Stage rigging basics

"Rudimentary truss replaced pipe to hang lighting and sound equipment. Almost overnight, it seemed, an industry was born."

Sapsis, B. (2014) Entertainment rigging for the 21st century: Compilation of work on rigging

Stage rigging is not the most acknowledged job when it comes to performances, but if not done properly can cause serious damage to both equipment and people. When rigging, always remember to do as much of the rigging as you can on the floor so there is less work to do while at height, therefore less chance of injury.

Here is a YouTube video showing some examples of why rigging safely is so important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uru8Y6pzAGE

With any piece of equipment you need a safety wire.

MOST IMPORTANTLY NEVER LET ANYONE WHO IS NOT TRAINED USE RIGGING EQUIPMENT!

Primary uses of stage rigging:

• To support stage lighting equipment 
• Support shift stage scenery 
• Sometimes to support aerial performances 

There are many different ways of rigging properly, this is because there are so many different varieties of equipment that could be included in the set up of the stage. Here are some examples of wire rope ringing accessories. 

For a good basic video tutorial on stage rigging watch the video below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDMdbx0K6QQ