Technical Manager - Production Period: 20th Jan Till 22nd March 2025
Technical Manager - Production Period: 20th Jan Till 22nd March 2025
Shows: 18th Till 21st March 2025
Based from Shakespeare "The Tempest", Return To The Forbidden Planet is a jukebox musical which takes an audience into a space mission where the characters face technical malfunctions, intergalactic storms and internal romances. Filled with Rock & Roll mega mixes, science fiction and 60s comic costumes the production is a fun filled two hours!
Design & Production Meetings
To begin this role for the production it started with the Pre-Lim Design meeting where we got the first concepts for the Set, Costume and the scale for the technology which would have to be involved to make this spaceship. I was instantly looking forward to the build for this as it gave me the opportunity to begin figuring out how we were going to install and control the practical controls, screens around the set and atmospherics throughout.
Moving onto our next set of meetings we continued to move around projection screens, control panels and set positioning to best suit the performance space, cast member on roller skates and instruments.
Once we reached the budget meeting we had an overall plan for all the set, lighting practical's and video elements. I had to edit the quantity of how many practical's were real to meet the budget and take away how much LED Tape was within the set however the overall result was still amazing.
Collaborations
When we started planning the builds I met with the scenic managers a few times a week so that we could collaborate efficiently. I discussed what the technical teams needed so that they could install the practical's and video elements into the set, we finalised projection surface dimensions and I gave them the three computer monitors which would be built into the set so they had them on hand for their planning and sizing.
I also sourced the projection screen paint which was added onto their paint buy from Flints and applied by them. I then ordered the rear projection screen so that it had a great transition rate and reasonable reflection rate as we were going to use a wide angle lens which would result in lower brightness output however because of the material I sourced, it would increase the intensity on the material itself.
A key element the scenic team needed from me was the guidelines and tensioned lines from the theatres grid so that the overhanging wings could be safely lifted into place and remain secured throughout the production.
Practical Installations
Once production was underway, products had started arriving and set was being built I discussed and showed my PLX (Production Electrician) how I had designed the practical's to safety be incorporated into the set, whilst LX still had full control over every practical and we had minimum cables within the performance space.
She spent time working with the LX Crew to install each practical and check cable connections, testing's and making sure that the install met my risk assessment requirements.
Once this was all completed they coiled and bubble wrapped the practical's and their controllers ready for transportation to site!
Once on site the PLX and Crew worked to reinstate the practical's in time for the plotting sessions so that they could be visible and ready for technical rehearsals!