Schools Theatre Support Group

[PDD]

just wondering where you stand with student members, I'm head technician at one school but I am not a student there , however I'm not "professional staff"

(snip)

could you make a student group or something similar on the forum?

 

Well it's certainly something I can discuss with the group, although I don't think there is a place for students as such (meaning no disrespect to students!). I don't really see what a student or pupil could get from the group realistically. It could even create a conflict of interests if there was a technician and pupil from the same school in the group.

 

Personally, I think this forum here provides the one of the best ways to network and source information for students and learners. Obviously I realise there's a lot of school students who work in school theatre (as did I when I first became interested), where there is no professional technician or technical manager. Without disrespecting those people, I think it should be realised that there is a large difference between that and the jobs that the staff in this group do. It's a lot to do with perceived and actual levels of responsibility, and of course, health and safety. In many ways we're trying to get our jobs recognised as being of the same level as a similar position in a 'normal' theatre, and in most cases with greater responsibilities, control, and duty of care due to the nature of the environment and management structure.

 

Timpman, in your case it seems a bit different as from what I understand of your post you work in a school but aren't actually a student there - I presume you work voluntarily and are a student elsewhere? - I didn't quite understand.

 

 

P.

[timpman19]

yes I volunteer there ever since I LX'd one of there concerts ( the equipment was all tested but hadn't been used for a few years, after the only member of staff that new how to use the stuff left)

 

They don't have anyone that knows anything AT ALL about the theatre or its equipment, I am the only person that could physically turn the dimmers and lanterns on!

 

However from your post I understand what you are trying to achieve and realise its not really a place for me.

 

thanks anyway

 

regarda

 

timpmna19

[stage_jonty]

Thankfully tho (from a couple of experiences), at least I don't work with students who're still immature to the point of stupidity!

 

 

 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN??????????? :( I'M A STUDENT AT A SCHOOL AND I KNOW OUR PRODUCTIONS WOULD NOT GO AHEAD WITHOUT THE PUPIL-CONSISTING CREW. FULL STOP. HOW COULD AN 'IMMATURE' GROUP POSSIBLY DO SUCH A SKILLED TASK????? ;)

[sam.henderson]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN??????????? blink.gif I'M A STUDENT AT A SCHOOL AND I KNOW OUR PRODUCTIONS WOULD NOT GO AHEAD WITHOUT THE PUPIL-CONSISTING CREW. FULL STOP. HOW COULD AN 'IMMATURE' GROUP POSSIBLY DO SUCH A SKILLED TASK????? wink.gif

 

For a start you could not shout!

 

Sam

[paulears]

I rather think he's answered the very question about student membership, hasn't he?

 

I've added this as it didn't read quite the way I intended.

 

Staff have accountability, regularity, responsibility, assessibilty, validity, contractual requirements, legal requirements, etc etc

 

Students have........ none of these (and as a result, have a different viewpoint)

 

My old college decided that due to a holiday/sickness issue, they would allow a student to work as a technician properly for a couple of weeks. Total waste of time due to all the "...ity" words in the list above being absent. Very keen on everything fun, exciting and visible - everything else was far too boring or dull to even be tackled.

 

 

Students and Staff need separation at certain times to be effective.

 

When students have the correct compliment of skills and can apply them in a mature enough manner, then they are ready to be staff. Students who carry out technical processes well are still students. As George Orwell nearly said " everyone is equal, it is just that staff are more equal than students"

[Stutwo]

Amazed I haven't seen this topic before. I currently work as an "Arts Technology Developer" in an Arts College in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The Grand Title basically means I'm responsible for the purchase, maintenance, operation and rigging of any theatre or AV equipment in the college. I've a background in Theatre/Conference/Festival work before I came back here (my old school coincidentally!)

 

Just got past the AS and A2 practical exams, which meant 6 one-act performances in one morning, which was...interesting given the limitations of the space they decided to use for all 6.

 

We're lucky in that we've just become an Arts College so have a capital fund to spend. In the last few months we've bought:

 

22 Quartet fresnels

10 Source4 Jr Zooms

6 Source4 Zooms

2 Betapack2 (we already had 4 installed)

6 Nocturne Floods

8 Cantata Fresnels

2 Robert Juliat Cricket Followspots

4 Zero 88 Alphapack2

1 Alcora (for student use, we already have an ETC Expression)

Masses of Grelcos, Gobos, Cabling

A Nexo PS10 system

Allen and Heath GL3300

Allen and heath Mixwizard 14:4:2

Numerous CD/MD/EQ's

8 Sennheiser G2 Series Lapel mic

4 Sennheiser G2 Hand Held Radio mics

Two sets of Zarges ladders

Low smoke machine

Smoke machine

10 Tecpro Headsets and beltpacks and PSu

Masses of Mic cable and adaptors

 

Can't think of any more!

 

I'd class myself as pretty damn lucky to be in a college with the freedom to choose this stuff. Anyone else in the process of spending the capital fund? I'd be interested to hear what people are spending their money on.

 

Cheers!

[bassman]

Stutwo, you're just showing off now! Lucky you though having all the new toys to play with...

 

Paul has a fair point about staff and students. I am sure none of us would want to discourage enthusiasm from students in any way but there has to be a line drawn between what staff can do and what students shouldn't be doing - at least not without supervision.

 

As has been said on numerous occasions before, schools and colleges who allow students to work unsupervised in potentially hazardous situations are opening themselves up to litigation should something go wrong. Mean, we might be but we don't allow students to rig lanterns or patch dimmers.

 

S

[Stutwo]

At my place, amazingly, there aren't any students who are interested in tech work. I give thanks for that daily.

[bigus]

Just a quick example of the way legislation etc has changed over recent years as far as students working as techs. 7 years ago I began working as a tech at school, back then we could get away with doing almost anything.

 

However two years ago when I left we couldn't wire a plug (even though it is part of the GCSE physics teaching!) let alone climb ladders or heaven forbid rig a lantern. :)

 

Mike

[mk_ellis]

I am currently consulting for a school that's revitalising it's drama course and theatre space. The school has invested a lot of money in new equipment and hopefully, next summer, they will be refitting the main venue - heaven knows it needs it.

 

In the meantime, I have been working with my wife who teaches Physics at the school to establish a tech crew among the 5th & 6th form students. This has been pretty successful and we've had a few really good productions.

 

A number of things surprise me though. One is the continual lack of understanding of theatre in schools within the staff as a whole (I'm sure many of you will identify with this). Oh-so-many do not recognise it as a hazardous place or time-consuming job (the same people will happily accept that a chemistry lab is a dangerous place!?).

 

By way of a shameless plug (no commission - honest!) they are currently looking for a Theatre Tech - The Stage (Job Ad) - I am also surprised at the current lack of applications and the poor quality. Are we not producing people interested in technical theatre any more? Surely some of you out there would relish the chance to develop such skills with quite capable youngsters and (almost!) regular working hours? ...It would seem not.

 

Anyway, rambling over. Just thought I'd register my interest in this area.

 

Mark

[paulears]

I've taken the liberty of copying this chunk

 

The successful candidate should have a minimum of 3 years’ related experience; a relevant electrical qualification; excellent understanding of lighting and sound systems; be a competent lighting designer; have a good knowledge of theatre related Health & Safety regulations and law; be flexible and enthusiastic.

A theatre refurbishment is planned for Summer 2006; advising and assisting with this is key to the post. Recent equipment purchased includes a Strand 520i lighting console and a SoundCraft Spirit 8 40-channel sound desk.

This full time post will demand some evening and weekend work with a 9.30am-6.00pm working day, five days a week, as the norm.

 

 

I suspect your problem is to do with ability requirements, you want an already skilled person with a sparks qualification (this removes loads of skillful theatre people - not a huge number have sparks c&g's) You also need 500 series experience and sound skills, again, not a combination that many people will have. 37 hours a week, plus evenings/weekend, with prob time off in leiu rather than overtime.

 

So, you really have specified a skilled sound & lx op, with electrical qualification, and are paying half a teachers salary. I'm guessing, but you'll get a few college graduates (although with a loan to pay off, many of those won't be interested) in electrical installation, some skilled in lx OR sound, and a few older people with out of date skills. Most theatre technicians won't have all the things you want, and many won't even bother to reply. After all, if they are that good, they'll be working in a receiving house earning much more with o/t and get outs.

[gareth]

Have to agree with Paul, I'm afraid - you're looking for an experienced (3+ years), electrically-qualified theatre technician, multi-skilled in sound and electrics, H&S-savvy, with lighting design experience, and someone with sufficient knowledge to be able to contribute to a major refurbishment program of the main theatre space, you want them to come and live/work in one of the most expensive areas of the country in cost-of-living terms, and you want to be able to get all that for as little as £14k? (Which I'm guessing is probably not a great deal more than some of the senior members of the school cleaning staff) Yeah, right ..... I think you might be p*ssing into the wind a bit with those expectations. Sorry to be blunt, but there it is.

[Andrew C]

They're having a laugh.

 

Shame, all that kit, and basically a new space to play with.... but I would still have to eat and Kent isn't cheap.

 

As to working time...Time off in lieu? Ho Ho, I work at a boarding school and believe me IT NEVER STOPS! Then you find that the facilities are let in the summer/Easter, and you can't take your hols then.

[PDD]

As to working time...Time off in lieu?  Ho Ho, I work at a boarding school and believe me IT NEVER STOPS!  Then you find that the facilities are let in the summer/Easter, and you can't take your hols then.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Luckily for me I avoid that problem as we don't take lettings in the majority of the holidays. As much as I may sometimes get cheesed off with the term-time hours (during our house play season I regularly average 12 hour days, 7 days), school holidays can't be sniffed at.

 

As for that job above, it probably is the sort of job I would've applied for 2 years ago when I was looking for my first job. I would guess that for that salary (especially in Kent as has been said) it will only appeal to first-time-jobbers, hence the perceived low quality of the applications against the expectations. I must say though that from the adverts I've seen over the last 2 years, £14k - £15k seems the average for a school theatre technician. Some are as low as £12k. London area seems to be about £18k - £20k.

[paulears]

School and college technicians in 'technology active areas' never get what they are due. No disrespect to any reading, but some don't require any knowledge at all - the job being a clean up after the students, deliver a tv to room 3, paint a door type 'technicians' who have never seen a music/performing arts dept! These jobs don't need much skill or knowledge. Compare that to what is required here and there is a real difference. The pay scale is the same.

 

This jobs sounds so similar to ones advertised all over. I gave someone a reference for one the other day, they got offered the job and refused it when the salary arrangements were revealed - same thing. no o/t, only time off in leiu and no get outs. Stinks really.

 

Not as if they are even willing to take trainees and make 'em into useful people.

 

I'm not slagging off the poster, but what did they expect?