A while back I commented on the changing of staff on a ship. Well, it seems my resolution may be fulfilled this early in the year. The light tech that was on the ship when I arrived is leaving and guess who volunteered to fill in for him because no one came to replace him. That’s right. This guy. Adjusting to light tech hasn’t been too bad. The part I was most worried about was maintenace of automated fixtures and dealing with a new light board. I’ve used the ETC Ion back on land and felt fairly proficient with it. The system used on board is a combination of the Hog light board and the Showman computer program. Interestingly enough, I’ve had a little Showman experience when I was working for Northside Theater Company in San Jose, though the application of the program was very different. The Hog system has been very similar to an Ion as far as the basic programming of the lights go, but it is able to do so much more. It can make faders move and control what is being shown on the screen automatically if you know how to program it. The biggest adjustment will be the fact that the shows will largely not be programmed by me. The Showman is used mainly for the projectors and screens though it can be used for basic lights as well.

One of the most different things about working in the booth as opposed to backstage is just how much you need to rely on the timer for the show which we will refer to as timecode. While I was aware of timecode back in my first contract, it wasn’t until I saw the light and spotlight cues that I realized just how much timecode matters. The whole point of the timecode is to produce a consistent product. As this is still live theater, there are things that can happen that make each show slightly unique. Sometimes, it’s a sick dancer. Other times, the ship is rocking too much so the pit won’t move for the sake of safety. The nice thing is, the show itself runs automatically so all I have to do is make sure the spotlights are doing what they are supposed to be doing during production shows.

Now all I have to do is go to the gym regularly and I’ll be good with my resolutions.