SM Student Looking for Advice

[jbreezy]

[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]I'm a BFA theatre student focusing in stage management. Currently, I am working at the a LORT theatre as a production assistant for the summer. Due to a clerical error, my student loans aren't going through, so I cannot reenroll in school this year. I'm looking for an paid internship/fellowship for the 2013-14 season. I'm submitting my résumé to LORT and other theatres, including those I have found through offstagejobs.com, but is there other advice that anyone out there has to offer? Thank you in advance.
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[DaveySimps]

I moved this thread to the Education and Carreer Development Forum so it is posted in the proper place.

Most LORT and other regional theatres staff for their internships in the spring, so you are a bit late to the game for a lot of organizations. Don't discount working your contacts at your current position as much as possible, as well as the staff and faculty at your school. They know you the best, and can possibly point you in the right direction.

Good Luck!

~Dave

 

[chawalang]

Cruise Ships, are you strictly an SM or do you do production work? You may want to try going to the local hall for over hire work. Look also at possible opportunities with local production companies, corporate events.

 

[ruinexplorer]

I was surprised at how the AV industry helped my career. I looked down on it when I was working in theater, but when I did have to find work and tried it out, I found quite a few more opportunities open up. I also found that many people had good starts to their careers by working the cruise ship industry as well as working for Feld Entertainment.

 

[jbreezy]

Cruise Ships, are you strictly an SM or do you do production work? You may want to try going to the local hall for over hire work. Look also at possible opportunities with local production companies, corporate events.

I have attempted to search cruise ships and how their hiring works, but I have only managed to find information for Norwegian and Disney, neither of which have openings. I also do production work. I actually do overhire work for local production crews, but none are looking for full-time.

 

[jbreezy]

I was surprised at how the AV industry helped my career. I looked down on it when I was working in theater, but when I did have to find work and tried it out, I found quite a few more opportunities open up. I also found that many people had good starts to their careers by working the cruise ship industry as well as working for Feld Entertainment.

My biggest issue is my lack of qualification in that area. I am working on experience and knowledge, but my school's not the greatest at teaching modern technology, as I have found doring my current internship.

 

[chawalang]

Umm two things, well actually four.


1. Your issue with lack of qualifictation in that area should not be a cause for concern, I don't know what your experience is but don't be concerned with getting the head gig when look at stuff. Your only going to get some much out of an undergrad then you'll build on it in practical work.


2. Most schools are not the greatest at teaching modern technology so your not unique in that aspect, again something you can build on.


3. Are you looking at Cruise ships strictly as an SM? If so your very limited to my knowledge only Disney, NCL and Royal employe SM's in a traditional theatrical role. Look at the production jobs as well on every cruise ship company.


4. You will probably not find full time work with most non union production companies, they have their staff and when it gets busy they get their over hire non full time staff in there for work. Thats how a majority of the production houses work.

 

[jbreezy]

I am open to anything. I just happen to have the most experience in stage management and on that side of things.

 

[ruinexplorer]

My biggest issue is my lack of qualification in that area. I am working on experience and knowledge, but my school's not the greatest at teaching modern technology, as I have found doring my current internship.

If you get in with one of the big hotel AV companies, such as American AV, then the entry position will expect that you will need to learn certain skills and will pay accordingly. You will start with a lot of single screen, single projector set-ups with minor sound re-inforcement (lecturn microphone or audio playback). This is for the break-out rooms. As your manager sees you getting better with that, they will have you assist more with the general sessions with greater complexity. Eventually, you will work your way up to teching the general sessions in various capacities and will on occasion manage a client all the way through. A lot will depend on your drive. You also may need to switch properties or companies as you gain experience. What impressed me is that I gained a wider variety of skills working in AV than I did working as a house technician in several road houses.