# Is this too rude...?



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

During the theater shows...I bring in my own sound gear to use on the show. 

The theater department has the space excusivly reserved through all tech rehearsals and shows. 7am until 10pm. 

In previous shows we've had issues with the tech department and/or the music department and/or video department taking MY personal equipment and moving it/using it. Yeah, its a public school...but I don't get it.

I'm thinking about putting tags on all my gear (none of my stuff is visible to the audience, so I'm not worried about that...) that say...


ATTENTION: THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS OWNED BY WILLIAM [last name here] AND IS FOR USE ON [school name here] THEATRE PRODUCTION OF “[show name]” ONLY. THIS DEVICE IS NOT OWNED BY [school name] AND IS NOT TO BE USED ELSEWHERE IN THE FACILITY BY ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE THEATRE DEPARTMENT HAS THIS SPACE (AUDITORIUM) AND ALL RELATED EQUIPMENT EXCLUSIVLY RESERVED FROM APRIL 16, 2010 THROUGH MAY 10, 2010. 
THANK YOU.


----------



## ScottT (Apr 11, 2010)

Maybe something shorter and more to the point? If all your gear is labeled (as it should be) then shouldn't "For use by authorized personnel only" suffice?

And maybe you should invest in a few chains/locks.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

ScottT said:


> Maybe something shorter and more to the point? If all your gear is labeled (as it should be) then shouldn't "For use by authorized personnel only" suffice?
> 
> And maybe you should invest in a few chains/locks.



The problem is the tech staff thinks they ARE "authorized personel"....

Was the chain/locks comment mocking?


----------



## venuetech (Apr 11, 2010)

Lock the stuff up in your own box or road case if you can. or at least cover and tie the cover down, so your equipment is out of sight/out of mind.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

venuetech said:


> Lock the stuff up in your own box or road case if you can. or at least cover and tie the cover down, so your equipment is out of sight/out of mind.



Here's my issue with that, (respectfully), I don't WANT to, and shouldn't HAVE to lock my stuff up. I refuse to put my stuff away in between monday and tuesday night rehearsals. That's BS. I've done it before, and it's just pathetic. It bugs me.


----------



## venuetech (Apr 11, 2010)

there is no mocking with chains and locks from my point of view. it is just the way things must be done at times.
good fences make good neighbors 
good locks keep the honest people honest.


----------



## ScottT (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> Was the chain/locks comment mocking?



Not at all. With my personal gear it is either locked to something in a road case if I'm leaving it somewhere overnight or locked in my house. Either way, I'm the only person with the keys.

Maybe you should try talking to the principal of the school or on of the other "higher ups"?


----------



## wolf825 (Apr 11, 2010)

Label your equipment clearly as "This is the property of William ____ " I would LOCK up my gear but that is just me--to each their own...

Then--next time you come in and find your equipment has been used and is missing---simple--bypass the school and call the cops directly and demand to file a report on the theft and or vandalism... Really--make a federal stinking case out of it...and play dumb that you don't know it was the music or other departments... The bru-haha and headache this may cause the Principle and subsequently others is going to be enough to get a hands-off policy put on your equipment.... Thats best case scenario of course. 

Then again--given the issue you could always make the school submit an insurance form to you that they are responsible for it 'in case' and cover it etc...and stress it next time. 

-w


----------



## Studio (Apr 11, 2010)

venuetech said:


> there is no mocking with chains and locks from my point of view. it is just the way things must be done at times.
> good fences make good neighbors
> good locks keep the honest people honest.



There is a reason why all my school's equipment is kept under lock and key even if no one is going to be in our auditorium. The number of times the music department has messed with our gear is ridiculous. I once found 10 patch XLR's connected together because they couldn't find any XLR, they then used our expensive mics and left them in the bottom of a crate. We have mic stands that end up in random places in our building, and you never know what our booth will be like when you go in. Moral of the story tag or label everything, and keep everything locked up. (with a key that the other departments don't have)


----------



## Footer (Apr 11, 2010)

Leave your own gear at home. If you are worried about it, get something signed saying the gear will be replaced if lost/damaged/whatever. When I taught at the HS level, I made it a policy that none of my student brought in anything to be used for a given show. If the show needs something, they can rent it or buy it. Don't put your own money/gear on the line unless you are getting paid for it.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

Studio said:


> There is a reason why all my school's equipment is kept under lock and key even if no one is going to be in our auditorium. The number of times the music department has messed with our gear is ridiculous. I once found 10 patch XLR's connected together because they couldn't find any XLR, they then used our expensive mics and left them in the bottom of a crate. We have mic stands that end up in random places in our building, and you never know what our booth will be like when you go in. Moral of the story tag or label everything, and keep everything locked up. (with a key that the other departments don't have)



To bad some "smarty" high up gave the band director a master key....


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

Footer said:


> Leave your own gear at home. If you are worried about it, get something signed saying the gear will be replaced if lost/damaged/whatever. When I taught at the HS level, I made it a policy that none of my student brought in anything to be used for a given show. If the show needs something, they can rent it or buy it. Don't put your own money/gear on the line unless you are getting paid for it.



While I agree with you, that IS NOT the point! Vandalism and theft are both illegal. If I want to bring my klark & technik compressors in for the show I've been hired into, I should be able to use them without worrying about the music department disconnecting them because its going to mess up the concert they're having in two months.

So, I respectfully disagree with you Footer. My stuff hasn't been destroyed (yet), they just disconnect it or move it around, and it pisses me off.


----------



## venuetech (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> Here's my issue with that, (respectfully), I don't WANT to, and shouldn't HAVE to lock my stuff up. I refuse to put my stuff away in between monday and tuesday night rehearsals. That's BS. I've done it before, and it's just pathetic. It bugs me.


I would agree that you should not have to secure your equipment from "staff"
perhaps you could ask each of them directly to avoid using your equipment.

I think a sheet from home draped over your equipment will be a deterrent.


----------



## venuetech (Apr 11, 2010)

Is the stage used for band rehearsals during the day?
It sounds to me like your patch is interfering in normal daily operations "band rehearsals?" 
can you make a record of the bands patch and restore that patch each night?


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

venuetech said:


> Is the stage used for band rehearsals during the day?
> It sounds to me like your patch is interfering in normal daily operations "band rehearsals?"
> can you make a record of the bands patch and restore that patch each night?



No, our rehearsals are not during the day...however...
Theatre department has the auditorium exclusively reserved:7AM-10PM for three weeks. Sorry band-you don't get to rehearse on stage during our run. Furthermore-why do you need the sound system to practice anyways?

For what it's worth, I DO re-patch everything. When the SHOW IS OVER. But apparently, that's not fast enough. First of all, they should even be in there to begin with. 

And if they _did_ need the sound system...why do their patches get precedence over mine? Are they more important? They get to leave their patches up year round. They have 3 concerts a year. We have 3 shows a year. I don't leave my stuff up year round, nor should they be able to. But I don't complain about putting their stuff back when I'm done. Can't they leave mine alone for 3 weeks while I'm in the middle of a show, besides-they aren't supposed to be in there during the day, when our show is going on. It's a three week period that we have the space reserved.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

venuetech said:


> Is the stage used for band rehearsals during the day?
> It sounds to me like your patch is interfering in normal daily operations "band rehearsals?"
> can you make a record of the bands patch and restore that patch each night?



And on top of that (sorry I'm on a rant, not at YOU just in general)...

"normal daily operations" does NOT include "band rehearsals"....


----------



## Anvilx (Apr 11, 2010)

You might also try telling them that this is your gear and that you want them to respect it. Then if any one does anything to it you have a right to get mad. Another thing you should is go to the head of the technical dept. and establish what happens if the stuff goes missing. If you are providing them with your gear then they have to agree to your terms.


----------



## Footer (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> While I agree with you, that IS NOT the point! Vandalism and theft are both illegal. If I want to bring my klark & technik compressors in for the show I've been hired into, I should be able to use them without worrying about the music department disconnecting them because its going to mess up the concert they're having in two months.
> 
> So, I respectfully disagree with you Footer. My stuff hasn't been destroyed (yet), they just disconnect it or move it around, and it pisses me off.



You can mark the gear all you want, if someone feels its their right to use the gear, they are going to use it. It either needs to be locked up in a rack or it needs to be out of the building. If you do not have control of the space, this is the only way to secure the gear.

Also, I have a feeling your space falls into the classroom/theatre slot. I am going to assume there is a reason the band is rehearsing on stage. Either they can not fit in their practice room or they don't have a proper practice room. This situation is more common then you think. Unfortunately, 99.9% of schools will rule in favor of the class that is part of the curriculum vs. an extra curricular activity. Faculty always wins. Classes during the regular school day always win.


----------



## DaveySimps (Apr 11, 2010)

This sounds like an issue that needs to be handled on an adult / staff level. Have you calmly made your case to your director / adviser? They should handle the issue with other staff members. And address it to the principal if it becomes a repeated problem.

I would never bring my own gear and leave it in a place in which I did not feel it was secure. It is not covered by the school's insurance policy (and getting them to add it is a ridiculous request). I agree you SHOULD be able to bring it in and use it with out worries, but the fact of the matter is that is how it goes some times, even in the professional world. I had over $5,000 of my own gear stolen from a gig once. Luckily I had it insured. It sucked, but I made sure I was covered and did not expect the house to cover it (since they were not renting it and it was just something I took upon myself to bring in to make my job easier). 

Lidding up your rack or covering it with a sheet and making sure it is locked to the desk or work area (so it cannot grow legs and walk away) would be a smart idea. This is just protecting your investment.

~Dave


----------



## DuckJordan (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> And on top of that (sorry I'm on a rant, not at YOU just in general)...
> 
> "normal daily operations" does NOT include "band rehearsals"....




Normal daily operations does include band rehearsals, and sorry it doesn't matter if its your gear, in a public school if it interferes in anyway with another groups time on stage or what have you you are immedietly asked to remove that peice. it could be a flat you just painted and it might run if you move it but it still remains the same it must be moved. Although you may have a problem with them coming in and using the space its probably the director who says they can come in and use the space while they aren't in it.

so it comes down to, if you don't want it moved/used take your stuff, lock it up, hide in a corner. otherwise its students and honestly childish adults that grab stuff like that and use it.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

Footer said:


> You can mark the gear all you want, if someone feels its their right to use the gear, they are going to use it. It either needs to be locked up in a rack or it needs to be out of the building. If you do not have control of the space, this is the only way to secure the gear.
> 
> Also, I have a feeling your space falls into the classroom/theatre slot. I am going to assume there is a reason the band is rehearsing on stage. Either they can not fit in their practice room or they don't have a proper practice room. This situation is more common then you think. Unfortunately, 99.9% of schools will rule in favor of the class that is part of the curriculum vs. an extra curricular activity. Faculty always wins. Classes during the regular school day always win.



They have more than adequate practice space. 10 sound proof rooms for individuals and a plenty large band room. Choir and orchestra has the same. They have plenty of space. No class is scheduled in the space except acting classes (which makes sense). (and FWIW, the theater director still takes her acting class to her classroom while the theatre dept has the space reserved for tech. And shes the theatre director. That says something.

The bottom line is (and I've gotten into this with admin before, who ACTUALLY AGREE...) is that the music dept isn't allowed in there when other people have the space reserved.

Normal band rehearsal happens in the band room. Same with orchestra and choir. And it SHOULDN'T be interfering because they SHOULDN'T be there to BEGIN WITH!!!


----------



## waynehoskins (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> The bottom line is (and I've gotten into this with admin before, who ACTUALLY AGREE...) is that the music dept isn't allowed in there when other people have the space reserved.
> 
> Normal band rehearsal happens in the band room. Same with orchestra and choir. And it SHOULDN'T be interfering because they SHOULDN'T be there to BEGIN WITH!!!



That's something that needs to be addressed on a faculty/administration front. I presume you're a student. You should bring the issue up with the faculty member you're working under (which would probably be the theatre director in this case). If the two faculty members can't come to an agreement, the administration should have some policy to resolve the problem.

If the administration doesn't hold any active power over the band director (as it sounds), there are other problems.


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 11, 2010)

waynehoskins said:


> If the administration doesn't hold any active power over the band director (as it sounds), there are other problems.



Well, I could've spared us the three pages of the forum and just told you that admin doesn't control the band director....


----------



## waynehoskins (Apr 11, 2010)

The band director must report to someone, certainly. Unless the band director is also the Superintendent Of Schools, there must be someone above the band director. This is the person who ultimately your teacher and/or administration need to get in contact with.

(And if your band director happens to be Superintendent Of Schools as well, there is certainly a School Board who he reports to.)

This is certainly a political problem. Until it's resolved, I'm afraid you have little choice but to lock up or remove your equipment. Being political, don't expect a resolution that positively affects you for several months to a year...


----------



## DuckJordan (Apr 11, 2010)

To add to what others have said, unless YOU do something about your equipment nothing will change. People will use your equipment. Also instead of venting about your problems with a certain teacher ,there is a section for said ranting, try to come up with solutions. Many people have offered very good advice here and I still see you coming back with saying you shouldn't have to... well people shouldn't be starving in the streets but they still are. So, sorry to burst your bubble but until YOU do something nothing will change.


----------



## Anvilx (Apr 11, 2010)

Blah maybe its your attitude? Haven't you ever heard the saying you catch more flys with honey?


----------



## Eboy87 (Apr 11, 2010)

Anvilx said:


> Blah maybe its your attitude? Haven't you ever heard the saying you catch more flys with honey?



+1. Every post of yours blames everyone else for your problems. I'm sorry to be harsh, but you need to realize it, or no one will want to hire you. If I were you, I'd stop doing shows for the school and look for a company to work for, community theatre, or even strike off on your own and go freelance or start your own production company. As Einstein said, "Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result." Methinks it's time to move on.


----------



## What Rigger? (Apr 12, 2010)

I knew an audio guy who solved a similar problem on club gigs by running a strip of white gaff across the top of his wedges, SL to SR, with this on it:

"If you touch my monitors, I will put my - - - - in your drink when you aren't looking."

It actually worked.


----------



## MrsFooter (Apr 12, 2010)

Eboy87 said:


> +1. Every post of yours blames everyone else for your problems. I'm sorry to be harsh, but you need to realize it, or no one will want to hire you. If I were you, I'd stop doing shows for the school and look for a company to work for, community theatre, or even strike off on your own and go freelance or start your own production company. As Einstein said, "Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result." Methinks it's time to move on.



I have to agree. Sounds like someone's feeling the victim here.

Look, when you take your own personal gear into a space, you run the risk of someone using it, whether in honest mistake or thoughtlessness. Every item in my tool bag is labeled with brightly colored tape and my name written on it, and I still see people from time to time carrying around my tools. It happens. I try to speak nicely to my co-workers about asking first, and at the end of the day I either take my stuff home or I LOCK MY S*** UP. 

What I don't do is throw a temper tantrum and blame everyone in the room. Take responsibility for your gear or don't use it.


----------



## jfleenor (Apr 12, 2010)

wolf825 said:


> ...bypass the school and call the cops directly and demand to file a report on the theft and or vandalism... Really--make a federal stinking case out of it...and play dumb that you don't know it was the music or other departments... The bru-haha and headache this may cause the Principle and subsequently others is going to be enough to get a hands-off policy put on your equipment.... Thats best case scenario of course.



I imagine the liability and cost of dealing with a police report would leave a very nasty taste in the administration's mouth. If I were someone who had to deal with that brouhaha, I would simply implement a policy of "No Personal Equipment". Although this would technically solve the issue of unauthorized people using Blah's equipment, I doubt it would be beneficial to either parties.

Now...

Blah, do you regularly find yourself taking your personal equipment to locations where you don't have constant control of it? I might suggest looking for something like this, and have it screen printed/embroidered with "Property of [your name]." and your phone number on the line below. I don't know exactly what items are being used/moved, but I would imagine that there are either dust covers or similar items available for them, either OEM or aftermarket. The people who are moving or using your items may not know that they are yours, especially if your items are there often enough. They may simply assume that they belong to the school.

Good luck!


----------



## photoatdv (Apr 12, 2010)

Well, I would've been very unhappy if they had banned me from bringing personal equipment when I was in high school. But then again, I seldom brought really expensive stuff... mostly it was old stuff that I didn't terribly care about if it went missing. Now the one show I had to bring my laptop, and some of the guys thought they could play with it, was another story!!!

I'm thinking about adding something to my agreements for a specific few freelance clients along the lines of they are responsible for stolen/ broken gear they borrow from me. This coming up after I have various tools grow legs and actually found some of my stuff in the trash after the show. Oh, and on one at a school I was trying to figure out what happened to a pair of gloves (I was working of 3 different shows at the time), when I saw a kid running around onstage with them. Apparently when I said go get a pair out of the tool room, she decided it was okay to pull them out of my kit (which was no where near where I told her to get them), and keep them for a week!


----------



## Anonymous067 (Apr 12, 2010)

yep you guys are right...


----------



## TechSooth (Apr 13, 2010)

Frankly Blah, I think you're extremely lucky. 

After 25 years in Chicago on sites and in venues, shops or whatever, I realized I was spending almost 20% of the time on any job dealing with security. If I set a screwgun down to use the bathroom it would be gone. That's no joke.

If your equipment is vital for your performance, you obviously need to secure it, and if it's installed in a case with mouse holes for cables to come out and a lockable cover, no one else could access it and you'd be able to keep your patch. Even a crude plywood box with a lid and some ventilation would make a huge difference.

What so many people don't get about performance is that, except in rare cases, every gig is a road show. Consequently, you need road cases. Good ones protect your gear and give you handles to lock them to something. And the biggest plus is wheels.

Pros know, you can't perform without tools. No work means no paycheck. You don't leave your paycheck lying around when you're not in the room. Your equipment is your meal ticket. Secure it.


----------



## JeffClark (Apr 13, 2010)

I can't agree more with what TechSooth said. In cases where your space is used for things other than drama productions, you will always have these issues, even more when it is a school environment. If you aren't in total control of the space, your gear needs locked up in cases (or otherwise secured) or taken home with you. 

You have taken your concerns to the administration and that's about all you can do. Now it is up to you to make sure that your equipment is secured properly and "inaccessible" if you want people to not use it. If after you take those steps, it becomes a different issue to talk to the admins about, but I can with almost 100% certainty guarantee you that if you make a big stink about it without changing anything you are doing, they will put in a "No personal equipment" policy.


----------



## jhochb (Apr 13, 2010)

Good Morning

Wolf825
The other side to this is the may ban non school equipment from being used on school productions
This may seem extreme, but I've herd of stranger things.

I too would make a stink, just go slow & Gage the responses as you go


----------



## philhaney (Apr 13, 2010)

Blah067,

One thing (among many) that I've had to learn the hard way over the years is that at the end of the day, I'm responsible for my equipment. It doesn't matter what I _should _be able to do. It doesn't matter what the policies are, or what "they" tell me. When all is said and done, my stuff is my responsibility. If I want to have it to use tomorrow, I secure it, even if it takes extra time or seems rediculous. End of story.

Another thing I've learned is that things I posted on the internet years ago can come back to haunt me long after I've completely forgotten about them. This goes along with being professional and not airing my dirty laundry in piublic. If I can't stand to be near someone I will still smile, shake their hand, and work with them politely on the job at hand. If for no other reason than the fact that I might wind up working for them at some point in the future, or need a reference from them to get a job.

Long story short (I know, too late), lose the part about your dislike for the band director, et al from your signature. It directly affects how people view you when you post here.

Yes, I'm a middle aged grump (I'm 50). But all the other middle aged grumps on CB who have worked in theatre (or any profession, for that matter) for any length of time will back me up on this one. 

If you feel the need to rant or vent, we have a forum here for that. It's called The Punching Bag.


----------



## Sayen (Apr 14, 2010)

I would strongly suggest policies in writing, and some sort of enforcement from the top down. Start with who can be in the space when it is reserved...and that keeps other people from messing with gear. You should have clear policies that only the audio crew/head can move audio gear, only lighting touches lighting, etc. That cuts down on a lot of shuffle of equipment.

In my experience labels on gear aren't worth a lot if the people you work with won't respect the equipment in the first place. Every school I've ever been at I notice equipment with ownership tags, but when the wrong CD player or powerstrip ends up in a different department, it stays there. If you bring personal equipment in, you need to be prepared to watch out for it, unfortunately.

All of my personal gear has my name on it, and I lock it up each time we use it - that's just a reality of a school. The district came through doing an insurance inventory and slapped property tags on all of my labeled, locked up, hidden gear.


----------

