Tour Company Recommendations?
- Thread starterLighting Newb
- Start date
porkchop
Well-Known Member
4Wall has a large shop in the LA area although I'm not sure how often they send staff along with the lighting package. Felt Entertainment is always looking for technicians. Although their pay and conditions are on the low side for the industry they are a good opportunity to gain touring experience before moving on to something bigger and better. There are several other "How to get a job in the industry" threads if you search for them with more ideas.
TuckerD
Well-Known Member
There are a ton of lighting services companies in LA and around the country. It really depends on where you are or where you are willing to work.
I saw this when it was posted at 2pm yesterday but thought I better allow some time to pass before I get on my "Why not work for VER?" train. I'm a bit biased on the subject.
I work for VER in the main office and, in my opinion, I work on some pretty cool stuff. I love my job. It's a dream every day that I come to work, but what I do isn't for everyone (and what I do isn't that closely related to stage technician work either). VER in the last few years has started providing staff and manpower for some of our larger events. I'm happy to discuss, with some length, what I love about VER but I don't want to highjack this thread.
I guess, in order to more fully answer your question, I wonder what is it that you really want to be doing? Now or in a few years? Big corporate events, Live music, Major broadcast events (VMAs, Super Bowl, etc...), smaller / more intimate music festivals, staged shows, touring broadway or other major shows, studio work (TV/Flim)? It can be a very diverse industry. In a brief answer, VER and PRG both have a part in all of the above, so why NOT work for them?
There are a ton of smaller companies that also get to do some very interesting work. ANd with those smaller companies there is probably a higher likely hood that you will get to work on an interesting project most directly. Those companies also don't usually have the resources to pull HUGE events (some do*). Everything is trade offs.
Happy to discuss more.
I saw this when it was posted at 2pm yesterday but thought I better allow some time to pass before I get on my "Why not work for VER?" train. I'm a bit biased on the subject.
I work for VER in the main office and, in my opinion, I work on some pretty cool stuff. I love my job. It's a dream every day that I come to work, but what I do isn't for everyone (and what I do isn't that closely related to stage technician work either). VER in the last few years has started providing staff and manpower for some of our larger events. I'm happy to discuss, with some length, what I love about VER but I don't want to highjack this thread.
I guess, in order to more fully answer your question, I wonder what is it that you really want to be doing? Now or in a few years? Big corporate events, Live music, Major broadcast events (VMAs, Super Bowl, etc...), smaller / more intimate music festivals, staged shows, touring broadway or other major shows, studio work (TV/Flim)? It can be a very diverse industry. In a brief answer, VER and PRG both have a part in all of the above, so why NOT work for them?
There are a ton of smaller companies that also get to do some very interesting work. ANd with those smaller companies there is probably a higher likely hood that you will get to work on an interesting project most directly. Those companies also don't usually have the resources to pull HUGE events (some do*). Everything is trade offs.
Happy to discuss more.
porkchop
Well-Known Member
As a "young gun" who goes by Lighting Newb I would guess time could be better spent. It's always good to aspire to something, but sometimes you gotta know what's out of reach, for now at least.
chawalang
Well-Known Member
You can also research the companies who produce Broadway tours, take a look at the I.A.T.S.E yellow card page.
http://www.iatse.net/member-resources/yellow-card-shows
Under each show it will list General Manager, that is the producing company. some of them you can apply to directly via their website. Some of them are definitely more of a knowing a person to get your name in.
You can throw a resume their as an electrician, some of them also recruit at USITT in the spring. Being a member of an I.A.T.S.E local isn't necessary to get hired. They will file the paperwork for you to get an A.C.T I.A.T.S.E card, that is a topic for a whole other thread though.
http://www.iatse.net/member-resources/yellow-card-shows
Under each show it will list General Manager, that is the producing company. some of them you can apply to directly via their website. Some of them are definitely more of a knowing a person to get your name in.
You can throw a resume their as an electrician, some of them also recruit at USITT in the spring. Being a member of an I.A.T.S.E local isn't necessary to get hired. They will file the paperwork for you to get an A.C.T I.A.T.S.E card, that is a topic for a whole other thread though.
