Stealing crap in our biz.
It’s a shame that we even have to bring up this subject. But lately it’s becoming more and more necessary to lock up your gear on site, especially when you leave it overnight at a venue.
BMI Supply – 20 Years and Growing
When you think of the great production supply centers of North America — New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto — one place just might slip your mind: Queensbury, N.Y. Believe it or not, from this idyllic setting, many lighting projects around the country are designed, managed and supplied, including theatres, convention centers, performing arts centers and schools in Pittsburgh, Penn., Peoria, Ill., Chattanooga, Tenn. and Columbia, Ga.
First and Ten
It’s time for a break, dear readers; a break from hanging lights, calculating pixels, equalizing the RF mics and tracking down that lost DMX512 universe. When this issue hits the stands, we’ll be deep into the NFL playoff season, and so what better time than now to devote an entire column to a topic dear to our hearts — football and video!
Credit Where Credit Is Due
The world is teetering on the brink of the Great Depression, The Sequel. Now for another piece of amazing news: The financial mugging being perpetrated on much of the manufacturing sector in the U.S. seems to have thus far avoided crippling many entertainment-related businesses. There may be an empty seat or two for a Cher or Bette show at Caesars, but you can bet money that all the lights will be working.
Staging Dimensions Kickstand
The production world needs inverted lighting like up needs down, black needs white, and yin needs yang. Some luminaires, like automated fixtures, come with their own built-in floor stands and need no accessories to stand in an inverted position. Others, like PAR cans and Lekos, not so much.
It Doesn’t Add Up
Dear Swami,
I work for a lighting company and we have a slew of power draw sheets that look nice on paper, but never seem to be entirely correct when I do a load test on a show site. I asked someone here if they knew why that is and they mentioned something about multiplying by the square root of three. What are they talking about?
—Confused Electrician
Programming Attraction(s)
Jason Badger has found a unique niche as a specialty automated lighting programmer. For over 10 years, he has been programming major attractions and rides for Disney parks around the world. As if this is not enough, he also spends his free time working in the Los Angeles area on other types of productions. However, what is distinctive about Jason is his work on Disney attractions. I wanted to learn more about programming theme park attractions, so I interviewed him about his specialty.
Attention to Detail is the Key to Success
The subject of lighting really covers a broad scope of fields. The best lighting designers are folks who pay attention to detail. Whether they’re lighting a car or a rock star, certain de-signers will spend hours on minute things, but they all add up. That’s why they are good.
BORED
Hey again, well this weeks is going to be brief because I have not a thing to write about. Currently my work has been put to a stand still because of the winter, recession, etc. Who knows what is to blame. All I can say is that I am not able to do what I love and that is lighting.
Using non lighting guys to put up lights
I’ve come to realize something recently that I should have known for years. Some of the best guys to have on your lighting crew, actually know little about lighting.
Stumbling Upon The 39 Steps
Lighting designer Kevin Adams always wanted to put a Hitchcock film on stage, particularly Psycho with its infamous shower sequence. So when he was told that The 39 Steps, which began life in London a few years ago, was being brought to the Great White Way nearly scene for scene, he was ecstatic. Of course, the catch was that this was not a straight-on rendition of that famous thriller from the master of suspense, but rather a low-budget parody of the film. Or more specifically, it’s a parody whose premise was that a tiny theatre company with a cast of four was attempting to play out the whole film onstage without the proper resources.
Stone Temple Pilots
By the time the Stone Temple Pilots disbanded in 2003, they had sold close to 40 million albums worldwide, which had produced six number one singles among the 15 songs that made the Billboard top 10. To Alastair Bramall-Watson, the band was iconic, particularly in the U.K., where he grew up. When the band reunited in 2008 for a tour and to record a new album, Bramall-Watson got the gig as the tour lighting and video designer.