Building a grid to the ceiling of a bar

[Joshua Smith]

I key gripping a project in a month that's shooting in a small restaurant/ jazz club. The DP wants to have basically everything possible hung from above. The bar has large wooden support beams running across the ceiling. I was planning on using speed c-clamps to attach the speed rail to the support beams with a small piece of wood in between the c-clamp and the beam as to not damage the location.

 

The restaurant is going to be open during the days we are shooting so we shoot when they are closed so our days will look like 3 am call - 3 pm.

 

My main question is I want to keep the grip built and hanging for the duration of the shoot because it will end up being a lot to have to take down and build every night and take up valuable time. Would you feel comfortable leaving it hanging while the place is conducting normal business? (The owner doesn't mind us leaving things up) Any extra safety precautions you would take?

[Ira Ratner]

I key gripping a project in a month that's shooting in a small restaurant/ jazz club. The DP wants to have basically everything possible hung from above. The bar has large wooden support beams running across the ceiling. I was planning on using speed c-clamps to attach the speed rail to the support beams with a small piece of wood in between the c-clamp and the beam as to not damage the location.

 

The restaurant is going to be open during the days we are shooting so we shoot when they are closed so our days will look like 3 am call - 3 pm.

 

My main question is I want to keep the grip built and hanging for the duration of the shoot because it will end up being a lot to have to take down and build every night and take up valuable time. Would you feel comfortable leaving it hanging while the place is conducting normal business? (The owner doesn't mind us leaving things up) Any extra safety precautions you would take?

 

Wow--be careful!

 

Under the securing C-clamps, I would use some blocks of wood with additional, redundant clamps for the off-chance of failure of the main clamps.

 

Know what I mean? Like, if a main clamp failed, it would fall down to the supporting system and not kill anyone.

 

Also, rope is your friend for extra safety.

[Warwick Hempleman]

Joshua,

 

First of all, are the support beams actually support beams or are they decoration?

Second, what is the distance between beams?

Third, how high is the ceiling, or more to the point, how far above the crowd will the grid be?

Fourth, how much weight do you hope to put in the air (including your cable runs)?

Fifth, is there any way to safety your pipes an clamps to existing ceiling (rope burns, it's not an option and neither are the sprinkler pipes if there are any)? Is it at all possible to screw in to the beams, for example?

Sixth, how many days do you want to leave this in place?

Finally, and probably most important, how is the producer's liability insurance for leaving your rigging hanging while the place is open for business?

 

To leave any grid or rigging up while the place is open for business, I'd want it secured tightly to the building, and not hanging on clamps.