Portfolio Review Advice

[LXPlot]

Okay, so this has had one or two specific threads before, but I feel like I could still benefit from getting some more advice.

I have a portfolio review later this week. The basis of this is that I'm trying out for an all state theatre production to work as the lighting designer, and I need to complete a 5 minute portfolio review for them in order to get the job. I've talked with several people who have been accepted for major positions in the past, and from what they said, it seems to be, "You have five minutes, use your portfolio and your person and prove to us that you're good for the position, and Go.:"

Personally, I was wondering if anyone else has been in a similar position, and what they recommend as important for the interview (E.G. what should I dedicate those five minutes towards?) Obviously, I plan on being well dressed and talking like a civilized person, but beyond that I'm not sure what I can do.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Since your apply for a specific thing, with your portfolio make sure you show things that show you're good at what you're apply for, and don't waste your limited time on irrelevant things.

Also I would take some time to show your understanding of the process and knowledge that you're playing an important part in telling the story of the play, and not just "making it look cool".

Be confident, but not cocky.

Good luck!

 

[chausman]

Try recording yourself talk, then you can make sure you are using your full 5 minutes, and can avoid saying things like "umm" and "you know". Things that waste time and don't add anything. If you have video, you can also make sure you don't do things like shuffle your feet and play with your hands that can be distracting.

Good Luck!

 

[Jimbo]

No matter how long or short your interview is going to be, odds are you wont be able to talk about all of the things you want to. Try to look at the process from your interviewers perspective and think about what, in their minds, makes the perfect candidate. Even after you do get a LD position, most people who go to production meetings really don’t have a full fledged idea as to what the show is going to look like from a lighting standpoint. They see your plot (which no one there will understand) and a concept but there is very rarely a computer rendering of what the director will see on stage. This is why trust is extremely important during the entire process, and that process begins with the interview. Make them confident that you are the right choice by being confident in yourself.

Many people dread interviews, but I find that If tap into what makes me passionate about theatre, I can speak more eloquently about my work, how excited I am to get the opportunity to work on a production, how driven I am to realize my artistic vision, and this often helps settles the nerves. If this is position is regarded by the company as an educational opportunity, express how much you love to learn.

As a guideline for what to talk about (again, not much you can cover in 5 min):
- Introduction (while you hand out resumes)
- General overview of your experience
- Highlight one (maybe two) shows you’re proud of
- If you know what the show is or what the scale of the production is, let them know that you’ve done research
on their organization

Depending on the size or type of portfolio you have, you can pass it around after you’ve finished talking to let them get a closer look at your work and some of the things you might not have been able to talk about, as well as answer any questions.

Some Don’ts:
-Don’t apologize for anything (condition of portfolio, resume, lack of info)
-Don’t come off cocky
-Don’t be nervous

Do’s:
-Have enough resumes
-Be confident/casual. If you want to be a member of a creative team you need to see these people as coworkers.
-Have a clean portfolio that includes paperwork (show the process of your designs)
-Dress for the job you want. As a TD I don’t wear suits to interviews because I want to show I can get my hands
dirty (that’s not to say I don’t dress nicely)
-I wouldn’t normally recommend sticking newspaper clippings of reviews in a portfolio after high school but you
could get away with it.


Good Luck!