I’m sitting backstage as I type this working as a stage manager for an event. In the old days, if we were lucky, we had a single channel com box. If we had it real good – it was wireless.
Today, I’m sitting backstage, still on com – and it’s hardwired. But I’ve created a workstation and I’m running iMessage on my Mac Book Pro. I have a Facetime window open with my front of house engineer. He is running FaceTime through his iPad.
While we have the com, we are mostly using iMessage and FaceTime to communicate. It’s fun because e have visual cues. He can also flip the camera to the front camera on his iPad and show me the house, the console, or anything else as part of our conversation. It brings a new dimension to the way we communicate during production.
If I need to see the stage from the audience perspective, all I have to do is ask for the camera shot from the iPad.
While we are mostly set up and using it for fun and casual conversation, it brings to light a myriad of opportunity for technology integration. In the past, I’ve often used SMS to communicate with front of house critical information such as Db levels at various parts of the house, and other real-time feedback while working as a producer for a production. It’s also nice to have “offline” conversations within individuals on the production team without broadcasting on the party line (or investing in costly digital com systems).
How are you using technology in unique ways?