Dave Hakes' – Island Mode

I “ran the rail” for this show (from Nov 26th – Dec 2nd). Basically that means that I was the guy pulling the rope to drop the linesets in so we can move all the sets, drops, borders, legs, and lights in place. One guy I gotta give a holler out to is Vance – this is the guy who was up on the grid loading weight for me (my “grid rat”) – awesome job bra’. I’m not sure if everyone reading this understands this show position (I’ve gotten a few emails about it) so I feel I have to explain the process a little:

We like to go in a day or two before the techs from the incoming show get there to preset lights, borders, legs, and any inhouse drops that the show may be using (make sure they’re on the correct lineset) and to clear any batons (linesets) that they will be using (for their drops, or whatever). This makes it quicker, once they get in the house, for the incoming client to get the stuff in and up and start the tech work (focusing lights and what not)…

Basically, I get a house plot and a show plot. The house plot tells me where everything is when I walk in the door on the first day (and Mark keeps this plot totally up to date); the show plot tells me where everything must be for the show. My first responsibility is safety (of the people on deck), second is the gear/house, and third is making sure everything gets where it needs to be as quickly as possible…

The rail is on the deck at the MACC, so I can stay down with the crew as I move the lines. I usually start upstage and work my way downstage line by line – I have to bring the baton in, take off (or put on) what needs to move, have my grid rat weigh it (take bricks off or put bricks on, from the grid – the bricks weigh 27.5 pounds each, and the grid is 75 ft from the deck) to counterweight whatever we are putting on or taking off the baton, test the weight (take the baton about 35 ft in the air and then down another 10-15 ft just to make sure the weight is even), and then take it out…

Depending on the show, this can be a lot of work. Put it this way, on the weeks that I run rail I don’t have to workout…

Anyway, we get this done, the techs from the show come in and we put their stuff in the air the same way. Then, we set up the rest of the show (stage set pieces, marley, audio, video, lighting gel and focus, etc), we rehearse for a day or two, and then we have a day or two of show. Once the show is over, we “strike” the clients stuff first, and then “restore” to the house setup (well, that’s only true half the time – the other half of the time we setup for the next show)…

The funniest part (funny strange) of running the rail (as a show position) is that the bulk of your work is in the setup and strike – the show itself is usually a piece of cake.

Anyway, that is “running the rail”.