Becoming a rigger

[pritch]

I'm contemplating saving up my pennies and going on a rigging course. My original intention was to do this to help in escaping my office and getting outside with the day job (telecoms), but it's struck me that maybe I could use it to make the jump into the entertainments industry.

 

I intend to have a word with one of our riggers at work (if I can find them when they aren't climbing up the side of a mast somewhere), but there's a few questions I'd like the Blue Room's perspective on, with regard to rigging in the ents industry.

 

So, I have a few questions:

• Is there some internet page that'll tell me all I need to know about this?
  
• Do I just need to do a rigging course like this one? (And the prerequisite climber's course)
  
• What do you do as a newly qualified rigger? Just apply for jobs as normal?
  
• What's this "Rigger's passbook" all about?
  
• Apart from going on a refresher course every three years, what do you need to do to stay certified?
  
• What's the norm with regards to riggers in the entertainment industry? Self-employed/freelance/employed?
  
• Are riggers particularly in demand, or should I just stick to what I know and go dangle off comms masts for a living?
  

[Simon Lewis]

Pritch,

 

Although there are some similarities, there are also quite a few differences between rigging for telecom purposes and entertainment purposes.

 

I'd suggest that you go to the book section of ETnow.com, and buy the two books by Chris Higgs. He covers many of the aspects of rigging for entertainment, and the books are cheaper than a course!

 

Courses that are run by people like Chris are generally very good (I found Chris's to be excellent). However, they do not make you a rigger.

You need to be doing rigging work (preferably alongside a competent person) to get the experience and knowledge necessary.

 

Courses, books and training are needed too, but rigging is a skill that needs practice.

 

See if there are any rigging firms that will allow you to watch them at work - you will then get a better idea of the planning, design and execution of flown systems.

 

Incidently, although a certification scheme is in the pipeline, there is nothing at present that shows someone to be a "qualified" rigger.

I can't comment on the job prospects for riggers, but most people seem to have a healthy respect for them!

 

Why not contact firms such as Unusual Rigging and see what they say?

HTH,

 

Simon

[paulears]

The BT rigging training was pretty good when I did it about 12 years ago, but it didn't really contain much that we'd call theatrical skills. The critical thing was safety at height. And BTs idea of height is a darn sight higher than the roof of an exhibition centre. I did my training 150 feet above the ground, and one day it was foggy at the bottom, and we climbed up into bright sunlight! - looking down was an amazing sight. Once up there, climbing outside the tower using work positioning equipment, leaving both hands free, leaning out into space was 'interesting'. Much time was spent on getting large equipment up and down and using comms equipment as it was too far to shout. Lots of things were transferable skills, but there was nothing in it at all for rigging equipment the way we do it in the ents industry. The one thing I did note was that the training was well established and repeatable. So if the BT course is available, it is well worth doing, even though it's main focus is in a slightly different direction.

[Mr.Si]

Oooh thank you for posting the information of those books Simon, I'm now £48 lighter! ;)

 

It's been something I've been interested in knowing about for a while, as flying speakers is the 'only way' and I'd love to beable to do that.

These books should be an informative and interesting read, if that's all it mounts to, before attempting practical training / experience.

 

So thank you again :)

[Seano]

Ok, here's my stab at that list:

• Is there some internet page that'll tell me all I need to know about this?
  Nope. Though there are some very good ones to tell you a bit that you might like to know. This is one of them.
   
   
  
• Do I just need to do a rigging course like this one? (And the prerequisite climber's course)
  No. For the entertainments industry, a course (especially one thats only partially relevant - telecoms, irata, etc.), is unlikely to get you an 'in' to the industry - it'd be better to save your money until you have someone to show the cert to. If you're thinking of doing a telecoms course, you might find it worth looking at http://www.tagsafety.com/training/ - I know nothing about their training, but I buy kit from them semi-regularly and their training facilities are quite impressive. (They're also a very pleasant bunch of people to deal with.)
   
   
  
• What do you do as a newly qualified rigger? Just apply for jobs as normal?
  See Simons comments re: qualifications. There isn't really any such thing as a 'qualified' rigger in our industry (at least, not in the UK, yet). There's a formal qualification in the pipeline though - no doubt it'll be announced here when the scheme does finally get up and running. When it does come out, many of the most experienced riggers out there won't have it. Some of the best riggers out there won't be particularly interested unless/until it becomes absolutely essential to get work. (I suspect this will happen eventually, but not for quite a few years yet.)
   
  If you're thinking of the rock & roll corner of the ents industry, and you've not worked on medium/large music events before, I'd suggest getting a bit of experience on a local crew first. It doesn't pay too well I'm afraid (especially in your part of the world), but there's no better way to get acquainted with the unique culture of the industry, and the very important basic skills and etiquette. Its not rocket science, but if you're lacking in those skills it decreases your chances of being offered your all-important second gig.
   
  Mostly there's no 'applying for jobs as normal' to speak of I'm afraid. You need to get to know people, they need to get to know you, and from the outside its very hard to get in. (From the inside, its also pretty tough to get out. But thats another problem. ;))
   
  
• What's this "Rigger's passbook" all about?
  No idea, but it probably refers to the qualification that doesn't exist yet, but will quite soon. I don't think it'll be a 'passbook' exactly. (At least I hope not, because I don't think that'd work terribly well.)
   
   
  
• Apart from going on a refresher course every three years, what do you need to do to stay certified?
  See above. If you keep busy there isn't much point in a refresher course - as long as you never stop thinking about what you do, and maintain an open mind that there's always likely to be a better way.
  There are plenty of other certs you'd likely end up with that need to be updated fairly regularly though. First aid, IPAF, FLT etc..
   
   
  
• What's the norm with regards to riggers in the entertainment industry? Self-employed/freelance/employed?
  Freelance. There are some salaried people in the industry, but they're mostly at the two ends of the experience/seniority spectrum - either warehouse staff getting out onsite once in a while or production managers and company directors running jobs from the office.
   
   
  
• Are riggers particularly in demand, or should I just stick to what I know and go dangle off comms masts for a living?
  Depends when you ask. Sometimes demand outstrips supply by miles - everyone is working flat out and there are all sorts of muppets being drafted in to make up the numbers (under close supervision, ahem). Other times theres hardly any work out there and everyone is twiddling their thumbs on zero pay. It can go from one extreme to the other in a matter of days. The quiet days outnumber the busy ones. Its not unusual to be pretty penniless for a while when starting out.
   
  If you want a steady/predictable income, I'd say the masts are the way to go. (But I don't do masts, so honestly, I dunno.)
   
  You may find it possible to combine the two, though if you're any good you'll probably find you're too busy earning your bread and butter from the one to maintain the links you need to get work in the other. If you do transfer later from one industry to the other, remember to keep your eyes open and your mouth shut until you're fully adjusted to the new environment.
  

hth

Sean

x

[pritch]

Cheers for all that, folks. I was sort of thinking out loud rather than seriously considering it, and from what you've said, I think I'll stick with the comms and leave theatre and whatnot for the evening instead of letting it pay the bills.

[Seano]

Plasa have just produced a leaflet describing the 'still in the pipeline but definitely a step closer to reality' new scheme in a bit more detail.

Its a 1.3Mb pdf download, available here.

[dbuckley]

When it does come out, many of the most experienced riggers out there won't have it. Some of the best riggers out there won't be particularly interested unless/until it becomes absolutely essential to get work. (I suspect this will happen eventually, but not for quite a few years yet.)

 

I note that in the PLASA docs they specify that getting a card as an experienced entrant will only be available for a few years, so if you dont get a card whilst you can you need to start at the beginning, irrespective of your experience. Devious.....

[Panzerman]

Christ, I'm going to have to book that appointment with the Optician, I nearly fell off my chair when I misread the title of this thread. ;)