Inner Space 2012

TSM

Lowered grid

The grid was constructed from 2 single purchase bars and 3 double purchase bars; 11, 14, 15, 16 and 21. These were cross-braced with a number of lengths of scaff bar, attached with right-angle and swivel clamps (19 in total). We would have liked to have used entirely right-angled clamps, apart from the 4 used to connect the 2 lengths which were not at right angles to the counterweight bars. However, we were unable to find enough.

We also initially planned to connect another 6m bar to the far SR end. However, we felt that the grid was rigid enough without, and that the clamps could be better used elsewhere.

Bar weights were worked out as follows:

Bar 5 (LX): 7.68kg + 10% = 8.5kg. Therefore, 1 weight - but another 1/2 was added to make it easier to fly. 1 1/2 weights

Bar 8 was added to help provide support to the grid. No weights were used.

Bar 11 (Grid): 68.11kg + 10% = 75kg. 6 1/2 weights. However, when the bar was weighted, another 4 weights were added. 10 1/2 weights.

Bar 14 (Grid. Double purchase): 106.35 + 10% = 117kg. 19 1/2 weights. Only 19 weights were ever put into the cradle.

Bar 15 (Grid. Double purchase): 69.96 + 10% = 77kg. 12 1/2 weights. Only 12 weights were ever put into the cradle.

Bar 16 (Grid. Double purchase. Identical to 14): 117kg. 19 1/2 weights -> 19 weights.

Bar 21 (Grid. Identical to 11): 75kg. 6 1/2 weights -> 10 1/2 weights.

Bar 24 was added to help provide support to the grid. No weights were used.

Bar 27 (LX. Identical to 5): 8.5kg. 1 weight. Another 1/2 was added to make it easier to fly. 1 1/2 weights

Masking

Full blacks were hung on bars 2 and 29. We used them to mask the unsightly iron and the back wall of the stage. We initially wanted them on 1 and 30. However, 2 is the first available bar, and there was a cyc currently being stored on bar 30. We also had to be careful of bar 28 when flying 29 in and out, due to a row of floods being stored on the bar. Initially we planned to have the cyc fully out and the full black on 29, in. However, we discovered that this drew the audience's eyes towards the ceiling and the grid, especially when the stage lighting was on. Therefore we solved this problem by bringing the cyc fully in to hide it almost entirely behind the full black.

Hemp lines

3 hemp lines were put in SR using single 1T pulleys and 3 short slings. These were placed at 2m intervals along the scaffolding bar above the gap in the grid. A 6m bar was attached, to enable the set 'cubes' to be flown. These provided a decorative feature to the stage.

On the SL side, 4 double 1T pulleys were put in at distances of 1.5m. 2 lines were dropped from each pulley. 1 for the border, and another for the 3x7m legs. The border was 13x4m, attached to a 6m bar. This meant that the majority of the fabric was folded back on itself, creating folds in the bottom of the fabric. This meant that the bottom of the border had a tendency to fall in a curve. This was solved by attaching gripons to pull the border tighter.

The 3x7m legs were attached to a 6m bar with 2 x 700mm bar extensions. These were used to mask the AV screen.

We originally put in a sharkstooth gauze from 3 points, hung directly off the prompt side fly floor. This was going to be used as a screen to back project onto. However, as a result of too much light shining through from the scene dock, this was changed for a screen requiring only 2 points, connected via 2 very small slings.

Both the screen, border and legs were breasted back to ensure that they lay flat against the fly floor for maximum floor space.

A hard masking flat was placed lengthways underneath the screen to complete the 'black box' effect.7

2 other 3x7m legs were used to provide stage masking. They were hung from points at distances x and x. These were hung from 2 x 2m bars. The excess material was on-stage, to provide a neat edge.

The stage masking was a difficult part of the project. In order to construct this we needed. 15 hemp lines 2x 6m scaffolding bars 2x 2m scaffolding bars 2x 700mm bar extensions 4x double 1T pulleys 4x 3x7m legs 1x 13x4 border (a width off less than 13 is advised for the border) 1x hard masking flat 2x stage braces + eye hooks 6x stage weights 4x short slings 2x small slings

In order to construct the stage masking we put the pulley bocks at distances of 1.5m on the scaffolding bar that runs above the gap in the grid and attached them with the short slings. We then dropped 2 lines down from each pulley to attach one bar for the border and one for the legs to mask the screen. The blacks are then attached and 4 people fly them out from prompt side. The screen is then hung using the 2 small pulleys attached to the frame on 2 lines straight from prompt side, no pulleys are needed (but are optional) Once all of this has been flown the hard masking flat is placed on its side under the screen to complete the "black box" effect.