High School Master Class

[bobgaggle]

So my high school drama teacher sister has asked me to come in a do a "master" class for her tech theater class. I'm down with that. Now, what to talk about. I build scenery and draft stuff to make money, I was a tech director at a small producing theater company for a few years and now I'm foreman at an independent scene shop. So, I could go in there and explain what I do and how to build things, but that seems kind of boring. So, I'm looking for talking points.

-Maybe I could talk about the relevance of all the stupid classes you hate and how you might actually use stuff that, "I'm never gonna use this in real life"

-Maybe talk about how pursuing a career in live entertainment can actually provide you with a living wage, if you know what to look for and have marketable skills.

-Maybe harp on paying attention to emerging technologies. Her school is brand new and has a whole "maker" lab with a 3d printer and little x carve type machines. Their tech ed teacher also runs an AutoCAD and Inventor class.

-I think I'll definitely have a "things you don't need to worry about" segment. Like, it doesn't matter where you go to college, you might not even need to pursue a 4 year degree. (side note, where she teaches has a high number of Indian immigrants, so there's a big culture of "you get straight A's so you can go to a good school and become a doctor")

OR, is this all the kind of stuff that makes a high school kid's eyes glaze over? Maybe they really just want to learn how to build a curved flat or how to make their rolling platform not zig zag around the stage like a shopping cart with a bad wheel?

 

[TheaterEd]

Any chance that they can come to you? They definitely retain more when they are out of their element, and it would be awesome to see a shop that exists only to build scenery.

 

[bobgaggle]

Any chance that they can come to you? They definitely retain more when they are out of their element, and it would be awesome to see a shop that exists only to build scenery.

That would be cool, but I'm out of state. 2.5 hour drive...

 

[bobgaggle]

I'm gonna bump this. The day is approaching and I haven't figured out what I want to talk about... Any high school teachers, what are your kids interested in?

 

[Amiers]

Things that blow up are always a good way to start it off.

Build a mini rock show. If you want to keep their attention. And then try to slide some knowledgeable things in between. Staging, Rigging, Scenic, Lights, Sound, Video.

Hell they got a 3D printer use it. As you are talking about each thing of the rock show have that printer chugging away making parts of the show.

You talk about build a broadway flat and those kids are gonna be Krispy Kreams in 10 seconds flat... eh eh.

Not a teacher. Hated school. Loved to be entertained.

 

[ruinexplorer]

Definitely talk about working in entertainment without directly working shows. We need the people who work rental staging. We need those in manufacturing. Both can get you on shows from time to time.

 

[seanandkate]

-Maybe I could talk about the relevance of all the stupid classes you hate and how you might actually use stuff that, "I'm never gonna use this in real life"

-Maybe talk about how pursuing a career in live entertainment can actually provide you with a living wage, if you know what to look for and have marketable skills.

-Maybe harp on paying attention to emerging technologies. Her school is brand new and has a whole "maker" lab with a 3d printer and little x carve type machines. Their tech ed teacher also runs an AutoCAD and Inventor class.

-I think I'll definitely have a "things you don't need to worry about" segment. Like, it doesn't matter where you go to college, you might not even need to pursue a 4 year degree. (side note, where she teaches has a high number of Indian immigrants, so there's a big culture of "you get straight A's so you can go to a good school and become a doctor")

What if you talked about all of this stuff, but gave it a frame:

This is my high school / college background. This is what I was taught. This is what I actually do. Here's what I could apply from what I was taught. Here's what I wished I had known. Now, let me show you how this worked in a show I built... Then use pictures and stories to solidify your points. You might even ask the students to prepare questions for you. Students love to hear theatre stories, and people who aren't teachers have way more "street cred" in my experience. This is all premised on this not being a hands-on master class, and rather a show-and-tell master class.

 

[Ancient Engineer]

Any Master class should include how the judicious use of technology can advance the story.

And how it can hold the story back through non-judicious use...

 

[lwinters630]

It's high school. . . . Less talk. more hands on. They do not usually know how to:
read a tape measure.
cut with chop saw, safely. Have them mark a line on 2x4, then cut it. They will rember it.

....... using a paint brush. Don't stick the whole brush in. Roll on without streaks. Paint bricks or wood planks, wet blend with rosco.

How to use Fly rail. Call out commands . If Master class, maybe a simple rigging, crimping, fly a wall. Even build the wall.

How to hang lights, safety cable, gel, aim. 3 point, back light, gobos. Things like that.

Tool use. lay out a dozen tools. Ask who can demonstrate it. Run 5 different stations that they rotate through to keep all of them active.

Let them talk a lot.