Stagehands ( Things we often forget )

http://www.roadogz.com/stories/stagehands.htm

For those people who travel with the tour, we often forget about the locals. The stagehands are often the ones with the sore backs at the end of the day. Often they get put on the lower end of the food chain at the gig. Depending on the venue, you will face a plethora of different types of stagehands. Some are union, others are freelance or college students. There are even gigs where they are prisoners doing their work release. Each type of stagehand requires a different approach. There are a number of Roadogz out there that abuse stagehands, often because they are having a bad day, frustrated on a tour, or just tired of being on the road.

More and more these days you will find freelance stagehands at your gig. With corporations constantly buying up venues, unions are often pushed out. When I say freelancers, I'm talking about guys who work solely in this business full-time as stagehands. The most common place to see these guys is at amphitheatres. If you're doing an amphitheatre tour at the beginning of the summer you may have a tougher time finding knowledgeable hands. Normally as the season progresses, they get more experience. Most often these guys are pretty gung ho - you may have to be a little more patient on giving stage directions. You really wouldn't let them patch a stage or run data to your moving fixtures unsupervised. Each amphitheatre varies. Sometimes you will get union guys, others have the same hands come back season after season. The great thing about freelancing stagehands is that they usually have energy and want to get the gig done. You will also find fellow Dogz who are of the road earning a little extra cash. It's cool to work along with these guys, grabbing your cable looms to get your hands started is perfectly acceptable. The best way to keep these guys happy is to have fun with them.

Again, union guys vary from city to city. Unions work a system where they look out for their brothers. Walking into any venue with an "I'm in charge attitude" is never a good outlook in any situation, but especially not in a union house. Some people have caused a union to stop working or sent a Roadog to his bus for the day. They have certain rules that apply, like; specific brakes and the don't touch your own gear attitude. Again, this varies from venue to venue. The best thing to do is respect their rules. Many times when you're working with local 1 in New York, it's best to prepare yourself before you give directions. Ensure that you have made the right choice before you make it an action. If you stand back and give directions on the way things go together you will find that the crew will work with you. If you find that you're having fun with the crew you can always ask them if it's ok to grab your own gear. You'll know if you're in good with the crew if their response is, "yeah, why wouldn't it be ok to touch your own gear?" If you make a mistake? Honesty is the best approach. Just say " Look, I am really sorry guys, but I f**ked up." You'll get the flak over with faster. Just don't make it a habit.

The Universal Amphitheatre in LA is a prime example. You already know that these guys work their way. They have a minimal amount of guys on the crew, which could be a maximum in other venues. They are a departmentalized crew, which means there are lighting guys to do only lighting, and only sounds guys to do sound. They will not crossover like freelancers. In situations like that, it's best to tell the department crew chief what you need done, and he will make it happen with his/her guys. Personally I enjoy days like this, you have a great time chatting with the crew chief and everything remains a very relaxed atmosphere. The rig won't go up any faster no matter what you do. If you piss off the crew chief, he will certainly make your life hell. Chances are that if they choose to go into overtime, it's a decision that you can have no impact on whatsoever.

In some union venues you play 'find the stagehand' game. In situations like this, you will find it best just to keep them busy. If you don't feel right, don't send guys off into oblivion to find your dead roadcases at the end of the night. They will take the scenic route. Motivation is everything, as soon as one gig is finished, start them on the next one.

College Students are a whole other ball of wax. You can really start to play mind games with these guys. If you are doing a gig on a college campus, chances are you will get a new crew member every 2 hours. Simple reason being that they have class schedules. Not only that, logic for some reason in most college students' minds don't apply. You have to be very precise in your description with college crews. They will strip your cable looms to pieces if you aren't careful. They will also discus their class subjects between each other, and completely forget about the task at hand, which we call work. A little side note: The 2 most common majors you will find in your college crews? Psychology and Communications. Also, it would seem to me that women students work harder then their opposite sex. Their maturity level seems higher.

Some gigs you will even find high school students. If you've done Christian or Country music tours you'll know what I mean. This can definitely be the worst situation to be in. You are dealing with inexperience, and they are volunteers. You will find their energy to be the greatest before the event. At that point they are are getting excited about the show. When it's over, you'll be lucky to get half of them back. Best solution? Put them on a pedestal. Tell them that the show cannot happen without them. Find the volunteers that are curious about what you are doing. Hold onto them, they will come back for loadout.

A different scenario comes in to play with prisoners or work release programs. The only bonus is that they are excited about being outside the prison walls. They aren't allowed to have tools since they are considered weapons. They're good at lifting stuff, but the more delicate projects you may want to handle yourself. Even if you don't smoke, keep a pack of smokes in your workbox, you'll be the most popular Roadog. Be direct and concise with your stage directions. Don't be afraid to be assertive.

If you are in a foreign country, realize that you are in their domain, respect their place. There's always going to be one crew member that speaks English - get on his/her side. Even if you're in Glasgow, Scotland, realize that if you piss them off, all of a sudden they speak English with a very heavy accent.

Many Roadogz forget to respect the venue they work in that day. Many things depend on the attitude of your local crew. No matter what type of hands you are dealing with, if you are grouchy and mean; you will in no way get the best cooperation. You are hired to dictate the direction the gear needs to be put together and taken apart safely. Being positive, confident (but still willing to listen to suggestions), and in a good mood will set the day for a great experience with those people. The thing we often forget is that we will come back to that venue again. Great friendships are made if you leave with a great result. Just like any job, you should leave your personal problems out of the working Environment.

Have a good day, and good luck.

Aspiring Film Student Dies When Lift Topples in High Wind

http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/aspiring-film-student-dies-when-lift.html

What follows is a news report regarding a death that occured while a cameraman was using a sissors lift during inclement weather.  It is also common to see sissors lifts used for follow spotlight towers, delay speaker towers, and other outdoor show related activities.  Always use caution when wind picks-up at outdoor events as tents, canopies, and temporary signage can all act as a sail to catch the wind and present  a more intense force upon the structures.

Other concerns when using sissors lifts outdoors are the stability of the ground underneath them.  Soft ground, weak utility covers (underground sprinkler valve boxes are frequently made of plastic), and weak or cracked subturanian culverts can all give-way when loaded with the enormous weights that a lift platform presents.  Just a few inches of depression can equate to significant leaning of the platforms.

---------------------------

Workplace Safety Rules A Part Of Notre Dame Death Probe


By Rick Callahan & Tom Coyne, Associated Press Writers

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- State regulators are investigating whether the University of Notre Dame violated safety rules when it allowed a student to videotape football practice from a tall hydraulic lift that toppled in high winds, killing the young man.


Authorities also planned to review whether Declan Sullivan received training before using the scissor lift and whether a federal rule barring workers from using scaffolds during bad weather would have applied to his job, Marc Lotter, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said Friday.

Sullivan, a junior film student, died Wednesday after the lift fell over in gusts that rose as high as 51 mph. The machines typically extend to 40 or 50 feet, but it's unclear how high Sullivan was when Notre Dame's lift crashed to the ground.

An attorney who represents relatives of people killed in accidents involving aerial platforms said the scaffold rule does not apply to scissor lifts, though industry groups have drafted rules limiting use of the lifts in windy conditions.

Still, attorney David L. Kwass said the Notre Dame accident clearly violated those industry standards and other rules of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"If there were indeed gusts up to 50 mph, which is what was reported, then it was completely inappropriate to put an operator at height in a scissor lift. That should never, never, never have occurred," said Kwass, chairman of the American Association for Justice's crane and aerial lift litigation group.

He said OSHA rules requiring employers to ensure a safe workplace and safe working conditions "would absolutely apply" in Sullivan's death.

A 2007 Notre Dame policy posted on a departmental website says lift operators must consider weather before using the machines, but university spokesman Dennis Brown would not say Friday whether the document reflected current policy.

"We're not providing any detail on the policy because it's part of the investigative process," he said.

The 14-page policy also appears to provide conflicting information about what training is required for lift users.

It says the department operating the lift is responsible for arranging training of lift users through the university's Risk Management and Safety Department. But it also requires lift users to sign a waiver acknowledging the university will not provide training and that they have reviewed manuals and understand how the lift operates.

Brown would not say whether Sullivan had signed a waiver.

Sullivan's uncle, Mike Miley, who has been serving as family spokesman, said he did not know whether his nephew had signed the waiver.

Robert Blomquist, a Valparaiso University law professor, said the university has a general responsibility for students' safety.

"To make sure there are adults that are advisers who are supervising the students and training the students and watching out for things like this. That's going to be an important issue," he said.

As a student worker, Sullivan reported to a video coordinator who oversees filming for the athletic department. Messages left at the home and office of coordinator Tim Collins were not immediately returned Friday.

A friend said Sullivan never expressed concerns about working in the lift and questioned whether Sullivan actually feared for his life when he posted a messages on Twitter describing the wind gusts and saying it was "terrifying" to be on the tower.
"Knowing him, that was definitely not the case," said Shane Steinberg, 20, a junior from New York City.
"There's a misunderstanding in general of our social networking culture and what it all means. I think that the sarcasm of it all and the playfulness about them is falling through the cracks," he said.
Steinberg told The Associated Press he met Sullivan during their freshman year and quickly discovered a shared love of film. While Steinberg favored classics like "Citizen Kane," he said Sullivan would watch "terrible films that any other person would just scoff at and love it."
"He loved the offbeat. He loved most of all movies that were just visually stunning. He liked to be taken to another place," Steinberg said.

He said Sullivan, who was from the Chicago suburb of Long Grove, Ill., planned to go to California after graduation to try to work in filmmaking.

D2 Flying Effects

http://www.d2flying.com/

Flying performers is our business, our only business, and we do it really well.  Whether for a play, musical, dance performance, opera, church drama, or corporate event, we have the equipment, skills and experience to create flying effects that will WOW your audiences.  No effect is too large or too small.

     All D2 Flying Effects' directors are ETCP certified riggers and have years of experience flying performers.  Our systems are built from aircraft quality aluminum to be both strong and lightweight, our harnesses are some of the most comfortable flying harnesses available, and our staff is friendly, respectful and knowledgeable.  We will work with the director and/or choreographer to ensure you get the effects that you want.  We also work with your scenic, lighting and costume designers to ensure that everything works together (and we have online resources that can help designers who have never designed for a production with performer flying).  We understand that many of our clients have little or no experience with performer flying effects, and we take the time to make sure that everyone understands everything they need to know to make the right decisions for their productions.

     Whether you are an elementary school needing a small manual effect or a Broadway show in need of motorized flying winches, or anything in between, we can create flying effects to meet your needs, your facility and your budget.  Let us talk to you about your next flying effect.

Help Kat Win!

Good Mood Gig from SAM-e

I am in a blogger job contest where, if I can make it into the top 20, I'll be able to compete for a $30,000, 6-month job as a blogger for vitamin and supplement company, Nature Made. I would also win a new computer.

I've been out of work for 10 months. It's been sheer hell. I'm just trying to gather up as many votes as I can until Nov. 18. I am only asking for your help to give me a chance to be a finalist.

Can I count on your help? Just click this link: http://bit.ly/vote4kat

Thanks!

Much love and appreciation,
Kat Hudson 

Stagehand work isn’t like other work

http://backstageat.backstagejobs.com/?p=694

–As always, the views expressed here are my own, and are not to be considered an official position of IATSE or its Locals.  Nothing in this post should be considered, nor is it intended, to be disparaging to any of the parties involved.–

By now most of you have heard of the IATSE member who was taken off a call, apparently due to his clothing choice that day.  The story has been picked up by many conservative and anti-union outlets, as well as by some mainstream media, primarily because the call was to construct a stage for President Obama to speak from, and the clothing in question had the word “Bush” prominently on it.

An article and video report can be found here.

Now, I am not in L.A.: I didn’t work on the call, and I have no firsthand knowledge over what happened in this instance.  But as a professional stagehand, I can give you some realistic possibilities.

What most of those angry about this seem to forget, is that stagehand work isn’t like other work.  Our job is to help to present: something.  Whatever the something is.  Appearance sometimes does matter.  Usually, we will be told in advance of the particular call/job what dress code requirements there may be.  Sometimes we need to have a suit.  Other times no shorts, or no t-shirts with potentially insulting text/images.  Or sometimes just to be dressed in black, with no lettering or images of any kind.   There are also times when no information about dress is given, at which time you just assume you need clean clothes without profanity or references to male or female anatomy (in other words: “relax, but remember you aren’t in your backyard at home”).

That said, we are always aware that the dress code may change once on-site, for any number of reasons.  Sometimes, an issue can be resolved simply be reversing a shirt.  Other times, an inside-out shirt may also be a problem.

Something to keep in mind: most of the time an IATSE Local acts as any other traditional union: taking care of its membership who are employed at given companies.  But some IATSE Locals also serve as “labor providers,” advertising the services of their membership and acting as a hiring agent for one-time events (Need a stage crew? Hire our team!).  And sometimes the client hires a production company to deal with doing the production the client wants, and the production company hires the IATSE Local to provide the crew.  As such, there are different scenarios for who is in charge of the show/crew at any given time.

Now, many outlets are reporting that the stagehand in question was “fired” by the IATSE Local.  This is unlikely.  A union works for its members, not the other way around.  A member cannot be removed from the union by one person while on a work call.  Such a drastic move would require a vote of the membership.  More likely he was simply sent home from call.  Could this result in not getting paid for the call?  Yes, but unlikely if he was not informed of a certain dress code (reports indicate that the Local will make sure he is paid for the call if indeed he was sent home due to the what was written on his sweatshirt and hat).  If you show up for a call without the tools or clothing you were told to bring, you can be sent home without pay, as bringing what was asked is part of the job.

But let’s look at this from the “show” appearance point of view.  The most prominent wording on the sweatshirt is “BUSH.”  The text about the ship is much smaller.  From a distance, most people would not see that the shirt is referencing the ship, they would only notice the word “BUSH.”  If the client is the Democratic Party, do they really want to take the time to explain to everyone that may happen to see this shirt from a distance that it is referencing a Navy ship?

To look at it another way: if the stage was being built for a Microsoft event, and a stagehand arrived wearing a shirt with a large image of an apple on the front, does it matter if there is smaller lettering saying “ABC School PTA” on it?  The most noticeable part of the shirt is still the apple.  As we are in the business of presenting a certain look, it would not be unreasonable to assume that the representatives from our hypothetical Microsoft office would rather not have a reminder of one of their major competitors at an event they are paying for.  Just because there is no ill intent from the person wearing it does not change the first impression the shirt gives to representatives of the client, and in the end, the client is paying the stagehand.

Even a shirt with a large US flag printed on it may not be allowed, if it is considered distracting to the production.

For those conservative or anti-union outlets: If the crew was non-union, would you have reported this story?  The union status of a stagehand does not change the basic job description of a stagehand.  If I was put on a call to set-up a Republican event, and was wearing a black shirt with only the word “CHANGE” and a US flag on it, and was asked by the client to change my shirt or go home, would you be up in arms about it?  I doubt it.

Again, not all the facts in this particular case are known.  But our appearance on our job sites is not a freedom of speech issue, as our appearance is part of the job.  We are paid to help the producer present a certain look, and our job is to do that, regardless of if we agree with how they regulate that look or not.

What every high school musical should have.

http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2010/11/what-every-high-school-musical-should-have.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheProducersPerspective+%28The+Producer%27s+Perspective%29

I spoke to a group of educators earlier this week at the beautiful John Engeman Theater in Northport and I was asked what I thought we could do to increase student participation in the arts.

 

I hemmed and hawed for a few moments as I  thought back to my high school production of Anything Goes and I thought . . . how could we have had more students involved?  And how could we have more students from the other side of the cultural tracks involved?

And then I thought . . .

Why doesn't every high school musical have a Producer?  

I'm not talking about the kooky drama teacher that lets the students call her by her first name or the parent that did some summer stock in college, I'm talking about having a student serve as the Producer of the show.

Think about it . .  

You could grab a kid who might not even be thinking about a career in the theater, but instead he or she might be planning on and attending business school.  What better way to learn about business than to do it?

By putting him or her in the Producer seat, he or she could learn about fundraising (they could organize fundraisers through Kickstarter, or old-fashioned but always beneficial car washes, etc.), or marketing (someone has to design the posters), revenue management (how much are we going to charge for seats and who counts the money and pays the royalties), and yes, what is the budget of a high school musical and how do we make sure we don't go over that budget?

And most importantly, this Student Producer could be in charge of making sure all the departments were communicating effectively, which we all know is an asset in any industry.

Are you going to hand over the financial reins to the student?  No, not entirely.  But a Student Producer could certainly sit side by side with a Faculty Advisor and learn a heck of a lot, valuable resume experience, and gain exposure to the arts without having to sing or dance.

But wait a second, why stop there?

Why not have a Student Press Rep?  Someone has got to schedule interviews with the student newspaper, public access cable, local radio, and so forth, right?  

What about a Student Marketing Director?

A Student Casting Director?

Yep.  Every show could have all of them.  This is my advocating that any position that exists in the commercial theater should also have high school equivalents.  

What will this do?

• Increase participation in the arts from students who might not normally participate.
• Inform students about several different future job opportunities that they would never know even existed.  (I didn't know what a Company Manager was until I worked on a Broadway show.)
• Help train future Producers, Press Agents, Marketing Directors which strengthens our overall industry.
• Give students a valuable resume credit for college applications, and future job applications
• Sell more tickets to the shows, since you'll have people focused on press, marketing, etc.  And we all know that the bigger the staff, the more tickets you sell to relatives, friends, etc..

If you can't already tell, I love this idea.

You know why?  Yes, because it accomplishes all the bullet points above.  But the real reason I love it is because . . . it doesn't require a grant from the state.

It's free.  

And, for those students that do sign up?  

It'll also be fun.

And that's how you develop future theater professionals and audiences at the same time.

House Manager Appreciation Week: Nov 29 – Dec 5

http://backstageat.backstagejobs.com/?p=709

In recognition of the difficult work our theatre House Managers do every day, I am declaring the final week of November to be House Manager Appreciation Week.

House Managers have the far-to-often thankless task of dealing with a combination of issues on any given day, including:

• Box Office problems, such as ticketing errors or oversold houses.
• Random production requests, such as when to seat latecomers.
• Production delays in opening the house or starting the performance on time.
• Unscheduled intermissions.
• Last second cancellations of performances for any number of reasons.
• Not being told of gunshots, fog, smoke, smoking, pyro, nudity, or strobe lighting prior to first performance.
• Patrons.  Just the sheer number of people, even well behaved, is stressful to deal with every day.
• Late patrons.
• Loud talking patrons.
• Patrons on cell phones.
• Patrons taking pictures or videos during the show.
• Irate patrons.
• Sick patrons.
• Violent patrons.
• Drunk patrons
• Medical assistance for patrons.
• Fire alarm evacuations.
• SM’s starting show/second act without getting OK from House Management that the lobby is clear.
• Confused ushers, overzealous ushers, or not enough ushers.
• Production staff that want to “just walk one person in” when 4 others have asked to do the same thing in a sold-out house.
• Bathroom, bar, or concession problems.
• And other problems that are so ridiculous you wouldn’t think of them unless you had witnessed them yourself.

Toilet paper, left wrapped around seats by audience member.

Why the final week of November?  Because many theatres that present winter holiday related shows have started performances for those shows at that time.  During these shows, house managers not only deal with the “normal” problems that may crop up, but the added issues brought by many groups of people who rarely, if ever, go to the theatre except for these holiday shows.  Not only do they have the stress of dealing with people who may have no idea what their expected behavior should be in a theatre, but also trying to ensure that they enjoy the experience enough to consider coming back for a show during the regular season.  (Holiday shows may be primarily thought of as “cash cows,” but they are often the introduction to live theatre for many people as well.)

So, this November 29th through December 5th, let your house managers know how much you appreciate them. After all, if it wasn’t for them, you would have to deal with the general public <shudder>!

Ropes & Knots

http://www.ia470.com/primer/rope.htm

Two broad categories: natural fiber and synthetic.

Natural fiber; Made from plants, easily made by hand, but affected by moisture and humidity, and rots easily. Best available is manila. Weakest is cotton.

Synthetics:
Have mostly replaced natural fibers, much stronger, doesn't rot from moisture.

• Nylon: first and strongest of common petroleum plastics used for fiber. Very strong but very stretchy. Deteriorates under UV. Slippery, needs special attention w/ knots. Good hand.
• Polyester: a.k.a. Dacron. Nearly as strong as nylon, somewhat heavier. Very little stretch, not quite as slippery as nylon and holds knots better. Good hand. Best replacement for manila in most theatre situations.
• Polypropylene, polyolefin: lighter, cheaper, but weaker than nylon or Dacron. Tends to be stiffer and slipperier. Not as good a hand. Floats.
• Polyethylene: light, cheap, weaker and stiffer than other synthetics, but fairly immune to UV. Poor hand, floats. Common as hollow braided water skiing rope.

Construction of rope:

Twisted, most commonly used for traditional natural fibers that take a set.

• Fibers twisted into YARNS.
• Yarn twisted into STRANDS.
• Strands twisted into LAYS.

Typical pattern: 3-strand lay. Four stand also possible.

Braided, most common for softer fibers that don't take a set well, cotton and most synthetics. Multiple strands braided into BRAIDS.

• Three strand: Produces flat rope, easiest hand braid but otherwise not used.
• Four strand braid and up (e.g. 8-strand, 12 strand, etc.): Produces round rope, is much more typical, almost always machine made. Creates a cylinder of rope, a tube of fiber with a hollow core.

Three typical patterns:

Hollow braid: is left unfilled; very flexible rope. Very easy to splice or to pass a fid through without damage. Ex. water skiing rope.

Kernmantle ropes: Braided rope around a core material.

*Kern is Austrian for core.

*Mantle for sheath. Two forms of kernmantle:

Single-braid: braided mantle around a core of parallel fibers. Core may just be filler, but often adds greatly to strength of rope, depending on material used.
Most common construction for synthetics. Subject to some "milking" depending on stretch of core vs. mantle.
Most common general-purpose synthetic rope.
Double braid: literally, a braided mantle around a braided core, a rope within a rope.

* Often found in climbing rope.

* More abrasion resistant than other constructions, core is protected by hard-braided mantle.

Often stiffer than single braid, harder hand, great tendency to "milk".

Material strength:

Based on Safe Working Load or SWL; ultimate break strength is at least 5x's SWL

Fiber	Rope Diameters
	3/8"	1/2"	3/4"	1"
Natural Fiber
Manila	200	440	1080	1880
Sisal	150	350	865	1440
Synthetics
Nylon	400	780	1800	3600
Dacron	390	745	1870	3220
Polypro	300	600	1600	2800

---

Knots

There are thousands of knots for all kinds of rope work. One stage, many ropes and knots are used. There are a handful of knots every stagehand should know which will cover the vast majority of needs.

The parts of a rope are: The Ends and the Standing Line (the long middle part of a rope not in the knot). A Bight is a bend in the rope that does not cross back across itself. A Loop is a bend in the rope that DOES cross itself. A Hitch is knot that ties a rope to something else, a Bend is a knot that joins two ropes. The Bitter End is the very end of the rope, especially if you are sliding down it!

The Bowline is THE prime theatre knot. Tied properly it WILL NOT slip. If you remember only one knot, this is it. It is used to tie a fixed loop in the end of a rope. Riggers use it on a rigging line to send equipment into the air. Electricians use it to send instruments up to the beams on a rope. It can make a non-slip loop around an object, or if tied back around the rope like a lasso, will tighten down on the object. It can even be used to tie two ropes together by putting a bowline in the end of one line, the tying a bowline in the end of the other through the first bowline. This is the best method of adding rope to a spotline on a "rope" system that is a little short, because it is even more secure than a sheet bend in stiff, heavy ropes.

The Square Knot a binding knot used to tie a rope around something to secure it. It can also be used to tie two identical ropes together, but the MUST be of the same size, material, age, and condition, or the knot WILL slip. For joining two ropes, a sheet bend is superior.

The Sheet Bend is used for joining two ropes. It will work with identical ropes or ropes of different sizes, materials, and stiffness. It is less likely than a square knot to slip.

A Clove Hitch is used to tie a rope to a batten or post. It is usually finished with a half-hitch stopper back around the standing line to prevent slippage, as a safety. If you learn only two knots, the bowline is the first, and this is probably the second.

Two Half-hitches are also used to tie a rope to a batten or post, but by itself it not as strong as a clove hitch. However, if the rope is passed around the bar two or three times and then secured with two half hitches, it will be very strong. This method is especially useful for dead-hanging something directly from an overhead support.

Tie-line Knot or Larks head is used to attach a tie-lines to the grommets of a curtain or drop so it can be tied to a batten.

Pin-rail Tie-off or Belay knot is used to tie the ropes of a ropes system to the belay pins of a pin-rail.

Prussic knot is used to attach a wire rope loop to the batten ropes of a ropes system. Sandbags are then clipped to the loop as counterweight.

Lash Line Tie-offs are ways to finish a flat lashing which can be easy secured and untied. This is one of several methods used, and is simply two half-hitches with the second hitch tied with a loop to be slippery.

A Figure-8 knot is used to put a knot in a rope so it won't accidentally run back through a pulley or sheave. It can also be useful to keep the end of a rope from unraveling.

Temporary Rigging

http://www.ia470.com/primer/rigging.htm

In recent years, the use of specialty and temporary rigging for road shows has become commonplace. As recently as 30 years ago, special rigging was the exception, not the rule. Even for arena shows overhead rigging was rare, and used mostly for circuses and ice shows. Today that is all changed. Concerts in arenas may use a score or more specially hung "points", and even small stage shows are likely to "drop" a half-dozen points. Rigging has become integral to many shows, especially road shows.

The people who crawl across the ceiling and drop the points are called riggers. The "up rigger" is the overhead person who secures the rigging equipment in place. Often he hauls it up on a rope by main strength. The "down rigger" is on the floor. He assembles the gear, ties it to the up rigger's rope, feeds out the motor chain, and often hauls it up by pulling on the rope dropped by the up-rigger through a pulley.

The primary job of riggers on most shows is to hang chain motors to suspend trusses and other heavy points. To do so, they used some standardized equipment.

Some of the parts and terminology are:

Chain motor: the standard motor is a one-ton industrial chain motor. These were originally designed to be hung from the ceiling chain-down, but they have be re-configured to work inverted (motor down) specifically for theatre, mostly by inverting the contactor that turns it on. Theatre motors are painted BLACK; standard motors are orange. They are NOT interchangeable.

Chain motors have two leads, a power cable and a control cable. The connectors are usually twist-lock so as not to be confused with other cables. Control is electrical, not "electronic", so control wire must be "high" voltage type, not "low voltage". Traditionally this is one of the few places in theatre that type SJ cable is acceptable. Most chain motors are 3-phase. If they run backwards, it can be corrected by reversing any two of the three hot wires.

A standard motor chain is 85 ft. long.

"Steel": name given to heavy steel rope, or a heavy aircraft cable. This is usually 1/2" cable with loops made with thimbles and swage fittings at each end. They come in standard lengths of: 5 ft., 10 ft., 20 ft., 30 ft., 50 ft., and have a Safe Working Load of about 4500 lb.

Shackles: usually anchor shackles with screw in pins fitted to 1/2" cable. Used to connect most parts together. They should NEVER be tightened more than finger-tight.

Basket: to form a closed loop around something, such as an overhead support beam , by connecting both ends of a length of steel to a shackle so that the loop does not tighten on the object.

Choker: to form a loop around something that slides tight and grabs under load, basically forming a larks head or "tie-line knot" around the object. Commonly used to attach a spanset to a truss.

Stinger: A length of steel cable used to extend the motor chain to it can reach to the overhead suspension point.

Span-sets: trade name for polyester round-sling. This is a loop of polyester tube enclosing a long bundle of continuous polyester filaments. They are wrapped around the truss load, and they are able to provide a soft, strong support that can lift a truss without crushing the aluminum tubing.

Dead hang: to suspend a load directly below an attachment point.

Bridle: to suspend a chain motor and its stinger form two points so that it falls somewhere between them.

Rigging rope: This is usually a 5/8" or 1/2" polyester or polypropylene rope with a good hand, long enough to reach to the floor with some length left over. A rope almost twice as long as the ceiling height and a pulley will allow the down-rigger to assist the up-rigger in hauling up the load.

"Wheel": A split-side rescue pulley borrowed from rock climbing, often used by a rigger to help haul up a load. Used with a webbing loop and a carabiner to attach to an overhead structure. The split-side allows the pulley to be placed onto the middle of the rope.

Carabiner: a large snap-link with a spring-loaded gate, which usually also has a way to lock the gate closed. Steel 'beaners are much preferred over aluminum 'beaners, which can fail unexpectedly.

"Pickle": a small controller with an Up contact and a Down contact, usually on a rocker switch, which can operate one motor at a time.

HANGING A POINT

A common load on chain motors is a truss. Working from floor to ceiling, the equipment used would typically be as follows:

The very FIRST thing must be to make sure the overhead building structure will actually support the loads to be hung. That MAY take input from a licensed structural engineer. You can't tell just from looking. Assuming that the ceiling is strong enough:

The "show rigger" will first measure and mark the floor where the point is to go. This is usually done with a large soft chalk so the rigger can see it from the ceiling. The show rigger will determine just how a point will be hung, whether the point can be "dead hung" or "bridled". He will decide if the motor chain will go all the way to the ceiling or if a "stinger" will be added. The chain is 85 ft. long, but a foot of steel weighs less than a foot of steel chain, and a stinger may be added to make the chain longer or make it easier to haul up. He will then give the directions to the down rigger.

The down-rigger will collect the necessary equipment from the "rigging steel" crate. The down-rigger will collect whatever combination is needed and lay it out at each point for assembly.

The down-rigger will assemble the point hardware according to instructions. For instance, A "five- basket with a 20- stinger" will have a five foot cable to form a basket around the suspension beam, attached to a 20 ft. cable which attaches to the end hook of the motor chain. A "5- 10- bridle with 5- baskets and a 15- stinger" will form a bridle with a 5 ft. leg and a ten ft.leg, each with a 5 ft. basket at the top, and both attached with one shackle to a 15 ft. stinger. The stinger will probably be a 10 ft. cable and a 5 ft. cable shackled together, the end of which will be attached to the motor chain.

The up-rigger will move into position over the point mark on the floor and let down a rigging rope. Often he will first set a web strap and wheel overhead and pass the rope through it to make hauling on the rope easier.

The down-rigger ties the "steel" assembly on to the rope with a Bowline. He will usually also put a burlap bag through the loop of the bowline. The basket may be open or closed as needed. For an open basket the basket cable is NOT attached to the extra shackle, and the rope is tied to the connecting shackle immediately beside the thumb tab of the shackle pin. The extra shackle should be opposite the bowline. For a closed basket the "other" end of the basket is connected to the extra shackle to form a closed loop, in which case the rigging rope is tied to the top of the basket loop.

The down-rigger should ask his up-rigger how large the loop in the bowline should be, and must be careful to tie it in the right place correctly, or the up-riggers job will be difficult to impossible.

The up-rigger hauls up the point, sometimes with the help of the down-rigger, and secures it to the suspension point on ceiling.

• In an arena setting, an open basket will usually be sent up. While the stinger and chain is supported by the rope, the up-rigger will pass the basket steel over the support and secure it to the "extra" shackle. The sharp edges of the support beam may damage the steel, so a burlap bag to placed over the beam as padding before the basket is lowered onto the beam and weight put on the chain.
• In a theatre with a channel iron grid that can take weight, a closed basket will be sent up. The up-rigger will pull the steel loop through the grid and slide a length of steel pipe through the loop, which will support and spread the load over a number of channel irons. Since the pipe is round, the burlap is optional but still a good idea.
• If the theatre has a subway grating or strap grid, it must be treated like an arena rig, with open baskets around solid ceiling structures, as the grid itself won't support a significant load.

Once the up-rigger calls down to "take weight", the down-rigger tugs on the chain to settle it on the support, then connects power to the motor and runs it up off the ground with the pickle.

To fly a truss, two span-sets will be choked to either side of the truss on the bottom pipes, wrapped around the upper pipes in passing, then both are be fastened together to a shackle, which is attached to the chain motor's hook. A chain bag is attached to the motor, and then the excess chain is fed into the bag and arranged so that it will continue feeding into the bag as the motor is flown.

BRIDLING

Oftentimes, suitable overhead supports may not be directly over the spot where the point is to hang. In such cases, a bridle may be required. Two (or rarely three) lengths of "steel" called "legs" are attached to the shackle which connects to the stinger or motor chain, and these two legs are each given a basket to wrap around overhead supports. Another way to describe it is that two stingers (the legs) are attached to a single shackle, and the load is attached to that.

With a bridle, the total load on the motor is divided between legs of the bridle, but calculating the loads placed on the actual hanging points are not that simple. There is a sideways pressure applied to the points as the legs pull against each other as well as against the load, so you also have to multiply the load by a factor corresponding to the angle of the leg below horizontal to determine the equivalent loading on that leg.

Based on the Backstage Handbook, by Paul Carter, for angles measured relative to horizontal, the factors for equal length bridles are (approx):

Angle to Horiz	Between legs	Mult. factor		Angle to Horiz	Between legs	Mult. factor
10°	160°	5.76		55°	70°	1.22
15°	150°	3.86		60°	60°	1.15
20°	140°	2.92		65°	50°	1.10
25°	130°	2.37		70°	40°	1.064
30°	120°	2.00		75°	30°	1.035
35°	110°	1.74		80°	20°	1.015
40°	100°	1.56		85°	10°	1.004
45°	90°	1.41		90°	0°	1.00
50°	80°	1.31

(For the trigonomically inclined, these multipliers are actually the cosecants of the angles. A cosecant is the ratio of the hypotenus / opposite side from the angle, or the length of the bridle leg / the vertical rise.)

For example:effective tension load on each leg of the bridle will be greater than its vertical load by the multiplier factor. For a 30 ° angle the multiplier is 2: (The saying is "Thirty degrees, double the load.") So, if we have a 1000 lb. load, when divided between them will give 500 lb. vertical load on each leg. Because the legs are at 30°, each load is multiplied by the factor 2, and will be 1000 lb. in tension on each leg!
Basically, the more vertical the leg, the better! assume a 1000 lb. load hanging on two equal length bridles at 30° below horizontal (120° between legs). Equal length bridles are fairly simple; the load divides equally between the legs, so vertical loading for each leg will be 500 lb. However, the

As a rule, do not make a bridle with an angle to horizontal of less than 30°, (i.e. greater than 120° between legs). The forces involved become tremendous very quickly! In an absolutely flat bridle, the load is theoretically infinite.

When the legs are unequal in length and the angles are different, the problem becomes much more complex. The load will be divided unequally between the legs, and the calculations must factor in both legs simultaneously. Fortunately, the show rigger is usually responsible for calculating the resulting loads, but the Local's riggers need enough background in the principles to recognize and question loads and loading that appear suspect in our venues.

A Carnegie Hall Stage Hand Can Pull in $500K

 

That's right, the guys who haul pianos and music stands at Carnegie Hall are raking in the big bucks. Just how much? It's more than you could even imagine.

According to an article on Bloomberg's website, the average stage hand at the New York institution made an average of $430,543 last year. Yes, that's right. $400K. Dennis O'Connell, who oversees the props made $530,044, the most of anyone on the five-man crew that oversees the on-stage operations. You should have spent more time hanging out with the theater nerds.

Clive Gillinson, the artistic and executive director of the three Carnegie stages in Midtown, makes about twice that $946,581. The only people who aren't raking it in are the musicians and singers, who usually pull down $20,000 a night after years and years of training. So, yes, we're happy for the people who make a nice fat check for what is essentially manual labor.

But you could hire a dozen unemployed journalists for the money they're spending on stage hands. Which is a good thing, because that's about as many keyboard-punchers you'd need to lift as much as one stage hand. How did this happen? Bloomberg attributes it to a strong union, the Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Would they be interested in taking over the Freelancers Guild?

http://gawker.com/5386990/a-carnegie-hall-stage-hand-can-pull-in-500k

Union Fires Stagehand for Wearing Bush Hat & Shirt

http://biggovernment.com/dbroes/2010/10/22/union-fires-stage-hand-for-wearing-bush-hat-and-shirt/

A stage worker setting up the stage was fired for refusing to remove his hat and turn his sweatshirt inside out and the reason? The shirt hat and shirt both had the name “Bush” printed on them but not just any Bush but, that of George H.W. Bush.

The IATSE (Local 33) union fired the worker even after he explained the shirt to his bosses. The shirt didn’t explicitly support George H.W Bush but that of the aircraft carrier named after the former President and the aircraft carrier his son has served on for the past many years and is currently deployed. The union worker was interviewed on KTLA Channel 5 locally in Los Angeles.

The stage hand was identified as Duane Hammond and a distraught Hammet can be seen during his interview very distraught as his support for his son and his service becoming the center piece to his firing.

What you should know on your first gig.

http://www.stagehandtees.com/firstgig.html

So you've been to film or production or recording school and want to work in the entertainment industry? You've learned all the high end equipment, know all the terms and their definitions, and now you want to be the next big Recording or Directing star. Well, I have news for you. Your first gig will not have you mixing on the latest board or directing Brad Pitt. Your first gig will have you unloading trucks on a hot and smelly dock. Or maybe you have no experience at all, and a buddy got you your first gig thinking you could make some extra cash doing a little manual labor that doesn't require any skills or training. No matter what your background is, there are Things You Need To Know.

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Gig Etiquette

Here are some rules that you should follow while on jobsite. I don't care how important you think you are or how unimportant you think this job is, your presence on site affects many other people and your ability to perform your job can hurt or help dozens (if not hundreds) of other people. You have a responsibility to the safety and ease of all other stagehands and techs involved.

1. Get all the appropriate information when you are signed up for the gig. This means get the name of the venue, the EXACT location of where you are meeting (loading dock 2, ballroom C, etc.), the name of your Crew Chief or Lead and a cell phone number for him, the Call Time, the name of the Client or Show, what type of gig it is (Corporate Load In or Concert Strike, Outdoors, etc.), what department you will be in, and any tools or particular attire you are required to bring. If you have to, write this list of important information out and put it next to your calendar or phone to remind you to ask about them when you get a call. And write the answers down!
2. DO NOT schedule any activity for the same day as your gig! Until you have worked in the business for a while and have developed a feel for how long each type of gig usually lasts, you must be prepared for ending times to change, because they always do. If you absolutely cannot keep your day clear after a scheduled gig, inform the Business Agent or the person who scheduled you as to what time you have to leave to make sure it's OK, and then inform your Crew Chief or Lead as soon as you get to the job site. Requesting to leave early on a regular basis will make you very unpopular and you will cease to get calls if you do this too often.
   
   While we're on the subject, you should also not schedule work for early the next morning if your gig is scheduled to go late into the night. You might think you can do fine on only 3 hours of sleep, but A) the late night gig might run overtime, making you late and B) sleep deprivation impairs your ability to think clearly and impairs your reaction times and you are risking other people's lives. You might not care if you feel bad or if you burn out after only a few years of working too hard, but the rest of us do care how alert you are, because we are the ones who will pay for your inattention. Just don't.
3. Always pack snacks and bottled water because not all gigs will feed you or have snack machines and cafeterias conveniently close by. Also have several dollars in cash (preferably $1s) on hand, just in case.
4. Check in with your Crew Chief 15 minutes before your Call Time. "Call Time" is the time you are scheduled to start working. That means be in the presence of your Lead or Crew Chief 15 minutes early, not circling the parking lot looking for a space or wandering the halls trying to find the ballroom or the loading dock. If this is your first time working with this particular company (even if you've worked other gigs before), bring a photocopy of your Driver's License and Social Security Card and show up 30 minutes early. That way you won't have to run all over searching for a copy machine and you can finish the paperwork necessary to get you paid! As incentive to show up early, many gigs (especially corporate gigs) will have coffee and sometimes breakfast foods available. If you arrive early enough, you can take your time and enjoy breakfast at the client's expense. Do not leave the room or the venue without checking in with your Lead. Do not leave for the day without signing out with the Lead or the Crew Chief or you will not get paid. Find out if you need to do anything else like invoicing the company for your work or filling out paperwork. If you need to invoice the company, keep a copy of all invoices for your records, including proof of transaction (sent email or fax receipt). You can download a copy of a Blank Freelance Invoice if you do not already have one.
5. Bring the required tools. As a bare minimum, you should always have the following tools with you:
• An adjustable wrench (often called a C-wrench or Crescent Wrench) 6" or 8",
  
• a flashlight,
  
• a multi-tool (also called Leatherman and Gerber),
  
• a pocket knife,
• work gloves
• comfortable close-toed shoes. You will be on your feet for a long time. I HIGHLY recommend steel-toe boots and there are some comfortable brands out there.
  
I also recommend you carry:
• a pen,
• a pencil,
• a small notebook,
• a sharpie,
• a box cutter (razor blades, not the same as a pocket knife),
• allen wrenches,
• tape measure,
• cordless drill,
• a lanyard with a badge holder.
  
These are not required, but very helpful. There are department-specific tools that also come in handy, but you'll learn about these as you work more often. Mark your tools so you can identify them.
6. Wear the appropriate clothes. Unless you are told otherwise, it is safest to arrive in black close-toed shoes, black pants and a black t-shirt, with a pair of shorts and a collared shirt in your bag, just in case (this is another reason for showing up early, so you can change if you need to). Assume you will be doing manual labor when you choose your clothing and bring a "nice" change with you, not the other way around. If you are given a Show Call, make sure your black clothing has no writing on it anywhere. If you are working outdoors, wear khakis, light colors, and natural fibers. When in doubt, ask the person who called you for work. Yes, the dress code is more flexible, and different types of gigs allow different types of clothing. But until you've been around a while, just go with this.
7. Cell Phones are a No-No. When you get to the jobsite, turn your cell phone off! It is sometimes acceptable to simply turn it on silent or vibrate, but absolutely DO NOT take a call while on the clock. Do not book work for another gig while on the clock! If you have some kind of emergency and you need to take a call that can't wait for your break, then excuse yourself to the bathroom and take the call in private. If you can't refrain from answering your phone every time it rings, then turn it off and check messages at lunch. Many clients have been known to confiscate cell phones or even kick people off the gig for talking on their phone. Not only is it rude, but it is also dangerous to your fellow stagehands and techs. We want you to focus on the job here and now, not some conversation, and we want both hands and attention free to do your job.
8. Ask Questions. If you are unsure, don't be afraid to ask. We would rather have you ask how to do something, than have you do it wrong and then we have to go back and redo it.
9. Jump in and start working. Don't hang back and wait to be told what to do, if you see people working, get right in there and work with them. When in doubt, ask
10. Don't smoke in the truck or indoors. In some states this is even illegal. Smoking is for breaktimes and not everyone on the crew will smoke. Be considerate of your fellow workers and save the cigarettes for the designated areas and times. If nothing else, having a cigarette in your mouth or hand while working is a safety hazard. Even if you see other people doing it, refrain until breaktime.
11. A word about female stagehands: Ladies: This is a predominantly male industry and it involves heavy manual labor and competent technical skills. Females need to understand this and need to be able to keep up with everyone else. Sometimes the females will not be able to lift as much as the males, and that's OK because there are some males who aren't as strong as other males too. But females need to put forth the effort to contribute equally to the job. If you are female, don't play up the stupid girl routine and expect to get off easy at work, you will quickly offend people of both genders.
    
    Men: Males need to understand that females are also there to work and voluntarily choose this business and everything that goes with it. If you are male, it's courteous to help people who are struggling, but that should be for both genders. Do not constantly take heavy loads away from the females, ask them first if they would like help. Let us do our job! Most female stagehands I know work harder and are just as strong as the males and will take SERIOUS offense at any guy who grabs a heavy load out of her hands or elbows her out of the way to push a heavy box. We know how to ask for help when it's needed. While we're taking about strong women ... guys, don't let it injure your pride if a woman can sling more weight than you can, has more years experience, or has developed a skill you haven't. It takes all of us to put together a show. Let's work together and appreciate everyone for the skills they bring to the production.
    
    It is perfectly acceptable to say "you guys" to a mixed group. It is often offensive to female stagehands to have males apologize for cussing or telling dirty jokes. We want to hear them too! The "man" suffix of a word (i.e. crewman) is short for human and therefore acceptable to refer to both genders. Get over the gender bias! The bottom line is to work as if there are no genders. That goes for foul language and dirty jokes too. Women don't get special treatment just because they're female, and men deserve a little courtesy too. If someone needs a hand, offer it regardless of gender, but do not assume someone can't do something just because of their size or sex.
12. Safety on the jobsite. Be aware of your surroundings and observe local safety procedures. Many double-stacked loads should be two-man or four-man lifted. Don't lift something alone if you can lift it with help. Don't carry it if you can push it. Don't push it if you can leave it. Don't deprive yourself of sleep. Take care of your health. Have knee, arm, or back braces for additional support. Keep yourself hydrated and wear hats, sunscreen and sunglasses in the sun. Learn the standard danger calls and don't be afraid to shout out. Remember that the most important piece of safety equipment is carried between your ears ... pay attention!  
    If you're working in a theatre, don't hang on the batten! These are the long bars that lower to the stage that we hang lights and drapes and scenery pieces on. You may be asked to put some weight on the batten while the guys on the fly rail add the appropriate counter-weight. Use your hands and keep your head out from over the batten. If anything happens, it could fly up into the air knocking into your chin. I've seen it happen! See how many guys it took to control the runaway batten on the right image? There are more guys hanging on down the line. Always be aware of where your head, arms and legs are and what pieces of equipment are near you and which way they could fall or fly or otherwise move when they're not supposed to move.
13. Language on the jobsite. With all the Politically Correct regulations and Sexual Harassment issues floating around our society, in this industry it's best to just forget everything you were taught about being PC. Stagehands, roadies and technicians use cuss words, foul language, tell off-color jokes, and flirt with everyone, regardless of gender or actual interest. In corporate environments, it is important to keep your voice low and not use this kind of language or joking when the Client can hear. There are some individuals who do not appreciate cussing or sexual innuendo, and if they express a preference for a cleaner environment, you should be respectful of how you treat them. But most of us like to cuss and most of us like off-color jokes and most of us like to flirt outrageously and to tell sexual anecdotes. You should go into this business aware of this fact and learn not to be offended easily.
    
    It's probably not a good idea to tell the cute little stagehand next to you how you want to fuck her up the ass unless you know her really well and know she won't deck you, but expect to hear swearing and flirting on the job and you will probably be able to get away with some swearing and flirting yourself. Pay attention to how your Crew Chief and more experienced stagehands behave and try to match their behaviour. It's also not a good idea to cuss out a superior or more experienced worker, even if they are being an asshole. Cussing is best accepted when it's not cussing at someone else. If there is some kind of problem, take that person aside and politely tell them the problem and ask them to cease. If that doesn't work or the person is the Client and you are afraid to offend them, talk to your Lead or Crew Chief. If your Lead or Crew Chief is the problem, talk to the Business Agent or the person who scheduled you. The guys of the Production Company who hired the company *you* are working for may be giving you your orders for the day, but they are not in charge of human resources or personnel issues, so handle problems within the company that hired you.
14. Under the influence. It should go without saying that you should never be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on the clock, regardless of how well you thinkthink you can react. So protect yourself from unwanted legal action while protecting the rest of us from unsafe behaviour. you can function while stoned. If you are somehow involved in an accident, even if it was some other person who caused it, you and all others involved will be subject to a drug test and you will be held liable for those results, including termination of your employment and even legal action taken against you. Maybe you really can function better or move faster while on drugs, but if someone else screws up and you get hurt, your drug use will be used against you. Drugs such as cold medicine or prescription medication, and even sleep deprivation are not against the law, but still a bad idea because they impair your critical thinking abilities and your reaction time, no matter how you
15. Your Educational Background. People will ask if you have any experience and if you went to school, and if so, which one. Don't admit you went to Full Sail until after you've proved yourself to be competent and willing to do the work required, including loading trucks and heavy lifting. Full Sail offers a wide range of learning opportunities and some of the latest equipment in the business. But many students have left that school with an attitude that really offends the veterans in the business. It is so problematic that the entire school now has a very bad reputation in the industry, even though we all know competent technicians that have come from that school. You may have the information and skills required, but you will be fighting your school's reputation, which is unfair but that's how it goes. The best way to overcome your school's reputation is to be willing to jump in anywhere, any department, no matter how unskilled the job or how manual the labor, without complaining that you are "too good" to be unloading trucks or pushing boxes. While many people are skilled enough to do the higher level jobs and sometimes we will get a gig that doesn't require truckloading, no one is "too good" to help unload a truck.
    
    No other school has this reputation so widespread, so it will probably be safe to mention your educational background early on if you went to school elsewhere. One thing that works against you when mentioning school, any school, is that you do not get real-world experience on campus and you will be judged on your abilities on the job, not your book knowledge. You should never utter the phrase, "At my school we always...". The shows and productions that are held within the university or tradeschool setting often do not resemble the "real world", even if they have knowledgeable instructors and all the latest equipment. You can ask why the veterans choose one method over another, or you can ask why your school may have taught you another method. But never assume that your education has given you knowledge over and above what the veterans have. Having a degree will not impress most of your coworkers as much as how many gigs you've worked or how long you've been working (we might not look like it, but many of us also have degrees in addition to our 15+ years of experience) and many veterans will hold your lack of experience against you even with a degree.

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Basic Skills and Tricks

1. Stage Directions First thing, you need to know your stage directions. All stage directions are given from the point of standing on the stage looking at the audience. So, if you are standing on the center of the stage and looking at the audience, Stage Left (or SL) is to your left. If you are standing in the audience looking towards the stage, then SL is to your right, because SL is always the same part of the stage no matter what direction you're facing. Memorize the directions in the following image:
   I shouldn't have to say that the center of the stage is called "center stage". But I will. "Onstage" means to go whatever direction will take you closer to the center of the stage. "Offstage" means to go whatever direction will take you closer to the wings. If someone tells you to push a case "offstage left" that means to take it to the stage left side, but not on the stage itself. If someone says "downstage right", that means the stage right side of the stage, near the downstage edge, or "front" of the stage.
2. Truck Loading and Unloading. No matter what your education or background is, you will be in the truck and on the dock at some point. Lift with your legs, not your back, and use a partner or several if it's heavy even if you can do it on your own. We want you to last the whole gig, not to strain your back 5 minutes in because you are showing off how strong you are. Many road cases are top-heavy, so push low down and "foot" things over uneven surfaces. To "Foot" something means to put your foot on the bottom edge of the case on the side you are pushing, then apply pressure to gently lift the front edge of the case off the ground. This will help you push top-heavy cases over uneven surfaces or cables or other bumps in the road. Watch for "riders", which are loose objects riding on top of the case and have a tendency to slide off and hit people pushing the case (called Pushers). "Wheels" refers to any case with wheels that can be used to carry in loose objects without wheels so you don't have to carry them by hand.
3. Coiling Cable. Most cable should be coiled over-under, but this is a personal preference of your department lead. When in doubt, ask. Over-Under is a method by which you take the end of a cable in your left hand and stretch out a length with your right hand. Bring your two hands together to form a loop in the cable and put the section of cable that is currently in your right hand, into your left hand. Next, stretch out the same length of cable with your right hand again. Bring your hands together again, only this time twist your right hand so it is facing backwards and the cable crosses underneath itself. Pass off this section to your left hand and repeat the process from the beginning, alternating with the "Over" (the first step) and the "Under" (the twisting step).
   
   Never, never, never coil a cable by wrapping it around your hand and elbow! Even if it's a regular Home Depot extension cord (called an "edison" or "a/c cable"). This is bad for the cable, it destoys the very fine copper lines inside.
4. Hanging Lighting Instruments. First, hang the instrument so that the long bolt of the C-Clamp is pointing towards you and away from the truss or pipe it's hanging on. Tighten the bolt with a wrench. Hook the safety cable around the truss or pipe (whatever the light is hanging from) in such a manner that it is also connected to the instrument, but keep it loose enough that someone can reposition or tilt the instrument without messing with the safety cable. Unless otherwise specified, hang the instrument straight down and tilt the instrument approximately 45° at the yoke. If the instrument is not a "conventional", like an intelligent or moving light, or a light that cannot be adjusted once it's hung, a loose safety cable and the tilt are unnecessary. Unwrap or untie the power cable and leave it loose (unless you were told to plug it in and you know which circuit it goes to). If it is a Leko or Source Four, pull the shutter handles out as far as they will go without actually removing them from the instrument.         
   When the lighting instruments come off the truck already hung on a bar, pipe, or truss, sometimes they are already positioned where they need to be. If you didn't hang the instrument on the bar, pipe or truss yourself, ask before messing with the tilt or shutters.
5. Signal Direction. Many instruments do not label which way is the incoming signal and which is the outgoing signal, and will have both male and female ports for daisy-chaining. Or you may be asked to run the cable before either the instrument or the power source is in place and therefore can't check the inputs/outputs before you run the wrong end of the cable 100 feet across the room. To make sure you remember which end goes where, remember this: in Lighting, the females have the power, but in Audio, the males have the power. It is easy to remember because there are a lot of female lighting techs and LDs but many more men who go into audio. What this means is, for lighting, you will plug the male end of the cable into the source (the wall or the dimmer or the data box) and plug the female into the instrument. When running extension cables, jumpers, multi or soca ( often pronounced sock-o) cable, the rule is the same: the male end goes to the source and the female end goes to the instrument. When daisy-chaining power or data cable, you run the female end away from the start or source of the signal, towards the last instrument in the line. In other departments like audio, sometimes it is the reverse. When in doubt, ask (are you noticing a theme here?). It really sucks to have a whole grid cabled up only to discover it's backwards and you have to re-run it.
6. Video Screens. There are many different types of video screens, but most commonly you will see a screen with a frame that requires you to unfold each side then bolt the sides together with crank-bolts. There are 2 tricks to screens that, if you don't do them, will announce you as a newbie. First is, when you unfold a piece of the screen frame, at the joint there are little metal flaps that swing open and lock onto a nub that keeps the frame from folding closed again. Most newbies try to use their hands to swing this metal flap into place, often while holding the frame piece in the air. Don't do that. Lay the frame on the ground and step on it near the joint. Yes, step on it. This will help to flatten out the joint and make the metal flap connect with the little nub. Next, take your foot and kick the metal flap until it swings around from its position to the locking position 180° away. Yes, kicking the frame is the PROPER method of assembly.
   
   Another trick is used when fastening the vinyl screen onto the frame. Start with the bottom edge first! Screens usually are snapped onto the frame. You can tell the bottom edge because it's the only edge that has snaps on both sides of the black matte. 3 of the edges have smooth snap tops, but one edge has painful raised snaps for the purpose of attaching a screen skirt. These are less painful to snap if you fasten this edge first. There are at least 3 different methods of attaching a screen, and they all have their pros and cons, but with all 3 methods, always fasten the bottom edge first. You can either try to fasten all four corners first and then attach the sides, or you can do one whole side at a time, or you can fasten the bottom edge, then unlock the sides of the frame, bend the top of the frame towards the bottom, attach the top of the screen, then fold the frame back down and re-lock, then fasten the sides. Ask your lead or your coworkers which they prefer, because everyone has their own idea of the "best" way to do anything.
7. Folding Drape. This is a 2 person job. Spread the drape out flat between you and your partner with the "nice" side facing up. You and your partner should be standing opposite each other on the top and bottom so the length (or height) is stretched between you. Check all four corners on the "back" side to see if there is an ID label or sharpie markings. That corner will always stay on the bottom as you fold. You and your partner now pick up your respective corners and bring your hands together, folding the drape in half with the "nice" side folded inside. Hold both corners in one hand and reach for the folded edge. The hand you use to hold the two corners is determined by where the ID tag is. When you hold the corners in one hand and the folded edge in the other and the drape is held parallel to the ground, the ID tag should be on the side facing the ground. Bring the folded edge to the hand with the two corners, folding the drape lengthwise again. Keep folding until it is approximately 18" or 2' wide. Lay the drape on the ground with the ID tag still on the outside, facing the ground. The person without the ID tag will then pick up his end of the drape and walk it all the way to the other person's edge, folding the drape in half. The other person will go to the new folded edge, pick it up and walk it down to the same end, folding it in half again. Continue folding in half this direction until it is more or less square-shaped, with the ID tag visible on the bottom. Flip the folded drape over so the ID tag is clearly displayed on the top of the pile and put the drape in the hamper.
   
   Occasionally you will find a company who wants the drape rolled and not folded. In this case, fold the drape lengthwise as before until it's about 18" or 2' wide. Lay the drape on the ground, just as before. The person without the ID tag will still take his end all the way to the other end. But instead of the second person picking up the drape at the new fold, the second person will now go to the new fold and begin rolling the drape. The ID tag should still end up clearly displayed on the outside of the roll.
   
   If you are folding a skirt piece, or other drape with gathers, the proper method is the Accordion fold. Hold one corner in your hand and place your other hand approximate 2' away, both hands at the "top" or the side with the gathers. Fold the corner towards the rest of the drape, using your inside hand as the pivot or fold point, bringing the drape face to face (nice side touching nice side). Using the hand with the corner, now also grab the portion of the drape where your hand ends up, keeping a hold of the corner. This now becomes the new pivot or folding point. Swing your other hand around that is now holding a folded corner, to meet the inside of the drape, this time it will be backside to backside. This will become the next pivot or folding point. Keep switching back and forth like an accordion until it's completely folded and only the "bad" side is visible. Keep the ID tag (if any) visible and place in the hamper or screen box.
   
   This does not apply to backgrounds, cycs, drops, or any large piece of soft-goods that spans the entire stage (or large portion of it). For these special soft-goods, your department lead will tell you how he likes it folded. If he doesn't ... ask.
8. Rigging. Rigging is a very specialized department that requires training. You cannot jump into rigging without some form of training because of the extreme safety issues involved (not to mention the insurance nightmare!). So just DON'T touch anything rigging related, leave that to the riggers. Don't mess with shackles or steel cables or spansets (black fabric loops that are used for hanging truss and other objects from the ceiling) or motors or chain or pulleys at all. If someone tells you to attach something that is rigging related because they don't know that you're new, tell them you've never done it before and have them either show you or find a qualified rigger.
9. Vehicles. Like Rigging, vehicles are an insurance nightmare. You are not qualified to drive any of these vehicles, even if you think you know how. Golf carts are rented vehicles, so just don't drive one. Vehicles like scissor lifts, forklifts, and boomlifts all require you to complete an OSHA-certified training course and be a licensed lift operator. You have to know about weight distribution and load capacity and safety equipment, as well as a number of other important details. You shouldn't even be riding as a passenger in any of the lift vehicles without a safety course of some kind because there are many state laws that require the use of safety harnesses in certain vehicles or above certain heights and if you do not know the local laws regarding safety, and you get caught by OSHA or do damage, or someone gets hurt, you will be paying for that mistake for a long time.  
10. You will see many unlicensed stagehands get into scissor lifts especially. Much of the damage to hotels and other equipment is because of an unlicensed stagehand messing around with vehicles and now the company you are working for has to pay for the damages. If someone asks you to drive a lift and you have not completed an OSHA-certified training course, and you do not have your license on your person at that time, DO NOT operate that vehicle. If you would like to learn, let your Lead, Business Agent or head Shop guy know. Many people will be happy to teach you how to drive or tell you where to get licensed.

There are many more skills and techniques and tricks for each department, but these are more advanced and you are not expected to know them on your first day. Although we don't expect brand new people to know anything, knowing these basics will keep most stagehands and technicians from getting annoyed at being saddled with yet more completely green newbies and they might be more willing to teach you the more advanced tricks and tips.