Sound and lighting courses for under 16's

[benatkinson]

Hi Everybody,

 

Im a keen younge boy aged 14 that is interested in sound and lighting. Does anybody know where I can go to do some training/nightclasses so that I can boost my knowlage in sound and lighting.

 

Ben

[ChrisD]

I'm 15, in a similar position to you, and I've found one of the best ways to get knowledge is to read product manuals for popular dimmer racks/desks/fixtures/mics etc (normally available online somewhere). I would also write polite letters to local theatres/am dram groups to see if they could offer you work experience but, bear in mind, it's easier to get work in theatres especially if you're over 16 (allegedly due to H&S and Insurance reasons, but I don't know for sure, but I'm sure you could look into it).

 

It's also adviseable to make sure you're fit and healthy - take up swimming or jogging or something, and possibly visit a gym too. As Bryson said to me only days ago, being 6'2" and built like a brick s*** house can help a lot, especially if you're rigging a lot.

 

Another way to get into the industry is people. If you're mum's cousin's friend's dog is technical manager at a theatre, see if you can get a backstage tour, but do some research first. If you happen to know how many DMX addresses their intelligent fixtures use or any other seemingly pointless information, they might be impressed enough to let you play with some of the kit, you never know.

 

I hope to more experienced techs that doesn't sound like a load of BS, but feel free to correct me...

 

HTH

 

Chris

[benatkinson]

Thanks,

 

Do you do the sound and lighting at your school, if so what kind of rigs do you have.

 

Also whats the jogging and swimming all about?

 

Ben

[paulears]

it's easier to get work in theatres especially if you're over 16 (allegedly due to H&S and Insurance reasons, but I don't know for sure, but I'm sure you could look into it).

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

there's quite a lot of old stuff about this subject, but the truth is it is ILLEGAL to work in a theatre until you're 16 - daft, we all know. That's the problem with insurance - if it's illegal, you can't be insured. The only exception is where it's a show licenced as a childrens production - then an under 16 can work on it, but officially, thaqt's the only time. If you are tall, and look older, many amdram organisations may just forget to ask you how old you are - but, expect problems if you are honest.

paul

[benatkinson]

Ok,

 

I live down the road from the nec arena and was wondering if they would take me on for work experiance in the concert hall. Do you recon they would?

 

ben

[gareth]

Ok,

 

I live down the road from the nec arena and was wondering if they would take me on for work experiance in the concert hall. Do you recon they would?

You could try asking them yourself. Or is that being ridiculously old-fashioned?

[the kid]

Its not going to do any harm asking about. I doubt that anyone will complain about you jsut inquiring. Also try local hire places.

[ChrisD]

Also whats the jogging and swimming all about?

 

It is VERY adviseable to be physically above average fitness.

 

If you start doing getins/getouts at theatres, you can probably expect to be hanging fixtures weighing 20-30-40kg and socapex (multicore mains cable) isn't exactly light.

 

If you end up as a runner for a show (which is more likely) then you'll probably end up, err, running. It's a great advantage to be able to run to the hardware store down the road to get a PP3 in 4 minutes flat to get it in the radio mic 30 seconds before the performance starts...

 

On top of this, theatre/concert hours are silly, to say the least. A "Generic technician" doing a getout at a theatre might work between the hours of midnight and 4am or something silly like that after 2 shows as a stagehand so stamina is VERY helpful.

 

You would be very lucky if you started doing work like that (obviously once you're 16) because the pay isn't bad for a getout (a guy I know did £1000 in a week of just getins and getouts).

 

Do you do the sound and lighting at your school, if so what kind of rigs do you have.

 

I am "Technical assistant" to the LX crew at school - I'm not old enough to be on it, I basically tell them how to do what they want to do . This covers mainly Lighting but sound too (we're better at lighting :blink:). We don't currently have a permenant rig as such because we have so many different events in the main hall. We have a single phase 100A supply ( ) and we draw all our lighting power through that. We have 6 Paradim^e 6 channel 10A a channel dimmer (brand new and white/blue, they're sexy :blink: ) And a Jands Event 314 I think :S (can't remember the exact number) and a Frog ( A waste of too much money IMHO )

 

Fixture/Lantern wise, we have 12 PAR 64s or so (lots of music events), 8 1kw Fresnels, 12 Acclaim (sp?) fresnels, some old Pat 23s which NEVER get used, 8 Source 4s (2 long nose), 2 Mac 500s (Great mid/high end moving heads in my oppinion, but I've not used many others...) and an Atomic 3000 strobe (nice and bright, great fun :blink: ).

 

If you want any more information, feel free to PM me, I might be able to get some pics of stuff we've done.

 

HTH

 

Chris

 

 

Moderator's Note : this topic is about sound and lighting courses. It isn't somewhere to post a list of the equipment in your school theatre, folks - keep it on-topic, please, or expect to be deleted.

[SceneMaster]

Ok, Firstly I am 16, so can work in the theatre but yes when under 16 you can’t unless on work experience as your schools insurance covers you (well that’s what I was told) and you cannot be paid for this… you can also work on children’s shows. On the subject of working on amdram I managed to work on shows under 15 although I had to be supervised… and couldn’t operate lights on my own… but I could design ect… and have worked on loads of events under 16 in and out of the theatre but I firstly had to be supervised at all times and the insurance had to be in place… as for working in the theatre it is illegal to do so under 16 so I have only done about 4 actually in a pro theatre show for which it was classified as work experience… the best thing to do is get a decent work experience placement and do stuff as school…

 

Umm, ChrisD why aren’t you old enough for your schools crew I was doing it back in year 7 although you may have 6th formers who do it and it is just reserved as there job (my school doesn’t have a 6th form). Technical adviser… what exactly do you do as I can imagine that the people on the crew would be able to do most of the design work and research or do they give that to you can’t imagine a chief school LX doing that if they are passionate about it but hey… I agree with you on the fitness side of things…

 

On the moderation note above… the original poster… did actually ask ChrisD about his rig… although I agree lets keep this on topic, I too am interested now that I am 16 in competent riggers/electricians qualification courses, I know there are some but where and how much do they cost? Probably a good idea to get a first aid or first response qualification as well although this means you actually have to do something if someone hurts themselves rather than let someone else deal with it… although I think the knowledge would be useful.

[ChrisD]

SceneMaster - My school have decided that they want to do a half arsed H&S job. None of our kit is PAT tested. Everything has safety chains. We managed to draw 160A through our 100A supply :S and I'm not allowed to go up a ladder/in the gallery/touch a fixture or desk because I'm not insured.

 

I basically end up with all the LX aspects of events. The crew are happy to settle for a wash on the stage which spills slightly over the Proscenium arch because they're lazy, and I'm the one who tells them to go and do it again. When they want to light a window from behind, I'm the one who calls numerous hire companies for hints and tips :huh:

 

As regards courses at 16, being 15 (16 in May) I'm also interested in this kinda stuff :o All ABTT couses require you to be a member of ABTT as far as I know, and to be a member you have to be 18 I believe. Don't know about any other theatre associations tho I'm afraid.

 

HTH

 

Chris Darby

[Freddie]

Hi there,

 

I'm in a similar position (But I'm even younger, not 14 til August - but you wouldn't believe if you saw me. Oh the joys of being 5ft 11ish ;)). My advice: as has been said, make yourself well-known at local amdrams and youth-theatres, even if you aren't allowed to run LX, you can almost certainly move props around, still counts as theatre experience. Make sure you're allowed to do non-twirly stuff before you hand over any money though. Another thing, often it helps to be a bit cheeky, don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. Most theatres will do backstage tours (though you'd probably need to take a parent with you for h+s) if you ask nicely enough. Make sure that its absolutely DEFINITE you're too young for the school crew. 14 (yr9/10) sounds old not to be allowed to and by the sound of it, you're intelligent enough.

 

Good luck

 

Freddie :)

 

EDIT: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 100th post :huh: :o ;)

[benatkinson]

Yer might try that,

 

Never though of Heatlth and Saftey before been doing the usuals at my school since year 7, teachers never minded us bening up tall laders chaning light fixings, rigging building staging but now I might take into concideration these things.

 

What kind of qualifications at A-Level have the sound and lighting engineers after on friday getting my options booklet and im looking for whcih options to take that could guide me to collage applications to suit the kind of job I want to do (sound engineering)

 

Ben

[Freddie]

TBH the general opinion on here is that a BTEC is better than A-levels for tech. Purely because Alevel tends to be academic based wheras BTECs are more practical. At A-level though, I think Theatre Studies, Maths + Physics wouldn't be a bad set

 

At GCSE, the obvious choice is Drama, as you can do a tech option on one of your two projects. You would have to act for the other one though. If you're interested in Music., consider taking Music (Or Music Tech if your scvhool does it.) A secind language is always gona be useful too.

[World_Lighter]

As regards to A Level I took ICT, Maths, Physics and Chemistry at AS, Failed ICT and Maths and now doing Chemistry, Physics and General Studies at A Level.

 

HOWEVER since the end of year 11 I have been working pretty much as deputy electrician at my local amdram theatre, Shaw Playhouse 2 , and also worked on shows at oldham coliseum and gracie fields theatre so I've had loads of experience =)

 

The academic side has helped specially with the maths and physics side cos wen it comes to major technical problems I've mostly been able to muddle through first try.

 

plus I managed to get an unconditional offer for LIPA :huh: (Theatre and Performance Technology BA)

 

So A Levels wernt that bad a choice as long as you get outside experience. And lots of it

 

Dan

[armaros]

One thing I did was get in contact with a “youth†theatre company, there I spoke to the technical manager about I didn’t want to do the “performance†part but more tech he tuck that on and he started to take me under his wing doing show both with the company and him self….

Hope that helps Martin