Job information wanted please

[JohnMcConnell]

Hello all again.

 

I'm in my last year at school, supposed to be going to study mining engineering in leeds in a few months, and I know thats not what I want to do, I want to do lighting and theatre work, always have since about the age of 11.

 

Just wondering if any of you could P.M. me with a short job description and your approximate salary p.a. as I really don't know much about the money involved.

Also, what is the union you are all members of, because I can't find any information online about it!

 

I know this sounds wierd, but what do you do once you get old? - don't take that the wrong way... but I mean I haven't seen anyone over the age of 30 working on a production.

 

Any help given would be invaluable to me

thankyou all

[Stu]

Hello John

 

The Union alot of us are members of is BECTU (www.bectu.org.uk), however there is also ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians, www.abtt.org.uk), ALD (Association of Lighting Designers), PLASA etc.

 

As for the money, it wildly differs between venues, wether they are a charity based setup, council owned, large chain owned etc. For a Technician's job I've seen them go from anything from £10,000 to £15,000 and the money then goes up when you become a Deputy Chief Electrician, Chief Electrician, Stage Manager, Technicial Manager etc.

 

As for the old thing - well some people might go into teaching, start their own companies, work for someone like Whitelight etc, or just keep going in the business - I've met plenty of people on both the touring circuit and in other theatres who are over the age of 30!

 

HTH

Stu

[robloxley]

My tuppence of advice - don't go and study a course at university if you're certain you don't want to do that, unless the skills and knowledge are likely to be transferable to what you want to do - and it doesn't sound like it. If you're serious, take a year out, try and find some casual technician / conference / amateur theatre work, and look at relevant university courses such as lighting design and apply there. You're only given one go at a first university degree, so the right decision is worth making.

 

Also don't go into theatre for the money - at least not as a technician. Wages very from minimum wage to fairly decent, but the hours are long and unsociable etc. etc.

 

Of the bodies listed, BECTU is a properly recognised trade union, whereas the others are representative bodies/ associations and not unions per se.

 

As for age, I'm sure some people round here might let you know that life doesn't end at 29!

[themadhippy]

I know this sounds wierd, but what do you do once you get old? - don't take that the wrong way... but I mean I haven't seen anyone over the age of 30 working on a production

you cheeky young git :blink: im alot closer to 40 than 30 and can still rig a bar full of lanterns as quick as the young wipper snappers