Would you hire him?

Derek told me a while back that he used to work on one of the free shows that runs 4 or 5 times a night on the Vegas Strip. Apparently it gets old after a few years... who would have thought.

On the other hand if you stick with it and work your way up, you might get to work somewhere like his current position. Every week he gets to work with some of the top names in entertainment and talk about variety the schedule is always changing: Music, Comedy, Magic, Sports... that's a pretty cool gig. Although I'm sure there were a lot of years of pain getting there.
 
Talking about long runs. I used to know a couple of guys who worked on "The Mousetrap" in London. That has been running for nearly 50 years. Frightening isn't it.
 
actually it really is, i take it that got bored of it

and think of the cast, i know nothing about the production or the show but............assuming it's like most

"think of the nice 20yr girl who started playing the role and is now much older than she should be"
 
the question is now, would you hire me

WITH MY NEW GREAT TAG LINE, check it
i came up with it myself, although it's true. it's not the 70's i got the idea after reading a CX magazine about the editor who would lose part of his crew because their car (or pickup) drove off the road killing them. now im not looking for stories about crew nightmares i just want you to bask in my greatness.......:) i wish
 
There are 2 worlds out there, one is the state, government, academic world where having a qualification will help get you in and climb the bureaucratic ladder.The other is the commercial world where ability to do the job is the only criteria.The ability to stick out a 3 year course and pass the tests does not often translate into a good worker.In practice you are only going to learn on the job with long days and nights under extreme pressure, long travel times,temperamental actors and directors and pedantic venue management are a real test which combined with real hard physical work will mean that only a small percentage carry on in the business.The lighting designer who just turns up to plot the show is for the big shows, the reality of most tours is that you are the truck driver, rigger, focuser, plotter, set builder and babysitter{actors} Now being a masochist I love the challenge, but it is not for most people, especially family people.
 
Hughesie89, if you get yourself to Las Vegas with the proper documentation and work visas, etc., I will guarantee you an interview with the right people at Cirque du Soleil, Permanent Shows Division, Las Vegas. Sorry, offer not valid in all fifty states. Kids, get your parent's permission before calling. All items subject to prior sale. On Approved Credit. Cash value 1/20 of 1¢. Some of our contestants today will receive Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.
 
why do i get the feeling your taking to mickey out of me

"it would be nice, but american work visa's don't magicly appear"
 
ME TOO ME TOO!! I like Rice Pilaf!

Hey I've got it!

SteveTerry and Kelite forget the Apollo gum, EOS coffee mugs, and all the other swag you've seen at the trade shows... imagine ETC-a-Roni! No? What about Apollo Ramen?
 
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I know someone who's going off in a few weeks to do sound for one of Cirque du Soleil's new shows that they're opening in Macau. His mate is also going to be a followspot operator. They're both 20ish, and I can say from talking to them that education hasn't been the main deciding factor for their employment, but experience. It's all about who you know and what you can do, not so much what theory you've sat and learned in a classroom.

Obviously you want people to have learned some basic first aid, OH&S, a bit of the theory behind how all the gear they're using works; but at the end of the day it's going to be about how many shows you've worked on and the reputation and skillset you've built up from that.
 
yeah true but a certifcication puts you ahead of a lot of other people on paper, expriance can't be verfied
 
Horse hockey.
That's what references are for.

A good reference from the right person to an "old friend" is going to get you the job every time. Like I posted a recently. I've got a former student who is now making decent money as a production manager, because I called someone and said, "you should hire this guy". He never applied for the job, he got no training to prepare him for the job other than what I taught him in high school. The only reason he has that job today is he was a hard worker and I made a phone call to help him out. That kind of thing happens EVERY DAY in this industry.

I bet 75% of the people who get hired in this industry in the end got the job because of a reference from a known acquaintance of the person doing the hiring or they get promoted from within because of their hard work at the theater. You are only going to get a job from a blind application if there is no one in house who can do the job and no one with a respected reference applies.

Again, getting certified is a great idea because it teaches you all the basic skills. I like that idea. But it's not your golden ticket to getting a job over someone who is working building experience and a reputation. SO, the smart person (like you) would work on getting certified AND do all the tech work they can at the same time, paid or not.
 
I wasn't sure where you were going with that one but I agree with the final sentence. Get the certificate but also do the ground work, get the experience and do the networking. If you blag your way in with the gift of the gab only you will be found out eventually but if the base is there you will survive,
 
There are some other skills which can give you an edge, for example a riggers ticket, a forklift ticket and basic plug fitting/testing tickets and elevated work platform ticket or the equivalent will make you so much more useful than a graduate in theatre arts.And if it gets you in you have the chance to move through the ranks if you're any good.
 
There are some other skills which can give you an edge, for example a riggers ticket, a forklift ticket and basic plug fitting/testing tickets and elevated work platform ticket or the equivalent will make you so much more useful than a graduate in theatre arts.And if it gets you in you have the chance to move through the ranks if you're any good.

Great point. There's a difference because these are specific pieces of training you can't just pick up along the way by working in a theater. They are also skills that will help you a lot in the real world.
 
In Australia Test and Tag wouldn't hurt either.
 
the course i want to do
includes a EWP Certificate (anything below 11m)
and tag and test licence

so it's pretty good already
 
I did my EWP Certificate test, and passed with flying colours, but I got my test back saying "Competent but under 18" which sucked since it was the first year the under 18 year old bit came in... apparently. :(
 
oh that sucks, but you can see why they did it.
anyway
ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats it's time for an update

I have been speaking with my schools career person and he feels that i should complete my yr11 and 12 studies, which means that i would have to put off my degree for another year (starting it in 2009, rather than 2008)
but what he has suggested is some work placement at a sound company (work experience to people would know it as) which i think is a step forward to at least getting some contacts and it's something to put on my resume as i can say i got paid for it which i will (minimum 5dollars a day, to cover insurance, if you get paid you work for the company so you a covered by insurance :)) so even if i am rolling cables or something i really don't mind as everything is a step forward. besides on sunday i get to sink my teeth into a sound supervision role for my school teaching a new kid how to operate 16ch desk with a eq system....yes my life is boring but it gives me something to look forward to.
 

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