Freelance Work

I came across an interesting site called elance. Basically its a website that connects freelancers with people who need work done. From marketing, logo design, to drafting, the site has a wide varity of users. My understanding is that you create a profile, and bid on jobs - and just like the "real" world - landing the first is the hardest. But once you get an "elance" reputation, you can build up a good bit of business.
There are definately CAD jobs that I could see bidding on, and designers could probably get into some graphic work fairly easily. It looks like a nice option for additional income on a part time basis that isn't on the shady side.

Physics Games / Aps

A long time ago I posted about physics related games. As I have been loading up my IPod with games (I don't really use it for music, but got it just before teh I-Pads really came out with a splash), I, of course, have been playing a variety of physics based games. App Advice has a good lists of games to try out. I have played some - and some I have played on their computer based counterparts - so I will be looking forward to trying out more of these.

Also, I would add Cut the Rope to the list as well as Tiny Wings (my current additiction). While I guess you could argue that tiny wings isn't really the same, you have to time the speed height, etc of the bird just right to gain the highest score &/or meet the objectives, making it close enough for me.

Scrim Effects

I just came across this video. Pretty amazing what a series of scrims can do. Take a look, its worth viewing & thinking about new ways that we could use traditional materials.

Prop Source

I came across Dino Rentos Studios while looking for props for a recent event. (Somehow you always find things you aren't looking for when you don't need them, and have problems finding the item you really do need. The item of need at the moment had been handheld confetti cannons, which seemed very common until needed more immediately). At any rate, this shop had a couple props I hadn't seen before (fake cinder blocks for instance) and thought it was a good addition to the list of potencial sources for the future.

J Molding & Screed Channel

For a current interior project we are using J Moldings to finish off the bottom edge of teh wall. approximately every 1' we are also installing an aluminum screed channel, giving a nice effect to the wall. There is also a wide variety of channels, inclucding v-grooved channels, curves and other hardware for finishing off all of the assorted angles and cuts necessary for installation.
It always seems that one of teh age old problems with scenery in any form is how to deal with seams. These channel options allow the edges to be designed in to the overall look.

Museum Audio

Alcorn McBride has a brief how to on a way to set up audio and lighting activated by a switch for exhibitry.

Perhaps impractical, it makes me wonder if you could use this to mimic scenes and lighting in models.

For what I am currently working on, I am pricing the "telephone" audio playback that so many museums employ - where to hear specific audio content, a guest picks up the phone and listens to the audio file.

Museum Tools is probably the way that I will proceed, and I will use the handset as a contact closure.

New Arrival

This is my current project.
Kalynn Mackenzie
9.9.11 at 12:21 AM

Wood Balls

Seems like I am often in search of teh most random things. Todays quest - 3" wooden balls. Premier Wood Products has them up to 18" in diameter. Don't expect it to come cheap that large though - the cheapest (pine poplar or mapple is $683, and other woods can run up to & over a thousand. They have other items - appliques and overlays, corbels and brackets and columns and pilasters among others.

Casey's Wood Products also has a wide varity of items, but they tend more towards game pieces, starts and craft cutouts than architectural details.

Woodworks, ltd. has a wide variety of wooden shapes & also sells wooden kitchen utensils.

Bear Woods has turnings, including balls, as well as clock parts and other craft items.

Craft America has a crazy assortment of wooden items acrylic items, as well as much more. It's an odd collection of craft stuff.

Fabric, Webbing & Fasteners

Looking through the current issue of Specialty Fabrics Magazine, there were a couple vendors that carried equipment that could be put to use theatrically. The first, Cole Tech carries an assortment of Marine rigging hardware, mostly rings, webbing adjusters, and hooks. While they don't have alot of a selection, I think that it would be an interesting or helpful practice to use triangle "rings" instead of normal "D" rings. This is one of the good points of the "delta" hangers that Mutual hardware sells.

The second, Lowy, carries webbing, a variety of fasteners, hot cutters, and robes, including bungee cord.

Status of the TD in colleges

I ran across a set of articles today by David R. Batcheller. The first, published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech in December of 1962 was called “The Status of the Technical Director in American Educational Theatre: A Survey”. The second was a follow up article, published in Educational Theatre Journal, Vol 25, No 4 (Dec. 1973), was called “The Status of the Designer / TD in American Educational Theatre, 1961-1971.
From the first article, my first, immediate, reaction was curiosity that the title of technical director was offered up as the second position hired after the position of Director, and that most of these people were not only responsible for the execution of all technical elements, but also for their design. My previous research indicates that the person after the director is usually the designer (after the “director” position was established).
Perhaps the other interesting takeaway is that not much has changed over the years. Production space, help, and the arrangement between teaching versus production work are all still issues. Getting tenure is still an issue – in the 1962 article Batcheller says “The nature of the technicians’ work frequently is misunderstood”. And that “No policy on rank and advancement for technicians has been generally adopted.”
Another notable thing was that in the second article showed that over the course of the decade there was a rise the occurrence of doctorate degrees in the Technical Director position. Previously there was a mix of M. A. and M. F. A. degrees only. As a M. F. A. is “terminal” degree in theatre technology and design, a doctorate is unnecessary and even unavailable unless you switch fields. Achieving tenure should not be an issue with an M. F. A., and certainly would qualify you for a teaching position. It makes me wonder what these Doctorate degrees were in and the purpose behind them – an attempt at tenure? Or someone taking a technical job as a way to get their foot into the program at large.
I make the last statement because even 50 years ago, the position of the Technical Director was viewed as a “young man’s job”, and most of these positions were transitory. Where these young men went afterwards, I don’t know, but there are still many many colleges out there where the TD tends to only stay a few years, teach only stagecraft (if that) and are more of a “staff” position than a full faculty member.
At any rate, it is fascinating to see a viewpoint on Technical Direction from 50 years ago.