Breaking into corporate/event design

[SalvatoreDelorean]

I'm an early-career LD in my 20s. I've been designing and assisting pretty regularly in the fringe and mid-size regional theatre worlds for a few years now, but I'm hoping to get my foot in the door in the corporate/events/production world. It's an industry I know comparatively little about, and I'm trying to figure out how to make contacts and find an in. Do event production companies typically hire freelancers or have staff designers on payroll? Does it make more sense to start from the ground up with a production company or approach designers about assisting? Is it more common for designers to come up in the events world, or become established as theatrical.concert LDs and making the switch? What is assisting like in the corporate events world? Is there a lower tier of production companies with smaller budgets and lower stakes?

Thanks! Any information or insight from someone in the biz is massively appreciated.

 

[chawalang]

I have been an LD/ Head electrician on corporate gigs for over ten years. Currently I work through my home local with companies like Freeman Co. and PSAV in those positions. A lot of companies will hire through the local I.A.T.S.E hall or hire their own freelancers to do this kind of work. It kind of depends on the market in your city. Seeing that you are from Seattle it could go either way. If the stagehands union in your city doesn't have people who can do corporate gigs then you may be better off approaching these companies on your own. I can tell you as a union member where I am from they pay way less for someone who they hire as oppose to going through the hall. Things may be different in Washington.

the way the industry is going when the dust settles there will be two primary corporate event companies, Freeman Co. and PSAV.

Every company is different, for example when I work with Freeman Co. 90% of the gigs I do are head electrician jobs. They have their own staff lighting designers, if they get swamped they will bring me in to LD a show. PSAV for example does not have any staff lighting designers, when I work for them I am always the LD. Mainly because they don't pay enough to hire people with that skill set, thats a whole other discussion.

I have worked with designers who only ever step into ballrooms and convention centers and have never gone into a theatre. Not only that they don't want to go into a theatre. Its a personality thing and the fact that there is A LOT of money in corporate work with less time commitment.

As far as an LD coming from one world to another, I personally think thats a flawed way of thinking, just my opinion. If you are an LD you should be able to design a play, musical, corporate event, rock and roll, opera and so on. It is a smart way to look at things so you have more options for work.

Assisting is pretty much the same all around, you still have to get everything loaded in and done, doesn't mater if your in an arena, theatre, ballroom, convention center or a festival stage.

In my opinion look at doing corporate shows and touring. In my career I feel the two most challenging things I have done are those two things. In both of those situations you walk in and you have to make it work, nothing is pre installed like in a theatre, they both require a lot of critical thinking. it is a really good challenge to grow.

I hope that helps.

 

[de27192]

Out of interest, what drives you to get into corporate?

As a freelancer I have been doing corporate gigs for about 7 years and personally it is my least favourite type of 'show'.

"We are the willing, led by the unknowing, to do the impossible, for the ungrateful".

 

[kicknargel]

In addition to the biggies, every city with a meetings industry is going to have a range of smaller, independent AV companies. They may have an LD on staff or they may not. They certainly supplement their staff with freelancers. Check listings with your convention/visitors' bureau or Meeting Planners International, and make the rounds with your resume.

I'm a similar kind of company, except for scenery. We collect and file resumes, then when we get the inevitable busy period, we start calling people in. The ones we like get called back more frequently, and occasional get on staff.

 

[WorldwidelLaserLightShow]

Networking with the IATSE local unions will be helpful and networking with the local event planners / coordinators is a great start. It's who you know and who you meet. Been doing worldwide productions for over 18 years and corporate always has a strong demand. Wishing you all the best !!