Walk into any venue after midnight during pre-production for a show and you will find several creatures dressed in black lurking in all areas. These “people” often only come out after dark and seem to leave the venue once the sun comes up. They usually work in darkness and yet they wield total control of the atmosphere, at least in terms of lighting. The cast and other crew members often only see the lighting crew and automated lighting programmer as their paths cross, coming and going from the venue. The lighting vampires often seem confused as they exchange “good mornings” with the other staff members at 9 p.m. There are many pros and cons to working the “late shift” as an automated lighting programmer and also many things to consider as you switch from “normal” work times to overnight, then back to normal. Look Out for Wooden Stakes
Quite often the work of a lighting crew and automated lighting programmer occurs late at night. This happens because the cast, set, costumers, backline, etc., do not wish to do their prep work as the lights on stage are turning on or off and during programming times. It actually makes sense if you think about it: we don’t want to work while they are sawing wood or turning guitars either. With the house lights off and often only one fixture illuminated on stage at a time, no one else wants to be present as we work. I actually enjoy working in a venue with a small crew and very few distractions.
Adapting to the Lifestyle
Switching your body and mind into the mode of sleeping during the day and working at night can be difficult for some people. It requires proper thought and planning, as well as care for your body and mind. For example, you might fly into a location and arrive at 6 p.m. Your call for prep the next day is at 8 a.m. After working a long day until 9 p.m., you need to be back into the venue at 9 p.m. the next night. So you must now prepare to sleep during the day and stay up all night long. I will usually try to stay up until at least 2 a.m. so that I can sleep later into the morning. That way, I begin to acclimate myself to the late night schedule.
Putting a Nail in the Coffin
When you sleep during the day, you should consider things that might awaken you. If I know that I will return to my hotel at 8 a.m. and I plan to sleep during the day, then I will take certain precautions to ensure I get uninterrupted sleep. The first thing I do is put the “do not disturb” sign on the door of my room. I will also call the front desk and ask them to alert housekeeping that I do not want my room cleaned that day. Some hotels will call you at 3 p.m. to ask if you want your room cleaned, so this is very important. I have also learned to ask if any window cleaning, building maintenance, fire alarms, or other activities are planned for the day. Furthermore, I will turn off my cell phone and be sure to set my alarm for the afternoon. Sometimes I also make use of foam earplugs to silence any noise in the halls or out the window.
Avoid Sunlight at All Costs
Most hotel rooms are set up for people to sleep during the night. When you plan to sleep during the day, you need to prepare your room accordingly. I frequently carry a roll of gaff tape back to my room to seal up the curtains and keep my room dark. Furthermore, it is advisable to book a room that’s not on the ground floor. During the daytime the ground floor will be noisy as people are getting in and out of their cars or when the lawn guys come by to beautify the grounds. For similar reasons you probably want a room that is not right next to the elevators. Although these may seem like minor things to consider, they are all very important at 10 a.m. as you are trying to go to sleep.
Sucking Blood to Survive
When you are switching to the late night shift, you also need to think about your eating habits. The body must adapt accordingly. I usually awake in the mid afternoon and eat a big lunch. Then I will work for a bit and have a late dinner. Overnight I try to eat some healthy snacks and finally I eat breakfast as I finish my shift (just before I go to bed). Unless you are working in Las Vegas, then you need to remember that you will find it difficult to find food at 3:30 a.m. I will usually shop during an afternoon for some healthy snacks to keep at the console for the overnight munchies. Of course I must have some chocolate with me too, no matter what time of day I am working!
You should also consider what you will drink. Bottled water is important and most people prefer coffee or Red Bull-type energy drinks. Again, planning is required so that you have what you need in the dark of the night. Several of the larger production companies actually have road cases with refrigerators or coffee makers as part of their FOH setup.
Transforming Back to Reality
Unfortunately, our time working as vampires always comes to a quick end. Usually after a pre-production period of late night shifts, you must instantly change your life to match the rehearsal schedule. This can often lead to confusion of your body and mind. Again you must prepare for the transition by planning your sleeping and eating routines. Ask the production staff for a schedule as early as you can. This way you can better anticipate how you need to prepare. Furthermore as you fly home from the gig and try to adjust back to family life (or the next gig) the change can become very taxing on your body and mind. I often say that I get the best sleep while flying on airplanes, but some people are not so lucky.
The Walking Undead
In modern folklore the vampire is considered to be of the undead. Without proper planning and thought you too could end up looking and feeling undead when working the late shifts on a production. To truly enjoy the late night life, you must give thought to your sleeping and eating habits, as well as to the environment you work in. The best advice is to dive right in and always eat and sleep when time is allotted and not try to match up with the rest of society. Besides, most good vampires avoid society at all costs.
