Techblr

Hey I'm Nicole Technical Theatre Lighting Design I basically just post about how much I love everything involved with technical theatre personal: @dreameratmidnight1

[sorryivegotrehearsal]

Hey LXblr

I got some questions.

So I’m an aspiring lighting designer who has worked at the Fisher Center for the past two years doing summer stock as an electrician.

I really wanna branch out and do more things related to lighting design like assisting or even being able to actually design shows.

Does anyone know of any summer gigs (summer stock or otherwise) that would help me branch out while still paying me somewhat decently? I’m still in school so I use the money I make over the summer to help me pay my tuition/loans. I’m also willing to travel literally anywhere.

Thanks!

[valtsv]

[tiredbiostudent]

imma keep it real with you chief. sometimes university workloads are just fucking unreasonable and unfeasible unless you’re not mentally ill or you’re someone who’s able to be On™ and productive 24/7 (which is like.. no one??) and no amount of “you need to learn time management skills because this is what it’s like in the real world” is gonna change that

[sorryivegotrehearsal]

Hey LXblr

I got some questions.

So I’m an aspiring lighting designer who has worked at the Fisher Center for the past two years doing summer stock as an electrician.

I really wanna branch out and do more things related to lighting design like assisting or even being able to actually design shows.

Does anyone know of any summer gigs (summer stock or otherwise) that would help me branch out while still paying me somewhat decently? I’m still in school so I use the money I make over the summer to help me pay my tuition/loans. I’m also willing to travel literally anywhere.

Thanks!

[fuckyeahlightingdesign]

hey lxblr

when you guys program consoles do you use one hand or two???¿? 

[jamzm]

One

[sorryivegotrehearsal]

Two

[sketchingsocks]

Things said and done in Tech

“We have 3 rules: Don’t get hurt, don’t hurt someone else, don’t die”

“I left my lunch” “We have some sawdust and paint water if you want”

“How did y’all ever get things done without those pliers?” “With bare hands and a prayer”

“OSHA is quaking”

“Can I borrow your lighter?” “I don’t have one” “...” ”Fine.”

“I just had a breakdown but then my friend gave me some pie so I call today a success”

“She’s doing it so it must be a good idea!” (The fools were referring to me)

*Not eating for a whole day cause I didn’t have the will power to ask for a break*

“See that car? That’s OSHA coming to take you away”

“Wonder how fast we can make the lights go” (said by our lighting designer)

“This orange. It’s my husband”

*All of us in runcrew doing fortnite dances in the wings during bows while dressed as funeral mourners*

“I think the staircases’ wheels just unlocked” “Nah, something probably fell” *staircase moves*

“I’ve washed all the brushes rather than eat lunch. My hands are dead but my soul is alive”

“Hello Stair-Gremlin”

“I don’t believe in ghost but our theater is for sure haunted”

I might add later

[levelset-droid]

So I’m still busy as all hell, and about to start another contract venue teching for Toronto Fringe Festival 2019. But here’s a call to techblr.

Like and reblog if you post:

-General theatre tech stuff

-LX especially

-Sound

-Costumes

-Bonus if you’re Canadian or Ontario tech

I’ll follow from my main, @mechanicalmelancholy

[techtheatreprincess]

Headset hell

When someone talks in your free ear at the same time someone is talking on headset.

[thoughts-of-a-stagemanager]

Every theatre person has that one show that is referred to as ‘the show that shall not be named’

[foot-candle]

m*cb*th

[sorryivegotrehearsal]

Hi! I'm a tech student. I have a well researched theory that every theater/live entertainment industry tech was either a plays with knives child or a plays with fire child (or both). Care to comment and support my research? Thanks!

Lol I love that theory! I’m definitely a plays with knives type of person now (almost 9 in my collection) but I was 100% a plays with fire child. My parents had to hide all the candles cuz I kept accidentally burning myself. I wonder if that’s why I went into lighting design 😳

[black-culture]

[kidslutti-]

I needed this

[catwalkghost]

how

[opposite-prompt]

This looks like a vial full of magic smoke.

[tdldproblems-deactivated2021080]

Yasssssss

[col-brightside]

Backstage theatre workers 'pushed to breaking point due to lack of work-life balance' | News | The Stage

Backstage theatre workers are being asked to work "excessively long working hours", industry bodies have warned

A follow-up piece to the open letter from a LX Programmer. “The concerns were initially raised by the Association of Lighting Designers, with chair Johanna Town stating that an “expectation to work under intense pressure for periods of 15 to 18 hours per day, six days per week” is standard… “The intensity of the work is causing burnout and serious mental health issues, and programmers are finding themselves physically unable to function after weeks of tech, which is so wrong on every level.”…

“A mix of being committed to the production, more being expected from staff and workers, and low wages are meaning that some job categories are working lots of overtime to boost their wage to a reasonable rate to be able to live on,”… ‘Buyouts’, under which workers are paid a set fee for anticipated overtime, were also contributing to the problem, because “a person ends up working all hours demanded for a fixed cost with no ability to say ‘Enough is enough’”…

Association of Sound Designers chair Dominic Bilkey said that while some workers in the sector enjoyed a sensible work-life balance, many worked 60 hours or more a week. He added: “[Re-assessing] the way in which shows are produced and the mentality that drives some working practices would enable a better work-life balance and enable our members to have sustainable careers while looking after themselves. Initiatives such as job sharing, supporting return-to-work parents and considering different production models could all be used to enact this.”

Equity agreed that many of its members “struggle to have a positive work-life balance” due to the nature of the industry. “This imbalance is exacerbated for stage management, who are called earlier and finish later than the performers and are often required to miss breaks and take on additional duties to get the required work done.”

[sapphicambitions]

At my college there’s this idea we throw around: “Don’t do theatre unless it’s the only thing you can do.” Which like I get the romantic sentiment behind it but honestly it just leads to people having their whole lives consumed by theatre and they get burnt out and they’re unhappy with their lives. I’ve seen it time and time again. Honestly the best advice I’ve ever received was “make sure you’re a person before you’re a theatre person.” Make sure you can have a life outside of the theatre so that you’re not all consumed by it. I’m much happier because of it and I’m still loving every moment I spend in the theatre, even though it’s not the only aspect of my life. Don’t allow yourself to burn out on your passion and forget to cultivate a well rounded life. Theatre does not have to be the Be All and End All of everything in order for you to still enjoy it. Just a little thought pebble for you theatre folk out there.

[imsmartiswear]

Reminder that working hard doesn’t equal working until you’re burnt out.

[theweirdwideweb]

How Charlie Chaplin accomplished this amazing special effect in his 1937 film “Modern Times”. 

[raspberrymama]

Okay that’s awesome

[techboothphantom-deactivated201]

My Stage Management Kit

Alright, so some of my regular followers might have noticed that I have a silly tag system (or they’ve just noticed random tags that don’t seem to make sense).  For general theatre posts, often tech, I tag “techrider.”  For resources and references, I tag “pencilcup.”  And for most of my own posts, I tag “smkit.”  You know, to be cute.  But this time, I’m actually posting about my SM kit, and I’m pretty stoked, so I might just tag all three ‘cause what the hell, it’s my blog and I can screw with the system all I want.

Meet Samson:

Samson is a product of Artbin, made of a durable cloth material with (I discovered) luan siding.  Notice the sweet rolling luggage-style handle and the nice big snaps keeping the two pieces together.  The top has its own carrying strap, and the bottom (wheels attached) has two comfortable handles for hauling this beast in and out of my trunk when moving spaces.  Hopefully won’t have to move him much this summer, he’s not light.

Let’s open him up!

First glance does not do it justice–it is quite deep.  But let’s check out that neato zipper-pocket on the top flap:

That pocket is basically the size of the entire flap, but for now I’m just storing my headband and desk/clip/LED light.  ($10, Barnes & Noble, super sturdy bright light, I highly recommend it!)

Alright, and as for the rest of the top bin…

Bubba Zips, my stage management buddy, is coming along for the ride.  He loves the upgrade.

Time to unpack!

Here’s everything that fits comfortably in the top:

1.  Huge 4″ D-ring trapper keeper (regular binders are typical in stage management, but keep in mind that we’ll be in the elements this summer). 2.  Ruler, protractor, scale rule. 3.  Hole-punch. 4.  Spare water bottle. 5.  Bubba Zips. 6.  Umbrella. 7.  Clean rags. 8.  Main tape supply (spike, gaff, drafting, glow). 9.  Spike stick with scissors attached (thank you, Techblr!). 10.  Tape measure. 11.  Electric pencil sharpener. 12.  Gerber tool. 13.  Stun-gun (told you, public park). 14.  Personal medical kit. 15.  Outdoorsy things (bagged). 16.  Craft/sewing kit (bagged). 17.  Extended medical kit (bagged, large). 18.  Shakespeare reference book.

Moving on to the bottom, because we have a long way to go…

Electronics/etc. (shoe)box, office supplies box, office supplies bag, hardware box, toolkit, hygiene box, feminine hygiene bag, three packs of gum.

The pink-tab boxes (Artbin or something similar, I shopped around quite a bit) are fantastic.  Deep, sturdy, very strong.  The bags are nice as well, waterproof, clear-ish, and they smell awesome.

Basic toolkit:

…with more hardware-type things.  I’ve got rubber bands, glues, flashlights, lighter, spare screwdrivers, clips, a boxcutter, and one of those cool marker/cutter combo things.  Also a pen light, because you can never have enough little lights at the park.

This here is my electronics/et cetera box.  It includes (pictured above) another damn flashlight, spare scissors, fishing line, “other” tape, a table-clock, an AUX cable, and an iPhone cable (I don’t even have an iPhone…).  Pictured below, we have a box of batteries (AA, AAA, D), a speaker (compatible with the AUX cable), a Master Lock & keys, headphones, a USB-power adapter, and a flashdrive.

Next, we have a plethora of office supplies.  Post-its, tacks, sticky-tack, staples, clear and double-sided tape, eraser-heads, more rubber bands, tabs, paperclips, binder clips, page protectors, pens/pencils/highlighter, pencil sharpener, erasers, and a stapler.

Let’s see if I forgot anything…

Oh yeah, that quick-flick finger-moistener and the gluestick and white-out.

Next, the bag:  It contains less-used office supplies, like Elmer’s glue and a spare stopwatch, plus lots of stickers/labels.  Also a pack of notecards, and a pack of thank you cards, because you never know when you will owe someone a proper thanks!

Next up, hygiene…extra important when you’re working in nature!

Basic feminine hygiene is in an easy-go bag.  Here, we have Carmex, Wet Ones, Gold Bond, lotion, powder-scented antiperspirant, Colgate wisps, make-up wipes, facial tissue, a pack of bobby pins with hair-ties and barrettes wrapped around it, a scrunchie, a pack of Q-tips, Tide to-go sticks, and a brush/mirror combo.  Now let’s look under some of these things:

There’s also hand-sanitizer, baby powder, Listerine tabs, toothpaste, floss, a pencil-sharpener for makeup, a nail-clipper, tweezers, a lint-roller, and some cotton balls.

That’s all, folks!  Thanks for taking the tour.  Oh, and you know that tiny box of brads I forgot to pack yesterday?  Well, I packed away all the stuff again after these pictures, and realized I forgot that stupid little box again…so here it is, all alone.  Bubba is so disappointed in me.