# Training and gear for Stoldal's new theatre



## Stoldal (May 25, 2008)

In a few month I will be moving in to a 700 seat theatre. I have worked in a few theatre, but no more then a few days in each on. So i am new to theatre. I have been doing lighting and sound for about 4 years, but i have always worked in a gym, and with TTI products, great dimmers and consoles(I have only had one dimmer fail in 4 years). Now that i am moving in to a real theatre. Now my question. What should i do to prepare. Are the any good Las Vegas based training class i should take. For those who don't know this is a high school, so it is an academic theatre. I am just looking for some general advice. 

Thanks

Matt S


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## soundlight (May 25, 2008)

I seem to remember that there was a lengthy discussion about what light board you were gonna get. Do you know what the board will be? If so, reading and dissecting that manual as well as checking out the offline software is a good idea.


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## Stoldal (May 25, 2008)

I know what light board we are going to get it is....8700 Series. 

What i am really worried about is safe, i am going to be one of the lead in charge of managing the tech part of the theatre


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## soundlight (May 25, 2008)

GL, GS, or GX? Or do you not know?


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## Stoldal (May 25, 2008)

I would like to get GX if i have to get that board.


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## Charc (May 25, 2008)

Long live Leviton?


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## cutlunch (May 25, 2008)

MsTodal I find your question a bit hard to answer because I am not sure of the role you will be filling in the theatre. Will you be the TD? Or will you just be lighting and sound?

There a whole lot of things to learn depending on what you are doing and how the theatre was built.

For instance are the lighting bars over the stage fixed or can they be lowered?
If they can be lowered how winches or a counterweighted fly system. If the later then you might need to look training on fly tower work.

Apart from flying there shouldn't much new for your to learn. The rest will be based on your current knowledge such as where are the audio patch panels and /or places to plug in the microphones. Things like that. The same with connectors for foldback speakers etc. The same with lighting how you connect the lights to the dimmer ie patch panel or is it hardwired one dimmer to one outlet .

Do you have ladders or is there a Genie so you might need to do a course on?

There's heaps of little things where are the light switches for the stage? Do you have control for the lights in the auditorium etc?

One thing you might have to get use to is having legs and border curtains and how to adjust / put up and take down.

Since I started this post I saw you have made a new one so ignore the first question.

If you are worried about safety then find things like where the extinguishers are.

If this is for a High School then there should be a Health and Safety person that should be able to help you indentify the risks in the building.

If you haven't already you should talk to the management and find out what you are responsible for as far as safety goes.

Who are writing the rules what the students are allowed to do/ not do? Eg Are there catwalks - when can a student go up there etc.

Is this theatre actually finished construction yet? If it is due to open in the start of the new schol year I would try and see if you can start working there this summer just to familarise your self with the place. Also you can setup procedures on how things are to be done. Eg Play with the sound system and find the best levels ( of course with it empty it won't be perferct) but it should give you some idea of the sound quality and volume. Play with the projector system. Setup some lighting states on submasters on the board. Start writing little manuals like a teacher one where the light switch controls are ? How to connect to the video projector from the stage if this is possible.

Another thing I would do, is get hold of the Audio engineers design manual for the theatre . Then go through it and make sure everything works like they said it would. I was one of the first techs in a new school theatre a couple of years ago and found the installation wasn't complete. The manual would say one thing but the opposite was true. Wiring to take sound to one of the attached classes hadn't being attached to the socket in the patch panel.
There were video leads to the stage that hadn't even being connected to their patch panel etc.

So as you see there are lots of things to do but a lot of stuff you will know already and just apply it to the new space. But if there is a fly tower then you will need a course to run it. 

Why don't you put up a list of things you think you need to learn / take care of then we can comment on any you may have missed.


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## Stoldal (May 25, 2008)

ok, before i write the list of things, no i want am ION.


there are going to be two people, working the tech, me and and old school sound tech, he has been doing sound and lighting for 30 years, he is sound, i am lighting. he has only used anlog as a control protical. But i will be doing both, as he also drives the busses at the school. 

I am not worried about sound.

The sound system we are getting is the same one that the blue man group has in Las Vegas. 

We are going to have a counterweight fly system.

The theatre is still being build, we are going to get in to the theatre in October, to set everything up, we bought all of the fixture for a church, 300 total, source 4s. So we have to hang all of them. When i get the exact list, and layout, i want to make a rough lighting plot.

o ya it is a private school.


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## Footer (May 25, 2008)

Mstoldal said:


> ok, before i write the list of things, no i want am ION.
> 
> 
> there are going to be two people, working the tech, me and and old school sound tech, he has been doing sound and lighting for 30 years, he is sound, i am lighting. he has only used anlog as a control protical. But i will be doing both, as he also drives the busses at the school.
> ...



So its you, the bus driver, the sound system from blueman group, and a bunch of jesus lights.... sorry, couldnt resist.


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## Stoldal (May 25, 2008)

Footer4321 said:


> So its you, the bus driver, the sound system from blueman group, and a bunch of jesus lights.... sorry, couldn't resist.



That funny, but ya thats about right, the bus drive owns the buses, so he wants to drive them


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## ruinexplorer (May 26, 2008)

Mstoldal said:


> In a few month I will be moving in to a 700 seat theatre. I have worked in a few theatre, but no more then a few days in each on. So i am new to theatre. I have been doing lighting and sound for about 4 years, but i have always worked in a gym, and with TTI products, great dimmers and consoles(I have only had one dimmer fail in 4 years). Now that i am moving in to a real theatre. Now my question. What should i do to prepare. Are the any good Las Vegas based training class i should take. For those who don't know this is a high school, so it is an academic theatre. I am just looking for some general advice.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Matt S



Well, Las Vegas is the place to be to get trained! First off, there are many great conferences that come through on a regular basis. Secondly, many of the venues are working with UNLV to create a better program for top of the line technicians. Also, many manufacturers base training programs here in the city. I'll try to see if I still have flyers, but there was a "summer camp" type of program for technicians being offered here for newer and experienced techs (different programs). The name eludes me right now, but it was first advertised at LDI a few years ago. If I can find it, I'll send it your way.


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## Stoldal (May 26, 2008)

Thanks that would be great if you could get me that info.!!


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## avkid (May 26, 2008)

Dude, InfoComm.


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## ruinexplorer (May 26, 2008)

Yes, Infocomm is great, especially for aplications relating to AV systems (highly recommend to go this summer since it's here). However, I believe that the topic is more for theater systems which are not covered as well as needed. How's your time for reading, I could suggest some books to add to your library. :^)


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## ruinexplorer (May 26, 2008)

Check out this program. Might be of interest. Just found it: LIVE PRODUCTION INSTITUTE: Audio School, Video School, Lighting School and Stage Technologies School


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## derekleffew (May 26, 2008)

Seems to be somewhat of a competitor (possibly more formalized) to Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas. Here's a previous thread. 

Mstoldal, when you actually have access to the building, I bet ruinexplorer and I would come over and give you a day's worth of "hints, tips, and tricks." PM us.


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## gafftaper (May 26, 2008)

First off do everything you can to get Derek and Ruinexplorer over there. 

Second. Be prepared for a LOT of crazy unfinished crap. MY theater was supposed to be done in August. I finally got a key in November but it wasn't really finished until January... then I had to start moving in lights and equipment. Guess what the houselights still don't work right and it's the end of May. It takes a long time to get buildings running and you are going to find all kinds of crazy stuff to deal with. So keep your expectations low and limit the activities in the theater as much as possible until you can really get it shaken down.


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## Stoldal (May 26, 2008)

charcoaldabs said:


> Given what you and everyone else has said about unfinished stuff, does it make sense for Mstoldal to write himself a checklist and start going over stuff now? If he has access to circuit maps, blueprints, spec sheets, and other paperwork, he should have a good idea of his theater is supposed to have, and it might be easier to find out what is messed up now, right after it's finished, than during the first show.




I am told i can get those in the next few days.


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## derekleffew (May 26, 2008)

A great place to start, which will benefit everyone, is to write your venue's Tech Info Packet. As an example, the College of San Mateo. This will help outside renters and users of the space know what is available, and what the rules are. I've started a Collaborative Article for CB member's to post their Venue Specs, or the specs of a favorite venue.


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## Stoldal (May 26, 2008)

Ya i think that will be a good place to start, there are still some part of the lighting system that we dont know what we are going to get. I.e. the dimmers... i was told that we are getting fixture from a church, but i dont not really know for sure if that is what we are really getting. They has put the light to the side, as in they feel that it is not very important. 

But hey we are getting a good sound system, i know that.


The theatre is scheduled to have two diffent plays in it two weeks after we have access to the building. i know that half the thing are not going to be done in time for those production, and the director has already started print thing with the dates of the play. So hope full we will stay on schedule.


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## ruinexplorer (May 26, 2008)

derekleffew said:


> Seems to be somewhat of a competitor (possibly more formalized) to Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas. Here's a previous thread.
> 
> [user]Mstoldal[/user], when you actually have access to the building, I bet [user]ruinexplorer[/user] and I would come over and give you a day's worth of "hints, tips, and tricks." PM us.



Thank you, that was driving me crazy. I only just thought of that one this morning (I guess too many days working in a row had my mind in a fuzz). 

The Stagecraft Institute is probably more along the lines of what is needed here. The other program is more along the line of Full Sail in Orlando.


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## gafftaper (May 27, 2008)

Mstoldal said:


> The theatre is scheduled to have two diffent plays in it two weeks after we have access to the building. i know that half the thing are not going to be done in time for those production, and the director has already started print thing with the dates of the play. So hope full we will stay on schedule.



Well I was just barely able to pull off One play 5 months after our theater was "scheduled" to be finished... of course They didn't let us move in until 4 months after it was "scheduled" to be finished. For that first show I had no way to dim house lights so I had to turn them on and off at a breaker because they hadn't finished installing that system yet. 

I would strongly urge you to push for a change in plans. 300 lights huh? Do you know how long it's going take you and the bus king to hang 300 lights? The fact that they are used makes it even worse as you'll probably run into all kinds of issues with them. I've been in my new building since January and I've still got lots of unopened boxes to open, sort, and put away.


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## Stoldal (May 27, 2008)

the drama dept expects that the tech and everything else for a show to work to take a week, because that how long it took for us to set it up in the gym for the other production.

If they don't push the productions back, the plan for hanging all 300, is two days as most. It will be a group of six people. I will have the lighting plot done way before we get in there to hang the lights.

There is 5 electrics, and 4 cats walks. I don't know if we are going to have any side pockets.

BTW here is a link to a 3-d tour of the theatre and other information: http://faithlutheranlv.org/chapel/building.html


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## Stoldal (May 27, 2008)

ya i love it this is one thing that the designers some how over look was the crosser over.
"The walkthrough doesn't seem to show any aisle lights,"
I was told that the walkthrought is missing many things, i hope.


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## Stoldal (May 27, 2008)

ruinexplorer said:


> Thank you, that was driving me crazy. I only just thought of that one this morning (I guess too many days working in a row had my mind in a fuzz).
> 
> The Stagecraft Institute is probably more along the lines of what is needed here. The other program is more along the line of Full Sail in Orlando.



I got the green light to take the rigging class at SILV. Before the money is invested, SILV a good place to take a rigging class.


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## Stoldal (May 28, 2008)

*Specs for new theatre*

I just got the spec for the new theatre i am helping build. if there is something that you want to know, ask and i will try and find it. I just want to get input for the CB community on the gear.

see attached, in pdf format


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## Pie4Weebl (May 29, 2008)

*Re: Specs for new theatre*

um, did I miss the hard edge fixtures in there or are Source 4 pars the only kind you get?


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## Stoldal (May 29, 2008)

*Re: Specs for new theatre*

we are buying about 300 more source 4 fixtures, the source 4 pars oon the plans are in a permanent location


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## gafftaper (May 29, 2008)

*Re: Specs for new theatre*

I may be wrong but I believe the S4 PARS come standard from the factory with a set of four lenses. This looks like they are selling you 36 with one lens and 10 with another lens. That's not right. 

Do you have Cable in another package? It's AMAZING how expensive it gets.


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## cutlunch (May 29, 2008)

*Re: Specs for new theatre*

Mstoldal from looking at the theatre plan on the school website I have some questions.

Looking at the back wall of the stage, is that the outside wall of the building? And if it is how do you cross from one side to the other without being seen? Or do you have to make a false wall and loose some stage depth?

Also are you controlling lights from the sound position in the middle of the theatre and if so have they left enough room? Also is the sound booth got lockable cabinets?

Are they giving you a Cyc ?

Looking at the Leviton BOM you have put up is someone keeping an eye on the 6 Weeks for the Operation / Maintenance manual deadline so you have the manuals when you need them? Especially since you have to order them as they don't come with the gear.

Reading the BOM it looks like you have 288 20A circuits but do you have to use some of these circuits for the house lights?

Also does that BOM cover gear for the classrooms as well? Judging by the number of entry stations it does?
I have just been looking at info on Luma Edit system that sets up the entry stations for the lights. It looks quite flash. Do all the building lights run off the ie96 dimmer banks?

I am looking forward to seeing the specs for the sound system when you get it.

Who gets to go to Portland for the Hands On Training on 8700?


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## derekleffew (May 29, 2008)

NOTE: Above 5 posts moved from "Off Topic" and merged into this thread.


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## Stoldal (May 29, 2008)

Looking at the back wall of the stage, is that the outside wall of the building? And if it is how do you cross from one side to the other without being seen? Or do you have to make a false wall and loose some stage depth?

Yes the back wall is also the outside wall, the forgot about that when they where designing the theatre. i think we are going to make a false wall, but ya loose some stage depth.

Also are you controlling lights from the sound position in the middle of the theatre and if so have they left enough room? Also is the sound booth got lockable cabinets?
et

i think, there will be enough room, the booth is 8' wide, i dont have size of the mixer yet. I dont know that but i think that we can get them if we want them.

Are they giving you a Cyc ?

yes, but there is a problem with it. right now it is on the last batten. but if we add a false wall then i foresee a problem.

Looking at the Leviton BOM you have put up is someone keeping an eye on the 6 Weeks for the Operation / Maintenance manual deadline so you have the manuals when you need them? Especially since you have to order them as they don't come with the gear.

simple answer yes

Reading the BOM it looks like you have 288 20A circuits but do you have to use some of these circuits for the House lights?

Yes and now the main house lights are on a dmx control rely ( there is 48 relies). There is going to be some down lights that are control via the dimmers. 

Also does that BOM cover gear for the classrooms as well? Judging by the number of entry stations it does?
I have just been looking at info on Luma Edit system that sets up the entry stations for the lights. It looks quite flash. Do all the building lights run off the ie96 Dimmer banks?

No, the dimmers are just for the theatre, and the entry stations are just for the theatre. One interesting thing that they have done is put a 5 button stations on each cat walk, each electric, and i think that there is one on the loading bridge.

I am looking forward to seeing the specs for the sound system when you get it.

I don't know when i am going to get that but i know that we are using, Meyer sound

Who gets to go to Portland for the Hands On Training on 8700?

I dont know that i hope that they do use it.


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## Stoldal (Jul 1, 2008)

UPDATE

Well the bad/worries



The dimmer racks are in a 6' x 6' room
So the room will have, 3x I series E 96 dimmer racks, http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibcGetAttachment.jsp?cItemId=63580&label=IBE&appName=IBE, and Emergency lighting products from Stagecraft Industries, Inc.​Both spot lights are on the second catwalk, in the center.
To get to the catwalk, there is a 24' foot ladder ( umm, is it 24' because it is one foot belove and osha fell protection standered.), and to get to the grid dont ask. 

Good things 
we are two weeks ahead of schedul, knock on wood.

Also this is a question for any one, how much power (amp wise) should be available at the company switch, this is what we have Company switches from Stagecraft Industries, Inc., but the 100 amp version?


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## kovacika (Jul 1, 2008)

Um, about the sound system being meyer....if its the same system as the Blue Man Group LA (at the venetian), it's a D&B Audiotechnic sound system. I know because I prepped the B2 subs that went out on that install, and put together the amp racks. I worked for specialized audio visual inc. at the time the system was being installed (summer of 2007).


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## Stoldal (Jul 2, 2008)

Well, hmm i am going to have to check on that, i have not see any of the paper work for the audio system. So i will have to check. 

Thanks for pointing that out.

Also, i got the name of the rigging company, "ProTech".


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## Stoldal (Jul 2, 2008)

kovacika said:


> Um, about the sound system being meyer....if its the same system as the Blue Man Group LA (at the venetian), it's a D&B Audiotechnic sound system. I know because I prepped the B2 subs that went out on that install, and put together the amp racks. I worked for specialized audio visual inc. at the time the system was being installed (summer of 2007).



Ok i got it checked out, we are going with D&B, but they did say that meyer is doing something for us, i dint know what yet. The array speaker are going in on Monday, i will post some pick, of them and the theatre.

Update on the company switches, we have three, a 100amp 3phase, a 200amp 3phase, 400amp 3 phase.


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## kovacika (Jul 3, 2008)

Looking forward to the pics, enjoy your new sound system. Possibly some of the best gear I have ever heard. Wish it was mine


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## Stoldal (Jul 7, 2008)

ok the speaker are not going in till Friday now.


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## Stoldal (Jul 24, 2008)

So they finaly installed the speakers, they are TAN in color, umm ok, and they are mount to a maroon catwalk, and they wanted it to blined in. 

Our first problem was found with the lighting system, the electrics on the catswalk are installed on the pipe closes to the floor. That was fix it was spec right just installed wrong.

Also, they do not have any data ports on the electrics, is that some thing that need to be fix, or can i live with out it.

I am liking the system we are getting a little more. But i am still alittle worried, even those i have been told dont worry about it at all, by the admins, "it is a top of the line system".

The fly system is the last thing to go in. ?? is what i am being told, Protech, is the one rigging out theatre, that is all i am going to say, if i say more it will have to be put in the "The punching Bag" fourm


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## derekleffew (Jul 24, 2008)

Stoldal said:


> ...Also, they do not have any data ports on the electrics. Is that something that needs to be fixed, or can I live with out it?


 If it wasn't specified on the drawings, it's not a fix--it's a change order and out of the question, budget-wise. Yes, it would have been nice, but would have led to more DMX distribution which was probably "value-engineered" out of your system, if ever it was included. Do you have 208V, L6-20 outlets on the electrics for Moving Light power? Any 120V constant power or non-dim circuits?

Plan on purchasing at least one DMX iso-splitter and some 100' 5pin DMX cables, to run scrollers, gobo rotators, I-Cues, and other DMX "toys". Once the building is signed off and turned over, you can run the DMX along side the multi-cables feeding the electrics for a semi-permanent solution, or just drop the cable off the end of the pipe for more temporary uses.

When are you gonna PM me so I can come take a look?


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## ruinexplorer (Sep 7, 2008)

So, did you open yet? How'd it go?


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## Stoldal (Sep 8, 2008)

It is going to be open in early October. I will not be with this school much longer, but before i go i will get some finished picture of the theatre. All of the fixtures are going to arrive tomorrow, and levitron is coming out on the 24th, i think, to show us how to use there stuff.

The school administration has decided, it would be better to have student techies run the theatre then hire out.

They want to have the first show the week we get ownership of the building, i think that is cutting it a little close.


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