Ben Langfeld Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Just out of interest, I'd like to know a few bits about what students work on at school. I realise that this is primarily a theatre forum, but I'm wondering how much of a role live music plays in schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heinz57 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 At college I worked on both music and theatre. Perfer theatre myself. Of course music does have its advantages. Such as I got to just mess about with chases etc - had no set cues. And the fact that there was all the fun setting up to do with the cables and that (What a curious little world I live in!) Heinz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bleasdale Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I have the opportunity to work on both. When I do theatre work, I like to play it back in a "music" style fashion. E.G using a HOG 3 with playback faders instead of a strand 500 sereis with a cue stack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Can we have an option to say we have no preference over which work we get. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Do non students get a vote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Thanks for the added option. I have no preference because even though I have worked on both types of show seperately and on a combined rock musical. I enjoyed all of them equally and would happily do them again. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 As a non-student I won't vote in the poll but my preference is musical theatre every time. You get the satisfaction of preparing effects and "soundscapes" and the enjoyment of mixing live music but with far less risk of beer being poured into your equipment. At the other end of the spectrum, the worst thing is a straight theatre play with two effects, one late in act 1 and the other late in act 2 so you have to be there and alert (ish) for the whole show. Been there, done that. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Okay. So since I'm a non student I won't vote, but if I were voting it would be theatre, with a little bit of musical theatre thrown in. And noting that I mainly do lighting. I love storytelling, that's usually something you just don't get with rock and roll (or corporate). Of course, these things must be done to pay the bills, and I am nowhere near established enough to be able to turn down work on the basis that "I don't like doing that sort of thing". And it's a nice change to do a rock and roll gig, with lots of flash and trash. (Also, the other reason I love this industry, is the variety of gigs and work that I come across) :)2 cents worth, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I'm also a non-student so won't vote, but it's theatre all the way for me. The odd live music gig doesn't hurt, for variety, but I like the structure of theatre. Musical theatre is where I'm happiest (like a lot of others here on the BR, I'm a musician as well as technician) and I also love working on ballets. I've just gone into rehearsal (as SM) for our big Christmas musical (La Cage aux Folles this year), and I'm in my element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gaffa Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Another non-student here, my preferance, Live theatre, Opera & Ballet. Don't mind the odd bit of music thrown in for a change. I'm lucky in a way as I'm a lampy so have a bit more to do than my noisy co-worker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthegreat Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Within school, I work on two theatre productions a year, two popular music events, one "multicultural evening", and about 5/6 classical concerts. Theatre is probably more interesting to work on from a production point of view, but tends to get fairly dull after tech (go buttons can only be so interesting after all). Popular music events are good fun, either as an LX op or just down on stage, it tends to be variety shows, so lots of fun in setting up each act as quickly as possible. Classical concerts are dull dull dull, often find myself watching the TV on headphones. At work I mainly do live music as an LX op (in fact, I don't think I've ever professionally mixed a show), which can be challenging and exciting, or can just be quite boring really, especially if the rig hasn't been changed since the last band you lit (no movers). As a receiving house theatre tends to be a whole world of pain, early mornings, cloths that have drops 3m too long and pieces of set much too big / small for our stage. And doing a re-light in 30 mins before the house opens is rarely fun. Working with the NYT this summer was a big eye opener for me, on the production side of things. It was interesting seeing how things happen in an organisational sense (obviously this doesn’t really happen in school / my am dram experience), but also just the thought involved in meeting challenges posed to us (e.g. this year we needed a wireless, dimmable light box about 3m square). That’s what I enjoy about theatre really, everything up to opening night. (Again though, doing three shows in rep with different start dates resulted in “tech fortnight”. A tech for one show in the morning, a dress for a second in the afternoon and a performance of the third during the evening. I realise that’s life working in rep, but it sure isn’t fun. At the end of the third week of 15 hour days, when you start forgetting to get off the tube at your stop, you know things are bad). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_the_LD Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I prefer both for different reasons. Theatre becuase there is more 'design' to it and programming, but live music becuase I like the fact it's a live band and I like to improve my busking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDP Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I have the opportunity to work on both. When I do theatre work, I like to play it back in a "music" style fashion. E.G using a HOG 3 with playback faders instead of a strand 500 sereis with a cue stack. Eh, Hog 3 is primarily a theatre stack desk... Even if you don't run them in stack mode, you still need to un-release cues to make the play, you can't just drag up the fader, like you can on MAs or Avo desks... Anyway, who said the music industry and some the the worlds biggest tours are not ran via theatre stack? I can tell you for a fact they are!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killyp Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ahh I've always preferred live music, although not when it involves mixing on some terrible little Earringer desk which is behind the FOH speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jay Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 I dont hate doing Live Music, I just prefer theatre/dance becuase it is more structured and has a sence of smooth running to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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