I joined months ago, but I didn't know about the 'new member' post tradition.
I'm an undergrad at Reed College, majoring in economics.
When I was little I always watched the sound guy at concerts, tried to get a glimpse into the lighting booth. Before I had any actual experience I read a lot on the internet.
In high school I did bizarre designs with dust-filled Altman 360Qs, replaced fuses on NSI dimmers, bought a pair of Source 4 Jrs with different beam angles, lost a gobo inside a Shakespeare Zoom, 'fixed' a radioshack amplifier by hitting it with a hammer, overloaded 15A circuits, snuck into the booth at the community theater to play around with their Express, made lighting 'positions' out of two-by-fours and wooden curtain rods, did a sound 'design' that involved three different orchestra hit samples, etc.
Then I went to college and actually began learning how to design lights and sound, not just how things worked. I also began to learn live sound in practice, not just theory. I now manage a group that provides sound and light for student-organized events (we've got a lot of good sound gear, some mediocre lighting gear, and a beautiful, but acoustically, electrically, and practically difficult space).
Since then, I've designed lighting for one play, sound for two, worked in a scene shop, got a job as master electrician, mixed at least fifty live bands, rented VL2500s and pre-visualized and pre-programmed for Hog3, busked on an Express, attended light hangs at many different local theaters.
I've seen someone nearly die while setting up sound for the Rose Festival (rain caused the roof to collapse, which broke a hole in the stage right where the guy was standing) and I've done sound at the Oregon Country Fair.
Honestly, I don't know what my career path is going to be. But I love designing, mixing, busking, and working within the constraints of a budget and space. I hope to work on a tour (if only once...). Will I get tired of the low pay and stressful lifestyle associated with sound and lighting (if, indeed, it is NECESSARILY associated)? The only way to find out is to work more shows.
If you are in Portland I'd be especially interested to hear from you.
I'm an undergrad at Reed College, majoring in economics.
When I was little I always watched the sound guy at concerts, tried to get a glimpse into the lighting booth. Before I had any actual experience I read a lot on the internet.
In high school I did bizarre designs with dust-filled Altman 360Qs, replaced fuses on NSI dimmers, bought a pair of Source 4 Jrs with different beam angles, lost a gobo inside a Shakespeare Zoom, 'fixed' a radioshack amplifier by hitting it with a hammer, overloaded 15A circuits, snuck into the booth at the community theater to play around with their Express, made lighting 'positions' out of two-by-fours and wooden curtain rods, did a sound 'design' that involved three different orchestra hit samples, etc.
Then I went to college and actually began learning how to design lights and sound, not just how things worked. I also began to learn live sound in practice, not just theory. I now manage a group that provides sound and light for student-organized events (we've got a lot of good sound gear, some mediocre lighting gear, and a beautiful, but acoustically, electrically, and practically difficult space).
Since then, I've designed lighting for one play, sound for two, worked in a scene shop, got a job as master electrician, mixed at least fifty live bands, rented VL2500s and pre-visualized and pre-programmed for Hog3, busked on an Express, attended light hangs at many different local theaters.
I've seen someone nearly die while setting up sound for the Rose Festival (rain caused the roof to collapse, which broke a hole in the stage right where the guy was standing) and I've done sound at the Oregon Country Fair.
Honestly, I don't know what my career path is going to be. But I love designing, mixing, busking, and working within the constraints of a budget and space. I hope to work on a tour (if only once...). Will I get tired of the low pay and stressful lifestyle associated with sound and lighting (if, indeed, it is NECESSARILY associated)? The only way to find out is to work more shows.
If you are in Portland I'd be especially interested to hear from you.
