The job market in...

[Swingaxle]

First of all, I do apologize if I have posted this topic in the wrong forum.

I am now completing my last year of university training in Lighting Design, and seek some advice. I have lived my current city for my entire life and am looking to move from here as soon as possible. I have begun to look at possible destinations that I would enjoy living, but beyond what I have been able to surmise on Google, I have little information about employment opportunities in the following locations:

Portland, Oregon
Seattle, Washington
Austin, Texas
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Phoenix, Arizona

Keep in mind when responding that I currently have no plans to join IATSE, no offense intended, I just prefer the environments that are not as structured. I am specifically wondering what experience freelancers and specifically non-IATSE members have had in those cities. I already experience outside of College, and have been active in most of the non-union houses in the city, mostly as an electrician, and occasionally as a designer. I spend an equal amount of time in theatre, concerts, and large events. I work for a small rental company as their primary lighting tech/designer and love that kind of work.

Abundance and type of work are not my issue, I have just lived in Pittsburgh my entire life and am looking to leave, seeing as how everyone I know becomes stuck here forever.

Thank you for your time!

 

[DuckJordan]

I know Minneapolis is a tough place for anyone to get a job, specially in the tech realm, although have you talked with someone from the guthrie? they might be hiring with how many productions they tend to put on a year. Portland, and Seattle is seeing a rise in live entertainment but i'm unsure of how the job market is... I have friend moving there in October i can talk with him and find out what they have going there.

 

[ruinexplorer]

I moved away from Phoenix just shy of three years ago and worked in the industry there both union and non-union. "Good" wages are around $30,000/year. The best money is in the AV market. Rhino is the main employer of non-union stagehands for concerts, sports, arena, and non-union theater. Many venues have their own overhire lists and most stagehands must work for multiple employers to make ends meat. Theater pays ~$10-15/hour non-union and ~$17-$20/hour union. AV pays ~$14-$19/hour non-union and ~$20-$25/hour union.

 

[Swingaxle]

I know Minneapolis is a tough place for anyone to get a job, specially in the tech realm, although have you talked with someone from the guthrie? they might be hiring with how many productions they tend to put on a year. Portland, and Seattle is seeing a rise in live entertainment but i'm unsure of how the job market is... I have friend moving there in October i can talk with him and find out what they have going there.

That would be excellent to have the opinion of someone who is making the transition. If you can get me in contact with him at some point in the near future to figure out who is good to apply to and the process he is following, that would be fantastic.

 

[josh88]

I was just in Seattle in... April? I think it was and was asking around folks I knew there and trying to gauge things and it looked like there wasn't a whole lot open on the tech side. The Shakespeare company there was pretty active with a lot of tech going on and I think they were looking for some stagehand types at the time, Also their children's theatre seemed pretty active, both of those were at Seattle Center right under the space needle, other than that there didn't seem to be much available.

Also have a friend currently working in Phoenix and along with what Ruin said he didn't seem to have too hard of a time finding two jobs there, he's TD for a real small place and I believe working with the opera out there in some capacity as well.

 

[gafftaper]

We have a great theater scene here in Seattle. It'll take time, but if you are good you'll find work. The Seattle Children's Theater, the Seattle Rep, Seattle Opera, and Pacific Northwest Ballet are all big organizations with a lot going on. From there there's a lot of moderately larged size theaters like Intiman, ACT, and Village theater. Seattle Shakes is a little smaller organization than Josh's impression above, but they still have a lot going on. Then there are Dozens, if not hundreds of medium sized semi-pro and small community theaters. We've got multiple concert venues and convention centers that need trade show lighting too. It also isn't that far to cruise down to Portland or even Ashland for summer stock work.

The economy is a little more isolated here from other parts of the country (propped up by Microsoft and Boeing). So theaters are still in business... their budgets are down and times are lean, but definitely not as bad as some parts of the country.

Take a look at TPS for the latest on work in the Seattle area.

All that said I generally tell my students they can piece together a good living here, but if they want the big time they need to move to LA, Vegas, Chicago, or New York. Is there a reason you aren't considering the big four locations?

and Footer has a really important point to make that you should listen to...

 

[Footer]

You are setting yourself up for failure by selecting a city to move to before you have a job. I have done two job searches in the last 3 years, if I limited myself to a city I still wouldn't have a job. In this world you really just have to go where the work is. It is very hard to break into a new market. Also all of the markets you mentioned are extremely expensive to live in. if you are not making at least 3k a month or you aren't going to be surviving, let alone paying off student loans etc.

Take a look at artsearch and backstagejobs.com. That should give you an idea of the market in those areas as well as the rest of the country. Once again though, I highly suggest you find work first then move.

sent from my HTC Incredible

 

[bishopthomas]

I will second what Footer said. I moved to Nashville around a year and a half ago with the thought of "finding work." My wife took a sales position within her company so we decided to give it a shot. Now I'm stuck traveling back and forth between Nashville and New Jersey because NJ is where my work is (at a sweet 16 party right now, actually). I spend the majority of my time away from my wife and we are now looking at moving to Philadelphia as soon as she finds a job (anyone know of any sales positions open, especially in the pharmaceutical field, please let me know). All of this is to reiterate Footer's point to find the job then move. I have found Nashville to be a hard place to break into. I'm sure I could make it happen with enough time (and commitment; it's hard to focus on it when I'm away so much), but starting over is extremely difficult. Good luck in your transition. I've never been to Pittsburgh, but everyone I know from there seems to share your sentiment.

 

[Footer]

I will second what Footer said. I moved to Nashville around a year and a half ago with the thought of "finding work." My wife took a sales position within her company so we decided to give it a shot. Now I'm stuck traveling back and forth between Nashville and New Jersey because NJ is where my work is (at a sweet 16 party right now, actually). I spend the majority of my time away from my wife and we are now looking at moving to Philadelphia as soon as she finds a job (anyone know of any sales positions open, especially in the pharmaceutical field, please let me know). All of this is to reiterate Footer's point to find the job then move. I have found Nashville to be a hard place to break into. I'm sure I could make it happen with enough time (and commitment; it's hard to focus on it when I'm away so much), but starting over is extremely difficult. Good luck in your transition. I've never been to Pittsburgh, but everyone I know from there seems to share your sentiment.

I have actually found that in the larger markets it is much harder to actually find work. New York, Chicago, LA, Nashville, Seattle, San Fran, and Atlanta are all places people move to find work. There is a good amount of work in those towns but those positions are usually filled and their is a list of people waiting to fill those positions if someone leaves. I spent a year in Atlanta working at a job I moved their for. My wife could not find any decent gigs that actually wanted to pay her. I left my position, found the one I have now and moved. Within 3 weeks after moving to the capital region of NY she picked up the gig she has now (Lighting Director at a 2 venue road house). We have picked up more freelance work here then we can handle. Because it is a small market everyone knows everyone and its easy to get gigs. Competent people are in demand. In the larger markets usually there is 3 or 4 people for every one job and breaking into the positions is hard.

 

[Charc]

Which university are you graduating from in Pittsburgh? You may have a good group of Alumni to draw on for work. Talk to your professors and peers, find out what connections they have. And follow Footer's advice, go to where the work is.

I am guessing one'll get the "locked in" sense in other cities too. When freelancing locally, it can be hard to feel like you've made connections beyond those down the block. But Pittsburgh certainly has a legit scene (And Philly does too, bishopthomas!), so you can always stick around town while you're waiting for gigs in other cities to come up.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

If you have a gig you like now, why risk moving to something you would enjoy less? Lemme tell ya what, ripping your life up to move somewhere else for a job you might not enjoy as much is a big risk, especially if you are moving alone and don't know anyone in the new city.

But if you want to move, put out some feelers that you are looking to relocate and bide your time, when you find an opportunity you think is worth while jump on it. Having just moved, I can say it is very difficult, even if you have a gig waiting for you. I couldn't imagine if I had done it with nothing lined up.

 

[Footer]

Having just moved, I can say it is very difficult, even if you have a gig waiting for you. I couldn't imagine if I had done it with nothing lined up.

Yup, it ain't cheap. A 500 mile move can cost you 2k before you are all said and done. I have done a 1200 mile move and that was no fun at all. Added to that is deposit on a new apt, finding a new apt, utility turn on fees, and buying the random crap you need for a new place. If you don't have money coming in quick, your going to have credit card bills that will be nearly impossible to get out from under. Even with a gig lined up, you can still get hit pretty hard. If you get the company to pay moving expenses or at least help with moving expenses that will help but your still going to be in the hole. If you don't have a gig, your going to have to eat all moving expenses. If you don't have at least 5k sitting in the bank that you are OK with spending in 1 month, don't even consider it.