Know the Stage

Author: James

  • Grand MA2 Tutorials (on youtube) 

    Here is the MALighing YouTube channel, which has many videos about their consoles.  Learn straight from the company.

     

  • ETC Ion Fundamentals Videos

    ETC has their Ion Fundamentals videos online on YouTube. Pretty nice of them to do that, eh?

    Disc one is here.
    Disc two is here.

  • Digico Manuals

    This link should take you to all the manuals Digico has online for their consoles.  Exciting? No, but there for your perusal.

    Digico Manuals

  • Spotlight Overview (via YouTube)

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uc8t4k07fM?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=281]

    Not a bad overview of a spotlight from the National Theater in the UK.  What they call shutters are often called the chopper. 

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • How To Tie a Clove Hitch

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zGzc-8biA0?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=375]

    Clove hitch.  A very VERY basic instructional video on how to tie a clove hitch.

    I hope to make a video of the Clove Hitch and Bowline soon.  Something more practical to our uses on stage.

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • How to Tie a Bowline

    This is one of the two most important knots to know. Get proficient at tying this knot. I can’t stress this enough.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9NqGd7464U?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=375]

    This is what tying a Bowline looks like when you are on the other side of the point. Same knot, tied from a different direction.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1K-WU-Jgc?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=375]

  • Basic Electricity Explained (via YouTube)

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYS9kdS56l8?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=374]

    This is a pretty cool basic video about how electricity works.  Bonus points for the description of Ohm’s Law at the end (hint: it isn’t about math).

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • Ground Loops Demonstrated (via YouTube)

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YM1iwC6vhg?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=374]

    Even though this is demonstrated with a guitar amp, the principle still holds to other audio and electrical systems.  Got a hum?  Might be a ground loop. 

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • Stage Directions Animation (via YouTube)

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYodLtgPT_E?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=500&h=375]

    This is the basics of stage directions.  Why do they call it upstage? 

    Not in the video, but when something is going up (as in towards the grid, over your head), it is going “out.”  When it is moving down (from the grid or towards your feet), it is coming “in.” 

    Now you know where that roadie wants their case.

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)