(Part 3) Top products from r/techtheatre

Scene Design and Stage Lighting is an often-used text-book from what I can tell. I have an old version myself, but can't attest to the current version. Design and Drawing for the Theatre is also an old standby (and denser), though it appears it's out of print.

If you want something lighter and less expensive, perhaps Fundamentals of Theatrical Design or An Introduction to Theatre Design, though they aren't limited to just scenery. I haven't read the former, but the I've taught from the latter in an intro to design course. It's rather light, but that can be good for a first book.

You can also go the more theoretical route, and pick up the classic Dramatic Imagination by Robert Edmund Jones. What is Scenography? and Scenographic Imagination are chock-full of great theoretical discussion for the long term, but not suited for your first dip into the pool. Might be worth bookmarking for down the road, though.

And sometimes it's good to just have a survey of other's work. American Set Design isn't a bad place to start for that. I recently picked up World Scenography, and while I haven't had the chance to sit down extensively with it, it's a gorgeous book.

This is of course just going from scene design, there's also options out there about the history of design, useful technical handbooks for the craft, or even more specific things like model-making.

If you're already generally familiar with theater and roughly understand the production process, maybe grab one of the two in the first paragraph. If you're coming in completely fresh, starting with one of the cheaper super-introductory books in the second paragraph might be better to ease in. If you have the funds, I'd suggest one from each paragraph. Perhaps others in this sub have more specific choices they feel are definitively superior than other options.

Also, I'm guessing your university may not have a design professor, but you might suggest an independent study in scene design as a course. Hope this helps!

What area are you looking to specialize in?

Everyone has said it, but I agree the backstage handbook is one of the more useful books in my library. I keep a copy near me at all times.

For quick electrical references I like to keep a copy of the UGLY'S electrical reference. They also have a book on motors that I have used on occasion.

A freebie that is always good to keep around is the USITT Graphical Standards.

For Scenic Designers I think the Elements of Style and Surfaces books are pretty useful and standard.

Edit: One thing that I forgot to mention earlier. While it is not a book per se I find it to be my most used and valuable book. My Moleskine, I always keep it on me while I am working. I use it to dump information such as phone numbers, paint formulas, parts numbers, schedule 40 weight by diameter, moving light personalities, etc, etc. It is a valuable tool during any work call or show.

For engineering concepts, and a great general reference on sound systems and how they work, the Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook

For sound system design, the best reference is Bob McCarthy's Sound Systems: Design and Optimization

For another great book that discusses both system design as well as artistic sound design, John Leondard's Theatre Sound is top notch.

Shannon Slaton's Mixing a Musical: Broadway Theatrical Sound Techniques is a great picture of how the "big shows" are run.

For a beginner's guide to sound, the [http://www.soundcraft.com/support/gtm_booklet.aspx](Soundcraft Guide to Mixing) is a good primer: not as technically dense as the Yamaha book.

There are others out there, these are my favorite.

Read these books. They won't make you a rigger but you'll have a better appreciation of what you are dealing with.

The Arena Riggers' Handbook

Rigging Math Made Simple

Stage Rigging Handbook

Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century

The Theatre Riggers' Handbook

Structural Design for the Stage

The Physics of Theatre: Mechanics

Get this book, its written very clearly and is chock full of relevant information on how to automate scenery. It also has all of the relevant safety information(!) and formulas you need to know to make this work. It's written by the scenery technology professor at Yale and a great resource.

Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician by Richard Cadena. Understanding electricity and electrical safety is big, and a shocking number of technicians lack what I consider crucial basic knowledge.

Also, if you have interest in automated lighting, a decent grounding in electronics can be useful for troubleshooting and maintenance, and I'd start with Introductory Circuit Analysis by Robert Boylestad for this - you'll get a much more thorough grounding in circuit analysis than from Cadena, even if you don't work your way through the whole text.

The Automated Lighting Programmer's Handbook 2nd Edition
by Brad Schiller https://www.amazon.com/Automated-Lighting-Programmers-Handbook/dp/024081553X

Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician 2nd Edition
by Richard Cadena https://www.amazon.com/Electricity-Entertainment-Electrician-Technician-Richard/dp/0415714834/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466434438&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+cadena

The Lighting Art: The Aesthetics of Stage Lighting Design (2nd Edition) 2nd Edition by Richard H. Palmer https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Art-Aesthetics-Stage-Design/dp/0135010810/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Good luck

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Augmented-Reality-Spaces-Techniques-Mapping/dp/8895315340
Pretty good read on projection mapping.

http://www.amazon.com/Creating-Motion-Graphics-After-Effects/dp/0240814150
I have not read this book, but after effects is a very useful program for video design.

Close at hand I have:

The Magic of Light - Rosenthal

Theatrical Design and Production - Gillette

Scene Design and Stage Lighting - Parker and Wolf

The Scenery Construction Handbook - Raoul

Drafting Scenery - Rose

Mechanical Design For the Stage - Hendrickson

A Method of Lighting the Stage - McCandless (mine is a 4th edition)

​

Here are some resources for you:

The Theatrical Firearms Handbook
https://www.amazon.com/Theatrical-Firearms-Handbook-Kevin-Inouye/dp/0415733987/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473537857&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Textbook+of+Theatrical+Combat

Weapons of Choice - On the Use of Prop Firearms
http://weaponsofchoice.com/extras/on-the-ue-of-prop-firearms/

Actors' Equity - Safety Tips for Use of Firearms
http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/safesan/firearms_safety_tips.pdf

Be safe.

> ". . . fall protection, recreational, and rescue climbing equipment manufacturers have not designed their equipment for your application."

Easy killer. No one is advocating stopping into the local REI for some gear to fly Cirque. There are companies that make carabiners specifically for lifting applications, that comply with standards such as ASME B30. They wouldn't fall under FP, recreational, or sport manufacturers, and as such they may have actually designed their equipment for your application. This isn't refuting what Paulson says in his article.

> If you think you know better than Rocky Paulson, who literally wrote the book on entertainment rigging, you are delusional and your arrogance may very well get someone killed.

Rocky Paulson, doesn't have a monopoly on facts or basic statics and dynamics. His book, just like Jay O. Glerum's, Bill Sapsis's, Harry Donovan's, and Bill Newberry's book is not the final word that will ever be written on the subject. There is more to be known in this field than what fits in the side blurb next to an article.

As I have said before and will say again, consult a professional when hanging things overhead.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0809327414/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Stage Rigging Handbook.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316736465

First Aid Manual

Just starters.

Stage Management: https://smile.amazon.com/Stage-Manager-Professional-Larry-Fazio/dp/0240804104?sa-no-redirect=1

Theater electricians should have to read Steve Shelley's Practical Guide to Stage Lighting

It's invaluable. I read it after years of working and wished it was out when I was younger.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Bar-Book-Comprehensive/dp/0811843513/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334379627&sr=1-14

Jus' sayin.

The Backstage Handbook is the go to for most reference info. I've used this book in intro level college classes, and it might be what you are looking for if you are thinking more of a traditional text book style.

$20