also tells it). To sum it up really quickly, Psyche is a beautiful mortal who is worshipped by all the mortal men, but none of the men feel that they could actually marry her. Of course, she has "depth" and resents her beauty, since no one can see through it to her "soul" ("Psyche"). Aphrodite gets jealous of Psyche since no one is worshipping her properly anymore and convinces her son Eros to go down to earth to make her fall in love with a monster, so that she'll be out of the way. Eros goes down, but of course falls in love with Psyche and instead makes her fall in love with him. The twist is that Psyche cannot know who he is, or else doom is a sure thing (this is a common thing in mythology). So they live together in darkness for some time. Eventually, Aphrodite figures this out and gets angry (of course) at her for stealing her son, and maneuvres things such that Psyche becomes curious and shines a light on Eros, discovering who he is. The second act of the show involves Psyche begging Aphrodite for forgiveness, and being sent on various tasks (think Hercules) to redeem herself. To cut a long story (show was almost 3 hours!) short, she dies, comes back to life, turns into a goddess, and all ends happily. As for the script/score itself, it's definitely a modern take on all of this. The music alternates between baroque choral with harpsichord and strings accompanying, and sort of boy-band-ish "pop rock". The style of the production was very "broadway musical," "big," and "Disney" (to quote the director) As for my translation of all of this into concept (in a few brief points): Color: - The set was predominately a very light cream color. This gave me a lot of opportunity to "paint" on it with very saturated colors and not have to worry about whether or not I could get it to read. The ability to use the strong colors meshed well with the "big Disney musical" feel we were going for -- just as all the characters were a little "larger than life", I felt the lighting had to have a bit of "technicolor" aspect. - I made color choices with the costume and skin tone of Psyche herself kept at the forefront of my mind. Given that her beauty is meant to rival Aphrodite's, it was imperative that she (and her clothing) look good in all light cast on her. Yet I also wanted a tinge of sadness to her look. This settled in my mind as a palette of predominately lavender (R53/57) and blue (R83, some 84,64) in her scenes. The lavender provided warmth, especially when dimmed, but in a different manner than a pink or amber would have that I think was pretty effective. In the scenes in which her power/beauty is diminished, I tried to shift more towards the cold blues which flattered her less and showed the "lost" aspect of her character, if that makes any sense. - For the two principal gods (Apollo and Aphrodite), I chose colors that I felt were representative of their character/specialty throughout all myth, and also worked with their character in the show. Aphrodite is associated with passion, lust, sex, anger, and jealousy, which I interpreted as a deep red. This worked well with her costume and music to give her a sort of "Cruella De Ville" look: http://barbour-king-196.resnet.brown.edu/psyche/photos/photos-Pages/Image31.html For Apollo, I went the simple route of associating him with the sun and made his principle color be amber (R16/R02). He was present in the majority of the "Olympus" scenes as well, which had an external/daylight feel to them, which worked well with the ambers. - I tried to maintain a more "flat" "wash" look for non-musical numbers and then transition them to the more colorful/dramatic/contrastive looks that are in most of these photos. I feel like this is a bit of a "Broadway Musical Cliche" that worked with the design concept for the show. Cueing: - I'm a musician and like to base my cueing strongly around impulses in the music. For this show, this meant a lot of slow "morphy" fades during baroque-style numbers, and a lot of high contrast "bumps" during the rock numbers. In a few places, the music abruptly transitioned from the baroque to the rock, and I tried to make these cues be especially contrastive, going from a more "opera" look to a "rock concert" look with plenty of backlight and saturated color. Angles: - I'm particularly bad at describing _why_ I like a certain angle in a certain moment. It's really a "gut feel" thing for me, which I should probably learn to describe to better get ideas across. In general though, the angles were pretty "standard" - lots of sidelight for dance moments, lots of boring frontlight for "regular old day on mortal earth" moments, etc. This email is definitely far too long, so if you've made it this far, congratulations and thanks! Hopefully it can give people an idea of what I was trying to do, and maybe they can use it to tell me whether or not I got my concept across. Thanks -Todd P.S. The mandatory preemptive Frank Wood rebuttal: Yes, Frank. I know I used too many colors. I know people aren't red, blue, and yellow. I just disagree with you on what's "allowed" in theater. And I think red, blue, and yellow people can look good when your disbelief is suspended in a musical. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41C0E330.6050808 [at] telus.net> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 18:21:52 -0700 From: "RODOK!!!" Subject: Re: rosco 1500 fogger References: In-Reply-To: Stephen Litterst wrote: >For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see >--------------------------------------------------- > >"RODOK!!!" wrote: > > >>For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see >>--------------------------------------------------- >> >>Any suggestions on fixing a leaky Rosco 1500 fogger? It's about 10 years >>old, has been cleaned with distilled water after each run of a show, and >>with the advent of cheapo foggers on the market, is it worth repairing? >> >> > >If the archives are up, there is some pretty extensive discussion of >proper care and feeding of a fogger. Generally distilled water is >considered a bad idea. Water is more corrosive to the internal >plumbing than the fog fluid, and may be contributing to your leak. If >you must flush with distilled water, make sure you run the machine dry >and then refill with fresh fluid and run it until fog comes out. > >The 1500 is a good unit, if a little old. With some work you should >be able to get it running normally. The cheapo foggers on the market >won't have the legs that the 1500 does, either during production or >over time. > >Steve Litterst > > > Oh oh. My Rosco rep sent cleaning instructions for the 1500 when we purchased it.. and flushing the unit with distilled water following a production run was cited as most important to keep the insides from gumming up or corroding. Running dry for a few minutes and storing was the final stage of the instructions. I must call him up and ask for clarification. From what I've read on line so far and in the archives leads me to think that maybe it's worth sending it back to Rosco for repairs. It's a great output unit with tremendous on-demand control at variable rates of delivery, and at the time it cost more than my first car. Thanks so much to everyone for the suggestions and ideas. Rod Osiowy Wild Theatre Cranbrook, BC ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1f5.35d516e.2ef23fd1 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 20:33:05 EST Subject: Re: the ethos of sound (and light?) In a message dated 15/12/04 20:29:19 GMT Standard Time, psyd [at] cox.net writes: > I've posted the suggestion that you google "television contrast ratio" and > see the specs for yourself, instead of taking my word for it. These specs, > while they may not be nuts on accurate, give a general idea of what is > available today. I have taken the trouble to look up the numbers, and post them. From textbooks, written for training TV engineers. They were written by better engineers than I. I have seen no numbers posted by you with any authority attached. If you need more accurate and timely information, I > suggest you look in on the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television > Engineers) standards page. Here is the URL: > > These gentlemen are the last word in the television industry here in the > US. Argue with them, please. Well, the site offers a lot of interesting information. But, and it's late at night here, I can see none that is relevant. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <6.3a81d24c.2ef2423e [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 20:43:26 EST Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... In a message dated 15/12/04 20:51:06 GMT Standard Time, psyd [at] cox.net writes: > Somehow, Frank, the word "appear" seems to have been deleted from some of > the above quoted sentences. I believe you meant to say, "every blow must > *appear* to be aimed to hit", and "all strikes must *appear* to be aimed at > the ooponents body". No, I stand by this, provided that the weapons are safe, that is to say, non-lethal. > > Frank, you should be ashamed of yourself! Really, this is too much. Next > you'll be telling them that stage gunplay requires real guns and real > bullets, and real bloodshed to achieve realism. You really should > apologise to anyone who may have taken you seriously. I do not take guns lightly, unlike you in the US. Swords, and properly choreographed stage fights are an area where I have some slight expertise. Do you? If so, state it. If not, SHUT UP! Frank Wood ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "Michael Burris" Subject: RE: Rosco 1500 Question Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:22:24 -0500 Message-ID: <000001c4e31e$76b20a00$119a65c0 [at] Lighting> In-Reply-To: It has been written: >Anyone >have any ideas on how to >clean out the heating unit. I >don't seem to get any juice >through the heater. The >pump and tubes are clean ( I >repaired the ruptured >tubes) When it gets to the >heater there seems to be >little reaction. > >It is rather old, maybe a new >one is in order. > First off congratulations for being ready to replace. It gives you more liberty in your repair procedures. Since you have the freedom, I would suggest cleaning the nozzle. Straighten a paper clip and gently push it into the nozzle. (4-6 inches) I usually use my Leatherman for this (since usually this trick is a last minute fix meaning the nozzle is HOT). This usually solves the problem. If not, a syringe should be able to deliver enough pressure to get thru the heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger is totally blocked, the units value is reduced to scrap. So sell or hack the remote, and horse trade it for something you need. On a side note: Last year my F-100 fogger's pump died on me. I connected a syringe to the pump input and was able to inject fluid manually. This was a diagnostic step that became a short term solution. We only needed a few bursts. It made the fogger SO much quieter. The downside is that you are limited to the capacity of the syringe. Later, Michael Jon Burris ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:41:05 -0500 Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... From: Bill Sapsis Message-ID: In-Reply-To: on 12/15/04 8:43 PM, FrankWood95 [at] aol.com at FrankWood95 [at] aol.com wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > In a message dated 15/12/04 20:51:06 GMT Standard Time, psyd [at] cox.net writes: > >> Somehow, Frank, the word "appear" seems to have been deleted from some of >> the above quoted sentences. I believe you meant to say, "every blow must >> *appear* to be aimed to hit", and "all strikes must *appear* to be aimed at >> the ooponents body". > > No, I stand by this, provided that the weapons are safe, that is to say, > non-lethal. >> >> Frank, you should be ashamed of yourself! Really, this is too much. Next >> you'll be telling them that stage gunplay requires real guns and real >> bullets, and real bloodshed to achieve realism. You really should >> apologise to anyone who may have taken you seriously. > > I do not take guns lightly, unlike you in the US. Swords, and properly > choreographed stage fights are an area where I have some slight expertise. Do > you? > If so, state it. If not, SHUT UP! > > > Frank Wood OK kids. No more fighting. Time for bed. Geez. This list is all about advice, comments and opinions. This list is a great resource to a great number of people. This list reaches, I dunno, how many people? Noah? Anyway, it would be a nice idea if we all tried to remember that discussions can get heated at times. We're all passionate people. Or at least passionate about what we do. But I would respectfully request that we all try to remain civil with each other. Based on what he reads here, Johnny, the impressionable high school sophomore who was thinking about going into this business might just decide that being the pin boy at the local bowling alley would be a better choice. (don't tell anyone but there are times I've thought that way too.) I have been fortunate enough to have done quite a bit of traveling and worked with many people from many lands. While we do many things differently and sometimes use different words for the equipment, the common thread (other than poverty) is that we truly love what we do. Don't spoil it. Especially for the kids. Just my $1.75 (hey, the dollar is sinking pretty fast so i had to raise my rates0 be well Bill S. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, and under, our work. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <886EF25AF8BEF64EB89A820EF84064FF069E0D4E [at] UCMAIL4> From: "Waxler, Steve (waxlers)" Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:57:13 -0500 Besides, I think that this topic has run its course. On to the next windmill. Steve Waxler Technical Director College Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati (513) 556-3709 I have been fortunate enough to have done quite a bit of traveling and worked with many people from many lands. While we do many things differently and sometimes use different words for the equipment, the common thread (other than poverty) is that we truly love what we do. Don't spoil it. Especially for the kids. Just my $1.75 (hey, the dollar is sinking pretty fast so i had to raise my rates0 be well Bill S. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, and under, our work. ------------------------------ From: "Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson" Subject: RE: Stage Combat Choreographers... Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:03:38 -0800 Message-ID: <001f01c4e334$fd363810$8d90fea9 [at] DrDoomsComputer> In-Reply-To: Correct Mr. Quixote. doom -- Dr. Randall W.A. Davidson, Risk International & Associates, Inc. - www.riskit.com Latest workshops for Educational and Entertainment Industry Performing Arts Personnel (Riggers, and Public Assembly and Educational Technicians) www.riskit.com/workshops International Secondary Education Theater Safety Association (ISETSA) - www.isetsa.org -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Waxler, Steve (waxlers) Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 7:57 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Stage Combat Choreographers... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Besides, I think that this topic has run its course. On to the next windmill. Steve Waxler Technical Director College Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati (513) 556-3709 I have been fortunate enough to have done quite a bit of traveling and worked with many people from many lands. While we do many things differently and sometimes use different words for the equipment, the common thread (other than poverty) is that we truly love what we do. Don't spoil it. Especially for the kids. Just my $1.75 (hey, the dollar is sinking pretty fast so i had to raise my rates0 be well Bill S. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, and under, our work. ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #229 *****************************