Return-Path: X-Processed-By: Virex 7 on prxy.net X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.1.8 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #26 Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 03:00:33 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #26 1. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by Richard Niederberg 2. E=MC^2 by CB 3. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by IAEG [at] aol.com 4. Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought by Richard Niederberg 5. Re: Digital stills from video -- what resolution? by Jerry Durand 6. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by Richard Niederberg 7. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by Boyd Ostroff 8. Re: DVDs of Photos (was Re: Powerpoint Background) by Jerry Durand 9. Re: counterweight rigging by "Randy Whitcomb" 10. Re: Digital stills from video -- what resolution? by Boyd Ostroff 11. Re: counterweight rigging by "Matthew Breton" 12. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Bruce Purdy 13. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by MissWisc [at] aol.com 14. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by IAEG [at] aol.com 15. Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) by IAEG [at] aol.com 16. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by MissWisc [at] aol.com 17. A request of my NYC friends... by MissWisc [at] aol.com 18. Wow! by 19. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Bruce Purdy 20. Re: counterweight rigging by "Delbert Hall" 21. Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by "Mason, Richard" 22. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by "Rachel Kinsman Steck" 23. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by Pat Kight 24. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by "Mason, Richard" 25. Re: Food for thought by Bruce Purdy 26. Re: Wal-mart by "Randy Whitcomb" 27. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by Boyd Ostroff 28. Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 by "Mason, Richard" 29. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by "Sam Fisher" 30. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Bsapsis [at] aol.com 31. Re: Counterweight Rigging by "Big Fred Schoening" 32. Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) by "Sam Fisher" 33. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Rigger 34. Re: Counterweight Rigging - Mick's post by "Sam Fisher" 35. Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) by Bsapsis [at] aol.com 36. Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations by Bsapsis [at] aol.com 37. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Michael Heinicke 38. Re: Prepare for an aneurism... by Stuart Wheaton 39. Re: Counterweight Rigging by "Kevin Patrick" 40. Sing Faster by "Kevin Patrick" 41. Re: Counterweight Rigging by Bsapsis [at] aol.com 42. Re: Counterweight Rigging by usctd [at] columbia.sc 43. Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ... by Stuart Wheaton 44. Re: Sing Faster by Rigger 45. Re: Ring Cycle by Loren Schreiber 46. Re: Sing Faster by Derek McLaughlin 47. Re: I went to Home Depot today by Loren Schreiber 48. Re: Sing Faster by "Kevin Patrick" 49. Re: Counterweight Rigging by James Feinberg 50. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by StevevETTrn [at] aol.com 51. Re: Automation grenades--boom! by Loren Schreiber 52. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by StevevETTrn [at] aol.com 53. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by StevevETTrn [at] aol.com 54. Re: Welcome back Frank by Loren Schreiber 55. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by "Matthew Breton" 56. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Steeve Vajk 57. Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) by Richard Niederberg 58. Re: Wow! by "Mike Marriott" *** 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 15:54:48 -0700 Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) Message-ID: <20040601.170447.3820.2.ladesigners [at] juno.com> From: Richard Niederberg How True! The season patron pays a small fortune each year to be assured that the company can and will provide them with the finest operatic entertainment, no matter what 'Guest Artists' are jobbed in to sing the lead(s). Grand Opera's closest cousin is the huge Vegas 'Production Show'. /s/ Richard > and since the standard of the opera business is that all > of the principal voices are basically what in every other > performing art would be called a "Guest Artist" it makes > it a whole different thing entirely > Keith Arsenault ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040601163849.01689108 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 16:38:49 From: CB Subject: E=MC^2 Rats, that was meant to go somewhere else. Some squint we alll know and love was asking if the diference between a four meter video cable and a one meter audio cable would cause a delay in the signals, one to another. The answer is yes, but I'll be damned if I have the gear that's show it... Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 20:15:17 EDT Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In a message dated 6/1/04 5:07:12 PM, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: << How True! The season patron pays a small fortune each year to be assured that the company can and will provide them with the finest operatic entertainment, no matter what 'Guest Artists' are jobbed in to sing the lead(s). Grand Opera's closest cousin is the huge Vegas 'Production Show'. /s/ Richard >> I saw a San Francisco Opera production of Aida once that could have doubled as a Vegas Production show, , actually I think we dubbed it "Aida goes to Tahoe" something like that, really garish, , , what were they thinking, , very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 17:13:34 -0700 Subject: Re: Sex drugs and Opera/ food for thought Message-ID: <20040601.171429.3820.8.ladesigners [at] juno.com> From: Richard Niederberg Yes, Peter Townsend is a 'poet of the theatre'; a Rock Opera is still an Opera... > See me, feel me, touch me, heal me. > Good ol' Tommy > Mike Rock ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040601171834.025f8750 [at] localhost> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 17:30:12 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Digital stills from video -- what resolution? In-Reply-To: References:

At 01:42 PM 6/1/2004, Boyd Ostroff wrote: >Take a look at the specs as you shop and see what the published resolution >is for still photos. For video the specs will all be the same; 720x480 60i >in the US and 720x576 50i for our friends across the pond that use the PAL >system. There's a growing market in HD mini-pro cameras, too. Up to 1980 x 1024 resolution. Frame rates from 24p up. 24p is VERY popular in movies and TV shows, it saves storage space, is "fast enough", converts to PAL easily, and is easy to edit since most editors are made for 24 fps film. Another thing to consider is standard NTSC video (4-4-4) isn't stored in an RGB/pixel arrangement. You have Y-U-V (10 bits each) and the description of how all this works is beyond this message. I will say that it takes quite a bit of processing power to convert live NTSC 60i YUV to RGB 30p (I've done it). Also, the typical computer video card doesn't have enough bits per pixel to show all the colors that are defined for NTSC (can't even show the SMPTE color bars correctly). BTW, the rules in the USA call for "Digital TV" to replace all the analog stuff, but don't specify quality, so a lot of digital broadcasts are now of LOWER frame rate and resolution than the NTSC original. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 17:30:02 -0700 Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) Message-ID: <20040601.173033.3820.9.ladesigners [at] juno.com> From: Richard Niederberg Did someone you know have the care and feeding of a dozen pachyderms to contend with? How extensive was rest of the menagerie? How extensive was the damage to the stage floor of the War Memorial Opera House, or was it on tour? /s/ Richard > I saw a San Francisco Opera production of Aida once that > could have doubled as a Vegas Production show, actually > I think we dubbed it "Aida goes to Tahoe" something like that, > really garish, > what were they thinking, > Keith Arsenault ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 20:31:46 -0400 (EDT) From: Boyd Ostroff Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 IAEG [at] aol.com wrote: > actually I think we dubbed it "Aida goes to Tahoe" something like that, Why not just "Aida big one"?... Which reminds of a time a number of years back when we did both "Elixir of Love" and "Aida" in the same season. There was some confusion as to which show was first so I had to remind people "First Elixir, then Aida" (say this one a few times if you don't get it at first). Sorry for a little off-color opera humor, but I just *couldn't" resist ;-) Boyd Ostroff ooo Opera Company of Philadelphia Director of Design & Technology ooooooo 1420 Locust St, Suite 210 ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ooooooo Philadelphia, PA 19102 http://tech.operaphilly.com ooo (215) 893-3600 x225 ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040601173117.025f6de8 [at] localhost> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 17:34:34 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: DVDs of Photos (was Re: Powerpoint Background) In-Reply-To: References:

At 03:10 PM 6/1/2004, you wrote: >A friend does the same thing. He has noticed that when >shown on his big screen that often the quality is bad, >but when shown on his 27" screen, it looks great. > >He says that adjusting the resolution on his big screen >can improve the quality of the photo. Don't know if you >have that capability. Plasma and LCD monitors have a problem in that the pixels are fixed. If you try to display an image smaller than the screen, the computer inside will either letter-box it or duplicate pixels to stretch the image to fit. The latter can make a picture look a lot worse. If the picture is higher resolution than the screen, then pixels are dropped to shrink the picture to fit. Also not pretty at times. The analog multi-sync monitors simply change the scan speed which changes the number of pixels per line and lines per frame. No distortion. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <007201c4483a$2bb4f8c0$43cea143 [at] attbi.com> From: "Randy Whitcomb" References: Subject: Re: counterweight rigging Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 18:40:14 -0600 ----- Original Message ----- From: "b Ricie" > I have often wondered why there is no "liquid" counter > weight system out there. During some down time over the intercom one day, one of my techs and I were discussing this very thing. The biggest problem we saw was the large size arbor needed to compensate for the lower density of water. The needed plumbing also seemed problematic. As we were exploring the idea of pneumatic or hydraulically powered arbors the show got going again. Randy Whitcomb, TD Price Civic Aud. Loveland, CO. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 20:50:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Boyd Ostroff Subject: Re: Digital stills from video -- what resolution? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Tue, 1 Jun 2004, Jerry Durand wrote: > There's a growing market in HD mini-pro cameras, too. Up to 1980 x 1024 > resolution. Frame rates from 24p up. Yes, but these are VERY expensive, not for us regular people ($50,000+). There is also a new standard adopted by Sony, JVC and Sharp called HDV which is intended as a low-end Hi Def format for consumers and low-end pro work. Thus far, JVC is the only company to actually market any products, the HD-1 and HD-10 (in the $3,000 to $4,000 range). While they are capable of producing some impressive images under the right conditions, there are a lot of issues with these cameras which only have a single CCD chip. They use some pretty heavy MPEG compression to get the data rate manageable. JVC has announced an upcoming 3-chip model with better specs but significantly more expensive, around $10,000 I think. Sony showed a prototype of a similar 3 chip camera at NAB that looks very cool, but probably won't hit the market for another year, cost should be around $5,000. In a couple years I think the HDV standard will really take off, but it isn't there yet. > 24p is VERY popular in movies and TV shows The Panasonic DVX-100a is the only camera in the "prosumer" price range with this capability (~$3,500), the others are all much more expensive like the Sony CineAlta. THis is a hot topic in the video/film world with lots of controversy and really does get beyond the stagecraft list I think. 24 frames per second is of course the standard of film, and people like 24p since it gives that sort of motion and flicker. I think the novelty of this will wear off personally, 30p makes more sense from a technical point of view. The PAL version of the DVX-100a shoots 25p. The JVC HD-1/HD-10 shoot 30p (and have been criticized because it's nearly impossible to do a film print from 30p material). Interestingly, the PAL version of the HD-1/HD-10 doesn't even shoot hi def at all, just 25p DV. But we have strayed pretty far from the original question about taking stills with an inexpensive video camera! Boyd Ostroff ooo Opera Company of Philadelphia Director of Design & Technology ooooooo 1420 Locust St, Suite 210 ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ooooooo Philadelphia, PA 19102 http://tech.operaphilly.com ooo (215) 893-3600 x225 ------------------------------ From: "Matthew Breton" Subject: Re: counterweight rigging Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 20:51:49 -0400 Message-ID: >I have often wondered why there is no "liquid" counter weight system out >there. Given how hot it gets backstage on some shows, evaporation must factor in somehow.... Though you could always distribute some extra Poland Springs to it, same as for the follow spot ops. :) Matthew Breton Technical Director Green Street Studios _________________________________________________________________ MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page � FREE download! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 19:57:38 -0400 Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > Clear Channel recently banned the 'Dixie > Chicks' from some of their radio stations after they made comments in > England that were unfavorable towards the present US regime.. er, > administration. Disney recently canned Michaels Moore's latest movie > because they didn't like it's political content. I'll admit that I felt that the Dixie Chicks thing was outrageous. It wasn't like the lyrics to a particular song were problematic and that song got eliminated from the playlist. Rather the artists themselves were shunned - not for their product - their songs - but purely personal issues. That one I'll grant you was politically motivated, and should have raised a lot of public outcry. Michael Moor's Fahrenheit 911 is also a politically driven issue. In that case, I can't hold it against Disney for not wanting to release it under their banner if they disagree with the film's content - so long as they are willing to sell the rights to someone else. I'm confident that a deal will be struck and the film will be released in the US before too long. I for one look forward to showing it in our theatre. I don't mind a bit of a delay, as I'd rather wait to show it after the college students (A large part of our population) return from Summer vacation - and right before the election! What I don't understand is why Disney had the rights in the first place. Everyone knows Moor's politics. If Disney doesn't like them, why did they get involved in the first place?? Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: <131.2e9691b9.2dee82cb [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:09:31 EDT Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In a message dated 6/1/4 7:32:30 PM, IAEG [at] aol.com writes: << I saw a San Francisco Opera production of Aida once that could have doubled as a Vegas Production show, , actually I think we dubbed it "Aida goes to Tahoe" something like that, really garish, , , what were they thinking, , >> "Walk like an Egyptian....." (cue 1980s girl rock band...) Kristi ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <7a.58dbd0ab.2dee82f9 [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:10:17 EDT Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In a message dated 6/1/04 5:32:30 PM, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: << Did someone you know have the care and feeding of a dozen pachyderms to contend with? How extensive was rest of the menagerie? How extensive was the damage to the stage floor of the War Memorial Opera House, or was it on tour? /s/ Richard >> this wasn't an arena production, , a few horses, , a couple of camels, , don't even recall if there WAS an elephant, , ( and being I dable in the circus biz, I think I would have remembered it ) it was actually a production that debuted with Pavarotti, , I saw it with a rather pedistrian Italian tenor whose name I do not recall. There was years ago a big arena three quarter round production of Aida , , a fad that started in Hartford CT ( Boyd will probably know more about this ) with a HUGE triiumphant march scene with tons of animals and literally an "army" of supernumeraries. This production or clones thereof was repeated in a number of markets ( commercially I believe ) Truth is, with the exception of the Trimumphal March, , the rest of Aida is relatively "intimate" and must have seemed rather strange in the vast expanse of a NBA scale arena. very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1c0.19e58d32.2dee838e [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:12:46 EDT Subject: Re: Rings (was: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) ) In a message dated 6/1/04 5:32:30 PM, ladesigners [at] juno.com writes: << Did someone you know have the care and feeding of a dozen pachyderms to contend with? How extensive was rest of the menagerie? How extensive was the damage to the stage floor of the War Memorial Opera House, or was it on tour? >> a friend of my family when I was growing up had been a cellist at the "Old Met" and told me of a story of a dress rehearsal of Aida with Toscanini at the podium It wasn't going well, and the Maestro was not happy, During the Triumphal March, a donkey relieved himself into the orchestra pit. No one laughed, , no one laughed if the Maestro didn't laugh, Toscanini put his baton down and said, " I see that the Donkey shares my opinion of your playing today" very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: <59.d55a940.2dee840d [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:14:53 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Cc: bpurdy [at] rochester.rr.com In a message dated 6/1/4 7:56:34 PM, bpurdy [at] rochester.rr.com writes: << If Disney doesn't like them, why did they get involved in the first place?? >> Money. It's a business. If they think the can make money, they will. Kristi ------------------------------ From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: <8c.c5ee72a.2dee84b2 [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:17:38 EDT Subject: A request of my NYC friends... If anyone hears anything about a new musical called "Good Vibrations" please let me konow. I've got a personal interest in that one. Should be work-shopping (does that get a hyphen??? Can I even use it as a gerund?) at Vassar this summer. Kristi ------------------------------ From: Subject: Wow! Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:18:39 -0400 Message-Id: <20040602011839.IFID1360.de-fe02.dejazzd.com [at] de-fe02> Got to school this afternoon and had 57 messages from the list. Got through all but 6 right before an awards ceremony started. I just locked up and shut down and have 21 more waiting now. I missed the list while it was down but I really have to watch what I wish for. Greg Bierly Hempfield HS ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 20:36:48 -0400 Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) From: Bruce Purdy Cc: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: In-Reply-To: <59.d55a940.2dee840d [at] aol.com> > > If Disney doesn't like them, why did they get involved in the first >> place?? > > Money. > > It's a business. If they think the can make money, they will. > > Kristi Money?? By NOT releasing the film?? -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ From: "Delbert Hall" Subject: Re: counterweight rigging Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:36:35 -0400 Organization: ETSU Message-ID: <000001c44842$0c06f340$6400a8c0 [at] delbert> In-Reply-To: When I get back to the office on Thursday, off doing BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, I will try to find my copy of the patent that used steel balls or pellets as counterweight. I have no idea how much cheaper this kind of system would be than using a winch. You could still have a runaway if you did not drain the counterweight before unloading the batten. I'll let ya'll know if I find it. -Delbert -----Original Message----- >I have often wondered why there is no "liquid" counter weight system out >there. Given how hot it gets backstage on some shows, evaporation must factor in somehow.... Though you could always distribute some extra Poland Springs to it, same as for the follow spot ops. :) Matthew Breton Technical Director Green Street Studios _________________________________________________________________ MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page - FREE download! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <0F98C8BA43C00C42AFFBE000DA9DDB23011F1685 [at] pollux.richmond.edu> From: "Mason, Richard" Subject: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:56:33 -0400 Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, other than taking paper to a paper cutter? ------------------------------ From: "Rachel Kinsman Steck" Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 19:06:44 -0700 Organization: University of Oregon Message-ID: <000801c44846$419ceb50$6500a8c0 [at] rksteck1> In-Reply-To: Richard, The following site is one of many that sell Super B size paper: http://www.graytex.com/super-b-paper.htm. Should this site be unacceptable, check out "super B paper" on google.com. Rachel Kinsman Steck Ph.D. Candidate Department of Theater Arts University of Oregon ------------------------------ Message-ID: <40BD3941.8080506 [at] peak.org> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 19:19:45 -0700 From: Pat Kight Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 References: In-Reply-To: Mason, Richard wrote: > Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, other > than taking paper to a paper cutter? I'd call a commercial printer and see if they could line some up for me. I've had good luck getting specialty paper sizes that way. If they don't have it in stock, they may charge a cut fee or want you to buy a case. -- Pat Kight Albany (Ore.) Civic Theater kightp [at] peak.org ------------------------------ Message-ID: <0F98C8BA43C00C42AFFBE000DA9DDB23011F1686 [at] pollux.richmond.edu> From: "Mason, Richard" Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:19:22 -0400 Thanks for the help. -----Original Message----- From: Pat Kight [mailto:kightp [at] peak.org] Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 10:20 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- Mason, Richard wrote: > Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, > other than taking paper to a paper cutter? I'd call a commercial printer and see if they could line some up for me. I've had good luck getting specialty paper sizes that way. If they don't have it in stock, they may charge a cut fee or want you to buy a case. -- Pat Kight Albany (Ore.) Civic Theater kightp [at] peak.org ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:22:44 -0400 Subject: Re: Food for thought From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > I think that we're having a bit of another problem with vocabulary again. > Censorship and the legal definition of censorship are differing shades of > grey. To clarify things, I think that companies like Mall-Wart, Clear > Channel, and Disney (just to name a few) are committing a social sin, not a > federal crime. > Chris "Chris" Babbie Call it censorship if you like, but I don't have a problem with any of these companies choosing what they will - or will not deal in. What I have a problem with is the sheer size and social clout that they have! Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00a001c44848$58cb9a40$43cea143 [at] attbi.com> From: "Randy Whitcomb" References: Subject: Re: Wal-mart Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 20:21:43 -0600 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Harrison" > You know guys, this bashing of wal-mart is stupid. > Wal-mart is the life blood of small town, high school > theatre. We get the majority of all of our props, > paint, music and alot of other stuff for our > productions there. If we didn't have a Walmart we > wouldn't be able to do half as good a production as we > do. So those of you with monster budgets go somewhere > else and spend your big bucks. For us little guys in > the School trenches thank someone for Walmart. The following is opinion: I can't keep out of this any more despite my best efforts. Its not about bashing a successful business, but rather calling a corporate behemoth to social responsibility. Wal-Mart squeezes it's employees and its suppliers, while the Walton family is among the richest in the country. The gap between the haves and have nots continues to grow because of the practices of corporations like Wal-Mart. Want to thank someone for your cheap props; thank the cashier who works just enough hours a week so she's considered part time and gets no benefits, but too many hours to get a decent second job. The couple of bucks you save on a gallon of paint are possible because countless stockers and others have been forced to work "off the clock" The clean music shelves courtesy of over night crews often times illegal workers and many times the crews are locked in at night and told the doors are alarmed and they can't leave. The tools are cheap because Wal-Mart tells the suppliers how much they want to pay. Those "savings" are passed on the manufacturer's employees and their families. One reason your budget is low could be due to Wal-Mart's aggressive pursuit of tax breaks in communities where they build stores, and the willingness of local officials to cave. These and other company practices have been documented in major print and other media. Many lawsuits are pending. This is more than just a few disgruntled employees. I'm also in the trenches of low budget school theatre. I make do quite nicely without having my shows subsidized by Wal-Mart employees and suppliers. I spent less than $800 for the sets for Peter Pan last month. Not one dime went to Wal-Mart. On an encouraging note; The Gap recently made public an internal study which documented the abuses that occur at their manufacturing facilities. They have said they'll be making changes. It was also reported that Wal-Mart was interested in the study and may use it as a model for themselves. Public pressure does work. Randy Whitcomb ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:38:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Boyd Ostroff Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Tue, 1 Jun 2004, Mason, Richard wrote: > Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, other > than taking paper to a paper cutter? Sure, Epson makes a number of varieties of this, I buy it all the time at CompUSA (or is that another one of those politically incorrect places we aren't supposed to shop?). Right in front of me I have a packet of Epson SO41069 "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper", which is actually the thin, rather low quality coated paper. Comes in a 100 sheet packet. I also have a pack of 20 sheets of Epson "Premimum Semigloss Photo Paper" SO41327. Personally not that crazy about the finish on this though. Finally I have a 20 pack of Epson "Photo Paper" SO41143 which I think is probably the best reasonably priced good quality heavyweight paper. There are several others including a matte finish which is very nice and their premium glossy photo paper also very nice, and expensive. These are all typically in stock at the 2 CompUSA's which I frequent locally. Now if you're just looking for regular 13x19 bond paper I can't help you, these are all specialized inkjet papers. Boyd Ostroff ooo Opera Company of Philadelphia Director of Design & Technology ooooooo 1420 Locust St, Suite 210 ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ooooooo Philadelphia, PA 19102 http://tech.operaphilly.com ooo (215) 893-3600 x225 ------------------------------ Message-ID: <0F98C8BA43C00C42AFFBE000DA9DDB23011F1688 [at] pollux.richmond.edu> From: "Mason, Richard" Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:43:09 -0400 I have not been able to find it in the stores locally, not even CompUSA, so I just ordered from the source given of graytex. Thought I would try that out........ -----Original Message----- From: Boyd Ostroff [mailto:ostroff [at] operaphilly.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 10:39 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Source for Super B Size Paper 13x19 For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- On Tue, 1 Jun 2004, Mason, Richard wrote: > Anyone have a source(s) for what HP calls SuperB size paper 13x19, > other than taking paper to a paper cutter? Sure, Epson makes a number of varieties of this, I buy it all the time at CompUSA (or is that another one of those politically incorrect places we aren't supposed to shop?). Right in front of me I have a packet of Epson SO41069 "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper", which is actually the thin, rather low quality coated paper. Comes in a 100 sheet packet. I also have a pack of 20 sheets of Epson "Premimum Semigloss Photo Paper" SO41327. Personally not that crazy about the finish on this though. Finally I have a 20 pack of Epson "Photo Paper" SO41143 which I think is probably the best reasonably priced good quality heavyweight paper. There are several others including a matte finish which is very nice and their premium glossy photo paper also very nice, and expensive. These are all typically in stock at the 2 CompUSA's which I frequent locally. Now if you're just looking for regular 13x19 bond paper I can't help you, these are all specialized inkjet papers. Boyd Ostroff ooo Opera Company of Philadelphia Director of Design & Technology ooooooo 1420 Locust St, Suite 210 ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ooooooo Philadelphia, PA 19102 http://tech.operaphilly.com ooo (215) 893-3600 x225 ------------------------------ From: "Sam Fisher" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:53:22 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: "On the other hand, taking a couple of turns round the pipe, with no overlap, will do no harm. Indeed, it is kinder to the wire than a clipped or swaged eye, since the pipe has a larger diameter Frank Wood Yes and no, I'm not sure of rule changes for swages but for Crosby fittings, an additional clip must be added and the lines must be 60 degrees apart when terminating around a 'pulley' or anything round other than the correct thimble. Sam Fisher ------------------------------ From: Bsapsis [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1ea.220572f2.2dee9c2f [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:57:51 EDT Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations In a message dated 6/1/04 10:53:58 PM, Sam [at] FisherTheatrical.com writes: << Yes and no, I'm not sure of rule changes for swages but for Crosby fittings, an additional clip must be added and the lines must be 60 degrees apart when terminating around a 'pulley' or anything round other than the correct thimble. >> Sam's right. When you replace a thimble with a larger diameter object like a pipe, placing a sleeve right down on top of the pipe is no good. The cable coming into the sleeve comes in at a severe angle and side loads the sleeve. Less holding capacity. IMHO, a trim chain or batten clamp is the way to go. Bill S Sapsis Rigging, Inc. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, our work. and under, ------------------------------ From: "Big Fred Schoening" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:58:07 -0500 Message-ID: <000e01c4484d$71ffaec0$270110ac [at] PRODIGALBRAIN> In-Reply-To: Hmmmm... What about a system kinda like a Nautilus machine, but upside-down, sort of? Picture a lineset where the maximum amount of stage weights is stored at the top, just under the head block. The lift lines all run through slots in the weights, all the way down to the bottom plate. The Nautilus-y part (pin?) wouldn't attach the correct amount of weight to the lines, it would keep the correct amount *off of the arbor*. The batten could be loaded on the deck, and then loading the weight would consist of sticking the pin in the proper hole. Or something like that. Plus, the weights would be forever captured by the cables running through them, so they couldn't slip off the arbor. Of course, as mentioned earlier, that would require an assload of weight (the maximum for each lineset) to be installed with the system, which would require a ridiculously strong building. But I suppose it could be done... "Big Fred" Schoening Technical Director Dallas Theater Center Dallas, Texas, USA "...a root word of technology, techne, originally meant 'art.' The ancient Greeks never separated art from manufacture in their minds, and so never developed separate words for them." - Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -----Original Message----- I told you you were going to need the salt. Hey, if anyone were going to make the sound-to-rigging translation, I thought it would be you. I was thinking as the arbor as the hole uner the pole where the weight would sit, but I see now that that would be wrong I'm thinking of the weights sitting in a stack on the floor, UNDER the arbor, and waiting there until the proper weight is chosen and a pin or plate (or whatever) is places in, under, or around the proper weight, and the arbor only takes from the stack that which is chosen. Kristi brought up a salient point, however, that this method would require that the arbor be loaded and then the batten brought in, or the batten be loaded and then hauled out to get weight. This is why the post came with so many caveats, it needed them! Now, if someone could just design a system that worked on the same principle, but allowed the counterweight to be specified with teh batten all (or part of ) the way in, they'd make bank! Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ ------------------------------ From: "Sam Fisher" Subject: Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:59:56 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: "Hoffend & Sons is trying to take automated rigging systems mainstream in the US. Many of you have seen or read about Hoffend's Vortek. " Try asking them for an unusually long one... "IMHO, the most important aspect of safety (anywhere) is usually not the equipment, but the user. Training the user to properly use any tool or piece of equipment is the primary key to safety. If we could eliminate operator errors, overall safety would improve greatly." -Delbert Exactly, I've lost count of how many times I've seen installations where the motorized rigging systems are not within view of their controls, or operators pressing the down button while facing the wall and talking on their phone, etc. Sam Fisher ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:04:10 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations At 10:57 PM -0400 6/1/04, Bsapsis [at] aol.com wrote: > IMHO, a trim chain or batten clamp is the way to go. There he goes, agreeing with me again... Sheez! -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ From: "Sam Fisher" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - Mick's post Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:11:59 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Mick, I'd didn't read your entire message but well said. The short answer to the problem, take a little money from the sports programs. Actually on the east coast arts programs in schools are starting to put boosters programs together of their own to raise money. An involvement in the arts seems to be becoming more important than it used to be. The next step is to get the school systems educated by the correct people, I sometimes see letters sent to school systems by the wrong design/build/consult theatrical firms. Many of us can smell a company that is just out for profit a mile away, school administrations can't. I'm just back from a school that was so bad I need to take a camera back when I strike my show and put together a little letter of my own and send it to the school system. This one is definitely a case of students or a poorly educated drama teacher with a home depot credit card rigging things in for shows that they should just find a simpler design for as opposed to adding things the space just can't support safely. I'll post a link for pictures to the list next week. Sam Fisher VP - Fisher Theatrical, LLC. 410-455-9641 office 410-455-9643 fax 410-961-0921 cell -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Mick Alderson Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 6:30 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ --------------------------------------------------- Here's another firecracker for the automation/counterweight rigging discussion. An issue not really touched on are possible unintended consequences, especially to low-budget theatre, of outlawing counterweight systems. IIRC, in terms of numbers of productions, a huge proportion of theatre happens at the secondary education level, at least in the US. That segment is woefully undersupported. Many, maybe most, US high schools have something that passes for a theatre, but that gets built when the school does, and then gets ignored by administrations. When budgets are tight (always) it is easy to defer maintainance, assuming it was ever a budget line in the first place. The theatre is empty all day when the administrators are there, and in use at night only occassionally by a relatively small number of students. So its easily dismissed. It survives on the love and dedication of overworked, underpaid drama teachers, who get no budget, and little credit or respect for their labors. It shouldn't be this way, and we can pontificate all we want about it, but that's the way is is where I live. I've seen nothing on this list to make me think this isn't the situation generally. All three high schools in Oshkosh, WI have some sort of theatre space included, but I don't think ANY of them have gotten proper maintainance since the day they were built. A few years back there was a small fire in the largest of the three theatres, which caused no damage except to one leg. The fire marshal naturally condemned the rest of the softgoods (which had never been flame-proofed) and ordered them replaced. The school board had the curtains removed, and did add a budget item to replace them, but for two years or so redirected the money elsewhere. For several years the stage was "naked", no curtains. If you told this school board they had to convert the rigging system to an "expensive" automated system, those theatres would be closed down tomorrow. And I am cynical enought to think them the rule rather than the exception. I like counterweight systems because they are simple and straight-forward and easily understood. I recognize the dangers, having seen dropped counterweights and run-aways. You do need training to use them safely, but that training is pretty basic because the system is pretty straight forward. And IMO counterweight systems are more forgiving than practically anything else. We've all seen counterweight systems that quite obviously should should have been condemned, but in fact they still functioned; they hadn't hurt anybody despite severe abuse, AND repairs were fairly obvious and straight forward. I sincerely doubt that motorized systems will get proper maintainance any more often than counterweight systems do, but my gut tells me the resulting "accidents" could be more catastrophic because of the added power involved. So, the unexpected consequence: I expect most theatre people get "hooked" in high school drama programs. Limiting theatre in the secondary schools to those few schools that can afford automation AND the added trained personel required means many schools will drop theatre. So, there will be very few students left with an interest in going on to college and/or the professional theatre. It's like an iceburg. Secondary school theatre is the 90% below the surface, and college/ professional theatre is the more visible 10%. Take away the 90%, and there won't be much left. Mick Alderson TD, Fredric March Theatre Univ. of Wis. Oshkosh ------------------------------ From: Bsapsis [at] aol.com Message-ID: <35.4817bf48.2deea1b9 [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:21:29 EDT Subject: Re: Automated Rigging (was Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ..) In a message dated 6/1/04 11:00:37 PM, Sam [at] FisherTheatrical.com writes: << Exactly, I've lost count of how many times I've seen installations where the motorized rigging systems are not within view of their controls, or operators pressing the down button while facing the wall and talking on their phone, etc. >> We're moving into a new era, my friends. As with all the previous eras, there's a bit of fear of the unknown and a bit of excitement too. And there's a learning curve. Hemp rigging wasn't learned overnight and counterweight systems didn't just materialize on the horizon one day. It took time to evolve. And so will motorized systems. Yes, there will be growing pains, but without those pains I fear we won't learn much about those systems and simply be doomed to mediocrity. Can't let that happen, now can we? I'm having a great time reading the ideas, some more fanciful than others, that you are coming up with. Who knows, maybe one of you will hit on something and strike it rich. (do we get a share in the royalties?) but the truly great thing is that we do this, here on the list and everyday at our jobs. We have ideas and then look for ways to realize them. We create problems and then solve them. And we have some fun along the way. What else could you ask for? Enjoy. Sapsis Rigging, Inc. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, our work. and under, ------------------------------ From: Bsapsis [at] aol.com Message-ID: <19c.24f6f8da.2deea28c [at] aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:25:00 EDT Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging - terminations In a message dated 6/1/04 11:04:37 PM, rigger [at] tds.net writes: << There he goes, agreeing with me again... Sheez! >> Not to worry. I'll keep it to a minimum. Sapsis Rigging, Inc. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, our work. and under, ------------------------------ Message-ID: <40BD4A96.3090305 [at] primary.net> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 22:33:42 -0500 From: Michael Heinicke Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) References: In-Reply-To: I've seen the video, now I want to show it to a class that I might teach. Anyone know where I can purchase a copy? Mike H MissWisc [at] aol.com wrote: > All... It hasn't been mentiond here in a while, but I thought the newer list > members would like to know... there'a great documentary called "Sing Faster" > that shows the Wagnerian opera from the perspectives of the stagehands. The > inside-of-the-dragon scenes are my favorites. Should be required viewing for > EVERYONE involved with performing arts, IMHO. > > Kristi > > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <40BD4E2F.8050208 [at] fuse.net> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 23:49:03 -0400 From: Stuart Wheaton Subject: Re: Prepare for an aneurism... References: In-Reply-To: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com wrote: > I don't, but thank you for the thought There is a North Country proverb which > runs, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me". Funny, I heard it as, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me!" ------------------------------ From: "Kevin Patrick" Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:53:04 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: This is exactly what I was thinking. It would be very, very bad, if ever the arbor flew up at an uncontrolled rate. More so than an arbor crashing down, where the weights are already close to the ground and fly mostly horizontally (except on the first bounce or two.) I've never seen it, but how often does an arbor fly up uncontrollably? It's pretty difficult to accidentally add #500 to a pipe when it's gridded. In spite of the single arbor issue, that is, in general, a LOT of potential energy at the loading grid. All that weight, just ... waiting. But I'm REALLY intrigued by the liquid counterweight idea. Aren't there some super dense materials that are still a liquid at the range of temperatures in most theatres? Guinness? I could have some pretty dense homebrew ready in four weeks or so. \< Kevin Patrick Theatre.colstate.edu Big Fred pontificated: Hmmmm... What about a system kinda like a Nautilus machine, but upside-down, sort of? Picture a lineset where the maximum amount of stage weights is stored at the top, just under the head block. The lift lines all run through slots in the weights, all the way down to the bottom plate. The Nautilus-y part (pin?) wouldn't attach the correct amount of weight to the lines, it would keep the correct amount *off of the arbor*. The batten could be loaded on the deck, and then loading the weight would consist of sticking the pin in the proper hole. Or something like that. Plus, the weights would be forever captured by the cables running through them, so they couldn't slip off the arbor. Of course, as mentioned earlier, that would require an assload of weight (the maximum for each lineset) to be installed with the system, which would require a ridiculously strong building. But I suppose it could be done... "Big Fred" Schoening Technical Director Dallas Theater Center Dallas, Texas, USA --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 5/31/2004 ------------------------------ From: "Kevin Patrick" Subject: Sing Faster Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:02:28 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I deleted the original request for information about purchasing the Sing Faster video, but here it is... I thought you might be interested in this film, Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring Cycle, from Direct Cinema Limited: http://www.directcinema.com/dcl/title.php?title=93 It's 29.95, VHS only. There's a little clip available here http://www.itvs.org/singfaster/index.html It looks like a winner. I had never heard of it before. \< Theatre.colstate.edu --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 5/31/2004 ------------------------------ From: Bsapsis [at] aol.com Message-ID: <190.2a5f005d.2deeae45 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:15:01 EDT Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging In 1980 I was rigging a theatre in Florida. It was the old days so we were using Manila operating lines. One of the crew was going along and tightening the lines at the rail, which was at floor level. The grid was at 70' (ish) It was a single purchase system. For reasons best know to this crew person, when he untied the rope from the bottom of the arbor, he pulled the rope out of the ring on the arbor bottom plate. The arbor went up. Seems they had balanced for the pipe but then put a traveler track on it. Didn't balance for that. Went up slow at first but as the rope was no longer attached to the bottom of the arbor, there was no way to stop it from running north. By the time it hit the top stop it was really cooking. Of course a weight came out. Landed on the floor 2 feet away from me, took a bounce and hit me on the leg. A slight, glancing blow. I didn't walk for several months and still have the dent in my shin bone to prove it. You're right, Patrick. It is very bad indeed. Bill S. Sapsis Rigging, Inc. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile We stand behind, our work. and under, In a message dated 6/1/04 11:53:34 PM, patrick_kevin [at] colstate.edu writes: << This is exactly what I was thinking. It would be very, very bad, if ever the arbor flew up at an uncontrolled rate. More so than an arbor crashing down, where the weights are already close to the ground and fly mostly horizontally (except on the first bounce or two.) I've never seen it, but how often does an arbor fly up uncontrollably? It's pretty difficult to accidentally add #500 to a pipe when it's gridded. >> ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1127.207.201.197.70.1086152579.squirrel [at] webmail.columbia.sc> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 01:02:59 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging From: usctd [at] columbia.sc Old Days? Manila is state of the art in my theatre. Who wants synthetic? Actualy the stuff is so old that it doesn't even have any splinters left. No perks at all! My situation is a perfect example of an academic theatre with a redirected maintenance fund. Honestly, I find it to be a bit of a pickle. No matter, I am going to design my own counterweight system using bungee cord and haggis leftovers. Those stomachs could hold a lot of lead shot, or water......or liquid mercury! -- Eric Rouse TD-University of SC, Columbia Freelance Foyboy > For info on subscribing, unsubscribing, and suspending > your list subscription, go to the Stagecraft web site at: > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ > --------------------------------------------------- > > > In 1980 I was rigging a theatre in Florida. It was the old days so we > were > using Manila operating lines. One of the crew was going along and > tightening > the lines at the rail, which was at floor level. The grid was at 70' > (ish) It > was a single purchase system. For reasons best know to this crew person, > when he untied the rope from the bottom of the arbor, he pulled the rope > out of > the ring on the arbor bottom plate. The arbor went up. Seems they had > balanced for the pipe but then put a traveler track on it. Didn't balance > for that. > Went up slow at first but as the rope was no longer attached to the bottom > of > the arbor, there was no way to stop it from running north. By the time it > hit the top stop it was really cooking. Of course a weight came out. > Landed on > the floor 2 feet away from me, took a bounce and hit me on the leg. A > slight, glancing blow. I didn't walk for several months and still have > the dent in > my shin bone to prove it. > > You're right, Patrick. It is very bad indeed. > > Bill S. > Sapsis Rigging, Inc. > www.sapsis-rigging.com > 800.727.7471 > 800.292.3851 fax > 267.278.4561 mobile > We stand behind, our work. > and under, > > In a message dated 6/1/04 11:53:34 PM, patrick_kevin [at] colstate.edu writes: > > << This is exactly what I was thinking. It would be very, very bad, if > ever > the arbor flew up at an uncontrolled rate. More so than an arbor crashing > down, where the weights are already close to the ground and fly mostly > horizontally (except on the first bounce or two.) I've never seen it, but > how often does an arbor fly up uncontrollably? It's pretty difficult to > accidentally add #500 to a pipe when it's gridded. >> > > > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <40BD575D.4010305 [at] fuse.net> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 00:28:13 -0400 From: Stuart Wheaton Subject: Re: Automation Grenade ... careful ... References: In-Reply-To: Big Fred Schoening wrote: > Sounds like this guy has made a bunch of sweeping generalizations about > the safety of automation in general without having any facts or figures > to back it up. It reads to me like propaganda. With all possible respect for Bill, and delbert.... I gotta agree with Fred, because if this was anything but propaganda, the author would have included some statistics to support his premise and he ought to have made some suggestions about how to remedy the 'serious problem' he is attempting to stir concern over. IF he had said, "I am urging all local one hands on automated shows to strike and picket these shows until we are provided with the following: 1) An engineer's certificate that the building and structures are capable of supporting the loads and forces the automation system imposes upon them. 2) A copy of a complete inspection report completed by an outside party noting any deficiencies, and a plan to correct all problems ASAP. 3) The Producer to pay for inspection training and the periodic inspection of the show by trained IA crew members of all automation systems on a regular basis. Then, I would agree that he has a valid case and legitimate concerns, and a plan to solve them. As I read it, he's whining about the loss of jobs to machines, he doesn't see that machines are here to stay, and he has no plan to make them safer. Stuart ------------------------------ Message-Id: In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:31:20 -0400 From: Rigger Subject: Re: Sing Faster At 12:02 AM -0400 6/2/04, Kevin Patrick wrote: >I deleted the original request for information about purchasing the Sing >Faster video, but here it is... > >I thought you might be interested in this film, Sing Faster: The Stagehands' >Ring Cycle, from Direct Cinema Limited: >http://www.directcinema.com/dcl/title.php?title=93 > >It's 29.95, VHS only. There's a little clip available here > >http://www.itvs.org/singfaster/index.html > >It looks like a winner. I had never heard of it before. It's either out now or soon to be out on DVD... Netflix is advertising it, if you subscribe to their service. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20040601212505.0263e270 [at] mail.sdsu.edu> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:34:49 -0700 From: Loren Schreiber Subject: Re: Ring Cycle In-Reply-To: Yo, So, OK--I mow the lawn, I do the heavy lifting, etc. Wife does the laundry, but I'm thinkin' "What the hell, I'll give it a shot." So I look at the freakin' washer and there ain't no freakin' "ring cycle" anywhere. I ain't no anti-semite, but I think might have some in mah drawers, so I'm looking for the freakin' "ring cycle." Well, "spin cycle" was about as close I come. I don't think it works as good. I can still feel them anti-semites in my drawers. I think I'll use Wisk next time. Got me some from Wal-Mart. Loren "ah gradumated from LSU" Schreiber ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <9C85E784-B44E-11D8-BA8C-000393D8AAC2 [at] email.uc.edu> From: Derek McLaughlin Subject: Re: Sing Faster Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:37:53 -0400 It is due out on DVD in June, you can pre-order it from Amazon.com for $18.95 ##################################### # # # Derek McLaughlin # # Theatre Design & Production # # University of Cincinnati: # # College-Conservatory of Music # # E-mail: mclaugdl [at] email.uc.edu # # # ##################################### ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20040601213500.0263c180 [at] mail.sdsu.edu> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:40:05 -0700 From: Loren Schreiber Subject: Re: I went to Home Depot today In-Reply-To: So I went to Home Depot today. Got a bunch of lumber for a new fence and was looking for post hole concrete among the other concrete mixes. Asked the young lad where to find post hole concrete and he asked, "Is that like Quickcrete?" When I finally found the material (in the garden department) I took the time to relocate the young lad, dragged him, albeit unwillingly, over to garden and pointed to the bags I had been looking for. In the future, this young man will know the correct answer to the question. Ah, my life as an edumacator. Loren ------------------------------ From: "Kevin Patrick" Subject: Re: Sing Faster Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:43:10 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: June 29th, 2004. Google's great. Rigger said: It's either out now or soon to be out on DVD... Netflix is advertising it, if you subscribe to their service. -- Dave Vick, IATSE #274 Head Electrician, The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Carpe Per Diem --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 5/31/2004 ------------------------------ Message-Id: <200406020509.i5259dAX024448 [at] gryphon.auspice.net> Subject: Re: Counterweight Rigging Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 01:09:39 -0400 (EDT) In-Reply-To: from "Big Fred Schoening" at Jun 01, 2004 09:58:07 PM From: James Feinberg Now imagine what your gym would look like with a two ton Nautilus. I wonder how big the pin would have to be... --jamesf > Hmmmm... What about a system kinda like a Nautilus machine, but > upside-down, sort of? Picture a lineset where the maximum amount of > stage weights is stored at the top, just under the head block. The lift > lines all run through slots in the weights, all the way down to the > bottom plate. The Nautilus-y part (pin?) wouldn't attach the correct > amount of weight to the lines, it would keep the correct amount *off of > the arbor*. The batten could be loaded on the deck, and then loading > the weight would consist of sticking the pin in the proper hole. Or > something like that. Plus, the weights would be forever captured by the > cables running through them, so they couldn't slip off the arbor. > > Of course, as mentioned earlier, that would require an assload of weight > (the maximum for each lineset) to be installed with the system, which > would require a ridiculously strong building. But I suppose it could be > done... > > "Big Fred" Schoening > Technical Director > Dallas Theater Center > Dallas, Texas, USA ------------------------------ From: StevevETTrn [at] aol.com Message-ID: <12b.42f7314d.2deebc2a [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 01:14:18 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Chris writes: >Disney recently canned Michaels Moore's latest movie because they didn't like it's political content. >Taking away an artists venue because the money doesn't agree with the political content is censorship. Sounds like political statements. Do artists now have an entitlement to access any venue they choose? Maybe Disney declined to distribute Moore's latest polemic diatribe because it did not fit in with the company's business plan (public image and financial returns). Besides, do you have any idea how expensive it is to put a new animatronic president in the Hall of Presidents attraction? For that budget, the fewer the better. ;>) Steve Vanciel Orlando, FL P.S. I down load the Stagecraft postings to read at work during breaks and lunch. So this reply was composed before I got home tonight and found 155 new postings awaiting. Everyone must still be on their Memorial Day holiday to have this much free time. ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20040601214021.02639b50 [at] mail.sdsu.edu> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 22:14:04 -0700 From: Loren Schreiber Subject: Re: Automation grenades--boom! In-Reply-To: Having designed a few automation systems, inspected many, many more, taught numerous courses on the subject and had my heart in my throat more times than I like to recall--I'd say: If you are into automation--go for it. But be prepared for sleepless nights, huge cost overruns, broken machines, sometimes injured people (usually just you) and a lot of aggravation. But, doggone it, when it works, it is a thing of beauty! If you are NOT into it, and just need to move some stuff around and you can to it manually--yes! Do it manually. If you cannot achieve the effect otherwise (see most recent Las Vegas Cirque shows)--then automate you must. It will be expensive. It will breakdown regularly. It will be the biggest pain in the ass you ever experienced--and that's using a reputable company with tried-and-true-equipment! Oh, but when it works (and it does occasionally), the beauty of it all will make your knees buckle!! Otherwise, throw a rope on it and just drag it off stage! Safety really isn't the issue. No system is foolproof, manual or otherwise. Job security really isn't the issue--many of my IA friends are running automated systems with the same number of crew used for manual systems--but the complexity requires a different skill set. Most adapt, some don't and become has-beens. Some retire, some complain, but the wheel keeps turning. Adapt or die. I long for the one-set show--the simple box set with no complications. But, you know, we could put a pneumatic cylinder on that door and then the actor wouldn't have to actually touch it . . . then when the pyro lights up, we can automatically screen the actor with . . . This is SO cool!!! "We have met the enemy and he is us." Churchy as mentioned to Pogo, c/o Walt (miss you) Kelly. Loren Schreiber Director of Technology and Production School of Theatre, Television and Film San Diego State University http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/schreibr/index.html ------------------------------ From: StevevETTrn [at] aol.com Message-ID: <12e.43172447.2deebc3c [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 01:14:36 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Kristi writes: >Ooooh!! Such good discussion! And I reply, such a good response and with great examples. A few thoughts: *Even Disney has had some difficulty hitting financial home runs with its movies (animated and live). They may be omnipresent, but not omniscient nor omnipotent in the market place. >the prescribed-by-the-state-legislature/will-be-tested-upon-come-spring/teacher-too-stupid- >to-know-the-a nswer-or-they'd-be-working-somewhere-else-anyway curriculum? *Nicely put. It is one reason why we decided to home school our boys. >We people of the 21st century are so different from one another there is rarely one thing >which is inspirational to everyone. *It is simple to blame our problems on THEM be it producers or corporations; government administrations or politicians; radicals of the Left or Right; fundamentalists or post modern deconstructionist. The great philosopher Pogo once concluded: "We have met the enemy, and it is us." I think that in the current "cultural wars" we, collectively, have not yet come to that realization. Steve Vanciel Orlando, FL ------------------------------ From: StevevETTrn [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1cd.226a1b3f.2deebc5b [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 01:15:07 EDT Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Richard writes: >but I think it is more important for kids to be exposed to the Wagnerian 'Ring' >than the Tolkien 'Ring'. I'll take both Rings and pass on 95% of television programs, 97% of movies, and a whole lot of contemporary theatre, music, and publications. Regardless of who is selling it. One problem is that there is such a huge volume of output. Maybe because of our freedom and the economics of mass media it is inevitable that so much dross is produced. For television alone, with 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks per year times 100+ broadcast, cable, & satellite channels to fill, the demand is overwhelming. On top of that, all are chasing demographics that appeal to the advertisers who supply the dollars. Even live theatre has to maintain a certain level of throughput to stay in business. As a practitioner - I am thankful for the business that pays the bills. As a consumer - I am very selective in my choices. As a citizen - I am concerned about the future of a "bread and circuses" society. Steve Vanciel Orlando, FL ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20040601221428.02633540 [at] mail.sdsu.edu> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 22:17:47 -0700 From: Loren Schreiber Subject: Re: Welcome back Frank In-Reply-To: Yo, Frank! Mah man! Cool to have you back. Uh huh. What you know about series-wound, universal motors is all $^%$& up! But, hey, nobody's prefect. Loren Schreiber Director of Technology and Production School of Theatre, Television and Film San Diego State University http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/schreibr/index.html ------------------------------ From: "Matthew Breton" Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 01:31:36 -0400 Message-ID: >Everyone must still be on their Memorial Day holiday to have this much free >time. You misspelled "work." :) Matthew Breton Technical Director Green Street Studios _________________________________________________________________ Getting married? Find great tips, tools and the latest trends at MSN Life Events. http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=married ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20040602062650.76516.qmail [at] web41603.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:26:50 -0700 (PDT) From: Steeve Vajk Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) In-Reply-To: CB Wrote: >No, I mean politically motivated. Clear Channel recently banned >the 'Dixie Chicks' from some of their radio stations after they made >comments in England that were unfavorable towards the present US >regime.. er, administration. Disney recently canned Michaels Moore's >latest movie because they didn't like it's political content. Taking >away an artists venue because the money doesn't agree with the >political content is censorship. While this, too, may not stand up to >the 'legal' definition of censorship, it is clear that these people >are being denied an avenue, previously avalable to them, due to >content in their message that is not 'legally' defined as obscene. The logical conclusion of what you're saying is that, if you invest your own private money in a performers' act, you are forever obligated to continue to invest YOUR money in them, regardless of their marketability or your personal interest in their show. Would you be so indignant if Michael Moore made a graphic "documentary" of every known sex act, and Disney refused to distribute it? Of course not. Yet Moore is free to make it under his 1st Amendment rights. Just as Disney is free to say 'no thank you, we'd like to spend our money elsewhere.' Free speech rights are individual. They LET you say what you want, they do NOT require someone else to pay for it. As far as Wal-Mart is concerned, one needs to think about their business model: They must arrange the purchase of absolutely HUGE inventories of products that they must be able to sell in practically EVERY store/community in the nation. Given the logistical issues this involves, I would say that they do a remarkably good job of being responsive to market demands. They don't dictate what you need to buy, they have to *forecast* what you need. Pretty tough job, if you ask me. And again, if they didn't do at least a halfway decent job of selling what people wanted to buy, they wouldn't have the money to be so big. >Sure, we can ignore these, but with organizations this powerful, that >are willing to use thier money and power to affect the political and >social world that we live, work, and perform in, its just a matter of >time before they have the ability to control content based on their >religious and political views, and ban that content that doesn't >conform. We're talking about the beginnings of a threat to civil >liberties, and the american way of life. And the silly thing is that >they're doing it under the guise of patriotism. >But hey, it probably isn't a big deal. I'm keeping a brick of fresh >ammo in the bedroom anyways. A) Do you think USITT and ESTA are evil organizations? They "are willing to use their money and power to affect the political and social world that we live, work, and perform in". Oh, but they're supporting an agenda that you (presumably) support; safety in theatre and keeping an eye on government regulation to make sure it actually helps the industry, among other things. They may not have the money that Wal-Mart has, but I bet they wouldn't mind if they did. EVERYONE has an agenda; even you. B) Wal-Mart's policies have NOTHING to do with civil liberties. My rant on censorship should have made that clear. Wal-Mart has been around for years, yet to this day, they have not stopped me from doing, saying, thinking, or reading a single thing. They don't want me in jail or fined for ANYTHING I do... that would impact my ability to spend money in their store. :) They do not and cannot BAN anything. They can only choose not to sell it. C) Free market IS the "American way of life". D) If you keep ammo under your bed for fear of Wal-Mart and Disney, you might want to get some aluminium foil to keep their radio waves out of your head. Don't worry, Wal-Mart carries big rolls of it. :) But seriously, you sure didn't buy that ammo AT Wal-Mart, because Michael Moore turned market pressure on them after Columbine, and now they don't sell guns or ammo. You should be upset that they're infringing on a right that actually does get mentioned by name in the Constitution. Are you? Disclaimer: I am by nature a Devil's Advocate. This is offered in the spirit of a lively political debate. It is assumed that all participants are reasonable adults, and that no personal offense is intended or taken by any. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 23:37:11 -0700 Subject: Re: Food for thought... discuss as you please. ;) Message-ID: <20040601.233729.2636.0.ladesigners [at] juno.com> From: Richard Niederberg I believe that Disney had only 'first refusal' rights to distribute films under their deal with Miramax, and they declined to exercise those rights. /s/ Richard > What I don't understand is why Disney had the rights in > the first place. Everyone knows Moor's politics. If Disney > doesn't like them, why did they get involved in the first place?? > Bruce ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ From: "Mike Marriott" Subject: Re: Wow! Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 16:20:04 +0930 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Last downloaded mailing list 18 hours ago. Now, just downloaded closed to 170 messages. WOW, indeed. Kind Regards Mike Marriott -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net]On Behalf Of gbierly [at] dejazzd.com Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 10:49 AM To: Stagecraft Subject: Wow! Got to school this afternoon and had 57 messages from the list. Got through all but 6 right before an awards ceremony started. I just locked up and shut down and have 21 more waiting now. I missed the list while it was down but I really have to watch what I wish for. Greg Bierly Hempfield HS ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #26 ****************************