what next

[Sam_Lowers]

hi all,

 

not sure if there is anything about this yet, if there is I apologise.

 

I am finishing my BTEC in technical theatre this year. I am either looking to go striate into the RAF (strange but something I've always wanted to do.

 

the reason I am posting is a bit of advice on what to do next.

 

my tutor advices uni but to tell the truth I am fed up with education. many pro's I have spoken to say that it is not what's on paper but what you know - others have said it's not what you know but who you know

 

any advice on this?

 

my ambition is to work in either musical theatre - ESPECIALLY CATS

or in rock 'n' roll concert lighting

 

just wondering what you all suggest is the best way to get into this

 

any advice welcome

 

cheers

sam

[gareth]

Have a good look through the Training & Qualifications forum - there's LOADS of stuff in there that's well worth reading for a person in your position.

 

My tutor advises uni

Err ... yes ... but what course?!

 

If you're looking to go into the RAF, why not speak to them and find out what higher eductaion courses they can put you through once you join up? Might as well let the Queen pay your tuition fees ...

 

If you're set on a career in theatre, and have already done your BTEC, don't waste your time and money on another three years in higher education - get out there and do it.

[Just Some Bloke]

Sam, I hope won't find this too negative, it's meant merely as factual.

 

There is a difference between college and university. The main difference is that colleges tend to concentrate on practical skills and universities look at underlying knowledge and use skills such as research and presentation of ideas.

 

Researching into the Blue Room would have found that, excepting new members who haven't worked it out yet, we tend to prefer people to use capital letters and to have a stab at proper spelling and grammar. The reasoning has been gone into many times, but it boils down to technical facts being very specific and easily misunderstood if presented wrongly. You seem not to have noticed this. The only capital letters you have used are BTEC, RAF and ESPECIALLY CATS.

 

Research skills would also have found, as Gareth points out, that this very subject has been discussed ad nauseam already on these boards and you needed either to read previous threads instead, or to mention the previous threads and show how yours differs when writing this one.

 

Good presentational skills would have meant using the spell checker to point out, for instance, that "straight" is not spelt "striate". It could easily have been a typo, but good checking would have caught it and that's another presentation skill.

 

You also wouldn't get away with writing a paper for Uni that says "either..." but doesn't go on to say "...or...".

I am either looking to go striate into the RAF (strange but something I've always wanted to do.

 

Having taught on college courses and been to university myself, you seem much more suited to getting good practical skills from further study at college or working in the profession, than you to going to university with its research, presentation and "underlying knowledge" bias. I know, for instance, of one technician who did well at college, went to university, hated having to do written work all the time, left uni and now works as a successful freelancer. Frankly, judging by his CV and your original post in this thread, his written skills were way above yours and uni didn't work for him.

 

Personally, I'd rule out uni in your position as I think you'd hate it. It's either going striate [sorry, straight] into the RAF

 

 

 

 

 

[sorry, you didn't give an "or" :blink: ]

 

P.S. Please don't anyone think I'm saying that no-one should go to uni. I'm not. Just make sure you are suited to whatever course of action you chose.

[gnomatron]

There seems to be a terrible bias in advice from educational establishments towards university. You'd be much better off getting practical experience unless there's a specific course that really interests you. You could join the RAF and in your spare time work in amateur theatre productions to gain experience - I imagine some RAF bases probably have some sort of amateur theatre group. Alternatively, you could try and go straight into freelancing. You won't get to do cats or rock/n/roll straight off the bat, you'll probably have to slog it doing boring and unpleasant work to pay the bills, but do what you can to get out there and work. Corporate lighting companies are good for paying the bills (or they are round my way anyways).