Multiskilling

[Bryson]

Quote: Stu in "A-Levels":

I sometimes feel that multi-skilling can water all your skills down too much (of course this doesn't apply to everyone)

 

I thought this was quite interesting. What does everyone else think?

 

I'll start; I've always been a multi-skilled type, more by necessity than choice (I probably would have chosen to just do LX if I'd had the choice, but you have to pay those bills!) and I did think that it was turning out to be a problem for me.

 

But now, as I move a bit further "up", I'm glad I took the route that I did. I'm pretty sure that I got my new job (Senior Production Manager) on the basis of being able to understand and function in every discipline, rather than any massively developed skill in one area.

 

Opinions please...

[Stu]

As the one who's stoked the fire of opinion I feel I should probably explain myself further...

 

As I said in my original post, I don't at all feel that a multiskilled technician is going to be totally rubbish. A multiskilled technician is a good thing, esp for small venues which may only have 2 Technicians, and therefore someone has to do the LX, while the other sets up the Stage and possibly the Sound. Obviously if there were 2 wholly LX technicians in this kind of setup, it wouldn't work, so as I say, it is a good thing.

 

Ditto your obviously going to be a good multiskiller if you've done say a couple of years on LX, before moving to Stage for a change of scenery (no pun intended) or gone onto Flys - in those long periods of doing just one thing, your going to have built up very good skills, will probably know 90% of the job, and therefore be a good / excellent multiskiller.

 

This, I feel is probably the correct way to be a multiskiller. The slight issue I have with it all, is when someone (perhaps a new cassie, with some school/amdram experience) gets alot of cassie work at a theatre, and flits about between stage, LX, sound, flies etc without ever being in one place long enough to gain more than the basic skills - yes they could rig/gel a bar, load a counterweight cradle, do a very simple sound setup etc, but would they, in that small amount of time, start to learn the more detailed stuff before moving area again?

 

Of course, you could also argue that someone who multiskills will never have time to experience the really advanced pratices that perhaps makes a dedicated stage tech excellent - so while being good to very good at everything they do, you might still need those 'single entity technicians' around to be able to do the very most advanced things that might crop up on a fitup.

 

And then of course you get the brainy sods who can do everything they try! ;)

 

I should of course state at this point I have nothing whatsoever against either the idea of wholly 'area' technicians (just sound or just LX) or Multiskillers, I just don't think it's a very good idea to have a venue wholly comprising of either! (There are of course notable exceptions, as with any rule).

 

And I also like a bit of mature conversation / debate

 

Stu

(PS. And I should add myself that just because someone specialises in LX, doesn't mean to say they won't pick up the other areas in time - I'm almost wholly LX, but I still know the basics of stage, sound, flies etc)

[sam.henderson]

Stu, I think you have hit he nail on the head!

 

If you are going to work in the theatre then you do need to know a bit about everything if it is just so you can understand the Lingo and how other departments work. For exampl when your at Production Meetings it is a real benifit to work out what LX and Sound are going on about if You are Stage Management (and visa-versa).

 

However I do agree that if you just do a little bit of everything firslty you are going to hard to find employment in one speciffic area and secondly you won't know about advanced areas of the different departments (Like Stu Said).

 

I also think certain areas just fall naterally together so to speak. For instace if you are a Lighting guy you are going to get the basics of sound pritty quickly just due to the fact that you are techncialy minded.

 

Sam

 

PS: I think the one job in theatre where it is most necessery to know a bit about everything is Stage Management. After all the stage Manager is ment to coordinate all the Techncial Areas (even if it isnt in there job description!!)

[gareth]

There's a lot to be said for a bit of multi-skilling ability ...

 

I'm an electrician first and foremost, but I can (and indeed have) turn my hand to many other things - sound, flying, a bit of stage management, putting a set together. If you want to work in theatre, you have to understand how the whole operation functions - you can't just concentrate on your own little area and just let everything else happen around you.

[sam.henderson]

There's a lot to be said for a bit of multi-skilling ability ...

 

I'm an electrician first and foremost, but I can (and indeed have) turn my hand to many other things - sound, flying, a bit of stage management, putting a set together. If you want to work in theatre, you have to understand how the whole operation functions - you can't just concentrate on your own little area and just let everything else happen around you.

Exactly. For example when ever I am Stage Managing and I coordinate a get-in sometimes my crew think once LX has finshed ther jobs they can bugger off home. This isn't the case, I make sure that if say Lighting finish they go and help Set paint until veryones finished etc. etc.

 

I thought this was quite a good e.g.

 

Sam

[chris512]

jack of all trades and the master of one....

 

echoing most of the other posts I think its important to have a basis of the different aspects, but still to have a particular "field" where you are most skilled

[Blame Jono]

jack of all trades and the master of one....

I totaly agree however,

if you just do a little bit of everything firslty you are going to hard to find employment in one speciffic area

I have to say that I enjoy multiskilling because its more interesting. Ie spending your whole carear pressing a go button on an lx desk is going to get a bit boring, so if ure multiskilled then you can do different jobs and wont get bored doing one.

Also I do agree that

If you want to work in theatre, you have to understand how the whole operation functions - you can't just concentrate on your own little area and just let everything else happen around you.

 

I think that everyone should know a bit about other people's jobs even if it just means that the sound guy can press a go button on an LX desk, however some specialisation does normaly allow for somebody to be more skilled in a certain area and this can be useful when you have specialists for different areas, who are well practiced in these areas but know how to do everybody else's jobs aswell.

 

ie

its important to have a basis of the different aspects, but still to have a particular "field" where you are most skilled

[misterbassman]

I think that multi skilling is good, for instance im currently working on a project for which I am the sound op primarily, I have 2 x 24 channel desks and about a 5k FOH rig, how ever I also planned the 32KW Lighting rig, and am also over seeing the video rig and all the effects eg smoke, I also am involved in the rigging.

btw I have just turned 18. I agree that is good to specialise in one area, my "area" is sound but it is always good to have a good understanding of everything else that is happening.

[peter]

Just thought I'd add my 2p's worth.

 

The course which I'm studying at the moment focusses very much on teaching us skills which are transferrable. We don't sit in a class room wiring a 13A plug, then a 15A plug, then a 16A.... but we're taught how to wire a plug. In the same vane, we're taught the basics of prop making, set building, sound, lighting, stage management, budgeting, etc etc. Then when we get onto placements (every other 6 weeks) we can specialise in our own areas, developing skills which will hopefully lead to us being a speciailist with a broad knowledge. I do however feel that some of the (arguably) best industry professionals stick soley to their own areas - you wouldn't expect to see a David Hersey sound rig!

But back in the real world, your chances of progressing career wise as a technician are greatly increased if you have a broad knowledge of the specialist areas - no one would employ a Chief LX who couldn't plug up a sound system.

 

Not sure if I've added anything to the debate or just echoed what has already been said.

[Ellis]

The ABTT Bronze award is a good indicator that everyone should be able to do every other job to a greater or lesser extent.

 

The best example is that they consider that a flyman should be able to PAT test. Why some may ask, but in a receiving house when a show with nothing to fly comes in, flies are likely to have the most time free to make sure that all the dressing room equipment is tested.

[Ben P]

And in many ways and in many venues it's just not multiskilling on theatrical things..... you also need to know how to sort out fire alarms, burglar alarms, heating systems, telephone systems to name a few!!

 

I think any technician who can multiskill is always going to be at the top of my list when calling casual staff or employing full time staff as you never know when you might need an emergancy cover.

 

Ben

[andystone]

It really depends on the person, their abilities and their ambitions.

 

I don't think there is anything against multi-skilling provided the person has the opportunity and ability to learn each skill well.

 

If you really want to progress in this industry you either have to become extremely good at one skill and become a top LD or sound designer or you go the multi-skill route and become a technical/production manager/director.

 

Andy

Stagetec

[Bryson]

If you really want to progress in this industry you either have to become extremely good at one skill and become a top LD or sound designer or you go the multi-skill route and become a technical/production manager/director.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, Andy. Never really thought of it that way and now it all seems rather obvious... :D

[Brian]

And in many ways and in many venues it's just not multiskilling on theatrical things..... you also need to know how to sort out fire alarms, burglar alarms, heating systems, telephone systems to name a few

 

It's not just theatre where this is relevant. For a number of years I was Chief Engineer in a large Central London video/audio/transmission/studio facilities company. I had a large team of engineers providing 365/24 cover. One minute they would be working on fixing the latest £50,000 digital VTR, the next a leaky air-conditioner, then a toaster from the kitchen, then the generators and then, if house maintenance had gone home, unblocking a toilet. As well as that, they could sit in and cover just about anybody elses job.

 

I guess the common feature of all those is that they require a good broad engineering background, a load of common sense and the ability to think a problem through when under pressure. Those are tranferrable skills.

 

If you really want to progress in this industry you either have to become extremely good at one skill and become a top LD or sound designer or you go the multi-skill route and become a technical/production manager/director.

An excellent point.

[Evolution_Mark]

It really depends on the person, their abilities and their ambitions.

 

I don't think there is anything against multi-skilling provided the person has the opportunity and ability to learn each skill well.

 

If you really want to progress in this industry you either have to become extremely good at one skill and become a top LD or sound designer or you go the multi-skill route and become a technical/production manager/director.

 

Andy

Stagetec

As an aside... I loath people who can do anything they turn their hand to, almost as much as those who can sum up a diverse debate in a few neat sentences.

 

:D :P :huh: