Topic
Stage Electrics
Articles and pages tagged Stage Electrics.
Stage Electrics
Backstage HandbookThis is a visual dictionary of sorts. A standard reference for many who work backstage. Great information. One of my favorites. SP Buy from Barnes & Noble
Backstage HandbookThis is a visual dictionary of sorts. A standard reference for many who work backstage. Great information. One of my favorites. SP Buy from Barnes & Noble
Brian's list of Tech BooksHere is a list of books I have or have read at one time or another and am looking for once gain. (The ones with no info behind their title.) The list has stars denoting their sefulness. One star is pretty much useless and a waste of money. 
Brian's list of Tech Books (2)++ Dada and Surrealist Film, Edited by Rudolf E. Kuenzli; The Mit Press -Cambridge, MA. 1996 ISBN: 0262-61121-X. This collection of 13 original essays analyzes connections between film and two highly influential 20th century movements. +++ 
Brian's Steps to repairing a cable: Very Long...Brian has been generous enough to contribute several pages of info to us and we are very thankful. I'll warn you though that the pages are filled with a lot of info. Take your time in reading what's here. As Brian admits, he types FAST! (Pr
Constant Power for LED unitsWhat type of power do we need for LED lighting units? What type of power do we need for our new LED lighting units and systems? And how much of it? And how do we get it? The answers to these questions are changing daily with all the new tec
Dimensioning LightsWatch video How to dimension a pipe of lights. I use this worksheet to assist my students in learning how to add dimensions between lighting units on a sample light plot. The act of adding dimensions while drafting a light plot can save an 
Dimmers (1)The wiring diagram on the right shows the path of electricity. Starting from the three phase breaker, which is located in the large circuit breaker box, you can follow the path of the hot wire all the way to the circuit. To see this image i
Dimmers (2)We’ve recycled our patch panel! It is now Light LAb! This is a patch panel. Sort of looks like an old telephone operator’s plug board This is a patch panel. Sort of looks like an old telephone operator’s plug board Here we can see all the c
Dimmers (3)This is the NEW Dimmer rack at the Edward R. Murrow High School. This rack holds 98 2.4K dimmers Another photo showing the main cut off switch. Here we see the control panels for the computer driven house light system. To program the system
FocusingWhen focusing a light there are certain terms you must know so that when somebody asks you to focus a light when your up on a ladder, you know what you are doing. When your teacher asks you to flag the light it means to swing your hand back
Follow SpotHow to use the Altman Model 1000Q Spotlight-Gerald(WebPage assignment-1st draft). This model of Altman spotlight is controlled from rear. This light is best used from the right side of the unit. This way one has access to the gel controls w
Hanging a LightHook C-Clamp onto pipe. Remember that if you are leaning into the pipe, you will want to face the opening of the clamp away from you so that you may push the C-Clamp towards the pipe, where-as, if you are leaning away from the pipe. you wan
House LightsThese are the “cans” used for the house lights at the Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 250watt lamp that is used for the house lights. The top of the ceiling. You can see two house light cans connected via conduit. Th
Intro to Lighting DesignDonut shop lighting. Hmm. Donut shop lighting? Yup. Sound boring? What does donut shop lighting look like? Bright? Not many shadows? Maybe no shadows? How do you design this? Go to a donut shop and look. Simple? Yup. To a point. Re-creating
Lamp life, color temperatureIn response to a question to me off Pro-Sound Web's Lighting Forum. "If I went with the identical lamp that's in this fixture, are you saying that it would be a more "brown appearing lamp"? You made that reference but am wondering if there 
Light BoardThe main theater of the Edward R. Murrow High School uses the ETC Express 48/96 computer control board. I believe that this is one of the best boards for educational theater. It’s also a great board for theaters that have several different 
Light LabThis is the old patch panel which has been recycled. Ariel took on the responsibility of completing our light lab. Ariel has served as Master Electrician for a few shows in our small theater. Her next assignment partners her with Laura for 
Light PlotsThis set in introductory instructions in creating a light plot is the result of a request for help from one of our mailing list members. Start with a small ground plan of the theater space you are working in. Add the area, person, set you a
Light Plots via OrigamiI will be presenting "Lighting Plots via Origami" at the Georgia Thespian Conference, aka ThesCon. Date/time to be announced. How easy, or hard, is it to figure out what lighting units you need to cover your stage? I have do this fun presen
Lighting “Design” SoftwareLight Plot detail While using paper and pencil was the preferred method of many designers 20 years ago, today, designers are expected to use computer-based programs to support their design work. Current lighting technology has also increase
Lighting Design: Part Onehere's the first paragraph excerpt from an article recently published in Dramatics Magazine, January 2009. To read the entire article, please download this PDF: Dramatics_Dark_Stormy_Night . Lighting Design is an art form unto itself. At th
Lighting UnitsThis is an Altman 360Q theatrical Lighting Unit. Most often referred to as a LEKO. BCS owns the following LEKOs 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" 6" x 9" 6" x 8" 6" x 12" 6" x 16" ERS (Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights) are also sometimes known by their brand
Lighting Units AltmanPage slated for updating. BCS owned the following LEKOs 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" 6" x 9" 6" x 8" 6" x 12" 6" x 16" ERS (Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights) are also sometimes known by their brand names, especially *Leko, short for Lekolite, the name g
Magic SheetThis is a copy of a Magic sheet I used for a dance concert. Having a sheet like this at the Tech table during rehearsals is invaluable for creating cues on-the-fly. The entire left column, except to the bottom box, is a vertical representat
Paper workLighting paper includes: dimmer drafting paper, scale ruler, lighting template for drafting units, pencils, drafting triangles, sketch pads, pads of lined paper, and more. But, what about the computer and some drafting program??? Lighting d
Patch PanelThis is a patch panel. Sort of looks like an old telephone operator's plug board. Each vertical line of holes, 5 each, are wired to one dimmer. Here we can see all the circuits waiting to be used. These wires are connected to the circuits i
pioneers in Lighting Design.As humans we all are cursed by the need to view everything through our own personal knowledge and experience. If WE haven’t heard of someone, then they obviously can’t be important! It is worse even in the academic world where teachers fixa
Resources for new lighting designersThe Stage Lighting Primer page is a wonderful resource for both students and professionals alike. http://stagelightingprimer.com/
Robert Juliat's LED Units with Fred LindauerWe visited with Fred Lindauer from Robert Juliat at USITT 2011. Fred shows us their latest LED units.
Rosco's Gobo Rotator highlightsScott Parker visited with Rosco's Chad Tiller at the USITT 2011 Conference in Charlotte NC. Chad showed off Rosco's newest wizz-bang line of gobo rotators. It's an overview and slightly commercial in nature. Enjoy.
https://youtu.be/
Scott C. Parker's Program BioScott C. Parker currently teaches Lighting Design and theater technology at Columbus State University in Columbus GA. Previously, Professor Parker was on the Graduate Faculty at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film where he taught l
Shop Guide for Cable and Rigging Gear Maintenance
*The strain relief has slipped.*
Shop Guide for Cable and Rigging Gear: Shop Procedures Proper cable inspection and rigging equipment maintenance are critical for safe a
SolderingSoldering is the act or process of forming joints upon or between metallic surfaces by means of a fusible alloy or solder whose melting point is lower than that of the metal to be united. After carefully cleaning the joint, a flux is applie
Steps for WiringBefore following these steps make sure that the power is turned off or the outlet is unplugged (see instructor or teacher to turn off the power). To know if a plug is not working look if it is tied up in a knot. (When a plug is tied up in a
Storing and Organizing Lighting Gobos
*Stage Technician sorting gobo patterns*
Lighting Gobo Storage Solutions for Theatre and Live Events Effective storage and organization of lighting gobos (templates) is 
Testing Circuit Boards, ShockingKnow what not to do when testing for ESD!
Tharon Musser PassesIt is with sadness that I announce the passing of Tharon Musser. The grand-dame of lighting design. Here is an article that I found most interesting… NY Times: August 3, 1987 BRINGING A STAGE TO LIGHT By JEREMY GERARD On the stage, a trio o
The Spotlight Operator’s HandbookThe Spotlight Operator's Handbook From the author's webpage: “Running a spotlight is harder than it looks. To do it well, you need to understand how the light and its controls work, you need some training, and you need some practice. Unfort
The Spotlight Operator’s HandbookThe Spotlight Operator's Handbook From the author's webpage: “Running a spotlight is harder than it looks. To do it well, you need to understand how the light and its…
The Ultimate Focusing ToolThe Ultimate Focusing Tool... I spent some time with Rob Junk at USITT 2011. Yes, the video is a bit commercial in nature, but it's a great tool. Watch video
What is DMX? Part OneA terrific set of videos eplaining the basics of what DMX is and how it works. Watch video Watch video Watch video Watch video
What's It Like To Be A House Electrician In New York City?This article is posted here with permission from Gary Fails at www.citytheatrical.com New York’s City Center is an amazing theatre. Built in 1923, the 2,750 seat house is one of the largest in the city. It fills its stage year round with 
WiringStripping the Wires When you strip a wire, the first thing you do is to strip the outer shell of the cable using a box cutter. By doing this, you are exposing three wires. The wires you are exposing is the hot (black) wire, the neutral (whi
Wiring A House (For Pros by Pros)Wiring A House (For Pros by Pros) by Rex Cauldwell (Author) Electricity is one of the least understood yet most important aspects of do-it-yourself building and renovation. Used safely, it allows us to enjoy a life of convenience, but when
Wiring A House (For Pros by Pros)Wiring A House (For Pros by Pros) by Rex Cauldwell (Author) Electricity is one of the least understood yet most important aspects of do-it-yourself building and renovation.…