From one to another

And so we meet again, good Sir Blog.  First time for a long while, though.

Apologies, folks, for the substantial absence, but it is clear evidence of the nature of the course we study on.  I just haven’t had the time in the evenings to blog.  Some might say, I was pooped.

Today marked the end of one production for me at the Academy, and the immediate commencement of another.  I can look back on The Seagull with a quiet smile.  Not my favourite production ever, not my best performance as a techie ever, but not a bad one either.  Pretty uneventful, really.  Nothing bad happened, to be honest.  One day melted into the next without incident, and before I knew it, we were striking it.  I think its in a way, an odd testament to our TSM crew.  We could not have asked for a better TSM in Kirsty; her interpersonal skills were exceptional, her ability to delegate was second-to-none, and along with Scott and Marvin, we worked very well together.  All of us listened well to Kirsty, and got on with our jobs without much fuss.

I think I’ve noticed that I’ve matured slightly as a techie.  I found myself more capable of completing tasks myself, without someone babysitting me.  I guess it’s because now that I’m a second year, I’m expected to know things, so people aren’t looking over my shoulder all the time.  Also, by not being under tremendous pressure generally during the production, it gave me the opportunity to look at the production, and the course from a more objective point of view, and perhaps see where I might have done things differently, or pick up tips for when I am in a management role.

Tomorrow we start Panto prep, and I must say I am tremendously excited.  Not only because its my favourite production of the year, but that I’ll be able to see it through rather than being put on it half way.  I do have my concerns as to what is expected of me as a DTSM, what my duties are etc.  On the other hand, I cannot wait to op automation for it.  Its exactly what I hoped I’d be doing on it, so I can’t wait to prove myself as an automation technician and put on an amazing show.

Sorry for not doing the best blog ever, but its got to be done.

’till next time, this is Thomas, signing off.

Production prep

Hi again, folks.

Tonight’s blog post comes live from the couch in my living room, due to the fact that I’ve got time to kill, having mopped myself into the corner in preparation for tomorrow’s flat warming party.

The past week has been rather enjoyable, but like so many instances on this course, one day seemed to melt into the next, and all have passed in a blur, leaving me sitting here struggling to recount what we did.

One thing I can remember is using the automation last week, and finally getting a chance to fly people in 2D.  This was thoroughly enjoyable, and confirmed for me that automation is definitely what I want to make a career out of once I graduate.  It also really made me look forward to panto, and the challenges and responsibilities being automation op bestows on me.  What was a little disconcerting, however, was being told that there is no Academy Automation level 2, and that the brief guide to sculptor and visual creator I was given is all the training I am going to receive before 4 people put their trust in me this Christmas as I fly them about a theatre.  Sometimes I think I would like to start the TPA course in a few years time, when the automation technology is not in it’s infancy, and there are more classes and training attached to it.  But, feck all I can do about that, so I’m going to have to make the most of it while I can.

Our week concluded with a day in workshop, finally getting to hang our doors, and put into practise all the skills we had learned the week before.  To be fair, it was quite selfish of us three lads going together in a team, but we worked well together, exchanging and VETOing ideas, before coming to a decision and implementing it.  I was last to attempt to hang my door, and I was very happy with my efforts.  Its also nice to be finally signed off on all the workshop equipment, which I’m sure will prove invaluable in the future.  This was actually put into action today, in fact, as I had to cut scaff legs for The Seagull.  What was not so enjoyable was grinding the ends smooth after cutting them to length, as the vibration from the grinder sapped all my grip strength, leaving my hand tingling and my fingers weak.

This week we have pyro show, which I am really looking forward to, as I get to op automation for.  I was to know that when asked who my peers thought should op automation, my name was suggested.  Its nice to know those I work with trust in my abilities.  Come on, group hug.  Other than that, its more Seagull prep.

‘Till next time, adieu.

A new era, a new energy, and a new frame of mind

Hiya pals!

Welcome back to my blog for what promises to be another eventful year.

Well I must say its good to be back at the Academy.  The summer really did drag on a bit towards the end.  On the other hand, I did have a fantastic summer.  I spent the entire month of August in Edinburgh working at the Edinburgh Fringe, and the Military Tattoo, and I must say it felt good to be getting some decent industry work under my belt.  This is partly due to the fact that I found I had an abundant lack of it in first year.  I’ve also been feeling that I have been behind the pack in my year in some way due to coming straight from school, and not having made many industry contacts etc.  To be honest with you I was suprised more people from our course were not over in Edinburgh, considering it is the biggest festival of its kind in the world, and its right on our doorstep.

Nevertheless, I came away from Edinburgh feeling good about my performance, and that it was good progress in making a career in this industry.  I also learned during my time there, a motto that I will try and remember for all future work that I do, which goes something like:-

Every job is just another job opportunity

In other words, I will always try to make the most of a job, and see where else it can take me.  For example, despite being a followspot op at the Tattoo, I got speaking the the Big House Events guys who were doing crew work at the Tattoo, and volunteered my services for the Tattoo out.  Although I may not have got that job, it got me on their books and two shifts with them at the BBC Proms in the Park.    This epitomises the nature of this industry for me.

Also this summer, I wandered down to PLASA ‘09, and literally had a pants party at all the tech there.  Things like the Visual ACT stand, and the Funktion One demo room were simply staggering pieces of technology.  This too proved very productive as contacts that I got from there have now turned into possible 3rd year work placements, just after a couple of emails.  I certainly feel I have been charged with this new energy towards getting jobs and making contacts.  I want to get the stage were I won’t be stuck for jobs once graduating, or better yet, walk straight into an automation position somewhere.  Whats wrong with aiming high?

And this brings us back to today.  We had a week with Zander in workshop last week.  I really enjoyed this, and despite it being somewhat slow and repetitive at times, I certainly did learn things.  It was a different story today, mind.  We started our LX/TSM refresher with a quiz this morning, and my word was it embarrasing.  I was astonished at how little I knew.  It may be all well and good having it be light-hearted and joking around, but everything that we were not getting correct, was the information and knowledge that we should have learned in the classes we never got in our first year.  A few simple classes on industry professionals for example: who the important people are, who we should know, what do they do, etc.  You might say this is up to us to find out, but I am at the Academy to learn these things.  Teach me, please.

Cralph’s tweet earlier raised a very good point too.  I felt I was partially responsible for the dire lack of motivation and work speed today in what should have been a basic lighting rig.  At the time I kinda unintentionaly felt that I already knew how to rig lights, so didnt have to bother so much, and also that I was the TSM one of the group, and so that it didnt apply to me in some way.  I know this was quite arrogant of me, and is something I need to rectify in some way.

Enough Academy-bashing for one night.  Tomorrow we have time with the beautiful MA, and automation and hippo time later in the week too.  Should be fun.

Should I finish with a joke?  Nah..

erm…where did Africa go?!

And so my SM allocation continues.  I still don’t seem to have that much to say, but I’ll do my best anyway. 

After some time doing SM now, I can report that it ain’t that bad at all.  I realise that I am probably not getting the same experience as my peers on Opera 3, and in turn the same taste of SM.  CPP allows me to be more creative than usual.  Before I went in to my SM allocation, I thought that it would comprise mainly of making and updating lists, taking notes, making phone calls, sending emails and the like.  To be honest, I have done very little of this.  I have spent most of my time in the applied art departments making things.  Thankfully though, all the globes are finished now. 

Spending time in scenic has reminded me how much of a perfectionist I am.  Trust me, making 20 globes made this fact abundantly clear.  I found myself trying to match every contour and shape of the continents and islands on the map in front of me, where as Jamie took a somewhat more gun-ho approach to marking out the globes (the title of this post refers to this).  I don’t know what it is about me.  I like to think its just that I put my all into any task, but it has got me thinking, is such a trait a help or a hindrance when it comes to TPA, and in particular, TSM?  When I am in a senior role in 3rd year, will I be anal about how things are done?  Will I insist things are done a certain way?  Only time will tell, I guess.

Here are a couple of pictures I managed to snap during CTP4:

Anyway, hopefully you will hear from me today tomorrow because I still need more content for my reflective summary.

Good night

If you want something done, do it yourself…

Thought I would blog tonight due to the impending reflective summary deadline.

I am now on my fourth day of my stage management allocation, and so far, everything has gone fairly well.  But, at times it very much feels like I am doing an applied art allocation.  Granted, I am doing what ASMs commonly get asked to do, but I am spending so much time in scenic, that I sort of hope for a more “traditional” ASM allocation, such as on one of the A3s.  Call me crazy, but part of me would like a (not overly) lengthy props list to beg, borrow or buy.  Something to give me a more stereotypical experience of SM. But, I guess being ASM on CPP productions could never be described as “traditional”.

Nevertheless, I am enjoying the variety that SM provides.  Working in departments I am not strong in is a great chance to better my skills, and I always relish an opportunity to try something new.  SM is fine, and I am trying to make the most of it that I can, but it just doesn’t do anything for me.  I know that those who choose SM have a very hard job, much harder than we give them credit for, but it does not have the same lure that TSM does. I don’t hate SM, but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be choosing it as a second year specialism.

Not much else to say really.  Tomorrow we have stools to pick up, and lights to walk.  Nothing terribly exciting.  Hopefully I’ll have something more exciting to divulge next time.

T x

One more step along the course I go…

I thought I would round off my LX allocation with one final blog today.  (Plus, I need to pad out my blog a bit for the reflective statement )

Well, Spring Awakening is now done and dusted.  The run went as well as could be hoped.  We had no major calamities and got a 3 star review from the Guardian.  I feel myself looking back on this allocation with a quiet smile on my face.  Sure, it wasn’t a flawless performance by yours truly, but I think got as much as much as I reasonably could out of the experience.

We struck it yesterday in a very respectable time of sub-4 hours.  I got the impression at the time that this is where LX has an advantage over TSM.  An LX strike, especially in the Chandler, is very quick and easy.  Most TSM strikes, however, involve many complex operations such as deweighting bars, disassembling portals etc.  With LX, it just felt like we blasted through it at warp speed.

I wont put much more now.  I’ll leave it for the reflective statement.  All I can say is that I did enjoy the allocation very much.  It taught me things I did not know before, it increased my confidence and it gave me the chance to try something different.  And if it did nothing more than that, then I think it can be considered a success.

Next up, SM and the mad, mad world of CPP.

Progress

Hello all.

Apologies for the lack of bloggage, but I really havn’t had the inspiration or time to post until now.

My current allocation of LX has had, like most things, its ups and downs.  I requested this detail to better my frankly shoddy LX skills, to improve my overall ability and in turn hopefully make myself more employable.   I think it is safe to say I have improved my LX knowledge, as I sure has hell know more about it now than I did only 2 weeks ago.  However, even though I am pretty sure I wont be choosing LX from second year, I feel this allocation has not completely shown me all that choosing LX has to offer.  Namely, we were still plotting and re-plotting before the second performance of the run.  I’ve been informed that this should never have happened, and rarely does, so it is one thing I should forget about when making my second year choice. 

 Its just that when all you see is nothing but this:                                                             and you would rather be doing this:

 

for 12 hours a day, LX kinda loses its appeal.

Barry has also been telling me about all the promises Simon is making by way of course changes.  Things like ProTools and Electricians qualifications, and an HD ProTools suite in the Academy.  Things that will be useful outwith the Academy.  Its industry standard qualifications that the Academy should offer more of I feel to benefit it’s students and alumni.  Being that they came from Simon, I’ve a feeling that they may well materialise.  Its things like that that influence our decision.  Hopefully Steve has similar things instore for those of us who choose TSM.

On the other hand, when we have not been plotting, I have really enjoyed my LX time.  The cast and crew are a great laugh, and have been a joy to work with.  Oping a show I really quite easy, but automation is much the same principle, only a whole lot cooler.

What I am most happy to report is that I have achieved what I set out to do.  When I had that down time after Easter, I used some of it to learn the Congo, because I wanted to be more independant in my work and not be supervised.  And it has been quite evident that this was time well spent.  Not only am I competent on the Congo, as pointed out to me by my PM, but I like to think I am just as able as anyone in the Academy, (except for maybe Simon), at operating it.  The venue techs don’t give it the credit or time it deserves.  Its not a bad desk once you get to know it.  Most people just know and like Strand desks and how they operate, and hence stay away from the Congo.

The lowest point on this show was last week, when, for no know reason, I slept in and was quite majorly late.  Those who know me know I am the kind of person who likes to keep their nose clean, and I really took the situation badly.  My mood plummeted that day, and I lost all faith in my abilities, even questioning whether I was cut out for TPA or not.  I know this sounds pretty over the top, but its just who I am.   I’ll just need to see how it affects my module grade.

Tomorrow is our final performance, and then we have the strike on Saturday.  This allocation has been a positive experience on a learning front.  I know I will come away from it with a better understanding of LX, which can only be a good thing.  Next up I have my SM allocation on CPP2, which I know will be a very different experience.

T

Mixed feelings

I’m thinking just a quick blog tonight, as I don’t seem to have much to say recently.

Since my last post, my LX allocation has continued, and I am enjoying it.  I didn’t know much about LX prior to the allocation, and so was looking forward to the opportunity to be in an environment where, for an extended period of time, I could concentrate on it.  First off, I found out that I knew slightly more than I thought I did, and that I took to the work reasonably well.  However, the LX work just seems to be very repetitive  ie rigging and focusing fixtures.  This is what puts me off LX.  As stated in my previous post, its the variety that TSM offers that attracts me to it.

I am very much enjoying working with Michaela, Lynn and Jamie.  We get on well, and the work has been steadily completed.  But, I always got the feeling that we were behind schedule, and that I was always taking too long with whatever task I was doing.  Not for the first time, I would find it difficult to recall what we had done that day.  The atmosphere has been quite laid back, and this is possibly a contributory factor to the perceived low productivity rate: there has not been much urgency to our work.  I think that the simplicity of the set and the fact that we have basically had the Chandler to ourselves without interruption has meant that we have finished the focus on schedule today.  In any other case, I fear that may not have happened.  But, not to worry.  Everything turned out OK in the end.

As for my performance, I think it has been quite poor.  I am trying to learn about LX, but I often feel unmotivated when I know that a unique TSM experience in the form of “Dying For It” is happening right next door, and that I cannot be a part of it.

The LX plot begins tomorrow, so I hope to be on top of my game and be able to finish the day being happy with the day’s work.

Sorry for putting a downer on your evening, but it had to be said.

‘Till next time, T x

Between a rock and a Congo

Evening all.

Well, Jonny’s inspiring post has lit a rather large fire under my arse, and given me the push I needed to blog. Thank you for that.

The past few days have been a mixed bag. As Martin so eloquently put it yesterday, us LXguys have been given a bit of a raw deal post-Easter, what with the arrival of a new lecturer. This has been a bit of a double edged sword to be honest. You know me, I always see the silver lining. It has meant, on one hand, that I have had a few weeks without structure. Not knowing what I was doing day to day has gotten slightly annoying, but it has given me the chance to accomplish things I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. I spent a joyous week in workshop completing a project I volunteered to do for show I’m not even working on. And, more so this week, I have spent a good few hours in front of the Congo, learning it’s ins and outs. This has been very valuable because when it comes to focusing, plotting and op-ing Spring Awakening, I don’t want to be the worst LX op the Academy has had through its doors. Its all good and well the ever-so helpful Christine sayingshe’ll be with me duringthe plotting session, but in a way I don’t want the help. I want to be competent enough to be independent. I don’t know whether I’m growing up, (God forbid), but I want to stand on my own two feet more and make things happen for myself.

A reassuring upside to this week has been the swift action taken by Simon to make up for lost time, and organise classes for us PLX guys. It is great to see a lecturer take such a proactive approach to our requests. Granted, he may well have thought we needed classes because, and I’ll be the first to admit this, I know shit all about LX. We are generally, apart from Fallen, an inexperience LX crew. But the main point I like to take away is that these are the classes that we’ve been asking for. Class time immediately prior to a production I feel is infinitelyvaluable. I maintain that if a project or two at the beginning of term two were scrapped or rescheduled, and the time used for classes, we would have been much more confident when it came to working on Opera 2. Things like teaching Craig and I how to label the fly ropes properly for deadsetc, rather than him making up his own way and being told it was wrong.

I see great things for Simon. I think he really is going to shake the LX side of things up. Those who choose LX in second year could not be luckier. I advise them to squeeze every ounce of knowledge they can out of him before they graduate. He is even talking about bringing TSM and LX closer together. and this can only be a good thing. Would you believe this is only his second week at our insitution? Watch this space.

Not having a schedule these past few weeks has given me a chance to get a greater insight into people’s current feelings to the course, rather than being ignorant and focused on my production alone. Mood in camp seems to be all around better. Its only Barry and Craig that are dragging the average down . But fair play to them, they’re taking SM with a pinch of salt, and I’m sure they’re getting more out of it than they think they are. Its evident that the TSM guys are enjoying themselves, and I wish I could join them. Maybe its the start some better weather or being on the home stretch of what has been a very quick first year. The only thing to do, as the grind continues, is not to let things get to you. After all, tomorrow is another day.

Good night.

A second wind

*sweeps cobwebs away from WordPress blog*

Crikey!!  I hadn’t realised how long it had been since my last post.  But, its a new term, a new show, a new allocation, and, after 3 weeks of holiday, a new energy to production work.  Lets hope I keep this up, as it really is a valuable tool.

After a cracking Easter holiday, uni started again last week, and all I can say is that I wish it started again this week.  It was by far the best week I have had at the academy yet.  Firstly, because of the convenient timing of Simon Cadell’s tenure at the Academy, I had no LX calls.  So, as I’m not one to sit on my arse for a week, I spent 4 days in workshop completing the floating window for “Dying for it”.  I really do love workshop.  The more I think about it, the more I think I should have applied to do Applied Art.  But, then I would never have had the chance to do automation and the like.  What is reassuring though, is that Steve and Simon plan on bringing TSM and workshop closer together after the frankly ridiculous restructuring of the course.  The two subjects virtually go hand in hand.  Fingers crossed I get to spend more time in there in the years to come.  I already know what I’m doing for my 2nd year elective.  Is that sad?

Friday was the most enjoyable of the week, though.  I joined the second year TSMs onstage to have a gander at the automation, and joined in on the mock rescue of someone in the air attached to the automation.  However, this was cut short when Steve, (who was following Stage Tech’sinstructions at the time), broke one of the brake handles on a motor.  So, to pass the time, Steve taught me some rope access techniques.  This is a qualification I have been thinking of getting in order to become a rigger.  And although I’m not into climbing, I easily could be.  The things Steve taught me were easy to pick up and put into practise, and all-in-all, its just a load of fun.  Its something to ponder, I think.  To put a cherry on  top of what had been a great day, I enjoyed a quick turn in the tumble harness.  Now who doesn’t want a go in one of them?  Its days like that that make this course what it is, andwhy I enjoy it so much.  Days when the lecturers ask us what we want to learn.  When the mood so laid back that you learn far more than you usually would because you’re genuinely enjoying yourself.  More of the same, please.  Its also further helping my decision as to what specialism I should take in second year.  I did a spell where I wanted to take LX because of the more readily availible jobs etc.  But I realise, its the variety in TSM that attracts me.  The mix of jobs that you get set.  The level of problem solving it takes when you have a complex rig to complete.  LX just seems to be rig, focus, plot, op, strike, for every show. 

Which leads me nicely to today.  My first LX call, and by God it was boring.  Granted, Christine was thinking on her feet when it came for things for us to do, and I did learn more about LX.  TSM just has the edge over it.  Dont get me wrong, I know I’m going to enjoy this allocation because its something new and exciting.  But I also know that TSM will be like that everyday.

So, as some of my peers are doing a double take at what they thought only a couple of days ago was a decision set in stone, and other persevere with allocations they want to see the back of, I’m a good place.  I think I’ve made the decision about where I want to go and what I want to achieve.  Only time will tell.

Until next time, T.