So how do us old boys get teching?

[tonymaslen]

Me and a mate have been discussing this quite a bit...

 

While I have got loads of experience in the field of both Lighting Design and operation and Live Sound Design and Engineering. No matter how hard I try no one will take me on

 

So my question is this... .How do I get my name know with in the technician circles of Manchester and surrounding areas....and prove that I am the man for the job.

[gareth]

You've got to be prepared to start at the beginning. Contact local theatres, AV companies, sound/LX hire companies, etc. and offer your services - be prepared to do anything to get a foot in the door and prove what you can do, and if you're good enough someone will notice.

 

There's plenty of choice around Manchester - Opera House, Palace, Royal Exchange, Library, Contact and Lowry theatres ; Savilles and MCL on the AV front ; DBN, HSL and Lite Alternative for LX hire ; Wigwam and MAC for sound hire. Find out some names and phone numbers, and get dialling.

[tonymaslen]

so basically you feel that the best way is to ring companies up rather than send letters in asking for work?

[gareth]

so basically you feel that the best way is to ring companies up rather than send letters in asking for work?

Probably a combination of the two, to be honest. Phone up, find out who's responsible for hiring freelance/cassie sparkies/noise-boys/wood-butchers/whatever-you-want-to-be, ask to speak to them, and introduce yourself to them. Tell them that you're looking for work, and that you'd like to send them a CV - make sure you've got their name spelled right if it's at all out of the ordinary (spelling someone's name wrongly when you're sending them a CV is a pretty good way of getting it to the bottom of the pile!), find out the address if you don't already know it, then get it in the post. Give it a coupld of weeks, then call again - "just checking that my CV got to you, is there anything else you need to know, do you think you might be able to make use of me in the future?", that kind of thing. Persistence is the key - it shows that you're keen and you mean business - but don't take persistence to the point of stalking!

[Thirdtap]

Another way in is to see if any professional theatres have amateur companies in the programme soon. If so contact the amateur company and offer your services for the run, it is unlikely that you will be turned down as these companies often have too many actors and not enough good wholesome tech people.

Then once in the venue make yourself known to the techs and tech manager and pop in a CV before the end of the run and ask to be put on the casual list.

Just working for some amateur companies may well provide leads to work on their own.

Good luck with the search for work.