Enfield

Member
Hi all, I work for River Pointe Church in Richmond TX and we're looking for a lighting designer who has experience. It can be theatre, concert, or any other venue in which you either programmed, and/or ran lights.

This is a paid position. We would only need you for the weekend, and could potentially turn into something else in the future.
At the start it will be on a rotation, you'll be asked to come in every once in awhile. We are working on expanding, anf will opening another campus in October.

Our board is a Jands Vista L5.
You'll only be running the board, the lights will already be programmed.
If you don't know the board that is ok we will train you.
The training will be paid.

Please let me know if this interests you.
 
I want to offer a few unsolicited tips for you here, especially as someone who has worked extensively (10 years) in HoW (Houses of Worship) and 9 years outside of it.

1) You're not looking for a lighting designer, so be cautious with your wording. You're looking for a Console Op and a console op only as it appears from your post. Lighting Designers are expected to generate creative throughput and turn that creativity into plots, fixture schedules, and a finalized product. Programmers are expected to know the console intimately and be able to manipulate the console to bring the LD's vision to life. You may even merge the LD and LP together. But here all you want is a button-pusher.
2) Don't offer training to someone if you're looking for someone with experience; you're contradicting yourself. What you want is someone who can operate your console on a level greater than beginner, who can operate self-sufficiently. Don't hunt inexperienced folk, ESPECIALLY if you're paying.
3) Putting lighting techs in a rotation in a HoW environment is slightly foolish. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that unless you provide outstanding communication and continuity between experiences, your lighting techs will butt heads over everything from console layout and customization to the way the console is operated in service.

The best advice I can give can be summarized as the following:
Don't play the church game. The worst thing you can do is attempt to recruit a non-HoW LD/LP whilst introducing said Tech to Church Bureaucracy and ops. If you're going to recruit, and pay that recruit, then treat your venue and job like a standard gig, and be selective.

That said, good luck on finding someone!
 
I want to offer a few unsolicited tips for you here, especially as someone who has worked extensively (10 years) in HoW (Houses of Worship) and 9 years outside of it.

1) You're not looking for a lighting designer, so be cautious with your wording. You're looking for a Console Op and a console op only as it appears from your post. Lighting Designers are expected to generate creative throughput and turn that creativity into plots, fixture schedules, and a finalized product. Programmers are expected to know the console intimately and be able to manipulate the console to bring the LD's vision to life. You may even merge the LD and LP together. But here all you want is a button-pusher.
2) Don't offer training to someone if you're looking for someone with experience; you're contradicting yourself. What you want is someone who can operate your console on a level greater than beginner, who can operate self-sufficiently. Don't hunt inexperienced folk, ESPECIALLY if you're paying.
3) Putting lighting techs in a rotation in a HoW environment is slightly foolish. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that unless you provide outstanding communication and continuity between experiences, your lighting techs will butt heads over everything from console layout and customization to the way the console is operated in service.

The best advice I can give can be summarized as the following:
Don't play the church game. The worst thing you can do is attempt to recruit a non-HoW LD/LP whilst introducing said Tech to Church Bureaucracy and ops. If you're going to recruit, and pay that recruit, then treat your venue and job like a standard gig, and be selective.

That said, good luck on finding someone!

That's a little harsh IMHO.
 
That's a little harsh IMHO.

There's nothing harsh about it. I have a passion to see people succeed and I've watched countless churches fall flat on their faces from an improperly executed action plan related to theatrical/entertainment tech. Everything I stated is true-to-form advice that is COMPLETELY applicable to the HoW industry. Better I be blunt and straightforward and stop another church from getting bit by the "bad tech" (or rotten bureaucracy) bug than watch them feel the repercussions of a bad decision.

We owe it to ourselves to encourage good decision-making; I've watched enough bad to have developed uncommon sense.

FOLLOWUP: If what I'm saying is considered "harsh" then we've become overly sensitive as an industry to constructive criticism. This church is willing to pay someone (and not toss up a volunteer), and for that I want them to understand what they REALLY want, and what they should REALLY be searching for. I want them to succeed- more than could be said for many people, especially those outside HoW.
 
It wasn't what you said but the tone of your message that I found harsh. The delivery is as important as the message in determining if it's constructive, especially your presumption that at age 24 you are the authority. I hope that Enfield is not so turned off that he doesn't return. Fine line between sensitivity and politeness.
 
It wasn't what you said but the tone of your message that I found harsh. The delivery is as important as the message in determining if it's constructive, especially your presumption that at age 24 you are the authority. I hope that Enfield is not so turned off that he doesn't return. Fine line between sensitivity and politeness.
Oh to be twenty-four with so little left to learn. Is that what you're saying Bill?
Every now and again I actually meet someone in their early twenties who actually does have it all together and knows all the answers but I find they're definitely in the minority. (For that matter, many of them can't get there, their and they're straight.)
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
It wasn't what you said but the tone of your message that I found harsh. The delivery is as important as the message in determining if it's constructive, especially your presumption that at age 24 you are the authority. I hope that Enfield is not so turned off that he doesn't return. Fine line between sensitivity and politeness.

Ah "tone"... something that doesn't always come through correctly on a forum such as this! I can see that something like this written in a "just the facts/cut to the chase" format could be read as harsh when meant to be helpful.
I always try to separate the good information from tone until the thread turns into an argument - hopefully the OP has done the same!
 
Oh to be twenty-four with so little left to learn. Is that what you're saying Bill?
Every now and again I actually meet someone in their early twenties who actually does have it all together and knows all the answers but I find they're definitely in the minority. (For that matter, many of them can't get there, their and they're straight.)
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

Okay, let me clarify something. I didn't say "I'm young and top of everyone and an expert." In fact, if you read my previous postings on CB you'll see quite the opposite. HOWEVER, having personally experienced BOTH sides of the HoW battle (church + tech sides) I can say that what I'm saying is true for the majority.

Furthermore, if any veteran tech sees fit to throw me under a bus for my age, that would be negligent of them. Because of my lack of degree in the technical arts, I've had to work doubly for every hour of experience I've earned. That counts for something. I am always learning, never fully wise; and thus will always be true. But I have enough (key word) experience to weigh in on the topic at hand.
 
Ah "tone"... something that doesn't always come through correctly on a forum such as this! I can see that something like this written in a "just the facts/cut to the chase" format could be read as harsh when meant to be helpful.
I always try to separate the good information from tone until the thread turns into an argument - hopefully the OP has done the same!

May I just take a moment to say thank you? I appreciate someone (in this case, you) who understands when it is necessary to get to the nitty gritty without beating around the issue. I have no desire to argue, and only to benefit the OP.
 
Okay, let me clarify something. I didn't say "I'm young and top of everyone and an expert." In fact, if you read my previous postings on CB you'll see quite the opposite. HOWEVER, having personally experienced BOTH sides of the HoW battle (church + tech sides) I can say that what I'm saying is true for the majority.

Furthermore, if any veteran tech sees fit to throw me under a bus for my age, that would be negligent of them. Because of my lack of degree in the technical arts, I've had to work doubly for every hour of experience I've earned. That counts for something. I am always learning, never fully wise; and thus will always be true. But I have enough (key word) experience to weigh in on the topic at hand.
I'm on your side Nate and I believe I've said so. I was kicking Bill for leaping to all too common assumptions about 24 year olds.
I helped a church once and I even helped a second one. After that; fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me came into play.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
I helped a church once and I even helped a second one.

This, for some reason, made me burst out laughing (in a comedy sense, not sarcasm or belittling). Hahahaha Someone once asked me during a lighting gig "hey, have you ever changed a lamp in a Leko?" And I answered "Only once, why?" And they completely believed me and proceeded to give me a very detailed tutorial on changing a super-complicated S4 575W lamp xD
 
Hey all

I'm very grateful for all of your input, and I can see some mistakes that I made in the original post. I agree with the things that were said, and no I didn't find it rude or impolite. Very eye opening and i'm happy that I can learn from others who know and have gone through what I'm trying to learn.

When I said that we would train even though the person might have experience, I meant it in, we'll train them on our board because not many people use the Vista lighting software. I may be wrong, but that's been what I've encountered.

With all that said. How can I make the changes that were suggested? I can't seem to edit my original post.

I'm still looking for a console op.
 
PM me your contact info, I have a friend who grew up in Houston he might know some people who would be interested and qualified.
 

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