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 20587502; Thu, 10 Mar 2005 03:00:44 -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 #323 Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 03:00:33 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.2 (2004-11-16) on prxy.net X-Spam-Status: No, score=-5.6 required=5.0 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,AWL,BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=3.0.2 X-Spam-Level: X-TFF-CGPSA-Version: 1.4f2 X-prxy-Spam-Filter: Scanned For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #323 1. Re: ETC Expression/Express Wireless RFU by "Sarah Clausen" 2. Re: Video monitoring system by Stuart Wheaton 3. Re: Lister Talents by Al Fitch 4. Re: Costumers by MissWisc [at] aol.com 5. Re: Peeeeeeps by "Gerry G." 6. Re: Listers talents by Dale Farmer 7. Re: Lister Talents by John Bracewell 8. Re: Peeeeeeps by Dale Farmer 9. Re: Video monitoring system by Dale Farmer 10. Lister Talents by "Daryl Redmon" 11. nutty costumers by "David R. Krajec" 12. Re: Costumes by June Abernathy 13. what we do by Jerry Durand 14. Re: Peeeeps by "Stuart Baulch" 15. Re: nutty costumers by "Tony Olson" 16. Re: Peeeeps by Jerry Durand *** Please update the subject line of your reply to use the subject *** line of the message you are replying to! Please only reply to *** one message subject in each reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: RE: ETC Expression/Express Wireless RFU Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:38:45 -0600 Message-ID: <0B70E9798A3B4E4080E46327FA359F21C81C15 [at] MIDL-MAILV.etclink.net> From: "Sarah Clausen" We expect the RRFU battery (9v) to last about a year with normal use of a product of this type. You will not get the same battery performance from a PocketPC/WiFi handheld unit. Depending on the settings and the amount of use, the PocketPC can be as bad as ~1 hour (this is the nature of the handheld unit, not the software running on it - it's always polling for connection to the WiFi network, which draws down the battery). If you are using PocketPC remotes with anyone's control system, you should invest in a handheld that supports hot-swapping of batteries and one or two spare batteries that can live on a charger while you work. My $0.02... Sarah Sarah Clausen Product Manager Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Steve B. Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 5:38 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: ETC Expression/Express Wireless RFU For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message -----=20 From: "Bruce Purdy" > I was informed, however, that the list price is virtually the same=20 > for the wired RFU and the RRFU. If that is true, it would not be more=20 > cost effective to run cable to all the lighting positions. The=20 > advantage - as I understand it - to the wired unit is that it has more > features, including a "Go" button do you can actually run the show=20 > from it. According to the ETC website info., the RRFU will run cues on an A/B Go=20 button, as well as allow access to all your macro's via a macro* key. Only problem I would anticipate for this unit is that it runs on 9 volt=20 batteries. Can't say how long the runtime is, but without a DC adapter, you=20 might find you need to replace often if the focus call runs all day.=20 Similar problem, but potentially worse with the WiFi RFU as the only RFU as=20 they generally need to be cradle re-charged. Anyone on the list using a WiFi RFU - Strand/ETC etc... as the only remote=20 ?, and what's the useful runtime ?. Steve Bailey Brooklyn College ------------------------------ Message-ID: <422FBD99.7060703 [at] fuse.net> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 22:23:05 -0500 From: Stuart Wheaton Subject: Re: Video monitoring system References: In-Reply-To: Aaron O'Quinn wrote: > I am > really looking for a way to do this as inexpensively as possible with as > little disruption to a certain type of insulation that may or may not be > present. > > Thanks for all of your help, > Installing video and network cable, Follow the phone guys, they have often drilled the holes plenty big to run the stuff you want to sneak through. Not a guaranteed easy way, but definitely something to be aware of. Stuart ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20050310040206.90020.qmail [at] web51410.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:02:06 -0800 (PST) From: Al Fitch Subject: Re: Lister Talents In-Reply-To: I'm an amateur logger (in my back yard), future 46er (Adirondack High Peak climber), Daddy Daycare provider, successful sweepstakes/contest winner and writer of booklet on said subject and future screenwriter of same subject. Somehow this topic seems like it could get out of hand quickly! Al Fitch Be Kind, Smile and Have Fun. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------ From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:03:59 EST Subject: Re: Costumers Cc: ajolson [at] charter.net In a message dated 3/8/5 11:39:03 PM, ajolson [at] charter.net writes: << Are all experienced costumers crazy....what is your experiences? >> Honestly Tony, I think anyone would HAVE to be crazy to take that job. I grew up in Tomahawk. 1) It's in the middle of nowhere. The closet thing that vaguely resembles a fabric store is an hour drive away and has the name "Wal-mart" over the door. 2) The pay isn't reasonable given the workload. I'd call it an internship with expense reimbursement at best. The marketplace has become quite competitive. You want high quality, be prepared to pay high prices. 3) There aren't many things to do in your "off time" (what little of it you might get) other than drink and sit under the trees. 4) It's not a place that has a reputation for high quality theatre. [And I'll add the caveat that I haven't seen any shows there since you've been TD. I would bet you've improved upon the technical things at least!] 5) You're asking for one person to design AND costume (and I'm assuming mainta in) ... that's a 5 person department minimum. (Designer, cutter, draper, stitcher, maintenance) Do you ask them to do the changes during the show too? For 7 shows - first one opening in a week? Uff dah! Lord help them if they are responsible for wigs/makeup also! I don't think you'll find a sane person to do such an insane task - or at least she won't be sane by the end of the summer. Much as I'd love to work near my parents, I value my health and that includes my sanity. Kristi R-C ------------------------------ From: "Gerry G." Subject: RE: Peeeeeeps Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:07:44 -0500 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Subject: Peeeeeeps For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- and now Greg has to explain those loveable little marshmallow blobs coated in sugar guarenteed to send any child off on a sugar high. I thought sugar high's in children had been completely debunked; is there some consensus again that they occur ? (not a father but a devoted uncle to 10) Gerry G. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <422FCD41.FBBC35DF [at] cybercom.net> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 23:29:53 -0500 From: Dale Farmer Subject: Re: Listers talents References: Scott Boyle wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Steve wrote: > > >>Maybe we could put together 16 people for Survivor > or The Amazing Race. Wow!<< > > A few years ago when the shows "Junkyard Wars" and "Battlebots" were > popular, I had thought it would be great to get a bunch of theatre > people together and form some teams. Of course those shows were on > before I joined the list, so it's probably been mentioned before, but I > think we could have been awesome. > > Scott Two of my friends were part of the first US team on Junkyard Wars. They had lots of fun, and were on three shows before they washed out. I have some other friends who did the various robot wars competitions. The first mostly just needs brains and a lot of assorted construction skills. The second needs all of the above and a lot of cash to pay for materials that are often not salvageable from your bot. --Dale ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.0.20050309234719.02851d90 [at] pop.lightlink.com> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 23:47:44 -0500 From: John Bracewell Subject: Re: Lister Talents In-Reply-To: References: >Somehow this topic seems like it could get out of hand >quickly! You mean it hasn't already? -- JLB ------------------------------ Message-ID: <422FD2CB.A8C80330 [at] cybercom.net> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 23:53:31 -0500 From: Dale Farmer Subject: Re: Peeeeeeps References:

Stephen Litterst wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Pat Kight wrote: > > --------------------------------------------------- > > Stephen E. Rees wrote: > > > Now I'll never get ready to go to USITT!. Waaay too much fun to be had > > > this weekend. > > > > Take the Peeps with you! > > Any exhibitors on the list have room for a microwave in the booth? We > could have jousting competitions on the show floor! There was a group of folks I knew who had picked up a beat up but functional microwave oven. This was dubbed "Someone Else's Microwave" and they did many things with it that you would only do with someone else's microwave. After a while they learned to always bring a CO2 fire extinguisher with it, as dry chemicals do bad things to hotel room carpeting. --Dale ------------------------------ Message-ID: <422FD5A2.7B3EDF03 [at] cybercom.net> Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:05:38 -0500 From: Dale Farmer Subject: Re: Video monitoring system References: Aaron O'Quinn wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Hello All, > > I have just recently rejoined the list ( I somehow found enough time to > actually read the posts again). Does anyone have any experience they can > offer in the realm of installing a video monitoring system for a theatre > complex. > > Our building has a large proscenium house and a small black box. I was > hoping to mount four cameras, 2 in each space, and then have multiple places > through out the building to tap into those camera feeds. The dressing areas > should be able to get feeds from all four cameras and the backstage areas of > each respective space should be able to get the two feeds from their space. > > Can i just use coaxial splitters? At what point will there be signal drop > and will I need an amplifier? Is there a limit as to how many times the > cables can be split. > > I know a lot of you have monitoring systems that you either inherited with > your buildings or were installed in a renovation, etc, but I am really > looking for a way to do this as inexpensively as possible with as little > disruption to a certain type of insulation that may or may not be present. > > Thanks for all of your help, > > Aaron Run coax from the camera locations to an AV closet for each space. Buy four channels worth of RF video modulator. ( also you may want to feed audio to this. ) Output of the video modulators are combined and fed to a passive splitter, which then has home-run cables to each TV location. If the signal quality on the TVs are not very good, add a RF distribution amplifier to the mix. Should be able to do this for under a grand in parts cost. Lots of labor costs in running cable. --Dale ------------------------------ Message-ID: <000601c5252f$137b3760$6500a8c0 [at] yourfsyly0jtwn> From: "Daryl Redmon" References:

Subject: Lister Talents Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 21:07:36 -0800 I always worked in the technical fields since school. I have worked for medical companies developing medical lasers, other medical equipment which removed cataracts, spent a period of time designing a irrigation control system for golf courses, sales, and now that I all grown up I work for SBC the telecom giant working on phone lines. I always have been a volunteer in various churches improving on there sound equipment and now I have caught the LIGHT. Daryl Redmon, Resounding Light ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "David R. Krajec" Subject: nutty costumers Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:11:00 -0600 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Costumer aren't nuts. Although the one that I married must have been to get hitched to me. But cereally, folks... I agree with Alice's comment, "As long as pay is too low and time is too short, the best technicians will never apply, and you will never have returning staff, which is a valuable asset." Actually, what is being asked of the costumers is obscene. As my wife might say, "What? Do they expect us to chew fabric and shit costumes?" Frankly, I'm surprised at the strength of character that those costumers exhibited by not handing the producers their testicles on a platter. We must not put down people because they won't take a no-win job. And I feel sorry for the people that have to take what sounds like a God-awful job, because they need the dough or nobody else is hiring. These are the kind of jobs that caused unions to start. Have the producers look around at other summer rep companies? What do the other companies expect? What are they paying? The old adage "You get what you pay for" applies here. Let's talk equity here. What is the schedule for the scenic department? When do you get the drawings for the shows? When do you start building? How many people work for you? What is your budget? Generally speaking, unless you design for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, most professional theatres in SE Wisconsin expect the costume designer to design the costumes, buy the fabric, draft the pattern, stitch, fit, shop, and sometimes run wardrobe as well. On the other hand, the set designer has to design the set, hand off the drawings to a scene studio to build the show, and then maybe throw some paint on the finished set. The topper is that the set designer usually gets paid more than the costume designer. And we may wonder why costumers are "nuts". They aren't. They're over-worked and frazzled! David Krajec Assoc. Professor - Theatre Cardinal Stritch University Milwaukee, WI ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20050310055226.69484.qmail [at] web14126.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 21:52:26 -0800 (PST) From: June Abernathy Subject: Re: Costumes Tony - I must agree with everyone else. Your expectations are high, your schedule is insane, and I'm guessing from what I know of Summer Stock and the comments of others that the pay is low. This is not a good combination. You can find pretty good actors for very little money. You can sometimes even find pretty good directors and designers for pretty bad money. It's always the way with Artistic Staff. Stage Managers and Department Heads? Well, you start getting what you pay for. There are few enough talented costume people out there that they can often afford to shy away from jobs that suck and pay badly once they have a few credits. This means that in order to attract people who aren't entry level and/or crazy, you have to either moderate the schedule and/or expectations, or pay more. Probably both. Are you expecting one paragon to Design AND Build 8 shows on your schedule? Or several different designers? I would tell you that in my Summer Stock experience, it is far more normal to have at least 2 and as many as 8 designers for an 8 show rep season, and a separate Costume Shop Manager to oversee the building. Maybe two, so that they could concentrate on every other show. Maybe, if your costume shop Manager has a real desire to design, they could do one or at the most two during the season, but I certainly wouldn't encourage that. And your designers have to take the facilities and the time frame into consideration, and design accordingly. (i.e. Using stock and/or rental items where possible, keeping designs simple and costume changes to a minimum, etc.) That means paying each designer a fee. It means paying the Costume shop manager a salary, and providing them with some kind of staff, including at least a couple of people who can cut, drape, and sew as well as a couple more to sew buttons and trim and do quick repairs and act as show dressers for quick changes. Your schedule means that casting has to be set early and actors have to send accurate measurment sheets in ahead of time - as in, several weeks ahead of time - and designers and directors have to be pretty well settled on what costumes will be before they get there, so that one that once actors arrive, it's down to final fittings and accessorizing. It would probably be really cost effective for you to bring in your Costume Shop Manager and maybe a staffer or two two weeks before kickoff, rather than one. I would think the same would apply to your TD and/or Master Carpenter. Not sure what hell their build schedule is, but I'm guessing it's similar. Is your Costume Shop Manager paid as much as your Master Carpenter? Do they have a similar sized staff? Do they have similar design and construction deadlines? Do you ask your Master Carpenter and/or TD to design their scenery? Because the two positions are startlingly analagous on many levels. Except that there are, in my experience, more carpenters willing to do massive amounts of work for lousy money than costume people. One reason for this is that costume people do, indeed, take a lot of crap. It would behoove you to make a concious policy in your company to be respectful of the costume staff, refrain from bad mouthing the costumes or the work, show up on time for fittings, take care of their costumes, etc. People who feel valued and respected are willing to do more work for less money. Truly. If you've had someone in the past who could and did "do it all", realize that THIS was probably the crazy person. Or at least, an extremely unusual individual, the likes of which you are not likely to encounter again anytime soon. Split up the job. Pay more. Be nice to them. My .02 June Abernathy IATSE #321 (Tampa, FL) FOH Electrician The Lion King National Tour (Gazelle) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.2.1.2.0.20050309214010.05664d80 [at] localhost> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 21:52:27 -0800 From: Jerry Durand Subject: what we do Someone had asked what we do besides stagecraft. Aside from my electronics "day job" you already know about, I also do fireworks on the side. Last month I was at the 16th Western Winter Blast in Arizona. It was pretty rainy, so we didn't take a lot of pictures, but if you'd like to see them I put them up on our hosted web server at www.interstellar.com/photos/ . We're going to be moving our web/mail server back into the office like we used to have 10 years or so ago, so as a test of the firewall, my understanding of Unix, etc. I've also put the pictures on my really old iBook which will be replaced by a nice, new Mac when we get back from Stage Expo. Anyone who'd like to poke around on the iBook, for the next few days it's at: Main page: http://www.jdurand.no-ip.org/ Pictures: http://www.jdurand.no-ip.org/Western_Winter_Blast_2005/ Also, a short WWB16 video by Evil Tim: http://www.jdurand.no-ip.org/wwb16.wmv Let me know if anything breaks or is way too slow (we don't normally expect a lot of large downloads and only get about 1000 hits/day on our main server). BTW, the iBook will be in our booth at Stage Expo showing off the new Mac drivers if they're ready in time. The person writing them had a friend murdered over the weekend, so I don't know if he'll be up to finishing them in time. ---------- 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 ------------------------------ From: "Stuart Baulch" Subject: RE: Peeeeps Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 01:12:36 -0500 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Stephen Litterst wrote: >Any exhibitors on the list have room for a microwave in the booth? >We could have jousting competitions on the show floor! I'll offer up in my microwave if someone will explain what the heck a "peep" is.... Stuart B ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00bb01c52538$b1316d90$d716b718 [at] TonyLaptop> Reply-To: "Tony Olson" From: "Tony Olson" Cc: drkrajec [at] stritch.edu References: Subject: Re: nutty costumers Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:16:26 -0600 Yes I understand the pay aspect of this, however the people I have interviewed for the position we have not even talked money before I have listed in my notes that the person is a bit crazy...I have talked with a couple of people that yes are normal and I am very honest with them that the job is insane and it takes a lot of work. In fact if you ask people that I interview I tell them that I will probably scare them away with everything. I understand that it is not for most people. I do think that you have to be a bit insane to do the job (I know I am) but it is a creative sanity not a metal issue where the job would push the person over the edge. I am simply trying to avoid that this year. Last year besides myself we went through 4 other costumers... As far as my Scenic department you are talking to the whole department! I am the designer, builder, painter, light designer, sound designer, and board op (many times I run both boards), change over supervisor, I am also responsible for a majority of the maintenance and keeping the theatre clean.. I am lucky this year in that I have gotten about 1/4th of my scripts so that I can have them designed before I get there this year...however last year I didn't have all of my scripts until I had arrived and we opened our first show a week after I arrived. As I say all this I do have to admit that I do get help from supporting actors that are assigned to me when they are not in rehearsal...many of them are afraid of tools and painting (Costumer also gets actors of this nature). I do also get to have an ATD if we can find one...however finding one has been a bit of a challenge as well due to qualifications. As far as budgets go they are very low...I average maybe 3-400 dollars per show...some budgets are even less than 100. I am able to start building about 3 days after I arrive meaning that the first show gets built within 4 days at most. I will be the first one to tell you that the job is nuts and can easily drive you over the edge if you are not mentally set for it...on the other hand I find it exuberating because it challenges my creative ability. I have to design 16 shows 7 of which are in rotating rep. plus I have to be fast and cheap, yet I have to create the best set possible. I do not let obstacles hinder my sets...I can usually get what I want if I work at it hard enough. One thing I tell my interviewees is that yes we rehearse/work form 9am until 11pm with a lunch and a dinner break, however, there are at least two people that usually do not get those breaks...myself as the TD and the Stage Manager...many days the whole staff will skip their breaks so that we assure that we have the highest quality shows that we can. I think that the experience is one of the best things I have had in doing theater. It forces the creativity in us to come out, to many times we have to many luxuries and forget a lot of the creativity we started with and the excitement of figuring something new out. Yes we ask a lot of the people that work for us but in return...no matter how you feel about the experience everyone says that they learn an immense amount about themselves and their love of theatre! Tony Olson Tech. Director Theatre for Young Audiences University of Wisconsin- Sheboygan Northern Lights Playhouse ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.2.1.2.0.20050309222807.02949a18 [at] localhost> Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 22:28:16 -0800 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Peeeeps In-Reply-To: References:

At 10:12 PM 3/9/2005, you wrote: >I'll offer up in my microwave if someone will explain what the heck a "peep" >is.... > >Stuart B http://www.punkasspunk.com/peeps/joust/ ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #323 *****************************