Today I was sitting at the computer looking at a blank screen and feeling totally without inspiration.
So when my partner came home and suggested that we should go out for lunch and then do the family shopping I was in two minds about going. You know that feeling? If I stay here I might just stare at the page and think that I could have gone out, but if I go out I might not have time to do the article when I get back. Rightly or wrongly, I decided on lunch and shopping with my partner.
On the way back from the supermarket, we took a detour. My partner is involved with a local amateur theatre group, he doesn't have the time available for rehearsals so is rarely in the shows, but he does get involved with set design and building.
The latest production for the theatre group is 'Noises Off' - an ambitious project for a small local group, not least because the set has to revolve twice during the performance. Our detour was to a local warehouse which has been rented for a few weeks to enable the building of the revolving set prior to loading it into the theatre on the week of the show. I am always impressed by how much work amateur groups put in for a show that will only have four performances.
We looked in to see what progress was being made on the set. It looks very much like the computer model and there were people busily painting handrails and cutting up plywood. We stayed just long enough to admire their handiwork and check what time we would be required at the end of the week. Trevor will be there all day on Friday to help break the set into its constituent parts ready for moving. On Saturday we will both be there to load those parts onto a trailer and then meet it at the theatre for reassembly on the stage.
So the whole process is almost finished and in a couple of weeks we will be pulling the set apart so that the wood and flats can be stored for use in future productions.
But they didn't get to this stage overnight. It is some four or five months since it was first discussed. My partner started thinking about the design of the stage about twelve weeks ago. The rotation between the first and second act, then back again between the second and third was a logistical and engineering issue with health and safety thrown in for good measure. Trevor got involved because he has a background in engineering and computer graphics. There were a number of evenings where he sat at his computer with colleagues from the theatre group so they could discuss the design, each from their own experience, to finally come up with something that could safely be rotated while meeting the requirements for the action that needs to take place.
It has taken a lot of planning and hard work to get to this stage, but no-one had to do it on their own. Information and experience was shared at every stage, and then everyone moved in to do the physical construction work. It was a group effort with each person making a contribution.
When I look at internet projects, that is what I want to find. I'm ready to make my contribution, but I expect there to be other people with different expertise who can give advice and suggestions based on their experiences. I think I've finally found it.
Jennie has been looking for projects that provide help to the relative newbie! Visit her website to see what she has found:
http://best4you.webs.com
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Setting-the-Scene-With-Teamwork&id=3844068] Setting the Scene With Teamwork
