h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Nitina, I am very please with the appearance of my piece 'Some Tips on Making Stage props on the Front Page. You did an excellent job.

There are a couple of minor concerns I have that seem to stem from my inability to be clear enough in my expressing my meaning. If you would review these, it would be much appreciated by me, and possibly by those who read the entry.


The second Paragraph:

Prop making is a satisfying creative outlet that can make the difference between a good production and a memorable one. It is also an excellent way to make friends. Props are necessary for mostly all plays, musicals, and often for others - singers, comedians, speakers, etc.

I used 'most all plays' when I meant 'almost all plays', and you used 'mostly all plays' because of my mistake. Perhaps it should be simplified to 'most plays'.

On the section of Requirements that starts,
'Safety First, Comfort Second, Fail-safe third ':

[Example: A version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol requires a Marley's Ghost to float off the stage. For safety, the harness should be built by attaching metal straps with rings to the actors' boots to literally lift him up by the underside of his feet. Each of the four wires must be strong enough to support the actor on its own, and be guided up the costume to a chest harness, and up through grommets near the shoulders. The wires should be attached to a frame wider than the chest and shoulders, and operated from the fly-rail. It is as comfortable as standing on the stage. The lifting was provided by one person on one rope (for lift), and two on a second rope (for travel), coordinated to keep the path level.]

Should read:

'... attaching metal straps with rings to the fronts and backs of the actors' boots'

and the last sentence:

'The lifting was provided by one or more persons on one rope (for lift), and two on a second rope (for travel), coordinated to keep the path level.

Under: 'Look for Opportunities'

[Some props make it to rehearsals before failings can be spotted. Tiny toy guns for a Schoolhouse Rock – Live train-robbery scene looked lost in the hands of the actors. The group bought cheap, bulky, water-pistols, attached 14' industrial-grade, cardboard barrels (with wooden sights glued on), and sprayed them silver; the sides of the grips were covered with wood-grain vinyl contact paper.]

the barrels were not 14 feet long (14'), but 14 inches long, and 2 inches thick.

Perhaps, to make the process more clear:

'... attached barrels made of 2-inch thick industrial-grade cardboard tubes, 14-inches long, ...

Under: 'Be Proactive'

[The blades were covered with a metallic aluminium duct tape for a realistic metallic finish. The swords were virtually unbreakable (none broke), and all the edges were more flattering than the 90°C edges with which the previous swords were armed.]

I had used the words '... all the edges were flatter than ...', meaning to say '... the angles were not as sharp as ...'; and you used '... more flattering than ...'
and, somehow, the 90° angles got described as 90°Centigrade.

I would re-write it as:

'The swords were virtually unbreakable (none broke), and all the edges were safer as the angles were not as sharp as the 90° angles with which the previous swords were produced.'

In the section: 'Think Image over Reality'

[The musical Jesus Christ Superstar calls for a flogging scene. The only whips handy to the group were bullwhips. The prop-master bought a roll of red string, knotted three strands of eight strings a piece, stapled the three strands to an 8' long, 3/4' wooden dowel, and covered the strands and handle with electrical tape.]

This is simply the measurement thing. The whips were 8-inches (8") long and 3/4-inches (3/4") thick, not 8-feet and 3/4-feet (8' & 3/4').

The first paragraph, last sentence in:
'Use Smart Materials'

[A costume made for Lumiere, of Beauty and the Beast, used popcorn buckets for the wrist candleholders, and white cotton, flame-shaped mittens for flames.]

I should have mentioned that they were 'flame-shaped (and coloured) mittens for flames.'

I noticed a missing space in the next paragraph, 'papier-mâchéor' should be 'papier-mâché or '

As I said, most of these were cause by my lapses or errors. I would desperately appreciate any fixes you can still make.

Thanks for everything.

I know that you must be busy; but, when you have the time to say "hi", I'd like to know if these suggestions might be addressed.

At your convenience, of course.

Nitina, Are you all right?

Your site looks curiously inactive, and I'm concerned that something has happened to you. You seemed more communicative a month ago.

Reviewing your dislikes, I don't want to risk being rude in asking, but also cannot take the chance of 'playing it cool' for the same reason. So, I'll just ask.

Do you think it would be possible to change the guide entry to reflect the concerns that I wrote about in the first entry on this thread?

Since this is my only EG entry to date, I'd like to know the process works. I know that it is far from your only entry, and realise that you will not likely to share the same level of concern; but it has been two weeks since I last wrote.

I'm certain that you are busy with other aspects of life, but I'm hoping that you can let me know what's what.

Sorry I haven't answered but got back from honeymoon on friday and haven't really been on my computer in the last few days.

Once an entry goes on the front page, it can't be changed by the sub-editor. The only people who can change it is the editors and you will need to get in touch with them and make sure you give them the A-number of your entry. Go to <./>Feedback-Editorial</.> and post a message for the editors there.

Hope you are ok.

See you

Nitina

Tremendous Congratulations!

It's as I suspected, just a lot of life happening at the moment. Lot's of planning and running around necessary to pull a happy event off.

I've dropped that note to the editors, and appreciate being pointed in the right direction.

Be seeing you,