Lighting instruments patiently wait as rehearsal continues on-stage for the remainder of the week. Tonight, more than half a dozen lighting technicians will re-focus every instrument in the space for technical rehearsals.
Today was a moderately-productive day. Most of our big projects are either completed, or can only be complete when there's no activity on stage. Since we're neck-deep in rehearsals for "The Magic Flute", our work time is limited to immediately before or after those rehearsals. I went through the mundane tasks such as re-labeling the sound console's board tape (The heavily-modified tape from last season was still there) and worked on creating some permanent CellCom profiles for technical rehearsals, focus, etc.
Just before lunch break, the stage manager for "Magic Flute" asked if we could look at one of the over-stage conductor monitors; it either wasn't turned on or needed to be adjusted. I had noticed similar issues with the same monitor relier, and Allan and I hiked up to the half-roof after lunch and pull the monitor down. We took it to the control room where we plugged it straight into the DA's there, and it worked fine. We took it back to the stage right wing and plugged it into it's DA (the stage-right DA is fed from the control room) and it worked fine there. However, we notice that if we remove the video terminator from the DA, the signal improves. So we run the monitor back up to the half-deck and re-attach it, noticing we have a slightly better, but still pretty terrible signal. With rehearsal on-stage starting back up again, we save the project for another day.
The view of the theatre from the half-deck as Allan and I return to another project.
However, when we return to the stage, we notice the other conductor monitors are now having a slight video quality issue. We return to the control room to try and figure it out, only to be stumped by our combined lack of knowledge regarding video theory. We assume it has to do with a lack of termination somewhere, but in the way that video was explained to us, we weren't sure whether we needed to terminate the DA, or the TV itself.
With Allan futzing with that, I went on a mission of efficiency. Remember yesterday, when I hung the B-lift camera? Well, we have a TV-on-a-stand that can be pushed around for show purposes, and we were going to dedicate one to the B-lift operator position. The problem is, the roving monitor is not compact or efficient. But it is mounted on a lighting-type frame, and I realize that, with a little disassembly and modification, this monitor could hang right near the operator position, be completely out of the way, AND functional.
So I disassemble the monitor and stand, run to the scene shop for some bolts and a drill, and return to find I had the wrong size bolts. Damn. Another trip to the shop. Te right sizes this time, I hang the frame and slide the monitor in. It looks and works great, and i'll have to get you a photo!
I head back to the control room right about quitting time, when The Boss shows up, and gives Allan and I a great lesson video theory. He shows us a video scope (a small monitor with calibration displays) and how to read such a scope. He shows us what the high and low limits should be, what an over-powered signal looks like, and what no termination, proper termination, and double termination look like. A very good lesson right at the end of the day.
Slowly, Santa Fe is starting to grow on me. There's a very big part of me that's still screaming "You're too far away from home! It's not going to be the same when you get back!", but I know that's not true. I will still have my girlfriend and my car and my bike and my family and friends. It's rough being away from everything, and the only thing you have here are clothes, some books, a laptop and a phone. But i'm making friends in my department, and a few in other departments too. I'm good friends with the ladies in the office, although I don't know if it's a good thing they know me by name (Hi Tracy!) Do you remember in grade school when the secretaries in the front office knew you by name? Kinda like that... but I know i'm not in trouble when I see them.
Two days off in a row? What am I gonna do? Adventures!
-Matt
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