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Let’s Talk Content

Let’s Talk Content

What are you going to do when…

  • The content you’re going to use for a show is being specially created for the gig, and the art department comes to you to ask about the media server’s specs?
  • During the first day of rehearsal, the client hands you a JPEG of one of the corporate VIPs and wants to use it in the show the next day?
  • You use your video camera to capture a beautiful sunset in an exotic location and you want to use it on your current fashion show? What’s the common theme in all of the above scenarios? The content will not all be correctly optimized, and it will need to be re-rendered and exported in a new format before it can be used in the media server properly. As the programmer of a media server, familiarizing yourself with the manufacturer’s specs regarding codecs and file types is an important part of your role.

Selecon Rama 6″ FFT PC

RamaFFT.jpgLast month, I heard that Selecon, the New Zealand lighting manufacturer, had designed a new conventional lighting fixture that was going to make people interested in a Fresnel. It was hard to get excited. A couple years ago, people crossed a PAR with a Fresneltype lens and that did not thrill me. But then I actually used the new Selecon fixture.

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From Theatre to Television

Andre Huff took a unique route on his way to the world of television lighting. He started working for a lighting manufacturer, then in theatre and concert touring. His biggest challenge? Helping his clients understand that not every show can be like the Grammys. In this month’s interview, we caught up with Huff and he explained why it’s a challenge that he’s ready to (True) Grip.

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Queen and Paul Rodgers

My first experience seeing Queen live was in 1976 at the historic Winterland Auditorium in San Francisco. It was one of those rare magical moments that you don’t forget. There is no one on the rock scene who can match the singing and stage presence of Freddie Mercury. Freddie’s gone, but not the memories that will live forever. Brian May, whose unique guitar style is unsurpassed, and Roger Taylor, whose rock anthem drumming defines the style of the band, have embarked on the first Queen tour in 20 years. They’ve brought with them the talent of Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers to sing the hits of both bands, from “Tie Your Mother Down” to “Can’t Get Enough” to “We Are the Champions.”

Bringing Brecht to Broadway

DALE_G~1.JPGThe Threepenny Opera, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s classic musical that opens this month at the famous Studio 54, is not your ordinary musical. It was adapted from The Beggar’s OperaThe Threepenny Opera written by John Gay in 1728 as a comedic satire about the interaction between the classes. The Threepenny Opera was written by Brecht in 1928, who used it as a focus for his new style of theatre. This style, which would become known as Brechtian theatre, explodes onto the stage in this revival, using modern conceits to fulfill Brecht’s original vision of the play. Lighting designer Jason Lyons completely captures the style and complexity of the piece as he brings his own touch to this classic work.

Speed of Sound

Container Load 2.jpgWho:
Speed of Sound Worldwide (SOS)

What:
Freight forwarder specializing in production cargo for tours,corporate events and special projects. Also handles production cargo storage.

Where:
Headquarters are in Irvington, N.J., with an office in Rancho Dominguez, Calif.

USITT Special Edition

USITT06-001.JPGROSCO 1750 Fog Machine
The 1,500-watt fogger features a piston pump and continuous duty operation. Up to four machines can be daisy-chained and it runs from a DMX512 input or a timer remote. The standard unit with a piggyback remote retails for $695 and the DMX512 version retails for $795.

Rosco  •  800.767.2669 or 800.767.2652  •  www.rosco.com

Working Your Crew in Foreign Lands (Like Philadelphia)

There are two main ingredients that I need for every gig; the local crew I work with and my “go-to” guy. I believe there is an art form to working with people and getting the most use out of each person based on their individual persona. The word “stagehand” covers a broad spectrum of people all over the world.

In the concert and theatre worlds, the lighting techs are often fortunate to work with IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), or union, stagehands. These crews have been around the block and are pretty familiar with most gear that crosses their paths. They build different shows constantly, so they get to work with just about every gadget, light fixture or P.A. that’s out there. On the contrary, touring crews constantly set up the same light rig and P.A. every day. They don’t always see all the advantages of how other people may do the same job they do. You can learn a lot by watching some IATSE guys work.

Pre-empting Plotter Envy

“If a man will begin with certainties, he will end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he will end in certainties.”

– Sir Francis Bacon, philosopher, statesman and author

Several years ago, a friend of mine got a pen plotter. It was a big, beautiful instrument. It was shiny and gleaming, and it stood on its own two legs in the corner of his office. I was envious of him and his plotter for two reasons—one was that he could create blueprints and crank out professional- looking drawings at will, and the other was that everyone who saw it immediately knew he was an AutoCAD stud. It was more than a convenient tool to aide him in his work; it was a status symbol.

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Exploring the ETC Congo Console

While ETC’s newest lighting console is considered “new” by most standards, the parents of the system would say that the console has been in gestation for more than 30 years.

The true heritage of the console began with Avab, the Scandinavian lighting console manufacturer that, three decades ago, had one of the two existing 999- channel boards, the Viking. With a simple, direct-access control structure, the Avab brand has maintained a strong presence in European markets ever since.