The Academy Awards

[nmccoart5]

I know it's not Oscar Season, but just thinking about it gets me excited. As an up and coming person in the world of live production would anyone care to give an overview of just how the whole tech part works for an awards show of this size. I have a friend who worked with the show in 2009 but he still wasn't exactly sure how things worked. I know a Designer is hired and then other companies are hired to come in to do lighting, sound, video, production, etc...
Who actually does the act of hiring these people and who pays them for all of this crazy work which they do????? Lastly, how does one get their foot in the door with an event of such caliber?

Thanks

 

[gafftaper]

I don't know nearly as much about it as others around here, but basically to work on an award show you have to either work for the company that gets the contract to produce the gig or work for the facility which is hosting the gig.

If you want to see it done poorly find a video of this year's Tony Awards. There were endless mistakes on the tech end.

 

[Darthrob13]

If you want to see it done poorly find a video of this year's Tony Awards. There were endless mistakes on the tech end.

Although, you can't blame the techs for hitting Brett Michaels...I mean, have you seen Rock of Love?

 

[gafftaper]

Yeah but you can blame them for not turning on Elton John's mic among other terrible mistakes. It's Elton Freakin John playing the piano. He's the FIRST act in the whole show. And you forget to turn his mic on?!?!