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Three
Rules to Program By
These
are guidelines that we believe all good programmers should follow.
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Rule
#1: Back that thing up!
This should be common sense, but since it's not the most glamorous part
of programming, backing up showfiles is an often neglected task.
There's no excuse for not making backup copies of your
programming- and we mean external copies. You should be
saving not only to your console's hard drive, but also to media like
CDs, 1.44mb disks, Zip disks, thumb drives, FTP servers... whatever
your console will allow. Maybe not all at once; but the more, the
merrier. If you only save to the console- then you have no recourse if
the console is stolen or damaged... let alone if the janitor decides he
wants to play with the pretty buttons while everyone else is away or
the construction crew accidentally drops a sheet of plate-glass onto
your console from 20' up (true story). The bottom line is that its up
to you as a programmer to decide how much your time is worth. If you
don't make backups, then you could lose all of the work that you've
done that day (or that week!). Another console may be easy to rent, but
hours of programming may take... well... hours to recreate.
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Murphy is mean. He wants you to
lose your show. I once heard a wise man say that, when he makes his
off-console backups (plural, mind you) at the end of the day, he
immediately reloads the console from those backups. If they load with
no problems, he knows he's walking away with perfectly valid copies of
his show. All media can fail. And a bad write tonight can lead to a
worse day tomorrow.. |
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Rule
#2: Be prepared on site
Just showing up just isn't good enough. Even if you're solely
there to program, there are a few tools you have to have. A
DMX
tester is absolutely essential. While you may or may not be
responsible for troubleshooting the lights, you will be responsible for
troubleshooting the console if there is a loss or breakdown in
communication. Take a multi-meter with you to troubleshoot
power
problems- even a cheap one will do the trick. Depending on
the
type of control used in your show, you may also want to have a midi
tester, LTC tester, ethernet tester, etc. Another invaluable
tool
is a laptop. Ideally, this laptop will also be able to run an
offline editor compatible with your console. Before you get
onsite, download the latest manuals related to your console and all of
the fixtures/media servers/gear that you'll be using. You may
or
may not have internet access onsite and those references are
invaluable. Lastly, do not forget to take the latest software
releases for your console- this normally includes a disk containing a
smaller "upgrade" file, and secondly a "full install" or "restore"
disk. That second disk will most likely save your @ss if the system
crashes. If you are using media servers, then the same rule
about
having the latest media server software with you also applies.
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Joe
and I both agree that your DMX tester has to be able to show levels-
not just feedback that tells you that the signal is "good" or "bad".
Ideally, I prefer a DMX tester that shows values between 0
and
255 per channel and also does a double-ended cable test.
Bonus
points if it can hold DMX values on a dataloss. |
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Rule
#3: Know your console and gear
Ok, so you've followed Rule #2 and brought the PDF manuals with you on
your laptop- but have you ever read any part of them? You
don't want to get onsite and have to ask which of the boards at FOH is
yours. Programming means that you are literally in control.
There's no "Programmer Test" out there to certify you as a
good programmer, but if you're fumbling around at the desk- you're
losing points. Practice with the offline editor version of
the console. Just about every manufacturer has one, and
they're all FREE! Make friends with technicians at local
shops and ask if you can get some hands-on time with the board and/or
fixtures and media servers when they're not out on rental.
Take
the manufacturer offered training classes. This is the
probably the quickest way to really learn the console and fixtures or
media servers. Practice with the gear on your own every
chance you get. Don't wait until 10 minutes before doors to
call tech support and ask how to patch your console.
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If
Knowledge=Power and Money=Power, then Knowledge=Money, right? In the
case of a Lighting Programmer, absolutely. If people recognize that
you're the type of person who really understands all of the gear you're
hired to use, and you can create the desired looks quickly and
efficiently, they'll want to work with you again. Just don't go on a
power trip. The best way to really know your gear is to get trained and
get practicing. Practice makes better. But pobody's nerfect. |
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You
have to make the effort if you want to know your gear. I have
a
lot of respect for the programmers that will take a couple of days out
of their busy schedule to come and take a Hog 3 class from me.
I'm talking both about programmers who have been doing this
for
15+ years and for the new guys right out of college that recognize they
need to learn the gear. When you have a real interest in what
you
do and you want to
know your console, its easy to learn. |
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