Tech continues apace. Saturday we were in at 10 for some notes, teched until about 5. I went home for dinner, Donald and I got chipotle and watched west wing. It seemed like a very nice long dinner break. I was trying to make an excel spreadsheet do my bidding, but it wasn't working. Donald eventually made me a similar construct in Word, which has been working really really well. I'm making new cue sheets for the LD to use, since he's been using the same handwritten ones for what appears to have been several years. So that's what I did during the preview Saturday night. Otherwise, I have nothing to do but sit and watch. And you can really only sit there and watch so many times.
Sunday we had very few notes to do. The preview started at 2, but I got out of the first part of it to go watch the 4th and final senior dance recital. It wasn't very good, so I was very glad that it was short. After it was over, I went in to the preview and resumed my work on the cue sheets. There are 24 pages on this thing, but that's also because I wanted it in a nice big font that's easy to read in the dark.
At 5, we did the thing when Victor treats the designer to dinner and we students all have a nice chat. We went to Arthur Bryant's and greatly enjoyed the food. I love their fries. Other than me, there were only 2 other sudents there; 2 were out of town and 2 1/2 were otherwise occupied. In a way, it's better that they weren't there because then I didn't have to listen to any whining about how Texas barbecue is better, or why didn't we go to such and such place instead. If you prefer Texas Barbucue to Kansas City barbecue, then fine. But we're in Kansas City, so shut the hell up already. I get tired of KC bashing sometimes. Don't mess with my barbecue, dammit.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Friday, February 24, 2006
A very unique dinner
I had the weirdest dinner tonight. The Lighting and Set designers wanted Indian food, so we went to 39th street to find some. There wasn't any there, so they picked Ethiopian food instead. Ethiopian food is served on a big round piece of thin spongy bread, in little piles. You each have your own bread thing, and you tear off bits of it and use it to pinch up the food. No silverware. They decided on the vegetarian sampler, and I'm pretty much game to try any new food so I ate it too. We had 7 different things. One in particular was very tasty and spicy, made from garbanzo beans. There were also collard greens, vegetables, something yellow, another brown thing, and some orange stuff. It was all pretty tasty and full of interesting spices, but I wouldn't go to the restaurant on my own. Not when it was right across the street from a Japanese place, a Vietnamese place, and a Cajun place.
What I ate looked much like this:
What I ate looked much like this:
Thursday, February 23, 2006
tech again
Focus went well yesterday. We started out slow, but picked up the pace eventually. We even got done in time for me to go with mom and Donald to the catering tasting. Most of the things they had out to taste weren't things we're going to have, but I enjoyed eating them anyway. (Who's surprised there?) Now I'm using wireless in the theater, where we haven't started actual tech yet. They've been doing sound checks since about 12:30.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
I didn't do any work last night. I was just too tired. Donald and I ordered Chinese when I got home, and they sent dumplings instead of wonton. I called back to complain, and they grudgingly told me not to touch the dumplings. I assumed that meant they'd bring me wonton, and it did. When they arrived, they told me not to let donald order, because he said "dumplings." He didn't. I was standing there when he called. Sigh. What do you do when your favorite Chinese delivery place starts to screw up all the time?
I fought off sleep on the couch as we watched TV, and it eventually won. Then my phone rang and my lovely cozy sleep was gone. I went to bed early.
Not last night, but the night before, I dreamed that my parents bought a house in the woods. It was in a little community of houses, with nice landscaping and a small pond outside that I planned to swim in when it got warm. I knew that there was a much bigger lake nearby. You couldn't see any other houses because there were a lot of trees inbetween. The house had belonged to someone else beore, and it came stocked with furniture and stuff. There was a little dog there, named Sacha. She was one of those dogs that looks like a Jack Russell terrier, but is taller and thinner. I felt bad for her, because I knew that she was just there and nobody really loved her. Inside the house was kind of dark, and in the bedroom where I slept, it seemed that someone had tacked blankets up on the ceiling. I was looking forward to exploring the house more, but I had to wake up and go to work. :(
I fought off sleep on the couch as we watched TV, and it eventually won. Then my phone rang and my lovely cozy sleep was gone. I went to bed early.
Not last night, but the night before, I dreamed that my parents bought a house in the woods. It was in a little community of houses, with nice landscaping and a small pond outside that I planned to swim in when it got warm. I knew that there was a much bigger lake nearby. You couldn't see any other houses because there were a lot of trees inbetween. The house had belonged to someone else beore, and it came stocked with furniture and stuff. There was a little dog there, named Sacha. She was one of those dogs that looks like a Jack Russell terrier, but is taller and thinner. I felt bad for her, because I knew that she was just there and nobody really loved her. Inside the house was kind of dark, and in the bedroom where I slept, it seemed that someone had tacked blankets up on the ceiling. I was looking forward to exploring the house more, but I had to wake up and go to work. :(
Monday, February 20, 2006
Tired
Today was light hang for Lost Highway. I worked hard, and will get dollars for it. Not a bad day. I should wear my gloves more though, because I bang up my hands a lot.
I have work to do, but I'm so very sleepy!
I have work to do, but I'm so very sleepy!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
I don't feel like writing anything
I know I like to look at pictures, so here's one for you to look at.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
I hate rushing
I went in to the theater today to start cueing my 2 dance pieces. After some confusion with the show file, we figured it out and all was well.
Once I was done, I was heading out the door to go home and have lunch when Victor called.
"Today is the last day to apply for the Hemsley Internship" he says, and "do you want to apply?"
"..." I reply, befuddled as always at the prospect of trying to do something like this at the last possible minute. He somehow didn't get the information until today. This internship is a Big Deal, involving 9 months in NYC working at the NYC Ballet, NYC Opera, and Lincoln Center Festival. Needless to say, it would be a Good Thing to go do.
So I spent the afternoon trying to put together a facsimile of a decent letter of intent. After advice and editing help, I emailed the letter and my resume to the internship guy at 4:30pm, and for good measure, to his personal email address that I found on the internet with the help of Google. Shortly thereafter I got the delivery failure notification from one of the 2 email addresses I sent to. Hooray for Google, or it wouldn't have gotten in at all! One needs to also send 3 letters of recommendation, so I emailed Ken Albers to see if he would, and talked to Jen the choreographer tonight at the dance performance.
After we got home from the dance concert, Donald and I watched a couple episodes of West Wing. I sat down here at 11 to check my email. I had a response from the internship guy, who says I need to get these letters of recommendation in NOW since he will be sending them all off Friday afternoon. Okay then. Ken Albers wrote and said he'd gladly write me a letter, so I emailed him back with the address and information that it needed to be in NOW and thank you again, very much. I emailed Victor and Jen too. Victor wrote back suggesting that we get his and Jen's letters together tomorrow and he can fedex them overnight if we get it together by early afternoon. So that's my day. Tomorrow I will chase down Jen Medina, and ask her to pretty please write me a letter right now, and then I will write cues for my dance pieces for 2 hours, go to a meeting after that, eat sometime somehow, and go to a light focus.
Once I was done, I was heading out the door to go home and have lunch when Victor called.
"Today is the last day to apply for the Hemsley Internship" he says, and "do you want to apply?"
"..." I reply, befuddled as always at the prospect of trying to do something like this at the last possible minute. He somehow didn't get the information until today. This internship is a Big Deal, involving 9 months in NYC working at the NYC Ballet, NYC Opera, and Lincoln Center Festival. Needless to say, it would be a Good Thing to go do.
So I spent the afternoon trying to put together a facsimile of a decent letter of intent. After advice and editing help, I emailed the letter and my resume to the internship guy at 4:30pm, and for good measure, to his personal email address that I found on the internet with the help of Google. Shortly thereafter I got the delivery failure notification from one of the 2 email addresses I sent to. Hooray for Google, or it wouldn't have gotten in at all! One needs to also send 3 letters of recommendation, so I emailed Ken Albers to see if he would, and talked to Jen the choreographer tonight at the dance performance.
After we got home from the dance concert, Donald and I watched a couple episodes of West Wing. I sat down here at 11 to check my email. I had a response from the internship guy, who says I need to get these letters of recommendation in NOW since he will be sending them all off Friday afternoon. Okay then. Ken Albers wrote and said he'd gladly write me a letter, so I emailed him back with the address and information that it needed to be in NOW and thank you again, very much. I emailed Victor and Jen too. Victor wrote back suggesting that we get his and Jen's letters together tomorrow and he can fedex them overnight if we get it together by early afternoon. So that's my day. Tomorrow I will chase down Jen Medina, and ask her to pretty please write me a letter right now, and then I will write cues for my dance pieces for 2 hours, go to a meeting after that, eat sometime somehow, and go to a light focus.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
2 more down
We met with the woman who will make our cake this morning. It will be 3 layers, and a variety of flavors. Also, delicious. We got to taste flavor samples this morning. So yummy. Right when we got back, we got a call from our photographer and committed to that too. So, two more things down.
Monday, February 13, 2006
5 things
I complain about my job a lot. Let's all list 5 things we actually like about what we do.
1. Gel. I like cutting it, framing it, writing on it with a grease pencil.
2. When a follow or part cue works out just right on the first try.
3. Hanging lights when everything is organized so it's just like putting together a puzzle.
4. Wow, it's hard to think of 5 things. How about we start with 3?
1. Gel. I like cutting it, framing it, writing on it with a grease pencil.
2. When a follow or part cue works out just right on the first try.
3. Hanging lights when everything is organized so it's just like putting together a puzzle.
4. Wow, it's hard to think of 5 things. How about we start with 3?
Weekend
Saturday Donald and I went to register at Bed Bath and Beyond. As we were getting set up to register, the woman told us that we should register for 3 items for each person we invited. Yeah, right. I know their job is to sell us stuff, but I'm not registering for 300 frikkin towel sets. I don't think there are 300 things in BBB that I want. Donald and I wandered and scanned, and it was all very lovely. We picked out a silverware set, I'm pretty excited about that. We will finally have matching silverware! Wow, that's a pretty lame thing to be excited about. Oh well! My mom thinks a lot of people won't look at the resistry anyway, so we'll just wait and see.
Robyn and Mike came over to watch the 'lympics and eat stuff. The delivery from Kin Lin was a success, but I think we may have gotten overcharged. Either way, we had a nice time and got coffee and played some cards. We seem to have settled into a comfortable little rut. I'm prefectly happy with it, too. I like coffee and friends.
Yesterday was a dance hang and focus in White Hall. Ugh... It took FOREVER. Lately, we've had this thing down to a moderately speedy process. Yesterday though, we had to rehang a bunch of new lights and bench focus them. Bench focusing is when you get the lamp aligned in the reflector to produce the most even field of light. Not a complicated process, but time comsuming when you have to do over 100 lights. It's wonderful to have new equipment, but as with anything new, you have to do some work to get it useable. We started hang at 9, took an hour for lunch and an hour and a half for dinner. We started focus around 7. The ideal amount of time for focusing a light is one minute. When you are a grown up lighting designer, you should be able to focus very fast and efficiently. By 9, we had focused maybe 25 lights. I knew then, that we would be there very very late. We left about 1:15. The most frustrating part is that there wasn't much we could have done to make it faster. We couldn't start focus until after dinner, so even if we'd worked really fast in the morning it wouldn't have gotten us home sooner.
Robyn and Mike came over to watch the 'lympics and eat stuff. The delivery from Kin Lin was a success, but I think we may have gotten overcharged. Either way, we had a nice time and got coffee and played some cards. We seem to have settled into a comfortable little rut. I'm prefectly happy with it, too. I like coffee and friends.
Yesterday was a dance hang and focus in White Hall. Ugh... It took FOREVER. Lately, we've had this thing down to a moderately speedy process. Yesterday though, we had to rehang a bunch of new lights and bench focus them. Bench focusing is when you get the lamp aligned in the reflector to produce the most even field of light. Not a complicated process, but time comsuming when you have to do over 100 lights. It's wonderful to have new equipment, but as with anything new, you have to do some work to get it useable. We started hang at 9, took an hour for lunch and an hour and a half for dinner. We started focus around 7. The ideal amount of time for focusing a light is one minute. When you are a grown up lighting designer, you should be able to focus very fast and efficiently. By 9, we had focused maybe 25 lights. I knew then, that we would be there very very late. We left about 1:15. The most frustrating part is that there wasn't much we could have done to make it faster. We couldn't start focus until after dinner, so even if we'd worked really fast in the morning it wouldn't have gotten us home sooner.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
It's due when??
Yesterday during a light hang it was brought to my attention that I have a plot due in a week and a half. Oh, right, crap! My brain was all in the Trial, and now it's in dance, and I totally didn't realize that show was coming up so damn soon. I never had a plot due date in my calendar, and therefore dodn't think about it at all. This shouldn't be a problem, since the show is in 116, where I've designed 2 shows already, and takes place in a motel room. It should be pretty simple. Still, it's a good thing someone said something yesterday, since this show was simply not in my brain.
Speaking of light hang yesterday, it SUCKED. It should have been a simple thing, and we should have been done before 5. Instead, it was a haphazard affair that took past 7. The "designer" has no idea what he's doing. You might think that one would get some training in how to design lights in a lighting design program, but not this one. Grant Hall is a pain in the ass. There are a bunch of positions that are a bitch to get to, if you're lucky. Sane people leave most of these lights the way they are. Genius here wanted to hang 6 extra lights in extremely inconvenient positions. He also wanted to hang twice as many lights on an electric than would actually fit. He hung more lights front-of-house than there were circuits for. He hung at least 14 more 6" Fresnels than were in inventory. It was ridiculous, and shouldn't have ever happened, if Victor would do his job and check over light plots before they get turned in to the ME. I had work I should have done last night, but I was too tired from crawling around on my knees in a catwalk trying not to smash my head into I-beams all day. I hate Grant Hall.
Speaking of light hang yesterday, it SUCKED. It should have been a simple thing, and we should have been done before 5. Instead, it was a haphazard affair that took past 7. The "designer" has no idea what he's doing. You might think that one would get some training in how to design lights in a lighting design program, but not this one. Grant Hall is a pain in the ass. There are a bunch of positions that are a bitch to get to, if you're lucky. Sane people leave most of these lights the way they are. Genius here wanted to hang 6 extra lights in extremely inconvenient positions. He also wanted to hang twice as many lights on an electric than would actually fit. He hung more lights front-of-house than there were circuits for. He hung at least 14 more 6" Fresnels than were in inventory. It was ridiculous, and shouldn't have ever happened, if Victor would do his job and check over light plots before they get turned in to the ME. I had work I should have done last night, but I was too tired from crawling around on my knees in a catwalk trying not to smash my head into I-beams all day. I hate Grant Hall.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Not a lot to say this week. Ive had a lot of little things to do spread out, so it feels like a long weekend. Then again, I should be used to that by now, having no classes.
Tuesday there was a Rosco presentation at school. Rosco is a company that make stuff for theatre. A rep came to show us some toys, so we lighting students all gathered 'round to ogle. Last time they came to show us things, we oohhed and ahhed enough that they sent us some toys to keep, and some to borrow. That is how we acquired two gobo rotators and 2 I-Cues. Very good.
After that, Jon and I went to Union station AGAIN to check on a few problems. Sunday night they had a big problem with not being able to turn the houselights off, so we went to check some stuff out. While I was going through the cues, I decided to finally go take a look at this bright spot that had been bugging me, but not quite enough to look at it before. Turns out that 2 lights were focused SO wrong, that I have NO idea A) how it happened in the first place, and B) how I never noticed it?!? So I switched barrels and refocused, and I think that will solve the problem, although I was pretty nervous to make changes that I wouldn't be able to really see.
Yesterday we went to meet another caterer, since we were a bit stunned by the super high price quoted to us by the first caterer. Donald and I weren't impressed with the second caterer, so my mom has called the first one to do some haggling. I'd like to go with them, if we can get the price down to something more reasonable, especially if it's something as simple as using disposable plates instead of china. If not, we can always talk with a third caterer. I really hope we can work it out with the first caterer, they seemed very professional and capable.
Tuesday there was a Rosco presentation at school. Rosco is a company that make stuff for theatre. A rep came to show us some toys, so we lighting students all gathered 'round to ogle. Last time they came to show us things, we oohhed and ahhed enough that they sent us some toys to keep, and some to borrow. That is how we acquired two gobo rotators and 2 I-Cues. Very good.
After that, Jon and I went to Union station AGAIN to check on a few problems. Sunday night they had a big problem with not being able to turn the houselights off, so we went to check some stuff out. While I was going through the cues, I decided to finally go take a look at this bright spot that had been bugging me, but not quite enough to look at it before. Turns out that 2 lights were focused SO wrong, that I have NO idea A) how it happened in the first place, and B) how I never noticed it?!? So I switched barrels and refocused, and I think that will solve the problem, although I was pretty nervous to make changes that I wouldn't be able to really see.
Yesterday we went to meet another caterer, since we were a bit stunned by the super high price quoted to us by the first caterer. Donald and I weren't impressed with the second caterer, so my mom has called the first one to do some haggling. I'd like to go with them, if we can get the price down to something more reasonable, especially if it's something as simple as using disposable plates instead of china. If not, we can always talk with a third caterer. I really hope we can work it out with the first caterer, they seemed very professional and capable.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Strongbow is most delicious
We had a critique at O'Dowd's tonight, and I have consumed nearly 2 Strongbows. I'm a bit drunk now, ask Donald. Whee! My brains are fuzzy. Also, if you let him, Victor will talk FOREVER.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Not that funny
When we decided to go to the mall yesterday, we didn't know there was a mini wedding show going on. It was a convenient coincidence. Most of the booths were useless, but Robyn and I entered a few drawings, and Donald found a good price on tuxes. The place was pretty packed, and we were glad to get out of there. The usefulness of the "wedding show" is unfortunately outweighed by the hassle, at least in my mind. I know there is useful information to be had, but I just get tired of looking after about 3 booths. Robyn was all about it though. She didn't get time for any wedding shows for hers, so I'll go to all the wedding crap she wants. :)
We looked for a dress for Robyn but didn't find anything in the mall, so we stopped at the ubiquitous David's Bridal. They have great seperates, and lots of colors, but are crap on sizes. I understand not having every style in every size and color to try on, but you could have at least a few sizes inbetween 2 and 14 to try on. The colors are limited, but their clothes look good on people, and we found a possibility for Robyn. Same skirt I wore for her wedding, different top. You have to order 8 weeks in advance, so there's still time to look around. They were also packed. There was a large group of people trying things on, looking super classy while sporting tattoos, stretchmarks, and gold teeth. By the time we got out of there, we were more than ready to go home. Again, Mike and Donald, we told you you could go somewhere else. Sorry!
Dinner was at Chubbys, and friggin delicious. I was just hungry enough to really enjoy my breakfast burrito. As we were finishing up, I got a call from Union Station that the board op couldn't get ahold of Jon and a moving light wasn't working. I asked her if she had turned it off, waited 5 minutes and turned it on again. She said she had, twice. I told her to do it again, and that I'd be there in a few minutes. Happily, by the time I got there it was working. There wasn't anyhthing I could have done that she wasn't already doing anyway.
The show went well, aside from the fact that some actors, who used to be in the light, seem to get more and more out of the light every damn day. Idiots. I think Donald and Mike and Robyn enjoyed it, or were at least moderately entertained. There are funny parts in Franz Kafka's The Trial, but some people thought it was HILARIOUS. There was a group of acting students behind us, and they laughed with great enthusiasm at things that weren't actually funny at all. It was pretty annoying actually. If they hadn't been screaming with laughter, the audience might have been able to hear more of the lines, fer cryin' out loud. Seriously, get a grip people. You sound like idiots. Especially Snorting Guy. It was kind of like having 5 or 6 Heathers behind us. :D
We looked for a dress for Robyn but didn't find anything in the mall, so we stopped at the ubiquitous David's Bridal. They have great seperates, and lots of colors, but are crap on sizes. I understand not having every style in every size and color to try on, but you could have at least a few sizes inbetween 2 and 14 to try on. The colors are limited, but their clothes look good on people, and we found a possibility for Robyn. Same skirt I wore for her wedding, different top. You have to order 8 weeks in advance, so there's still time to look around. They were also packed. There was a large group of people trying things on, looking super classy while sporting tattoos, stretchmarks, and gold teeth. By the time we got out of there, we were more than ready to go home. Again, Mike and Donald, we told you you could go somewhere else. Sorry!
Dinner was at Chubbys, and friggin delicious. I was just hungry enough to really enjoy my breakfast burrito. As we were finishing up, I got a call from Union Station that the board op couldn't get ahold of Jon and a moving light wasn't working. I asked her if she had turned it off, waited 5 minutes and turned it on again. She said she had, twice. I told her to do it again, and that I'd be there in a few minutes. Happily, by the time I got there it was working. There wasn't anyhthing I could have done that she wasn't already doing anyway.
The show went well, aside from the fact that some actors, who used to be in the light, seem to get more and more out of the light every damn day. Idiots. I think Donald and Mike and Robyn enjoyed it, or were at least moderately entertained. There are funny parts in Franz Kafka's The Trial, but some people thought it was HILARIOUS. There was a group of acting students behind us, and they laughed with great enthusiasm at things that weren't actually funny at all. It was pretty annoying actually. If they hadn't been screaming with laughter, the audience might have been able to hear more of the lines, fer cryin' out loud. Seriously, get a grip people. You sound like idiots. Especially Snorting Guy. It was kind of like having 5 or 6 Heathers behind us. :D
Friday, February 03, 2006
Finally
Finally, a run through without incident. We went in about 2 to do a few last things. We did a few board notes. We decided that there wasn't enough time to leave and come back, so we went to Crown Center to eat again. We had cold cheeseburgers that took way too long to arrive. We went back. And waited for the show to start.
I took very few notes, and took care of them after the show. Today I'm NOT going in to do notes, for once. I'll be in just before the preview. After the preview, we will clean up the rest of our stuff, strike the tech table, and go home. Yay! I'm about ready to switch gears to a dance show.
I took very few notes, and took care of them after the show. Today I'm NOT going in to do notes, for once. I'll be in just before the preview. After the preview, we will clean up the rest of our stuff, strike the tech table, and go home. Yay! I'm about ready to switch gears to a dance show.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Equipment failure makes Margaret's mad
Two of the Studio Spots were giving me big troubles, and a third was giving me small troubles. The director was having no more of this mess, so we went down there at the crack of noon yesterday to hang some differents lights and fix our problems. The guy at Union station happened to wander in, and while he was trying to help in a know-it-all way, mangaged to break the third fixture so much that I can't use it at all now. Note that while he has more experience with these fixtures, he still shouldn't have been poking at things inside with a screwdriver. The damn things cost $8,000 each, and have meny sensitive bits inside. Our solution was to hang 2 S4s with moving mirror attachments. It's in no way equivalent, but it's a decent substitution.
If he hadn't showed up, we'd have had our lights hung 2 hours earlier. I was planning to get in there, get our shit done, and actually go the hell home and try to get to a dance rehearsal. Instead, I was there all day AGAIN. Tonight we have an audience. It's a preview, not opening night, but an audience means it has to be all cleaned up. So I'll be going in again today, to fix things for the (hopefully) last time.
If he hadn't showed up, we'd have had our lights hung 2 hours earlier. I was planning to get in there, get our shit done, and actually go the hell home and try to get to a dance rehearsal. Instead, I was there all day AGAIN. Tonight we have an audience. It's a preview, not opening night, but an audience means it has to be all cleaned up. So I'll be going in again today, to fix things for the (hopefully) last time.
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