[GreenKeys] Negative Lending Experiences

[John Nagle]

> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 13:43:22 -0500 From: "Matt Whiton
> "<matt_whiton at lyricstage.com> Subject: [GreenKeys] Negative Lending
> Experiences
>
> First I would like to express my many thanks to a number of you who
> responded to my inquiry back in December. I?m very grateful for the
> wisdom and leads that  you all shared.
>
> I?m writing today because I would like to hear more about the
> negative experiences some of you have alluded to when loaning
> equipment to theaters or other similar organizations. At some point
> in my career I intend move into an education role. What I?ve
> observed here seems like a very teachable instance of how poor
> choices can ruin the relationship between two communities.
>
> What I?m looking for from anyone who wishes to volunteer, is your
> account any negative interaction when renting or lending a piece of
> equipment to a theatre or other organization. I promise to redact
> any names or personal information.
>
> I can?t promise any great revolution in the theatre community, but I
>  do pledge to teach a greater level of respect to young theater
> practitioners.
>
> Matt Whiton Production Manager, The Lyric Stage Company Of Boston

     OK.  I have a number of Teletype machines, and set up and run some
of them at steampunk conventions.  We set up an entire steampunk
telegraph office.  I usually don't run the telegraph office myself;
I get some young cosplayers to do that.   See this at

    https://vimeo.com/97062822

where a costumed operator and messenger are at work.  They're printing
real messages sent in from attendees' cell phones and delivering them
around the convention.That's not staged, by the way; we simply set up a
camera for an hour while they were working, and edited it down.

    I've done this at 7 steampunk conventions so far.  I've never
had anything damaged or stolen.  I move all the machines in
and out myself, and I have good boxes for them; for the big
Model 15 I have an Anvil case with appropriate supports and
padding.  These machines are at risk when being moved, but
quite rugged once solidly in position.  The key to doing
this is proper packing for transport and careful installation.
These machines went all over the world during WWII, in very
tough military packaging.

    It's good to get these machines out and used.  I'd keep the
covers on in a public setting, though.  Someone had a Model 15
at the NYC Maker Faire, and let kids get close to it.  There are
exposed live electrical connections and pinch points on the older
machines.  My machines are always powered through a GFCI, as well.  The
most likely component to fail is the motor, which can fail with a short
to the frame.  A GFCI will shut everything down if that happens.   I
also put modern 3-wire power cords on everything and add fuses or
breakers to machines that don't have them.

    For a theatrical production, a dummy machine, like the
one Zach Props in Austin has, is more useful.  Nobody can see the
printing from the audience anyway, you have more control over
the audio, and it takes a long time to print anything on a real
one, which slows the performance.  So I'd suggest not using real
Teletypes in theatrical work.

    For movies, there's usually a close-up of something being
printed, so you need a real machine.  I send film people to
History for Hire in Hollywood for that.  Here's their
briefing video for customers for an ASR-33.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_O-KlHhkII

They use the machine in local mode, punch a paper tape
with the desired message, then read from the tape
to the printer on camera.  No need for external computer
support.

History for Hire requires a security deposit for the full
value of the item. Their policy: "Certificate of Insurance is required,
with History named as ADDITIONAL INSURED and LOSS PAYEE. We will require
a security deposit equal to the insurance deductible or the replacement
value of the props rented, whichever is less.

At least two Teletype museums have loaned equipment to major Hollywood
productions. In both cases, they sent people along with the equipment
and charged the production accordingly.

So that's the view of someone who has had these machines out in public
settings.


			John Nagle
			www.aetherltd.com