Megan on Blog Talk Radio

As a result of her trip to Shanghai in June, Megan was introduced to Angie Strader, host of “What’s Your Bottom Line?” on Diva Toolbox Radio Network, and was asked by Angie to appear on the show.  The show aired live last Tuesday, and it was a really interesting experience, both for Megan and the rest of us here in the office.

Megan was asked to call into the show, as well as go onto the show’s webpage, a few minutes the show went live at 2:00 pm Central Time (noon here on the West Coast).  Angie had another guest for the first 15 minutes of the show and then went live to Megan as that day’s featured guest.

It was really a fun experience here.  Megan sent out a company-wide e-mail asking that she not be disturbed during the live radio interview, and even put a warning sign on her closed door (it reminded me of those red lights at TV studios – “Silence – Taping in Progress). 

Meanwhile, we all logged onto the Internet to listen to the interview while we worked.  It was a great interview, but a little surreal to be sitting in our offices a few feet away from Megan and yet hear her being interviewed on Blog Talk Radio!

If you want to hear more from Angie Strader, you can listen to “What’s Your Bottom Line?” live each Tuesday at 2:00 pm Central Time (3:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 noon Pacific), and there are also a number of previous shows available.  I’ve also just checked out her blog, and I found her posts quite interesting.  I especially liked the post titled, “Why the heck are you going it alone?”

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Deadening Sound

While many of our customers revel in loud sound (rock music, anyone?), we also have customers interested in sound absorption.  Now, for heavy duty sound absorption, you really need a professional installation of acoustic products.  There are a variety of products, from acoustic panels to foam products to acoustic insulation.  Commercial recording studios, for example, use a variety of these products (and more), along with specialized building techniques to make sure that sound from outside does not enter the studio (and vice versa).  But there are other instances in which a customer simply wants to minimize the sound transfer a little, perhaps deaden sound a little in confined spaces, and one of the ways to do this is through custom stage curtains.

In some occasions, stage curtains make a lot of sense, both visually and for sound absorption.  For example, a customer may want that “theatrical curtain” appearance but also want to absorb sound.

What are the factors to consider when purchasing custom stage curtains when sound absorption is also needed?  The three main factors are: fabric weight, nap thickness, and curtain fullness (pleating).  The heavier the fabric, the thicker the nap, and the greater amount of fullness (i.e. the greater amount of fabric) that you put in an area, the greater amount of sound that will be absorbed.

For example, I wouldn’t recommend a flat (unpleated) drape in Poly Muslin if the customer is looking for sound absorption.  Poly Muslin has no nap and is relatively lightweight.  It is great for a cyclorama or theatre backdrop, but not for sound absorption.  However, I would recommend a heavy weight velour (such as 25oz Memorable Velour) with 100% fullness.  The combination of the heavy weight and nap of this velour, along with the 100% fullness (with twice as much fabric along the width of the drape than on a flat unpleated drape) allows for greater sound absorbency.  A drape such as this can give you the luxurious look of a theatrical drape along with a pretty good level of sound deadening.

But what if you want to deaden the sound a little, but theatrical drapery doesn’t fit with the look of the space? Well, we recently came upon an interesting product that I thought I’d pass on.  I have never used it myself, but I thought it was fascinating.  It is called PaperForms Acoustic Weave Wallpaper.

Essentially, these are modular 3-D tiles made from recycled paper that you can apply to your walls with wallpaper paste for permanent installation (or with double-sided tape for temporary installations).  You can create a number of different patterns with the tiles (there is a patterns sheet available on the website), and you can even paint them.  Pretty cool – and nice to find a product like this that is do-it-yourself, affordable, and an interesting contemporary design.

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The Entertainment Industry Helps Its Own

As the year winds to a close, I started thinking about the organizations that help folks in the entertainment industry.  I count myself lucky to be working at a company that provides steady employment, health benefits, etc., but there are many people working in the entertainment industry who may not work all the time, may not have employer-paid health benefits, or may need financial and emotional support in dealing with a life-threatening illness.  On that note, I thought I’d tell you about a couple of non-profit organizations that provide support to individuals in the entertainment industry and/or to other organizations that provide services to people in the entertainment industry.

Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS

This non-profit organization started in the late ’80s as two separate organizations – Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS.  Broadway Cares was founded by members of The Producers’ Group, while Equity Fights AIDS was started by the Council of Actors’ Equity Association. 

The two organizations merged in 1992 to become Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, a single not-for-profit organization.  That first year, the new organization gave out just over $1.5 million in grants, some directly to entertainment-industry individuals living with HIV / AIDS and other health-related issues, and some to community-based organizations offering AIDS services.  By 2009, that figure had grown to over $7.9 million in grants this year alone.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the Scenes, sponsored by the non-profit educational organization, The ESTA Foundation, is dedicated to providing financial support to ill or injured entertainment technology professionals and their families.

A relatively new organization, Behind the Scenes has provided over $100,00 in grants since 2006 and is currently working to raise $5 million to create an endowment.

Entertainment Industry Foundation

While the focus of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS and Behind the Scenes in on the entertainment industry helping “its own,” the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) looks beyond the borders of the industry to help people from all walks of life.  Based in Los Angeles, EIF provides financial support to and awareness of causes as diverse as Stand Up to Cancer, Right Action for Women, Charlize Theron Africa Outrieach Project, Blackeyed Peas Peapod Music and Arts Academy, and John Legend’s Show Me Campaign.

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Stage Audio Resources

A few weeks ago, in my post “Interested in Stage Lighting,” I told you about some resources that we recommend on the topic of stage lighting.  Another topic that I thought would be of interest to the those readers new to the world of live theatre and music production is stage audio. 

BOOKS (recommended by Megan Duckett and linked to Amazon)

“Concert Sound: Tours, Techniques & Technology (Mix Magazine Pro Audio Series),” by David Trubitt 

“Live Sound Reinforcement, Bestseller Edition,” by Scott Hunter Stark

WEBSITES

Mixonline:  Mix bills itself as “the world’s leading magazine for the professional recording and sound production technology industry.”  Mix really is comprehensive, offering articles on a wide range of sound production topics in several different areas, including live production.

Live Sound International:  Live Sound is a magazine that focuses exclusively on live audio.  Regretably, as it is a print magazine, the content (even the recent digital content) requires purchase of a subscription.  However, there is some interesting information in the free older archive material (2001 through March 2005) and in the forums.

ProSoundWeb:  Interestingly enough, this website (owned by the same folks as LiveSound), offers plenty of free content on the site, including some content from LiveSound. 

Professional Sound Magazine:  Again, this is the website for a print magazine.  The main website has some good content (check out the “Sound Advice” section), and there is a link to a digital edition of the magazine.  Unfortunately, this is one of those “digital” editions in which it looks like the print edition and you have to “flip the pages” to read it, but at least the content is available (and free).

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Interested in Theatre Lighting?

While we make custom stage curtains, scrims, backdrops, etc., for many of the biggest music tours around (who employ some amazing lighting designers and techs), we also provide soft goods to people at small schools and churches who may have limited knowledge of stage lighting.  For those folks, I thought I’d list some resources on the subject that we find especially helpful or interesting.

BOOKS (recommended by Megan Duckett and linked to Amazon)

“A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting,” by Steven Louis Shelley

“Designing with Light,” by J. Michael Gillette

“Technical Theater for Non-Technical People,” by Drew Campbell

WEBSITES

OnStageLighting:  A terrific site from the UK with a variety of articles on stage lighting techniques, equipment, etc.  It is described as a blog, but if so, this is the most comprehensive blog I have ever seen!  There is a very extensive list of articles & tutorials on a wide variety of lighting-related topics.

Professional Lighting & Production Magazine:  This is the website of a Canadian print magazine.  It is a little cumbersome to read the articles (you have to open up a special online edition of the printed magazine and flip the digital pages as you read), but there are some good articles to be found if you persevere.  The bookstore and resources links are also helpful (Note: if you are in the US, you might want to browse the books and then try searching  for them on Amazon or through another US bookstore).

PLSN Projection, Lights and Staging News:  This is the website of one of the two major lighting and staging magazines in the US.  All articles in the current issue are online in an easily-accessible webpage format, online archives, and prior issues in PDF.  Plus there are extras such as a job posting page, Tips and Tricks and more.

Live Design:  This is the website of the other major magazine in the US devoted to the subject of lighting, sound, and staging.  Lots of good information on the site, well-organized according to production type (such as theatre, concerts, etc.) and with a good archive of online articles from prior issues.

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Another link – Manage the Tour

I recently discovered a cool blog called “Manage the Tour.”  The purpose of the blog is to provide “an online resource of stories, suggestions and ideas for aspiring tour managers.”

Despite working for a company that makes custom stage curtains, digitally printed backdrops, and a host of other soft goods for the tours of bands and artists big and small (and despite the fact that Sew What? Inc was founded by a former “roadie”), I myself have never toured with a band.  So I am fascinated to read Bradford’s suggestions for aspiring tour managers (including small bands that are doing the tour management themselves). 

I know how “glamorous” the life of a touring with a band sounds to those of us who have never done it – you can read a few of Megan’s recent posts to see that its not all fun and games!  The thing that I like about Manage the Tour is that Bradford gives practical advice to aspiring tour managers but also manages to be interesting to those (like me) who only dream.

I found this post particularly interesting, although I have to admit that it first caught my eye because of the similarity in the title to Sew What?

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