# Job How to get?



## Brandon8 (Mar 27, 2012)

I was just wondering how to get my name out there to control the light board? I am relatively good at designing programming and controling.


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## Les (Mar 27, 2012)

First, some lingo: It sounds like you're looking for a position as a _light board operator_. 

Second, at your age, try doing community theatre or summer stock if you're of age. Odds are, you will not start out in a paid position running a light board, so get ready to coil cables while learning everything you can and networking with everyone you can. Define what you want to do and what your experience level is. Does your primary experience consist of high school shows? Do you want to go out on tour or work in a home venue (good luck)? You said 'programming', but programing what? With what?

Also (and most importantly), read this fine collaborative article to get a feel of what it may actually take to get a job in the industry:
Getting a Job in the Industry - ControlBooth


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## bishopthomas (Mar 27, 2012)

I would start by working on your communication skills. After that head over to your local club/theatre/production company and ask if they have any extra brooms you can use in their facility. Maybe even bring your own contact cleaner or Goof Off since that's what you'll be doing at first. And always remember: Lift with your legs!


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## len (Mar 27, 2012)

The jobs available to a high school student are going to be a little limited, but don't get frustrated. Take whatever work, paid or not, you can get. It'll only benefit you in the long run. When I was in high school I was able to take college classes at the local junior college. That might be a way to get some additional experience.


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## ship (Mar 28, 2012)

All harsh sounding and hoping that in your first post you don't give up as others have especially in this question. Good posts in the past on jobs and hints on sorry, not getting britches too high - but certainly keep them up at the waist line. (Must be old but I cannot understand Undies showing pants falling down style.)

Mostly you don't get your BMW position in showing up, you have to start by sweeping the floors first and it is reality. Sorry, I'm good or was good at programming a Kliegl Preformer II, Strand Lite Pallet III, Somewhat functional with the Q-File and excellent with the Vision. Can I hop onto some modern light board and function with it??? no, better attempting to screw it up for someone these days. Was a programmer of light boards, and Master Carpenter and designer with some noteriety for set and lights, now mainly just some sort of ME in me today learning how to use a metal laith because I needed to create some 1/2-13 to M12-1.75 threaded adaptors. 

Mostly over the years life and work I could get got in the way of me mostly reading a book and waiting for the "Go" or "go back" button, waiting in some shows with Ertha Kitt that tended to stray some in scenes but was always amazing no matter skipped or gone back to scenes in finding cues. Really, reading a book with a hand on the go button and stopped reading if something happened over the headsets or was prepping for a cue. Obviously last scene or "Hair" I wasn't reading but otherwise, couldn't think of a more boring position during shows. Every day the same thing and isolated in one quit booth after programming was done. Preferred pin rail in than I was at least active and or helping to change costumes or catch people blinded by the light was more what I preferred before getting the 9:5 life at work and adventure at home in old lights. For me at least - finished tonight a Capitol Stage Lighting #1 c.1928 Olivalitte - Yey, another fixture under the belt to learn from and three days in the works and thought about. 

Milage might vary and programmers for shows certainly next to the designer have a key position - assuming some rock tour, but if rock tour... you don't quite get there by high school experience. Recommend College if even Full Sail that these days has a much better name for itself than it used to have. Than less time in slinging cable but still doing so. Still recomment full college in gaining learning in a broad base of education and training in more than one subject of theater. What light boards you can control will as noted be obsolete by the time you get to use them professionally. Best to learn the theory of them, theory of design, taxes, business, math, science and theater in general before troubling yourself in sweeping floors for a while than doing the light board.

Such a concept is a 70's concept in how to make it big. Don't always have to get the Masters Degree in lighting design today in making it big or at least doing the light board, but go as far as you can in school before settling as each degree you get makes your time in slinging the cable shorter and time in growth and pay check dividens bigger. Really - more school and education is bigger pay check as an end result to retire from some day. Stay in school - get to college especially during a recession that isn't hiring as much. Educate yourself in waiting out a smaller job market. 

Summer work, focus just for a job with any company that you can get a job with in saving money for school but primary focus is school. If possible during vacations from school come back to work there or elsewhere for that period but stay in school. Graduate and you don't have a problem in not asking for a programmer job but a good job that you will see programmer as only a stop on the way to other things. Programmer is not some job to retire in a position with.

Also in resume help - don't be afraid of going bold for mission statement or career goals, it might make for something to be noticed for discussion in interview or at least get you noted in standing out. For me this was in applying for work other than as a designer (cover letters and rusemes tailered to where I was applying.) So as my goal in my last job: become "The Grumpy Old Man of the Theater, or a World Famous Designer - Not very likely." Was told during the interview that they already had one Grumpy Old Man but were willing for more, and as for other, also possible with work. It amongst other presentation stuff and in the chatting a talking point which I was in control during the interview for just a mission statement type of thing. I want your job similar only different in that I didn't want his job - I wanted higher and these days in some way I am parallel to him that hired me. 

Mission statement or where in a resume you can put in your ambition beyond - want your job but without reason, think "KISS" - Keep it simple stupid. "To become a world famous designer - not very likely, or become the grumpy old man of the theater" worked for me under this simply expressed and honest in also how I wound up goal of mine that the company worked with in growing to find that position I grew into.


Most want the adventure and life of doing shows, I wouldn't simply stop at being a programmer, but someone that wants to be the best of them and crew chief as that is a very related thing. And after that, if you don't want to become the designer in this middle step between crew chief and designer, at least if you just want to settle on it - state that it's your goal in achieving. That of course limits you and in high school it's all about what you currently know - I was going to become a set designer or TD not persay a ME. Last point, don't lock yourself in.

I hugely wanted to become a set desiger and somehow had to thru school learn a second field that I now learn a living from. Educate yourself in at least a second field.


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## Brandon8 (Mar 28, 2012)

Thank all of you another question can you tell me somethings ill need or need to know?


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## Les (Mar 28, 2012)

Brandon8 said:


> Thank all of you another question can you tell me somethings ill need or need to know?



You'll need a good work ethic and an open mind. 

If there's anything more particular, you can use the search feature on this site or refer to our WIKI. If there's anything more specific, feel free to post it here if you can't find the answer elsewhere. Honestly, there are about a million and one tips, tricks and general pieces of info that we could post, but we would need way more information about you, your goals and your current standing. A lot of what we could rattle off is already here on the site.

"Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime."


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## derekleffew (Mar 28, 2012)

Brandon8 said:


> Thank all of you another question can you tell me somethings ill need or need to know?


Punctuation and capitalization matter.

From Résumés and Portfolios - ControlBooth :

> One grammar or spelling mistake and you're outta there. If you cannot spend the time to proofread your resume and have your friend and his/her friend proofread your resume, then how attentive are you going to be with the paperwork I'm going to give you?



See also http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/new-member-board/8599-cb-technical-forum-english-class.html .


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## gafftaper (Mar 31, 2012)

At your age, you just need to get your foot in the door with someone who sees you as hard working and reliable. To do that you probably need to sweep floors, coil cable, and load trucks. If you get lucky you will find a small community theater/church/community college t.d. etc with someone who likes you and is willing to teach you. They will teach you what you need to know. The important thing is you need to impress everyone with your great attitude, dedication, hard working work ethic, willingness to do anything to earn their respect. You want to say, "I want to learn more about lighting and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn that opportunity... so where is the broom?" 

Large theaters will not be able to help you because of their union employee contracts. You need to find a smaller operation that uses lots of volunteers or a rental shop who would love to just have some extra grunt work.


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