Am I being unreasonable?

[jexjexjex]

... without getting involved and getting information?

 

4 weeks to go untill one of the bigger local groups puts their show on.

 

They haven't 'officially' asked me if I'll light their show.

It's been mused about in conversation and I keep saying "Drop me a line or an email to confirm it, just so I don't double book myself..." and it's never appeared.

 

I haven't been given a script.

How can I produce an outline LX plot for discussion with the director if I don't have one?

 

Apparently, the director is asking for all sorts of lighting (Catwalk into the audience - em, lit from where since the FOH is in a trough in the ceiling). Also, nobody's said that there's a hire budget (Obviously nought geting hired in then?)

 

There's been a technical meeting, but I wasn't invited.

The SM called me and told me that she had to keep giving a standard answer of "If Joe's doing the lighting, why aren't you asking him that?"

 

Normally, I'd make requests for this type of information in my reply to their confirmation letter/email. I do for other groups that I work with and it's never been a problem.

 

It's one of my mates that normally lights for this group. He's done it for years and is as laid back as they come. Maybe that's the problem?

 

Still, he's retired and things they are a changin', but someone please tell me that I'm not the only one that has this type of problem?

 

Joe

 

(Rant officially over. Mods, please feel free to move this to a more relevant thread if you think it's necessary.)

[dbuckley]

You have my sympathies.

 

Here in New Zealand there is this national attitude - "She'll be right". Shows are usually munged together at the last minute. The cocept of "planning and preperation prevents p*ss poor peformance" is alien round here.

 

Saturday is getin for the most difficult show ever done by the largest group with the biggest reputation and audience around these parts, they do one big show a year. I'm kind of involved, I gatecrashed one production meeting, had some input on the lighting kit that will be hired (which, for budgetary reasons was ignored, so we've got what the budget allows in cans not fresnels...), I've yet to see the show, and doubt I will before we rig.

 

Some days, it doesnt matter how much you want to do it right, it just cant happen. I'm now very old, and just do what I can do, and find that life is more pleasent without all that blood streaming from my head as a result of constatntly banging said head against brick walls.

 

As has been said before around here, the joys of amateur theatre.

 

Am I jaded or what

[paulears]

Well, if you think they will come to you at the last moment, and you do want to do it - why not 'arrange' another job, that you can cancel, but it will cost them - either a few quid (I'm assuming the job would normally be for free) - maybe expenses to get you from where you were planning to be, to the venue - not unreasonable.

 

The reality, as I think you already know, is that they are just going to use your good nature to jump in and make the best of a bad job. No doubt they wouldn't know good lighting from bad. Not really a design - more of just a refocus and colour of whatever is already up. best of luck - I wish it wasn;t common - at this level, it is. I delivered some essential kit to a venue, while I was there, the next amateur group in were also there, fiddling around. They haven't thought about sound, and what I've put in is what they need - they just haven't thought. At some stage, they may well suddenly realise and call me up - but somehow I doubt it. Last time, it was when I turned up to collect it, that I was asked to leave it for an extra week. Daft!

[Mr.Si]

It happens with doing sound aswell.

 

I did it with all my gear for a 4 day camp last year and they wanted me to do it this year too, well engineer anyway. But I had to bring up the subject for one of the organisers to say "oh we've got a meeting on monday, if you're able to come" type thing. (My main worry was them getting a pants gennie).

 

Last year they were going to try and run the whole site from a "supposedly" 32A ceeform outlet. Well, I was a little dubious, but turned on my mixer and tripped out the system. :( Turned out that it was a 32A ceeform outlet, but wired to a 10A breaker. And they were gonna run catering, site lighting and the main marquee from this?

 

I can sympathise and empathise with you too JexJexJex.

[Silver_Rayne]

unreasonable no. but thus is the way in amature theare.

Go with Paullears suggestion and make some cash out of it. If simply for the trouble of knowing you are going to do it but not being asked. Also there is a good chance you could get a last min booking elsewhere and then they would have to make it worth your while.

Happens to me regularly but most people are getting the idea.

[pritch]

The thing about amdram is that it's far too easy to be too nice.

 

You can bend over backwards now to accomodate them, and you'll get this problem again next time they want you to work for them.

 

If I were you, I'd get in touch and say "Right, I need to know if you want me, what my hire budget is and what you need. I need to know this by such-and-such-date. If you don't tell me by then, you can get someone else to light the show."

 

DO NOT jump in at the last minute if they ignore your request to know what's going on, or it will happen again.

[lxdad]

Has Mr. Jex considered that perhaps the company in question does not want him to light their show? Whilst I am sure he is a competent and artistic designer, maybe they don't like his 'reluctant lighting hero' attitude?

[Andrew C]

In a proper AmDram show, you get asked in plenty of time (2 years) get the budget you want, (I needed nothing) and an input into the artistic process (I killed everything that we didn't need). Great fun, apart from the vile cold during the run.

[gareth]

Well, personally, if I were in your shoes at the moment I'd be working on the assumption that I wasn't lighting the show. You've offered your services and no-one's got back to you to take you up on the offer.

 

It could go one of two ways ... perhaps they've got someone else in mind. If that's the case, then I really wouldn't lose too much sleep over it - I'm guessing it's an amdram show so you wouldn't be losing any money by not doing it, and it sounds like the organisation is pretty shambolic to the point that if you did end up lighting it you'd only get caught up in that shambles and end up getting a load of stress and grief out of it.

 

Or perhaps they really do assume that you're lighting the show and are just being incredibly sh*te at communication. If that's the case, then just wait until they realise (probably way too late!) that they don't have a lighting designer and you get the panicky phone call - at which point you may wish to play the "Sorry, I'm not available - you didn't take me up on my offer, and now I've got something else lined up" card. I don't know about you, but I don't have a great deal of time for those people in charge of amdram groups who are so far up themselves with their own importance that they take for granted the contribution made to a production by the technical departments {*}, and I do admit to getting some sort of slightly perverse enjoyment out of watching them dig themselves into a nice big hole that they suddenly realise they can only be helped out of by the people who they usually don't think twice about ...

 

Either way, I really wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

{*} - Yes, yes, I know that not all amdram creative types are like that, and that some of them are actually quite good. I've worked with one or two who are, in fact, truly excellent. But it has to be said, the world of amdram does seem to attract a fairly high proportion of winkers (with apologies to Ivor Biggun :().

[Sim]

You havn't been officaly asked to do it. So why are you even worried. Its there show to *#$^ up

[Boggy]

I think the most telling part of this thread is that at this late stage the SM does not know who is doing the lighting. Clearly things are either poorly organised or poorly communicated. Either way, not the fault of the lighting guy.

[Beanzy]

I'd book a trip away for that weekend unless there's another show you could be doing.

[Stutwo]

I know it's tough but being elsewhere that weekend is probably a good idea. You'll end up being dropped right in it, and then you'll get the bare minimum of thanks or appreciation at the end of it, which considering you'll probably be doing it for free, is not a happy situation to be in. With a bit of luck, it will make them realise they need to plan when they sort out their next show, and gain a little appreciation for the amount of work that needs to go into it.

[Bobbsy]

I'm afraid, all too often, this goes with Amdram productions. Although there are some notable exceptions, all too often they're groups set up for and run by the "luvvies" who never really think about the technical side. Add to this the usual Amdram politics (who knows...maybe one of the actors has a cousin who has a friend who is a "brilliant lighting guy" and they're waiting to hear from him.

 

Frankly, you have three choices:

 

1. As others have said, create a scheduling conflict and withdraw now with apologies

 

2. If you really want to do this, call them and say you've had another offer of whatever and you need an instant decision.

 

3. Let matters take their course and, if you're eventually asked, do a rushed, unsatisfying job.

 

Clearly, the thing with the first two is that you have to be prepared to "vote with your feet" and decline the job. That's what I'd do: if I'm going to take on an amdram gig, it's got to be because: a) I like the people and want to do it and b) the show and the technical challenges interest me. If these conditions aren't met, frankly it's not worth it. In this case, I'd say this group is going to have to fight hard to make it worth your time.

 

Bob

[Ellis]

Been there, done that - phone call from director at 21:30 on a saturday asking me to light a panto. Get-in next day at 12.

 

I actually arrived at the theatre and asked out loud "What panto is t that we are doing?". They even provided an Lx Op so I did not have to listen to their 'singing' all week.

 

I find that with am dram, it is sometimes beneficial to design the lighting at the last minute because you will have no idea what the set is until they have built that at the last minute - and furniture placement is determined at the dress rehearsal.

 

In answer to the OP you are not being unreasonable, but the am drams will never learn. When they call you at the 11th hour, insist on hiring in what you need for anything special - like the catwalk! (if the local equipment hire company is still open!) when they complain about the cost tell them that you could have done it cheaper if you had time to think about the design.

 

As for having a script, with most am. drams having a script can be a liability - the actors will be following a completely diferent one!