Whatcha Doin?

[Not A Duster]

.... To put food on the table?

We have had this discussion in the past, but I my conversation with the Iron Snausage guy suggests we have enough new people that it's worth talking about. I expect a fair amount of us may have changed career paths over the ensuing years a well. (Except for 68 R/T, who is still reTIRED...)

Also gives an excuse to show off a buncha pictures I came across, so me first:

Useta be an entertainment lighting designer/director, both touring and to local markets....designed & built lighting rigs for concerts, theatre, television and so on.... Also constructed a lot of outdoor stages over they years, eventually becoming certfied to operate Stageline mobile staging systems:

 

[Not A Duster]

However, that is a very abusive career path on the body. So in 2013 I took my young co-worker with me, and we opened our own business that focused strictly on the sales side of the business, providing the same gear and expertise to not only show venues, but commercial and architectural applications as well. It's a very specialized industry. One that relies on a robust economy to grow....which is why I am so freaked out about our current "leadership."



















[URL=http://s295.photobucket.com/user/notaduster/media/olde%20wurk/027.jpg.html]
[/URL]

 

[68R/T]

Those are some awe inspiring and elaborate displays. You are truly a master of your trade.

 

[TheIronSausage]

Fair enough.. I'll bite. I'm the assistant technical director and scene shop manager for Shenandoah University's theatre dept. basically I run a day care for over privileged 8 year olds trapped in college kids' bodies and playing with power tools.

Following are some shots of my swan song, and my shop is in the background in some of them. For the Christmas gala in 2014, I was charged with building a replica of a dome in the university's courtyard. The money for the courtyard was donated by a board member in memory of her daughter. I built mine almost entirely out of 2x4s, bending plywood, and styrofoam. I had four weeks to build it, but only the last five days to completely install it and the surrounding decorations on stage. The shop is open 22 hours a week. I have 18-20 work study kids, and 16-18 stage craft lab kids on a rotating schedule of about three hours per kid per day.. Anywhere between 8-15 kids total throughout any one day. Lab students only come for three hours a week.

 

[TheIronSausage]

I used the rigging system to hang the center of the dome along with the first rib.. Then used our lift to go around and install the others
The real version looks like this:
Mine looked like this.
The band was staged in the middle, meaning I had to cantilever the front of the dome, because the front pillar had to be omitted for sight lines. I used a rectifier and a piece of oxy-acetylene welding wire to create a hot knife to carve the profile into the capitals and bases on a lazy Susan. The middle section is all foam, sandwiched by 3/4 ply rings, and bolted through with (12) 3' sections of 3/8" all thread. I'm not an engineer. I have a BA.. I had no idea if any of it would work, so I built the three sections separate of each other to gauge strength and rigidity before disassembling it all to build it again onstage. The replica is life sized, at eighteen feet tall, and eighteen feet wide at its widest. Even the capitals and bases are to scale with the correct profile. I bent the wire to the form of the real ones in the courtyard.

Here's the final product

 

[TheIronSausage]

That was a grueling month. My boss, and close friend was on sabbatical in Europe, and his replacement was what the Japanese would call a paper tiger.. He'd been to grad school, had a terminal degree, loads of work experience, and absolutely no grounding in reality or sound construction techniques.. This was my show, and I had been fixing this guy's mess all semester. I kicked him out of the shop, and built most of it myself, because the kids that semester were just as bad as he was. I'm sure I was close to getting fired, because of the terrible relations with the idiot, and because the shop had its first ever serious table saw incident, and my safety standards as well as the shop's were called into question. Ultimately, she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing and stuck her hand in the 3hp Powermatic. The saw was blamed, of course. Investigations, inquiries, and many meetings followed. It was terrible, but you can't come right out and say "I watched her look across the room as she absent mindedly put her hand in the blade".

At any rate, and let's move on, I was given a choice of a simple bare bones design to build, heavy on decoration and fly pieces. Or, I could build what the designer and artistic director really wanted. I chose the impossibly hard one to show my worth to the institution, and to make that fucking tool who was supposed to be my better eat crow. It worked. We got a hundred thousand or so in donations (the true purpose of the gala, it's a "free" show put on for our donors at Christmas). It also brought the courtyard's donator to tears when she saw it.

Normally, we do stuff like thisWe've built a full two and a half story apartment building onstage, with working fire escape, full sized riverboats that track across stage, and a bunch of other stuff I've mostly forgotten.. We do 11 shows a year, including four full sized musicals in ten weeks in the summer.

Edit: Sorry about the sideways photos in these and all of my posts.. apparently when uploaded with an Ipad, (it's the school's. I'm not that loaded) the orientation is all correct.. on a computer though, the pictures that were taken incorrectly (portrait) with the ipad, turn up sideways on a PC.. Don't ask me how to fix it, many aspects of modern technology can S my D

 

[TheIronSausage]

This is where I used to work.. Beware, ball-draining automotive pornography lies in each link.. NSFW

https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157664424398179
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157651608571430
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157651003964317
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157650519558559
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157648871345894
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157650029260910
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157644916298441
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157633114053415
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157632717671889
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flckrhanzo/sets/72157632576197179

I'm not sure who took these. He started dropping by after I left in Dec. 2009. Most of the cars pictured were either long term projects when I was there, or repeat customers..

 

[TheIronSausage]

we opened our own business that focused strictly on the sales side of the business, providing the same gear and expertise to not only show venues, but commercial and architectural applications as well. It's a very specialized industry.

I feel like somebody at my work should have a conversation with you about our lighting. We have no LEDs. When they first came out, our designers hated the color temperatures and we all knew that whatever instrument we bought would be obsolete in six months as the industry progressed. Years later, we still have none. I'm not a lighting person. I hate hanging out of catwalks, getting fiberglass from the Zetec curtains in my pores, and focusing hot ass instruments as well as being blinded when other people do it. Unfortunately, we're losing lighting design students because of our antiquated (1999) instruments and board (2010ish?) Do you have advice for retrofitting? What systems and instruments are going to stick around, and what's going to go the way of betamax... etc.

 

[restoman]

A chance to post pics!
Been a bodyman and painter sine the early 80s. I've worked on just about everything - heavy equipment, commercial transport, collision, bikes, light aircraft, resto work, custom work, etc... Name it and I've probably either done it or helped with it.
My first love is custom work and painting, but custom work rarely pays enough to make a living. I like to eat, so, I've been a resto guy for the last 20 years. Managed a shop for 6 years, owned my own for 7. Provincially licensed since '94 ( resigned it this past May), PPG, ICI, ProSpray, ZynaTec, Glasurit Top Gun paint certifiations over the years. At one time I held ASE certs in collision repair, estimating and painting/prep. ASE is a total waste of money... if you an read and write, you can be ASE certified.
Since 2008, I've been working both in shop as a bodyman and a free lancer here at home. My painting days are behind me and the bodywork gig is down to part time, whenever my back and hips can handle it. The disability pension is a nice supplement... but it's a good thing my wife earns mucho dinero.
Right now, working on a super solid '82 280ZX for the local Nissan dealer. When that's done, he has a '71 340 Swinger that's destined for my stall.
Got a '73 Westy lined up for the spring and a long-time customer is hounding me to do his '59 Dodge Custom Royal when the Westy is done.

 

[restoman]

S'more...

 

[restoman]

... And still more...

 

[Not A Duster]

Iron Sausage: Very nice... I know an old dude who would love to sit and share a beer with you. Thank you for sharing those pictures.

So curious: Why did you leave the sports car shop? That seems to be where your passions lie. Not enough money to make a living? Or perhaps like most jobs built around passions, it was eating your life?

Professional live production eats your life. The balancing act between creativity, art and the business of show business generates a kind of tunnel vision seldom seen elsewhere except maybe the military. I am one of a very few people that I know in my business that has managed to keep a marriage together - and I credit Wifey for that far more than myself. To be honest, I got back into the car hobby in a effort to think about something other than my work...which was eating my life. I tried getting out and doing something else for a couple years, (installing & service elevators) but found myself sucked back in...

Don't be too hard on the kids... they are not all entitled wastes of skin...every now and then someone of value chooses production & stagecraft as a career. Matter of fact I am proud to have worked with some pretty spectacular young people who are a lot smarter than I am, worked pretty hard to earn their schooling and who despite their degrees were not afraid to learn some practical skills from the old guy. One of them is now my business partner & in reality, she runs the show... I just go out and dig up work for her to complete.

 

[Not A Duster]

I feel like somebody at my work should have a conversation with you about our lighting. We have no LEDs. When they first came out, our designers hated the color temperatures and we all knew that whatever instrument we bought would be obsolete in six months as the industry progressed. Years later, we still have none. I'm not a lighting person. I hate hanging out of catwalks, getting fiberglass from the Zetec curtains in my pores, and focusing hot ass instruments as well as being blinded when other people do it. Unfortunately, we're losing lighting design students because of our antiquated (1999) instruments and board (2010ish?) Do you have advice for retrofitting? What systems and instruments are going to stick around, and what's going to go the way of betamax... etc.

Up until about a year and a half ago, there is no way I or most designers would use LED to light human beings. The color temperature and color rendering was too harsh and unnatural. Effect lighting sure - but applying light to someone's skin - not a chance. That changed last March - big time - and the world has changed, entire theaters are being built around LED and retrofits are providing my bread and butter.

But only products from one particular manufacturer delivers this performance: ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) The Lustr2 Light engine behind a retrofitable ellipsodal/fresnel/cyc housing has absolutely no peers in the industry. It's a complete game changer. As they have been since 1992, ETC are so far ahead of the rest of the industry, there is no reason to look at anything else, except maybe budget. Same goes for consoles. I know that sounds like me being a salesman, but really - that is just me talking as a user of these kind of products for the past 3 decades. I'm just about as old school as it gets, so when a new device gets me this excited....well.... it says a lot.

Speaking of consoles, if it's an ETC console as new as 2010 it's probably an EOS/Element/ION/GIO. So it's not really all that old as you can get software updates,(free) or in extreme cases motherboard upgrades (not free, but cheaper than a new console) that bring the desks completely up to date with the new ones. They will even send you new caps for the buttons that change with the software upgrades. If it's a Strand or some other brand of theater console, then yeah....it's probably time to start putting money aside to replace it.

That's if you are going to continue teaching strictly theatre. In my opinion schools should be teaching lighting and stagecraft for theater, touring rock n ' roll, broadcast, and film. Then maybe some of these kids will stand a chance of being productive and getting decent jobs. Makes me nuts that many tech graduates don't know a damn thing about moving lights, LED video, chainhoists, truss, or portable rigging. We are doing these people a dis-service by teaching them only how to function in a fly house or a shoebox with a grid..... But that's a rant for another day.

 

[Not A Duster]

I was hoping that would be one of the results of this Mr. Resto... Thank you. That GTO is exactly the same colour as my best buddy in high school's was.

 

[TheIronSausage]

I left the shop during the depths of our recession.. I was getting married, and living in a (fucking awesome) one bedroom apartment.. (Clawfoot, radiators, great floors, ten foot ceiling). Nobody could afford to fix their toy cars anymore. I was spending a lot of time in a bar, which was expensive, but that's how I got side work, and people bought me a lot of drinks. My former teacher, and friend called up (we kept in touch) and said there was a job opening as his assistant. He told me to apply. I lost a lot of sleep over it. When I left this town the last time, I had wrecked my first car, broke my nose and my shoulder in separate incidents, and most everybody I knew was unemployed, accidentally pregnant (not mine), or going to jail. Ultimately I put on my big boy pants and made the adult decision to make a steady paycheck.

I know the kids aren't all worthless meatbags. What kills me, is that the best workers I have are non majors.. One of my brightest, and most eager kids is a cellist, and she doesn't even take theatre classes. She put up haunted houses with her family, and likes making stuff.. I give her basic steps to something she's never done before, I come back and it's finished properly. It's kids like her that keep me going in. If I could teach common sense and problem solving skills I'd either be very rich, or very tired. Or both.

 

[TheIronSausage]

Resto, I absolutely respect talented body guys.. It's a shame that the other 99% give you a terrible name. Same as mechanics, really. I got eight cars need done.. Some of them have the consistency of whiffle balls. Interested?

 

[TheIronSausage]

Nodda, we have Ions in both the main stage and the black box. I know they're not crap, but they're certainly not being used to their potential. Yes, we should be teaching our kids rock concerts and broadcast and film... Don't forget churches. Unfortunately, we, nor any other theatre I've been to are set up as a true roadhouse. Ours is intentionally set up so that trailers can't get to our dock. We wouldn't be able to build the way we do in the space we have if we had to share the space with film and concert hall setups.. Also, our spaces are shit for music because they're acoustically dead. We don't even have HVAC behind the plaster line so the scenery doesn't move in the drafts.. We and many other conservatories would need multiple venues and a much broader curriculum which would require more time in the program in order to cover all of those bases. For instance, we still teach hand drafting.. The kids think it's stupid, because Vectorworks.. But that's why I can lay out geometric shapes on a twenty foot scale, and they wonder how while they watch me do it.. Concert rigging is absolutely different than our single purchase system. However, our kids are able to pick it up when they leave because they've had the analog version. We've got graduates working at Tait, whoever their competitor is, and in Vegas.. I really don't pay attention to names in the industry.. Sorry.. Don't mean to be contrary, but while theatre is technically a dying form of art, it still relies on some antiquated methods that need to be taught to kids who intend to suffer as waiters the rest of their lives.

 

[Not A Duster]

ETC ion: the most specified and most commonly used theatre desk in the world. There really isn't a more capable line of consoles for theatre in use today. (ETC gio and eos are packed with more features, but are the same family and operating system. I'm going to suggest a motherboard upgrade so they can update to win7 from XP. (Assuming they are old enough to require it.) then an update to the latest operating software. Anyways, if you give me the s/n for the consoles I can tell you if they are candidates for the upgrades, or if they already have the new motherboard.

For what it's worth, I think that teaching people how to draw by hand, even if it's just scribbling out a plot on "napkin-cad" is absolutely critical.... especially for those times you just need to show a stage hand exactly what you mean because he just does not get it... The biggest problem I see is too many kids becoming highly skilled at CAD stuff, with no actual understanding of how that stuff goes together. Put a hammer and screw-gun in their hands, and see how that works out. Sad, but this situation is not exclusive to theatre school graduates. My work these days regularly puts me in contact with consulting electrical engineers....many of whom are fresh out of school..... Same deal.

Far from theatre being a dying form of art, the technical side of the industry is robust and healthy. Journals assert that there has never been a better time to gain employment in the technical aspects of the field. The major difference is that the tools being used have become far more technical. I just sat through a production at the local professional playhouse that made extensive and effective use of LED ellipsoidals, old school colour changers, atmospheric effects and moving lights.....all being driven by an Ion console. Audience expectations of live theatre are changing... so we need to as well. I wasn't suggesting that kids not continue to learn traditional theatre craft. Just that from what I have seen most technical theatre degrees prepare people for is working in a traditional house with gear who's function has not really changed since the 1950's. Kids who want to actually work in the industry don't need to suffer as waiters for the rest of their lives if they are being taught the right skills...skills that evolve and change every couple of years these days. Kids who don't understand that it's actually work..... well, nothing we do will change their future.

Anyways - love what you put into your work. It shows in the results. Wish there were more out there like you.

 

[restoman]

If I could teach common sense and problem solving skills I'd either be very rich, or very tired. Or both.

You would be the busiest guy on the freakin' planet... but I think the failure rate would be through the roof.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Speaking of consoles, if it's an ETC console as new as 2010 it's probably an EOS/Element/ION/GIO.

If it's the latter, you'll know because any environmental sealing of the cabinet will be installed upside-down.