A few years back when I was still running 2002 on my laptop, everyday when I opened AutoCAD I received the following error:
Troubleshooting Today
A problem has been detected in Today.
Choose one of the following options to fix the problem:
Analyze Today
Use the Diagnostics tool at Point A to help you fix the problem. If you do not have Internet access, use the offline diagnostics tool.
Restore Today
If you can't fix the problem with the diagnostics tool, restore Today to its default settings.
Get Product Support
If you can;t fix the problem using Analyze Today or Restore Today, visit our product support web site. You may need a detailed error message.
If none of these options works, turn off Today. Then try turning on Today at a later date to see if your problem has been fixed.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
A Collection of List Serves
http://www.vl-theatre.com/mlists.htm
The above list offers a large collection of list serves related to theatre. The stagecraft list is included, as is French language, and German language lists, theatre sound, and historical lists. While lists always tend to vary in culture and frequency of posting, I have always enjoyed both the ability to learn from others, and to talk to such a wide array of fellow theatre people through lists.
The above list offers a large collection of list serves related to theatre. The stagecraft list is included, as is French language, and German language lists, theatre sound, and historical lists. While lists always tend to vary in culture and frequency of posting, I have always enjoyed both the ability to learn from others, and to talk to such a wide array of fellow theatre people through lists.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Jott.com
I have been browsing alot of project management websites and blogs, hence alot of these new ideas lately. Jott.com is one of those sites that you can't believe you haven't already seen it, it makes so much sense. Cell phone services was one of the hottest topics in my entrepreneurial boot camp class because the rate of cell phone users are so high, and still growing. And this service complements that trend well.
Basically what Jott does is that you call jott (after you have registered of course) and you talk into your cell phone and it transcribes what you say and emails it to you, essentially not just working as a voice recorder, but delivering it to your inbox. But, there's more.... you can use it to write blogs, or send messages to other people on your team. Even better, its a free service. You just need to deal with your regular cell phone usage fees.
While I don't see myself quite jumping on this bandwagon (I'm am not nearly as much as a cell phone junkie as many others I know), I can easily see how this could be a popular service.
Basically what Jott does is that you call jott (after you have registered of course) and you talk into your cell phone and it transcribes what you say and emails it to you, essentially not just working as a voice recorder, but delivering it to your inbox. But, there's more.... you can use it to write blogs, or send messages to other people on your team. Even better, its a free service. You just need to deal with your regular cell phone usage fees.
While I don't see myself quite jumping on this bandwagon (I'm am not nearly as much as a cell phone junkie as many others I know), I can easily see how this could be a popular service.
For a little bit of fun...
The site of the day is for ToonDoo http://www.toondoo.com/Home.toon
The site (registering is necessary but painless) allows you to make 1-3 pane comic strips that you can then share or blog. self contained within the site is a variety of figures (humans, bears, stick figures, and such), a variety of backgrounds, balloons, and props. You can even upload graphics.
What does this have to do with Technical Direction or stagecraft? I think it connect in several ways. First, humor in any form is just plain necessary. Secondly, I could easily see custom made comic strips to remind people to do things in the shop.... Like wash their brushes out, or turning off the lights, etc. Places where you could perhaps need a sign posted, but using humor would be better than the alternative. Third, I think the role of story-boarding in drafting is something that will become more useful as a technique. This technique to me is more or less the theatre version of sauder's how to build you desk kit. Useful for stock components or standard set pieces, a story board would walk someone through each step of build or assembly for an item. Perhaps, if well crafted, these comic strips could be used for that, or for notes on plates.
The site (registering is necessary but painless) allows you to make 1-3 pane comic strips that you can then share or blog. self contained within the site is a variety of figures (humans, bears, stick figures, and such), a variety of backgrounds, balloons, and props. You can even upload graphics.
What does this have to do with Technical Direction or stagecraft? I think it connect in several ways. First, humor in any form is just plain necessary. Secondly, I could easily see custom made comic strips to remind people to do things in the shop.... Like wash their brushes out, or turning off the lights, etc. Places where you could perhaps need a sign posted, but using humor would be better than the alternative. Third, I think the role of story-boarding in drafting is something that will become more useful as a technique. This technique to me is more or less the theatre version of sauder's how to build you desk kit. Useful for stock components or standard set pieces, a story board would walk someone through each step of build or assembly for an item. Perhaps, if well crafted, these comic strips could be used for that, or for notes on plates.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Drafting Standards
In theatrical drafting standards are not nearly as developed as for architectural drafting. Furthermore, the advance of CAD drafting, other visualization software and the different uses for the end product all make the development of a standard difficult.
My stance on drafting, whether it be design plates, shop drawings or anything else, is that it is a form of communication. Thus using the perfect line weight is not as important as communicating what you wish with what you have drawn. The other side of the coin is that using correct line types have communication value, so it is important to know what is commonly expected.
Since I teach drafting, many of these thoughts have been swirling around in my head. So these are the things that I think it is important to think about while you are drafting (though I am sure this will be a partial list).
How will the result be used? Will you have the user a series of plotted pages? Will they receive the file? Will they be transferring your drawing into a machine such as a CNC Router? If they are using the file in addition to the plotted pages, what are they using the file for? Are there things on your plate that could be better laid out, or in more detail so that they can see it on the plate. I consider my self in ways to be a "file" drafter, meaning that I want my plates to be nice and clean and complete, but I also want my end file to be clean and complete. Yet, it still makes me a little nervous when people reference a file over a plate. I think there is more of a chance for an error to be made. I would rather someone come and ask me a question about a plate than try to look it up in the drawings. On the other hand, using the file can be an easy reference for dimensions when a dimension was dropped from the plate. Yet, there could be a reason for the dropped dimensions. there are objects in which there are multiple ways to lay them out (a funky platform lid for example). Depending on how the unit is drawn out depends on the measurements: it could be drawn by using arcs, it could be drawn my plotting points, or by using degrees. By controlling the information you can control the way something is constructed. There is a fine line between two much information, and not enough. The second danger that you face is the lack of engagement of the carpenter. I believe in running a shop where the carpenters are engaged and involved in the work, not in button pushers. I want a carpenter to be able to notice when something doesn't seem right. I feel they should know some of the big picture, and be able to participate. While I think TD's should have hand's on experience, a carpenter who spends all day, every day on the floor may have a method of constructing something that is more efficient than the TD's simply cause they do it day in and day out. In this case it is the TD's responsibility to manage the most effect method of construction versus the overall project. Sometimes a cut corner saves alot of time and money, sometimes it does it at a cost to the production values. But if the drafting disengages the carpenters, I think the shop loses all the way around.
The next is also related; how should the plate be laid out? This depends on how it is being used obviously. I think 1 plate should be inclusive as much as possible. I like to reference other plates in the series or the designer plates. I grew up in the camp that technical drafting was done in 1" scale or larger, and design drafting was done in 1/2" scale. I personally don't feel like most objects drafted in 1/2" scale for building conveys enough information unless it is a very simply object (a standard flat for instance). Also, If 1 plate = 1 object or 1 unit then 1 person deals with the plate. if you draft small, and put lots of things to build one 1 plate you either have to plot multiple copies or the plot gets divided between 2 people. I believe that if the shop is tearing your drafting into sections, then you should probably look at the way you layout your plates, or switch to a different sheet size. And as far as that goes, I have worked in shops where 8.5x11 or 11x17 sheets were used very effectively. Bigger isn't always better.
At any rate, the other thing I wanted to mention was a website that has some standards related to CAD (USITT also has a published set of basic standards). The link is:
http://www2.arts.ubc.ca/TheatreDesign/crslib/drft_2/grcon1.htm
It provides links to the Canadian division of USITT and an English version, as well as information about drafting within the site posted as well.
My stance on drafting, whether it be design plates, shop drawings or anything else, is that it is a form of communication. Thus using the perfect line weight is not as important as communicating what you wish with what you have drawn. The other side of the coin is that using correct line types have communication value, so it is important to know what is commonly expected.
Since I teach drafting, many of these thoughts have been swirling around in my head. So these are the things that I think it is important to think about while you are drafting (though I am sure this will be a partial list).
How will the result be used? Will you have the user a series of plotted pages? Will they receive the file? Will they be transferring your drawing into a machine such as a CNC Router? If they are using the file in addition to the plotted pages, what are they using the file for? Are there things on your plate that could be better laid out, or in more detail so that they can see it on the plate. I consider my self in ways to be a "file" drafter, meaning that I want my plates to be nice and clean and complete, but I also want my end file to be clean and complete. Yet, it still makes me a little nervous when people reference a file over a plate. I think there is more of a chance for an error to be made. I would rather someone come and ask me a question about a plate than try to look it up in the drawings. On the other hand, using the file can be an easy reference for dimensions when a dimension was dropped from the plate. Yet, there could be a reason for the dropped dimensions. there are objects in which there are multiple ways to lay them out (a funky platform lid for example). Depending on how the unit is drawn out depends on the measurements: it could be drawn by using arcs, it could be drawn my plotting points, or by using degrees. By controlling the information you can control the way something is constructed. There is a fine line between two much information, and not enough. The second danger that you face is the lack of engagement of the carpenter. I believe in running a shop where the carpenters are engaged and involved in the work, not in button pushers. I want a carpenter to be able to notice when something doesn't seem right. I feel they should know some of the big picture, and be able to participate. While I think TD's should have hand's on experience, a carpenter who spends all day, every day on the floor may have a method of constructing something that is more efficient than the TD's simply cause they do it day in and day out. In this case it is the TD's responsibility to manage the most effect method of construction versus the overall project. Sometimes a cut corner saves alot of time and money, sometimes it does it at a cost to the production values. But if the drafting disengages the carpenters, I think the shop loses all the way around.
The next is also related; how should the plate be laid out? This depends on how it is being used obviously. I think 1 plate should be inclusive as much as possible. I like to reference other plates in the series or the designer plates. I grew up in the camp that technical drafting was done in 1" scale or larger, and design drafting was done in 1/2" scale. I personally don't feel like most objects drafted in 1/2" scale for building conveys enough information unless it is a very simply object (a standard flat for instance). Also, If 1 plate = 1 object or 1 unit then 1 person deals with the plate. if you draft small, and put lots of things to build one 1 plate you either have to plot multiple copies or the plot gets divided between 2 people. I believe that if the shop is tearing your drafting into sections, then you should probably look at the way you layout your plates, or switch to a different sheet size. And as far as that goes, I have worked in shops where 8.5x11 or 11x17 sheets were used very effectively. Bigger isn't always better.
At any rate, the other thing I wanted to mention was a website that has some standards related to CAD (USITT also has a published set of basic standards). The link is:
http://www2.arts.ubc.ca/TheatreDesign/crslib/drft_2/grcon1.htm
It provides links to the Canadian division of USITT and an English version, as well as information about drafting within the site posted as well.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Free AutoDesk Software
AutoDesk has decided to make some of their software available to educators for free. You do have to sign up for the service however. The link to the site is
http://students6.autodesk.com/?lbon=1
You do need to have a school issued email address.
once you are registered you can download software (not AutoCAD itself), exchange files, and talk to other users. There is information for faculty as well as students. Curriculum information and forums are available as well.
http://students6.autodesk.com/?lbon=1
You do need to have a school issued email address.
once you are registered you can download software (not AutoCAD itself), exchange files, and talk to other users. There is information for faculty as well as students. Curriculum information and forums are available as well.
College Learning Courses
If you have been interested in learning a new skill or developing skills that you have but don;t have the time to take an official course you should check out MIT's open courseware at:
http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html
What you will find there is a large number of programs (non-profit management, theatre, Architecture, engineering and so forth) that each have a good amount of courses that you can download and use. For each course, when you choose one you see a highlights page. You can then go to the syllabus, the readings, calendar, or you can download all of the course. However, some of the files will link back to the MIT site if they are video related.
There is alot of great information if you browse through the site. There are some engineering classes that have interactive programs for examining loading conditions that is useful for structural design for the stage. There is information on intellectual property, basic stagecraft, and a hole host of other information. To get the most out of it, you should look at all of the departments, as there are gems in some of the classes that aren't "just" theatre.
http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html
What you will find there is a large number of programs (non-profit management, theatre, Architecture, engineering and so forth) that each have a good amount of courses that you can download and use. For each course, when you choose one you see a highlights page. You can then go to the syllabus, the readings, calendar, or you can download all of the course. However, some of the files will link back to the MIT site if they are video related.
There is alot of great information if you browse through the site. There are some engineering classes that have interactive programs for examining loading conditions that is useful for structural design for the stage. There is information on intellectual property, basic stagecraft, and a hole host of other information. To get the most out of it, you should look at all of the departments, as there are gems in some of the classes that aren't "just" theatre.
Monday, April 2, 2007
More Choices for Curved Scenery
Neat Concepts has some nice lumber products very useful for theatrical uses. Their Website is
http://www.neatconcepts.com/index.htm The site has alot of information, and downloadable brochures on their products. While I have not used their products the Neatform and the neatflex seem to be good, if not better products than traditional bending luaun (bendy board / wacky wood...) that we often use. The surface would also be better as it would be MDF as opposed to plywood. And, this material will bend into a tight radius than other types. The only drawback I could see would be price. I haven't had the need in the past couple shows to purchase Bending Luaun, so I have not yet compared prices.
The neatmatch and neatrout materials are also worth checking out.
http://www.neatconcepts.com/index.htm The site has alot of information, and downloadable brochures on their products. While I have not used their products the Neatform and the neatflex seem to be good, if not better products than traditional bending luaun (bendy board / wacky wood...) that we often use. The surface would also be better as it would be MDF as opposed to plywood. And, this material will bend into a tight radius than other types. The only drawback I could see would be price. I haven't had the need in the past couple shows to purchase Bending Luaun, so I have not yet compared prices.
The neatmatch and neatrout materials are also worth checking out.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Non-Profit Financial Resource
Guidestar http://www.guidestar.org/ has been a site that I have come back to multiple times in the past couple years. Every non-profit must fill out a 990 tax form. At Guidestar (you must register but it is free) you can search for any non-profit company and look at its 990 form.
While there is obviously large amounts of useful information for art administration jobs and theatre managers, why is this useful to TD's? There are several reasons. First, the forms includes some salary information, which can be helpful if you are looking for a new position, or to provide insight into your own organization. Secondly, I thought it was interesting to compare my theatre company with others that I was associated it with. It is also an interesting check, as the financial side of a company looks very different sometimes from the financial paperwork. And, lastly, since multiple 990 forms are on the site you can look at trends (are they gaining or losing money, are salaries going up....)
While there is obviously large amounts of useful information for art administration jobs and theatre managers, why is this useful to TD's? There are several reasons. First, the forms includes some salary information, which can be helpful if you are looking for a new position, or to provide insight into your own organization. Secondly, I thought it was interesting to compare my theatre company with others that I was associated it with. It is also an interesting check, as the financial side of a company looks very different sometimes from the financial paperwork. And, lastly, since multiple 990 forms are on the site you can look at trends (are they gaining or losing money, are salaries going up....)
IATSE Resource
Mick Anderson has a great site at http://www.ia470.com/primer/intro.htm
It is for IATSE Loca 470, but the information within the document is a good resource. The site is very true to the title "Stagehand Primer", with a very diverse amount of information. While many items are geared towards newer technicians, the rigging section is a useful reference for those that do not work with chain hoists very often. It is also a useful look into the structure of IATSE for those that do not often work with the union.
It is for IATSE Loca 470, but the information within the document is a good resource. The site is very true to the title "Stagehand Primer", with a very diverse amount of information. While many items are geared towards newer technicians, the rigging section is a useful reference for those that do not work with chain hoists very often. It is also a useful look into the structure of IATSE for those that do not often work with the union.
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