New to Casual Work

[Ricky]

Thanks all, one more question were is the best place to get black combats?

[pete LD]

Thanks all, one more question were is the best place to get black combats?

 

I always found mine in high street shops like Next! I have stopped wering combats because ive got sick of flight case catches ripping off the pockets!!.

I carry a Maglite and Letherman on my belt and have a quad spanner, AJ podger and head torch in my bag so I have them if I need them!.

Dont be tempted to carry every tool under the sun on your belt because you will look like a prick!

I also find a sharpie very handy!.

Hope that helps and good luck!!

[Ike]

Depending on what you're doing a small insulated flat bladed screwdriver could be the best investment you'll ever make. Obviously useful for screwing/unscrewing things but also for untying knots, prising things open, opening plastic packaging, making holes, marking things, poking things, scraping things and so on and so on.

 

AJs are one of the few tools I personally can't stand to skimp on, having to readjust one every couple of turns is a sure fire way driving me quickly insane.

[Screwtape]

I used to work at the Hexagon but it was a few years back so I don't know if this will still be relevant but there goes, mostly I agree with the above but

 

Get steelies, there may be a way the the Hex will provide some but don't wait for that to happen better £20 quid spend now than a month in plaster,

 

Tools to have are the leatherman, your own AJ is useful too if you end up on the electric's team and find an AA maglight will be useful whatever you end up doing. Other than that most tools you will need are going to be there as long as you can prove that you know how they work. PS keep it tidy if you want to continue being allow to open the tool cupboard :** laughs out loud **:

 

The harness work is something to ask the SM or technical manager about, normally only full timers go up to the grid.

 

In Reading you might want to try the army place behind Sainsburys for the combats.

[Ricky]

cool thanks I am intrested in harness work but guess thats one to enquire about when I get there

[niclights]

For combats I will also recommend Army surplus stores. Cheaper and much stronger! Pockets will not rip off, material will not tear and even smoke fluid will be ok.

 

PVC tape any use in this environment?

[cknapper]

The most important thing is your brain, although your a casual you still need one (Carrying flats is the best !!!!!!).

 

And remember your not the boss your there to do what the higher person tells you. dont think you run the theatre and the most important thing we tell our casuals "It's casual work there are many other people behind you if you mess up or get too big for your boots and yes I can ring you at 6pm for a 7.30pm show if I like :("

 

xxxx

[J Pearce]

...and yes I can ring you at 6pm for a 7.30pm show if I like :(

 

Equally the person you're calling could say no, he is a casual ;)

[cknapper]

...and yes I can ring you at 6pm for a 7.30pm show if I like :(

 

Equally the person you're calling could say no, he is a casual ;)

 

 

Yes but if your a casual you really need as much work as possible, but I understand what your saying.

[gareth]

I can ring you at 6pm for a 7.30pm show if I like

Is that something you make a habit of doing? :(

[leofric]

As an 'old boy' from the full time crew who still keeps in contact with the boys down at the Hex and sometimes visits with shows the best advice I can give you is to keep your eyes and ears open and your gob shut. Actually thats good advice with any new job and something I try to do even now with more than twenty years experience.

 

The Crew there are a friendly bunch and will make you welcome. They will give you all the direction you need. I'm sure they will provide you with steelies eventually but investing in a pair which you well might be worth investing in.

 

The only time you would need a harness will be if you were to go onto the front of house bridges to focus,the theatre provides them and the fall arrest/restraint which ever it is I can't remember now.I believe that even the full time staff are no longer allowed outside the cat walks, if only that rule had applied in my day :(

[themadhippy]

And don't forget a good alarm clock,nought worse than turning up late for a call,apart from forgetting the amount of sugars in the bosses tea of course.o and yea a good aj,one of those funky leathermans and a torch are all essentials a Cassy should carry at all times,saves you walking to the tool cupboard every time the full timers need something :(

[Ricky]

cool thanks all I am intrested in makiing some friends on here from the hexagen (nothing better than buttering people up before you even start) thanks for all the great advice and I guess I will be seeing some of you there in a couple of weeks. Should I take the tea list now?

[david.elsbury]

Step One. Start by spelling the venue name right...

 

I am intrested in makiing some friends on here from the hexagen

[mac.calder]

The main thing with casuals IMO is they need to take initiative. I am not saying you should go and do X Y and Z because you think it would be helpful without checking with the higher ups, but if you see someone needs a hand, and you have finished your assigned task, DO IT!

 

Whilst crew is hard to find, many venues (or rather their crew) would prefer to be understaffed for jobs than have someone who is dead weight, hard to work with, or disliked in any way.

 

As for what you should bring with you? There is no set list. These days, I carry a leatherman, my mobile phone, and I have an AJ in my bag. I don't carry a torch (I use my mobile). If you are going to be doing a lot of work with lighting, or doing cable runs, coiling cables or anything of the sort, make sure you find out where you can obtain electrical tape, and keep a roll in your pocket.

 

And finally - when you do a job, make sure it is done correctly, and if you are not sure, ask. Better to ask and be corrected, than for someone to come along behind you, fix it up, and decide that you are an incompetent casual because you did a task incorrectly, it is only when you have a working history with people that you can afford to make 'silly' mistakes.

 

One of my colleagues who is a fellow lighting tech made that mistake when working with one of our technical directors (It was his first show working with this TD, and he made assumptions that certain channels would never be used at 100%, resulting in two show stopping circuit breaker trips). Now, when he is on a show with this TD, he is always given tasks like running drape lines or gaffing cables, and another technician is assigned to do lighting, solely because the TD has decided that this guy is not competent at lighting related tasks.