# System Tech/ Babysitters



## photoatdv (Mar 25, 2010)

Is it okay/acceptable to expect a systems tech from the gear house aka "babysitter" to do work? Do you ever have them do work?

Personally I feel you are paying them to be there, therefore unless it would be interfering with their primary duty, you have every right to expect them to work.


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## Footer (Mar 25, 2010)

Dude, time to get a new supplier... 

Depends, are YOU actually paying them or do they come with the rental package? Have you yelled and screamed about their gear not working and is this guy there to fix the stuff that doesn't work? Have you returned gear that is worked when it left but came back broken so they want one of their guys onsite? 

This kind of boils down to the spare debate. You rent 10 fixtures. Rental company sends a spare. You hang the spare. Fixture goes down. You call the shop for a swap out and they tell you to use your spare. Because you have it hung you now have to rent another unit. If you are depending on labor from someone that is there to support the gear, not support you, you should hire another person. 

Think of the person as a call steward, but instead of being there for the labor he is there for the gear. Try getting a call steward to actually do work and you will no longer have a crew. Do the same thing with an onsite tech and you will no longer have gear. 

And.... get a new supplier. You are trying to cut corners with your labor company.


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## soundman (Mar 25, 2010)

What is their purpose as a systems tech? To repair any gear that fails onsite? 

I can't recall a time when the lighting company didn't do one of two things for a one off event. The first situation is a dry rental, when you just rent gear, a truck shows up dumps the gear and leaves. The gear is what you wanted with any spares you requested. You may have an opportunity to prep it at the shop, if not it shows up how the shop guys pulled it. 


The second situation is when the company also staffs the show, a project manager and any assistants needed will show up with the gear. Depending on the size of the project and union rules they may work alongside additional labor, work alone or be supervisors.

If the people you are dealing with show up and expect to read a book all day I would request that for future rentals the company not send anyone onsite and make sure that the line item is removed from the invoice. From some of you posts it seems like you should look at other companies.


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## photoatdv (Mar 25, 2010)

This is more of an in general question. I work with like half a dozen companies depending on the shows/ client. The situation that made me start thinking about it was with a totally different company than the one than some of the terrors I've posted about. I don't really expect any gear issues on this show. The systems guys are mostly there because this shop usually sends someone out, and to save me the time of calling the shop to get permission to fix something or get a replacement. So more or less if I don't give them something to do they will be sitting there reading a book all day.


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## Pie4Weebl (Mar 25, 2010)

I go out as a system tech/house LD for about half the shows I do. My responsibility is to load in and get working MY gear and that is it. 

If the labor company didn't put enough hands on the call or the promoter cheaped out, that isn't my problem or my job to deal with.

Now if you are nice to me I will help you trouble shoot things after the crew is cut or jump in during the load in if all hell breaks loose. Some nights if load out is going slow and I really want to get out of there faster I will help, but I'm not pushing cases up a hill or running your rigs feeder for you. 

/The way it is.


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## Morpheus (Mar 26, 2010)

I was just in this position.

Long story short: Local school system is renting campus theatre where I work.
So...

I wasn't supposed to work (as in: Flys/Light/Sound)... however, since I'm here, the facility TD said 'stop on by'...
Day 1: minor troubleshooting/install replacement sub amp, set up followspots, directing traffic, opening doors.

Day 2: Mostly opening doors, from what I remember... Facility TD sent me home early because he didn't want to pay me for another 3 hours to just open a door

Day 3: Their lighting guy wasn't showing up until well into the run (like, 20 minutes from the end of Into the woods lol)... so it was me, with his script... then back to door duty (and please don't stand on the chairs, they weren't design for that)...


But... if you are paying them, it is up to you to specify how you want them... just know that if you hired me to be a "babysitter" it might be cheaper, but if you call me in last minute because you need something fixed, well, rates are gonna go up.


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## RonaldBeal (May 16, 2010)

Depends:
If the "work" is related to servicing, maintaining or repairing the gear... absolutely.
If the "work" is more set-up, changes, of their gear etc... it depends on the contract and arrangement.
If the "work" is peripherally related, or has nothing to do with their gear then no..... 
Scenario:
You rented a lighting system/package. Now that everything is set up there is someone there to "babysit" the system. If a light breaks... yup they better get it taken care of or their boss is going to get a call requesting a replacement person. If there is a significant change to the system.. such as a re-hang... well it depends on the building, the crew, and any contracts... 
If we need to move the P.A. ... no way are they going to be asked to help... If the LX system babysitter gets instructed to help move the P.A., and either damages the P.A., gets injured or injures someone else... who is liable? The Lx company will claim it is beyond their scope of employment, for the tech to be doing it.. etc... can creat a big legal/liability mess.


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## len (May 17, 2010)

Depends on what you paid for. Expectations of what the rental company's tech is supposed to do should be spelled out in advance.

If they charge a delivery fee and a separate technician fee, I would think that the technician fee includes some set-up labor. But I think it also depends on how much equipment they are providing.


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## bishopthomas (May 17, 2010)

If I'm doing a racks and stacks gig I might feel generous and help you tip the console. If I'm working on no sleep/food and/or busy or you've got a Heritage 3000 or Paragon then you might be on your own. There should be hands for that type of work anyway. Of course I'll fly the line array, build amp world, patch cables, etc. I probably won't be part of wiring the stage as there should be someone there to do that. I like being the only patchmaster when I do it, so I tend to either do it all or none. Plus, by the time we get to the stage work I'll probably be working on time aligning and such.


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