Written by: John Featherstone
Even if Oscar Wilde did once say “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative,” we all still love to talk about the weather. And, sooner or later, we will all have to do a show outside, or at the very least in a tent.
If we are honest, we are a business of “control freaks.” We love to set our own schedules, create our own environments and make our own rules. Yet the weather won’t cooperate with our schedules, seems to conspire against our creativity, and defies our rules. Whatever the reason, there is little debate that the weather is changing — storms seem to be fiercer, winds stronger, rains harder, winters colder and summers hotter. We have all seen the results of the weather catching us off guard, some of us first hand. From festival roofs collapsing to tour bus accidents, all too often lives are lost or people seriously hurt – band, crew and audience alike. So how can we learn to work with the weather, and still stay sane and most importantly safe? I’d like to use two projects as examples of how planning helps work in the face of the elements and coming out if not ahead, certainly unscathed.
Read the full article at: http://www.plsn.com/current-issue/102-safety-factor/15768-weather-vs-lighting-designer.html
