Poll

Which is the better tool?

Post-its
10 (21.3%)
Spike Tape
37 (78.7%)

Total Members Voted: 47

Voting closed: Dec 12, 2012, 01:17 am

Author Topic: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape  (Read 13876 times)

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PSMKay

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Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« on: Dec 08, 2012, 01:17 am »
Round 3 for the Community League brings us what may be our hardest decision yet. Two versatile competitors take the field in this match and I'm excited to see all the reasons you guys come up with to choose one over the other. Both can be written upon, are easy to move if needed, are sticky, but they serve very specific roles and I don't know that I'd want to go without either one over the course of a production.

Post-its and post-it flags are one of the hallmarks of a prompt script. We use them to remind ourselves of the next break, to pass notes to our assistants and the director, and to mark cues on the fly during tech.

Meanwhile, spike tape, the narrower sibling of earlier competitor gaff tape, is used not just to mark positions on the fly rail but also to mark furniture, divide up prop tables, turn maglites into bite-able lights, and flag your pencils so they don't walk away. And, in what may be its most important role, it takes the place of the entire set during rehearsal.

Poll runs through Tuesday at noon CST. Allez Cuisine! (Wait, wrong venue.) Play ball!
« Last Edit: Dec 08, 2012, 01:48 am by PSMKay »

loebtmc

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #1 on: Dec 08, 2012, 01:28 am »
I need a minute to think abt this one. Both are vital tools in my kit. I don't want to be without either of them!

On_Headset

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #2 on: Dec 08, 2012, 01:30 am »
I have met a number of stage managers who can work without post-it notes.

I have never met an acting company who I would trust to consistently hit their marks without spike tape. (Never mind staircases, danger warnings, etc.) Some actors don't require spikes (and I definitely understand the perils of decking a stage out like an airport runway), but there's a critical mass who don't seem able to function without spikes.

Never mind the essential spikes for resets, prop placement, and other recovery efforts.

Advantage: spike tape.

Jessie_K

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #3 on: Dec 08, 2012, 04:43 am »
Without spike tape, how can label my lunch before I put it in the communal fridge?  Without spike tape - someone else may eat my food!! Hungry hungry stage manager...
« Last Edit: Dec 08, 2012, 09:42 pm by Jessie_K »

Bwoodbury

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #4 on: Dec 08, 2012, 03:58 pm »
This is by far the most stressful of all the games so far.

bex

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #5 on: Dec 09, 2012, 10:06 pm »
Do you want to know how tough a decision this was for me? I voted for Spike, then looked back at the bracket I filled out the first day and realized I had picked Post-Its! Had to go back and change my vote. This one is a killer.
You will have to sing for your supper & your mortgage, your dental coverage & your children's shoes, over & over again while people in desk jobs roll their eyes the minute you start to complain. So it's a good thing you like to sing.

PSMKay

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #6 on: Dec 10, 2012, 12:12 am »
Very stage managery of you to refer back to your checklist to verify your vote, bex. 10 points for Hufflepuff!

BLee

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #7 on: Dec 10, 2012, 02:05 am »
Spike tape is a plague on my nails. (Wow, that is so oddly girly for me...)

Post-its not only serve a useful function, but for some reason they have also been used throughout my career for performers to write sweet notes to me and stick on my prompt book and desk. I have kept everyone and even tape some of them into my 3-ring binders as reminders of old shows. (Wow, that was oddly sentimental...I must be tired tonight!)

And ever since Super Sticky post-its came out I see no reason for post-its not to put up a good fight at least.
XX. The only valid excuse for missing one's cue is death.
-Proverb from the Techie Bible.

LCSM

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #8 on: Dec 10, 2012, 05:40 pm »
I started using the long, ruled Post-Its to write cuing sequences on, then I started using them for everything. I love Post-Its because they let me take notes / scribble / doodle / generally mark up my prompt book, and then when I need the book cleaned, I just pull out all the Post-Its that aren't relevant anymore. Don't have to worry about erasing - wearing through the pages, erasing something important by accident. This is the best during tech week. I put my cues on Post-Its, then take notes on Post-Its directly in my book (call this cue a beat sooner; WTF?; review sequence alone; etc.).

Honestly, I think of spike tape as more of an ASM tool. True, we tape out the floor with it, but when tech week comes and s**t hits the fan, I'll leave spike to my ASMs. Frankly, my cell phone would have a tough run of it against Post-Its in the Tech Week Gadget Championships.

POST-ITS FOR THE WIN!

iamchristuffin

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #9 on: Dec 11, 2012, 07:01 am »
I went for Post-Its, purely because in the UK, we primarily use LX tape (PVC tape) instead of spike tape - so long as what I call spike tape is what you call spike tape....

C

leastlikely

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #10 on: Dec 11, 2012, 03:31 pm »
Spike tape is a cloth tape, in the same vein as gaff, but narrow and it comes in lots of colors.

iamchristuffin

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #11 on: Dec 11, 2012, 06:52 pm »
Yep, same thing. It just doesn't seem to be often used here.

bex

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Re: Community, Round 3: Post-Its vs. Spike Tape
« Reply #12 on: Feb 04, 2013, 12:51 pm »
I went for Post-Its, purely because in the UK, we primarily use LX tape (PVC tape) instead of spike tape - so long as what I call spike tape is what you call spike tape....

C

I've worked at one theater in the US where they use electrical tape in place of spike tape in the rehearsal room, simply because it takes better to the floor of their rehearsal room.  It was weird at first (it stretches!) but it makes taping circles SO much easier (it stretches!).
You will have to sing for your supper & your mortgage, your dental coverage & your children's shoes, over & over again while people in desk jobs roll their eyes the minute you start to complain. So it's a good thing you like to sing.