Guide to Preparing for Tech at Links Hall
By Celia Calder, LDPSM, May 2019
Before coming to tech, fill out the Links Hall Production form and upload files to the Google Drive Production folder. Let us know about:
- Media that will need to be played: sound & video files
- Props you will have
- If there is anything you are expecting to borrow from Links (chairs, tables, stools – we may not have what you specifically need, so ask in advance)
- Other tech requirements such as microphones, cables, anything else that needs to be operated such as fog machines
- Any special lighting requests such as colors or gobos
- Have two ways to access your sound files or other media: for example, bring a flash drive AND have it in the Google Drive folder
Tips for a smooth tech
- Bring a script or outline for the tech person!
- If you would like guidance on lighting, I am happy to provide it. However, I will still need to know the concept, shape, and mood of the piece in order to design it.
- Be prepared to be flexible. We will do our best to accommodate all of your needs, but sometimes things take longer than expected, or a light stops working, or your idea doesn’t exactly work with our space. Remember that there is just one human doing all the tech things. 🙂 We all want your show to go well!
For each piece, be ready to describe:
- Overall concept (short blurb) – remember, I am just seeing your piece for the first time.
- Overall physical shape of the piece: if there are specific areas it takes place on the floor
- ex: the dancers travel between center and downstage left OR they start in a tight spotlight and use the whole space for the rest of the piece
- Overall mood of the piece
- What colors will the performers be wearing
- Your lighting ideas (anywhere from specific to general is fine, but think it through in advance)
- Big shifts/transitional moments in the piece – important shifts in movement, music, or mood
- Any special lighting requests such as colors or gobos
Every time you want the lighting to change, i need to know:
- Which area you want to light
- When it happens in the piece/what my cue is to start it
- Bring music timestamps for each cue if possible, at least approximate ones
- If you only have movement-based cues, come prepared to describe them to someone who has never seen the work before
- Where they happen on the floor, where they happen in the narrative/shape of the piece/generally in the music, and/or what happens just before and after them
- How long it takes to transition from the previous cue (a neutral-seeming transitional fade is about 3 seconds)
- Remember to consider the very beginning and the very end! Does your piece start in a blackout? Will the director speak before the piece starts?
For each sound and video track, I need to know:
- When you want me to play it
- What the volume should be (I have a hard time hearing volume accurately from the tech booth)
- If I need to turn it off or let it play until the end
- If you only have movement-based cues, come prepared to describe them to someone who has never seen the work
- Bring two ways to access your files or other media. Tech is always the one time when people’s computers/internet/dropbox accounts stop working!
Some more lighting tips if you want to design your own lighting:
- We do not have color-changing lights. We have red, blue, and green lights permanently in our light plot, but any other colors that we add will stay that way for the whole show.
- Remember to have light on people’s faces – some front light to make faces visible makes a better viewing experience for the audience
- Side lights can provide depth
- Be careful of tight spotlights that will be difficult for the performers to find if they come out in blackout. We can put down spike tape, but it is often better to have more light than to leave a performer in darkness.
We’re excited to have you performing at Links!