# Worst Case Scenario



## disc2slick (Nov 5, 2004)

I imagine by now that most people have seen the line of "How to survive int he worst case scenario" books that teach people how to do thing like wrestle crocdiles and win sword fights. They recently have begun coming out with very specific ones (how to survive a zombie attack, being my favorite). So I was thinking wouldn't it be great if there was a tech. theatre version of this? a litle pocket sized reference full of common "disasters" that happen in the theatre and how to deal with them. Since i feel like they are not likely to publish my idea i thought it might be cool if we put our heads together to come up with problems we face and how to deal with them for the better eddification of us all

-dan


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## ccfan213 (Nov 5, 2004)

then dave can put them in book form and sell them to us! make $ for cb and have a little booklet to put into our booths with solutions to common problems!


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## ccfan213 (Nov 5, 2004)

on second thought printing is probably expensive and would need to be done in mass quantities so a downloadable pdf or something would probably work better


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## Nephilim (Nov 7, 2004)

Every answer would have to start with "First grab the gaff tape..."


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## mbenonis (Nov 7, 2004)

Except the ones that state: "Gaff tape is not appropriate for this fix. Grab the duct tape..."


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## Radman (Nov 7, 2004)

How about bringing back the show "Worst Case Scenario" or making a video instead of a book.


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## ccfan213 (Nov 7, 2004)

we couldnt pull off a performance without actors..... and we cant get them involved in this! they would screw it all up and use too much gaff!


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## SuperCow (Nov 7, 2004)

The problem with the gaff tape solution is that it fixes the immediate problem, but there's always the issue of whose fault is it. Ergo, my universal solution is:

Get the gaff tape. Fix the problem. Get the nearest actor. Blame the problem on him of her, because he or she was definitely at least indirectly involved in it. Take every opportunity to reinforce your own blamelessness. Retreat immediatley to the booth. Stay there.


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## ccfan213 (Nov 7, 2004)

SuperCow said:


> Get the gaff tape. Fix the problem. Get the nearest actor. Blame the problem on him of her, because he or she was definitely at least indirectly involved in it. Take every opportunity to reinforce your own blamelessness. Retreat immediatley to the booth. Stay there.



^ that would make a great tshirt too!


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## avkid (Nov 7, 2004)

that is especially convenient when your sibling is an actor!


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## ship (Nov 8, 2004)

mbenonis said:


> Except the ones that state: "Gaff tape is not appropriate for this fix. Grab the duct tape..."



Except for electrical work where neither is UL listed for the purpose in which case you grab the electical tape as a minimum fix.

Such a topic or way to fix is based upon the necessity and experience of those doing the fix. That's also what we all get paid for in making things work. A book of solutions can only be expressed than given that there is any one of many solutions to a specific problem and amongst the solutions stated that those stated match close enough to the actual problems on hand to work.

Take the leaf for a barndoor on a Fresnel drooping in slipping during a show thus cutting down on the beam spread and leaving people in the dark during a show. In between scenes, you might grab a stage brace or broom and shove it back up into position as a "surviving" fix, or perhaps given a 11/32" nut driver and flat head screw driver are on hand, you can tighten the screw, but it's still not a perminant fix given the Nylock nut probably melted and is no longer resisting un-screwing. After that, perhaps you have a replacement 8-32 nylock on hand, or 8-32 toplock in being a better fix. Otherwise and given the electric flying the Fresnel moved during the show, perhaps it's just a quesion of lowering the electric slower or something not hitting it as it moves out. Perhaps you have time during the show to gaff tape a tie line to the barn door than tie it off to the yoke. This would work but given the gaffers tape burns into the barn door, if given as good advice, would it be the best advice in the long run given someone is going to have to scrape the tape off later?

As seen by only one thing which is but a few of many solutions to a problem, there is many ways to fix it, many more than stated, some work well for the moment, some for the long run, some for the perminant equipment but are dependant upon time and materials. Very much dependant upon materials, time, inspiation and necessity of circumstance and duration of fix.


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## miniwyo (Nov 8, 2004)

I would buy that T-Shirt. But, would you retreat to the booth even if you weren't supposed to be in the booth as in likr if you were a person backstage?


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## disc2slick (Nov 8, 2004)

SuperCow said:


> Get the gaff tape. Fix the problem. Get the nearest actor. Blame the problem on him of her, because he or she was definitely at least indirectly involved in it. Take every opportunity to reinforce your own blamelessness. Retreat immediatley to the booth. Stay there.



and its exactly this attitude that fosters resentment and dislike between actors and technicians. My advice is that if something goes wrong fix it, if its your fault take the blame for it, if not don't try to point fingers just make sure whatever the problem was has been rectified. The best way to keep actors out of your hair and well behaved is to treat them respectfully.

-dan


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## SuperCow (Nov 8, 2004)

Easy, tiger. That was meant in good fun. But now that you mention it, the majority of actors that i have encountered have been predisposed to be haughty and treat technicians as second-class citizens. 

I've worked in high school, community and professional theaters. The sole exception was in professional theaters, there they actually realized that we were necessary. In the other cases the majority tried to treat us like dirt. That was until we decided that we weren't going to take it any more. So, we demanded respect, or they wouldn't have costumes, lights, microphones, or a stage. It worked out in the end.

Now, don't get me wrong. I went out with an actress over the summer. I like a lot of actors. An I dislike some of them as well. Also, of all the things that have gone wrong that I can remember, an actor had something to do with the vast majority.


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## ccfan213 (Nov 9, 2004)

wow dan, relax 

we all know that actors are not evil, if they were really that bad we would give up shows and only do concerts and video. it was just a joke and we all know that actors are not bad people. they do have a tendency to cause problems because they are often the type of people who see something like a mixer or lightboard and automatically start playing with it. its not like they say "hey! what can we do to cause trouble and piss of the tech crew?" they just have a tendency to unintentionally cause problems. and sometimes they are the kind of people who are self centered, but well they are stage performers and that should be expected from people who like to be seen on stage in front of an audience. i doubt anyone here actually hates actors, were just lettin off some steam


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## SuperCow (Nov 9, 2004)

Well said, well said.


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