Technical Direction

[Dani]

I am planning on attending graduate school for technical direction and was wondering what suggestions on schools you all may have and if you have heard or been through any specific programs

[Footer]

How do you feel about being a Yaley? Yale has one of the best TD programs out there, I have worked under two Yale TD's and they really know their stuff. University of Illinois also has a very good TD program. What do you want to do more/get into more... automation, structural design, some sound? Nearly all programs cover this, but most specialize in these areas more then others. My advice would be to go to USITT in 2 months and push the flesh their, most schools are very well represented. Also, do you want to pay for your school, or have the school pay for you?

[Dani]

im not sure what i want out of technical direction just yet, i like a bit of everything si i dont know where i want to focus my energy just yet, i do know i want a good school if i dont have to pay that would be nice if i do it happens

[psmcat]

Ohio University has a very good MFA. the faculty is also very well and currently connected (something very important to consider when looking @ grad schools) my husband and i both attended - he's a td, i am an sm and we continue to work with people from that program. it was a great place to learn, and live. but before you start picking schols, i would suggest deciding "what kind of td do i want to be" - besides an employed td. every school has strengths and weaknesses and unless you know where you want your career to head, you may get lost in the "money wars" that grad schools tend to play.

[gafftaper]

I think in one of your other posts you mentioned being in college. What year are you? What degree are you pursuing now? We've been talking about creating some sort of begging theater technician certification program at our community college or about setting up a tech theater transfer degree to a 4 year university that would cover all the prerequisites. So I've been talking with a lot of professionals about their education and how they got the job they have. The first thing you need to know is that there are a lot of the T.D.'s out there who don't have a graduate degree or their MFA is in something like set design or scenic construction. Be very clear you don't need a T.D. degree to become a T.D. In some ways the T.D. degree might even make it harder to get a job. The T.D.'s at the two biggest theaters in my city both don't have MFA's (One has a B.A. for scenic carpentry... I don't know about the other).

Often the path to becoming a T.D. is working your way up through the shop. You're going to have a hard time getting a job straight out of college with a T.D. MFA because of your little experience. A better way to go might be getting your MFA in a design on construction area and taking a few extra classes about theater operation and business management in your "spare time". That way you can go get yourself a job in a shop or designing shows. Make connections, and work your way up. I think you might find it a lot easier in the long run. Remember that there are a lot of guys out there with no degree at all who have been running the shop for 20 years and when the T.D. leaves, they get promoted from within and you won't have a shot at that position.

Don't underestimate how important it is to just work as much as possible, get to know people, and prove yourself to others. Getting a job in theater is all about who you know and how hard you work. I'm all for education but at some point the grad school degree becomes meaningless compared to a person who has years of work experience. If you pursue a degree that will get you hired in a scene shop right away, you have your foot in the door and in time can become the person who has both the degree and the years of experience... and that job will be yours.

Here's a quote from a prop shop manager at one of the largest theaters on the West Coast for you to ponder: "Well if you want to be a T.D. you don't want to waste your time getting an MFA. You need to get out there and work right now." Again, I work for a college and I definitely believe in the importance of education. However, at the same time you have to carefully evaluate the trade off of the extra education vs. just getting out there and working because for every T.D. with an MFA I bet you will find two that don't have one.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

I think in one of your other posts you mentioned being in college. What year are you? What degree are you pursuing now? We've been talking about creating some sort of begging theater technician certification program at our community college or about setting up a tech theater transfer degree to a 4 year university that would cover all the prerequisites. So I've been talking with a lot of professionals about their education and how they got the job they have. The first thing you need to know is that there are a lot of the T.D.'s out there who don't have a graduate degree or their MFA is in something like set design or scenic construction. Be very clear you don't need a T.D. degree to become a T.D. In some ways the T.D. degree might even make it harder to get a job. The T.D.'s at the two biggest theaters in my city both don't have MFA's (One has a B.A. for scenic carpentry... I don't know about the other).
Often the path to becoming a T.D. is working your way up through the shop. You're going to have a hard time getting a job straight out of college with a T.D. MFA because of your little experience. A better way to go might be getting your MFA in a design on construction area and taking a few extra classes about theater operation and business management in your "spare time". That way you can go get yourself a job in a shop or designing shows. Make connections, and work your way up. I think you might find it a lot easier in the long run. Remember that there are a lot of guys out there with no degree at all who have been running the shop for 20 years and when the T.D. leaves, they get promoted from within and you won't have a shot at that position.
Don't underestimate how important it is to just work as much as possible, get to know people, and prove yourself to others. Getting a job in theater is all about who you know and how hard you work. I'm all for education but at some point the grad school degree becomes meaningless compared to a person who has years of work experience. If you pursue a degree that will get you hired in a scene shop right away, you have your foot in the door and in time can become the person who has both the degree and the years of experience... and that job will be yours.
Here's a quote from a prop shop manager at one of the largest theaters on the West Coast for you to ponder: "Well if you want to be a T.D. you don't want to waste your time getting an MFA. You need to get out there and work right now." Again, I work for a college and I definitely believe in the importance of education. However, at the same time you have to carefully evaluate the trade off of the extra education vs. just getting out there and working because for every T.D. with an MFA I bet you will find two that don't have one.

I somewhat disagree with that statement. I have worked with many TD's that don't know what a free body diagram is, what what PLF stands for, or anything involving structures at all. Also, as far as the technical design side of things, grad school really helps with that. Being able to build something is one thing, knowing that you can put a 400 lb load anywhere on a platform and KNOWING that there is now way that platform is coming down without doing the "jumping" test is another. Grad school (should) polish your skills from undergrad and other professional experience that you have.

[Van]

I'm not going to be a bit of help in suggesting schools. I've been out of that realm for far too long. as far as the MFA vs. no MFA goes I can weigh in on that. I'm one of those no MFA TD's I worked my way to where I am and I do know the difference between Pink noise and White Noise, and the difference between Additive and Subtractive mixing, I can focus a truss faster than most, I can re-wire a breaker box, and design and build control components, and I don't think I learned any of that in school. I'm a big fan of the idea of getting out and working then returning later for an MFA. I never did it because I never needed to. Some guys really need an MFA. If you want to work in Education, 'specially at the college level you need an MfA, Schools like to have thier staff as highly educated as possible. I can teach in most highschools under the auspices of "equivalent Life Experience" if I want to. I think Both Gafftaper and Footer have valid points. Honestly nobody is going to hire a kid with an MFA to be a TD right out of college. At the same time getting your MFA proves a dedication and drive towards a goal. I think it really depends on where you're going in life and what type of job you are ultimately looking for. You want to be an LD for a rock show touring your life away ? Start by getting a gig with a tour and work your way up. You want to be hired to design that show? Get your MFA then go work for a production company work your way up and someday you might get hired / promoted as a designer. I wish it were easier, but it's not.

[Dani]

At this point I want my masters, I am a senior and my undergrad has nothing to do with theatre and won't get me where I want it too, as for experience I have that and I know thats best, I've been working on the stage since I was 13 and my schools been highering professionals for our shows and I always get to work with them directly, but I feel that I want the masters.

One of the things I enjoy about TDing is that it encomposses so much I don't have to choose lights or set I can do a bit of both, I would probably choose to be more proficient in scenic or lighting design once I get to that point, I still have a year (I am a Dec grad) so I still have some time but I like knowing what other people are thinking.

Thank you everyone for the help!

[Footer]

Originally Posted by Dani

At this point I want my masters, I am a senior and my undergrad has nothing to do with theatre and won't get me where I want it too, as for experience I have that and I know thats best, I've been working on the stage since I was 13 and my schools been highering professionals for our shows and I always get to work with them directly, but I feel that I want the masters.
One of the things I enjoy about TDing is that it encomposses so much I don't have to choose lights or set I can do a bit of both, I would probably choose to be more proficient in scenic or lighting design once I get to that point, I still have a year (I am a Dec grad) so I still have some time but I like knowing what other people are thinking.
Thank you everyone for the help!

If you want to go into lighting get your MFA in lighting design, if you want to be an electrician/board monkey, go hit the road/get into a shop. It's going to be tough to get and MA or an MFA in technical direction or anything theatre related without having an undergrad degree in it, doable, but not easy.

[Dani]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

If you want to go into lighting get your MFA in lighting design, if you want to be an electrician/board monkey, go hit the road/get into a shop. It's going to be tough to get and MA or an MFA in technical direction or anything theatre related without having an undergrad degree in it, doable, but not easy.

All the schools I have looked at/ called I have asked and they said because of my experience my undergrad is not going to matter