I NEED HELP!!! (Career)

[desantiscott]

Okay so, I know this is not the place to be putting this type of question but I have no idea how else to try and get this started... I have been a lighting designer for over 8 years now. I have a very impressive and colorful resumé! I currently work in a theatre as a Lighting Designer. I have worked with shows such as Bo Bice, Weird Al Yankovic, Bob Weir, Bowfire, Railroad Earth and MANY OTHER big and small acts. I also have been doing community/school theatre for just as long as I have been a designer. I WANT TO GO BIG. I know that I have an impressive enough resume and a great deal of talent I just dont know how to "get started". I will go on tour for short whiles or anything. I am engaged and that is obviously a big part of the decisions and what not but I really need some major advice! Can ANYONE out there help!! Thanks! I hope to hear from someone soon!

[JackMVHS]

Honestly, I can't give you a good answer, as I am a High school student.

But I do know that there have been a few threads similar to this going around recently, try the search feature.

Good luck,
JackMVHS

[derekleffew]

Besides what you find in the search, see this Collaborative Article: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/c...-industry.html, and this thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/l...-designer.html.

Moving this thread to the General Advice forum, as most of it applies to more than just lighting jobs.

[icewolf08]

You just have to keep doing what you are doing. If you want to go into theatre design then you need to put together a portfolio and start submitting it to regional theatre. If you can break into the regional circuit, that will be your next step. If you are looking for more concert/entertainment design work I don't know if I would be of much help, but I am sure there are people here who could point you in the right direction.

In this business, it has a lot to do with getting your work out there and seen, and it is about who you know. If you submit a portfolio to a regional theatre artistic director who happens to have worked with someone on your resume, it will help. So make sure that you drop the names of all the people you have worked with.

[desantiscott]

Thanks for your comments everyone! I want me resumé to be seen I am just not sure how to "get it out there" for people to see! And who the "people" are...

[Sean]

Originally Posted by desantiscott

Okay so, I know this is not the place to be putting this type of question but I have no idea how else to try and get this started... I have been a lighting designer for over 8 years now. I have a very impressive and colorful resumé! I currently work in a theatre as a Lighting Designer. I have worked with shows such as Bo Bice, Weird Al Yankovic, Bob Weir, Bowfire, Railroad Earth and MANY OTHER big and small acts. I also have been doing community/school theatre for just as long as I have been a designer. I WANT TO GO BIG. I know that I have an impressive enough resume and a great deal of talent I just dont know how to "get started". I will go on tour for short whiles or anything. I am engaged and that is obviously a big part of the decisions and what not but I really need some major advice! Can ANYONE out there help!! Thanks! I hope to hear from someone soon!

When you say you're been a lighting designer for over 8 years, in what context? Do you have a degree in design from a University/College? Where did you go to college? How old are you? You've listed some names, but no context...were they all in the same venue you work in now?

--Sean

[desantiscott]

yes they were all in the same venue I work at now. I did work as a tech at a festival called "Purple Door" (an outside concert with over 30 bands) I rigged up truss and a slew of Mac fixtures. I have a degree in theatre tech from East Stroudsburg University. And I am 21 years old! Yes i realize 8 years ago I was 13 and this is what is hard to get across to people. Yes I know I was no where near a designer at the age of 13 but I very much excelled at the things I was doing at an early age. I have a lot more experience than a LOT of people i know who I want to college with. Im not at all saying that I qualified to go right on the road and be a designer im willing to start low and do anything that I can to work my way up. Im just saying I would love to start!

[Footer]

Do you have a website? Also, you need to work on your grammar. If you communicate to your colleagues like you are currently communicating to us, I don't think you will be looking at a lot of work in your future.

I assume you are right out of school? Getting steady work as an LD right out of undergrad can be a hard thing to do. As the other threads say, you are going to have to start at the low end and work your way up.

Also, as most of us know, the market is starting to dry up. People that have been working for the last 20 years are now looking harder to find work.

If you really want to "make it", I am just going to throw this out there...

Right now might not be the time to start. Right now might be the time to go to grad school and improve your skills. In 3 years who knows, we could be in a worse situation we could be better off. Go improve yourself. I would only do this though if you can not find work. If I did not currently have a job, I would probably be doing the same thing. Just an option...

Otherwise, advertise yourself. Watch artsearch. Go to cattle call interviews. Get a good portfolio built and a new set of clothes. Sell Sell Sell. Try to get in with a 829 Designer as an Asst. Go to USITT and shake hands. Get out there.

[ruinexplorer]

Did you have an internship while in school? If so, you have a great resource there.

If you want to do concert lighting, you will need to look at rental shops over venues. I assume that the "purple door" festival did not own all of their own gear, so look at who rented the gear to them and see if they have need of your services.

Also, just because you have more experience than everyone you know doesn't put you as an "experienced" designer or technician. You have to sell yourself, but don't get too full of yourself. Remember, you want people to want you to work with their team. If you come off as better than them, they won't see it that way. Make sure that you can offer specific examples of your work including photographs. Be prepared to defend your design decisions. What unique skills do you have to offer that all other aplicants won't?

Definitely read through the threads, you will find many young technicians who feel as strongly about their abilities as you do. If you are dedicated and have the right attitude, you will find work. Remember, you will have to work your way up, and as has been said, that may be extremely difficult in this economy. Here in Las Vegas, shows that have been running for decades are closing (as well as those that have only run a year or two) which sends seasoned technicians back out job hunting. Are you prepared to go up against them? Unfortunately, this isn't limited to the Vegas market and yes there are some new shows to replace them, but I hear of established theater companies folding weekly across the country. Are you able to compete against those technicians? Not only is there an increase in out of work technicians, but that also means a decrease of available jobs. You may be a prodigy, but how are you going to sell that to prospective employers?

You need to not only be searching job sites like BackstageJobs.com or others like them, but also you need to search for specific companies. Before the big boys like Cirque or Disney or many others post on general sites, they will post them on their own site. Make sure to be checking them weekly if not daily.

[avkid]

Originally Posted by ruinexplorer

You need to not only be searching job sites like BackstageJobs.com

Good site, I've gotten several calls because of them.