I have a theatre background, although no formal schooling. I did the HS and community theatre and helped at our local college. I have also since HS worked in the arena/corperate stage of the business. The problem is even though we use the same equipment we tend to speak different laguages. In theatre you have MEs, Tds and A1/A2s. In the concert/corporate world you have LDs, House engineers and other similar jobs.
I remember years ago I did a small kids theatre production in my arena. It was a Sesame Street type show associated with a TV show but at no where near the professional level SS is. Anyway it was the first time I heard the term Master Electrician. The girl in charge of lights came in and introduced herself as the ME. The problem was they had rented a R/R company to bring in a 60K par rig, some additional trusses and stacks and racks for the sound company. She didn't have a clue including not knowing why her board wouldn't bring up anything, no softpatch. The lighting guy assumed that saying she was the Master Electrician was arrogance, so he was completely unwilling to help her when she got in trouble trying to get her gear running, but instead was simply announcing her position.
Last year I advanced a theatre tour coming into my arena and she said it was a ten point show. My boss was on the phone also and it was quickly obvious that he only speaks arena and she spoke theatre. I had to interpret and finally came up with that it was a forty point show.
I just never understood why the disconnect between the two areas of the business. I won't even bring in the TV/movie difference in language. I guess there is no real point to this except to note that there is a huge disconnect between the different areas of our business.
I remember years ago I did a small kids theatre production in my arena. It was a Sesame Street type show associated with a TV show but at no where near the professional level SS is. Anyway it was the first time I heard the term Master Electrician. The girl in charge of lights came in and introduced herself as the ME. The problem was they had rented a R/R company to bring in a 60K par rig, some additional trusses and stacks and racks for the sound company. She didn't have a clue including not knowing why her board wouldn't bring up anything, no softpatch. The lighting guy assumed that saying she was the Master Electrician was arrogance, so he was completely unwilling to help her when she got in trouble trying to get her gear running, but instead was simply announcing her position.
Last year I advanced a theatre tour coming into my arena and she said it was a ten point show. My boss was on the phone also and it was quickly obvious that he only speaks arena and she spoke theatre. I had to interpret and finally came up with that it was a forty point show.
I just never understood why the disconnect between the two areas of the business. I won't even bring in the TV/movie difference in language. I guess there is no real point to this except to note that there is a huge disconnect between the different areas of our business.
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