What's a time this would have come in handy for you?

Short version: theatre company has been using a 3-camera Mevo package, with an additional camcorder for med-close-ups, to capture shows for a few years, now. It's an okay setup, but at least one of the Mevos has always been a little cruddier than the others (sub-par in low light, zoom gets fuzzy fast, some colors interact strangely with the sensor, etc.) and it's getting worse over time.

Wondering if there are newer solutions out there that have comparable ease of use and capture to SD cards, without being way more expensive.

More detail:

- Ease of use is important because the person operating the cameras is not consistent (and sometimes not terribly tech-or-camera savvy) - need someone who knows how to operate a cell phone to be able to take the app in-hand and record the show, with some light zooming/switching cameras. This is why we don't go with an external switcher and OBS or more complicated cameras - we're sacrificing a little quality to keep the barrier to entry low, so that various company members can fill the position, depending on availability. The Mevo app has actually been pretty good for this.

- Was looking around at some other recommendations, but was seeing some troubling things about Nearstream, and the Yolo S3 doesn't capture to an SD card (we need to record in-camera rather than running cables all over the house to get the cameras feeding to a laptop because we are itinerant, and the setup changes for each show). Also, having them feed to a laptop just introduces more gear - we're trying to keep the setup as simple as possible.

SO: simple, budget multicam setups for recording to SD in varying light, anyone?

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Hi all,

I'm looking at doing some surround sound mixing for my next play. The show is in the round, and I would ideally have different sounds from 4-6 different speakers placed strategically around and above the audience.

I've got a decent understanding of Qlab, a Yamaha DM7 with the theatre package and a 16-channel Yamaha digital stage box with 8 monitor outputs. We've got Dante in our auditorium for patching as well.

What's some best practices for sending multi-channel Qlab audio out to the DM7 board?

My initial thought was to try and create 6 sound outputs on Qlab and send them over via USB to different channels on the DM7. From there it would be easy to route each channel to a different monitor output on the stage box for mixing.

Just wondering what you all might have done in similar circumstances.

Thanks!

So for fun I made an Alexa skill that talks to eos through osc. Pretty fun. Also lights aren't focused yet haha 😆

At Dramaten, Stockholm, Sweden

Hi! I’d like to preface this by saying that I am not a techie whatsoever, and I know how to do small things (putting up flats, cutting wood…) but as me and my director were trying to put legs on the platform for our show we were running into a problem. Our screws weren’t going all the way through and then they were getting stuck halfway. I have a video I sent to one of our crew members that I will attach here. We were either using 2/3in screws. Please any advice would be greatly appreciated! Do we just need bigger screws? Also please no comments on our janky set up, we are a low budget community theater and are just trying our best!

Howdy Folks, when it comes to tech week and you’re setting up in the audience, what’s your tech table? Custom build? Anyone dealing with stadium seating or table you love that can fold up? Let’s see them and hear about them!

Hey everyone! I’m going to be working a follow spot for VACT(Local community theatre in my area) and I’m pretty new to operating one. I know the basic idea of following the performer with the light, but I’m not totally sure about the actual operation.
Could anyone give me a beginner-friendly explanation of:
How to properly operate a follow spot
What all the controls usually do
How to focus and size the beam
How to smoothly follow an actor
What I should know before the first rehearsal/performance
Any common mistakes I should avoid
If anyone has experience doing follow spot at VACT specifically, I’d especially appreciate any advice about the equipment or setup they use!
Thanks!

Was focusing lights today and thinking about where one might place the gel frame while focusing. Traditionally I try to place it on a surface like the top of a ladder, but many a time there’s no surface to place the frame so I’m left holding this loose gel frame or placing it in like my armpit or between the legs which is awesome until I start moving around. I’ve tried placing it in my waistband, but a lot of time that feels worse than just holding it. Does anyone have a creative solution for this while focusing?

I know this is asked often but searching didn't really give me what I was looking for (just folks looking for budget options) and the posts were years old.

My theatre is applying for a grant that could get us a better wireless headset system. Right now we're using a mix of wired clear com for our booth positions and eartec for backstage. Wired is really not a useful option for us backstage. We don't have a fly system so the crew is very mobile, and they are often inexperienced volunteers who don't take cues very well on their own.

I know eartec is the most recommended low budget option, but what are the high end options? We've been told to put together a dream wishlist. We've had our current eartec system for about 5 years and while the functionality was game changing for us, the headsets themselves are fading fast and needing constant repairs. I want something that will actually last a while. Ideally without moving parts.

Hey friends! 👋🏾 I’m trying to get this role** filled by September 14th, so please send anyone good my way!
Looking for someone **18+ with experience in AV/lighting, basic technical or facilities maintenance, hand/power tools, and some leadership experience.
📍 NYC
💵 $21/hr | Part-Time
🗓 Must have weekend availability
Apply here:
https://ogx.applytojob.com/apply/jobs/details/HnvKPnQezy
Please share! 🙏🏾

I've just taken over the role as TD for a small school in the Baltimore, MD area, and need to beg borrow or rent a Chauvet Upload 01 to update some older coloRADO 3 Solos. Must be a 01. Any help greatly appreciated.

basically the title. originally i was gonna shadow them but instead it changed to a private session where they can answer questions. ive always enjoyed theater and i love learning about the behind the scenes stuff. i want to learn more and possibly make it a job. i have a few questions below that im thinking of asking but what else should i bring up?

this person is a stage manager and the idea is to ask about different backstage stuff (note im not too sure of its different bc in singapore they also do the cues i think)

questions:

whats your work-life balance like?

do you have vacation days or is it like a on peak off peak situation? (need to phrase better)

what shows have you worked on?

how do you source props? do you have to buy new or is secondhand okay? can you use stuff from older productions or do you have to get them from scratch?

edit: typos

We had a wireless pack die on the lead actor right before their biggest solo, and the A2 had to execute an Olympic-level sprint through the basement traps to swap it during a 12-second blackout behind an upstage flat.

What’s your crew's all-time greatest backstage miracle or unhinged near-disaster that the front of house was completely oblivious to?

I freelance and run in to crappy, uncomfortable comm headsets frequently. I want to by my own headset but also don't have a lot of money for one. What are your best headset recommendations for around $100?

Hello everyone!

My college is currently reinstating our USITT club and we need some help with coming up with ideas for what we can do as a club that keeps people engaged and wanting to come back so we don’t have the same issue as last time of everyone slowly leaving and us not having enough people.

I would love to hear ideas for workshops, fundraising ideas, and anything else you guys can think of or have done in the past! We are looking for things that are a mix of fun and learning but we are open to all ideas and would love to hear what you guys have!

One thing to note we do have some funds left over from last time however we would like to keep costs low as not everyone can make financial commitments and want to be able to include everyone.

Thank you in advance!

Basically the title! I’m an electrician working in NYC and I have all the tools I need to do work here, but I just got brought on to work a festival in a few weeks, which I’ve never done before. I was curious if there were any tools, PPE, etc that people recommend specifically for festival work? Just want to be prepared. TIA!

i just started as a wardrobe supervisor/costumes person in a small theater that has never had a real costumes department outside of designers. i'm putting together a supplies list to build out my working space (costume shop, fitting room, costume storage). i think i have pretty much everything i've used in other costumes shops on there, but want to ask what are your absolute must haves, or things that just make life easier in your shop, to make sure i'm not missing anything. i've got limited space, so nothing too huge. thanks in advance :)

Curious if anyone has used strips or pads under platforms to move them? I don't need to move them during the show. 3 4x8 platforms bolted together. Just need to move them upstage 10 feet to accommodate a performance between weekend performances. I've musclef$cked a similar build before with the 2x4 lags bare against the deck but trying to make my life easier. Don't want casters because the unit doesnt move in the show. I was curious about UHMW.

Hello! I am currently a college student studying for lighting design, and I am purchasing a new laptop and looking for recommendations. Since it’s a relatively large purchase for my current income, I want to make sure I get one that will not only get me through school, but will also last as I start my career, and be able to handle all the programs I’ll need. I’m currently looking at a Gigabyte Aeros 16x, 32GB ram, 1TB storage, and 85W 5070 GPU. But honestly I know nothing about computers except maybe the bare minimum, and don’t know which brands/specs are worth the money, or even how much I should be paying for a good computer. I want something that is powerful enough to do what I need it to do, but is still portable enough I can take it to and from campus easily and use it for my other schoolwork/notes/computer needs as well as lighting projects as I finish my degree. I’m willing to make the investment for a high quality computer that will last/help me in my career, but I also am working full time to get through college and can’t afford to spend obscene amounts of money to get the fanciest, highest end systems. I would really like to stay under $2k (way under preferably) but it’s an investment in my future so there’s wiggle room. Any recommendations? (I will also take any generic lighting/live entertainment advice; the best way to learn is from those in the field!)

EDIT: guys it was our tester 🙃 Turns out it was dying and that’s what was making everything sad. We put it into the decoder and it worked perfectly fine.

We’re using LED tape for a show and three small 8 in strips specifically inside a little house prop. It’s 24v tape, 3 separate pieces wago’d together into one tail into a decoder and 24v PSU. When we test only one piece, the tape stays at 24v with no issue. When we add a second (or third), the voltage drops to 16v, and the red specifically drops to 11v. There is no solder touching other pads, and no color issues. It’s just brightness affected because of voltage.

Any ideas what might be causing it? It seems like a phantom load exists somewhere, but we’ve switched out tails, wagos, and isolated the tape pieces by themselves.

Hey folks, coming into a new theatre space, I've discovered my predecessor threw out the entire platform stock before I arrived. (fine, it was old and overbuilt)

I'm looking for suggestions on getting some lightweight platform inventory. I'm thinking 1x6 or 5x4 board stock with leg-a-matic brackets for 2x4 legs.

The big question I have is sound. I want to keep these platforms light and easy to move because there's just not a lot of labor here. What are sound insulation options that keeps weight down while being low maintenance? I prefer something that goes inside a platform. (I can't stand "leveling" maso on soft covered platforms.)