# Hi from NY



## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi everyone my name is Jay Im from New York. Im a sophomore in high school a technician for my school shows and any school event involving theatrical technology. For work I freelance on the side with my company High Wattage Designs. I am a master electrician, work on designs and rigging. I also DJ and specialize in effect lighting. Anyway nice to meet you all and looks like an amazing forum.


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## gafftaper (Jul 30, 2008)

Welcome to the Booth officially Jay. Sounds like you've got a lot of great stuff going for someone so young. That's great. We have a few other young entrepreneurs around here... although you are definitely the youngest as far as I know. Get to know the search function there's lot's of great info in the Archives. We love to help young techs develop their knowledge and skills so let us know how we can help. 

You can download your chocolate chip cookie and glass of 2% milk here.


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL. thanks for the welcome. Yea Im 15 and the youngest that I know of. I was just working on all shook up a week ago and it was a college performance so all the actors were like sooo. what college do you go to and was like.... Umm High school. LOL.


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## gafftaper (Jul 30, 2008)

There are others I know, but the two young CB guys I know the best who have their own businesses are:

Ricky Smith, who started his own computer networking company while still in high school. He's our hero because CB now lives on his server! He's in college now at Full Sail. 

Pie4weebl (CB's resident music snob), about a year ago scraped together about $2k and purchased some cheap PAR's and Chauvet gear and went into the concert business in St. Louis. He's been expanding his inventory and seems to be having a great time too. He's a little older than you... I think he's about 20 now so it's not exactly the same but he seems to be doing well and might be a able to give you some ideas on how to develop your company from the perspective of another young business owner. Here's his company's website. Pie's business was a lot of fun for us here on CB because he one day posted, "hey I think I'm going to start a business". Then we had threads about what to buy, what to name the company, and updates along the way about how his business is doing. 

Anyway, best wishes to you.


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 30, 2008)

thanks gafftaper


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## Van (Jul 30, 2008)

Welcome Aboard HWK! As Gaff said we've got quite a few younger folks that have really started making a splash so it's good to have your input as well. I saw your reference to being a Master Electrician, Are you a IBEW member as well as a Business owner? or are you refering to a title held in your schools Technical Dept. BTW just so you know, since it was also listed in your qualifications, rigging is somewhat of a verboten subject on CB as the liability involved is immense and like Sound it always seems everbody knows how to rig. Are you a certified rigger? At 15 that is quite an accomplishment. 
Have fun on here, we're a pretty laid back group but you'd be amazed at how fast some questions get answered. Ask and Answer, that's my motto.


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 31, 2008)

M.E. is my job title for my business and were I actually work another job as well. That one is for my cities council and arts department. As far as rigging certification I do not hold that at the age of 15 but apparently were i live you dont need certification and that just ended a play in tragedy yesterday so I myself will get certification for that when the true time comes. thanks for the welcome.


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## Hughesie (Jul 31, 2008)

Welcome to Controlbooth,

Im another one of the younger ones around here and the one thing i have learnt (and regret not knowing a few years ago) is its not what you know its who you know, which means that while your working at HWD you should build up a list of people you work with so when they need someone to work for them on a short term freelance thing they know they can call you which leads you into large jobs and you never know where you end up.

Welcome to CB


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## gafftaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Hey Jay I think my friend Van is trying to slyly make a point about your use of the titles ME and Rigger. You are very unique in that you are doing lighting and rigging work for money outside of a school at 15 years old. That's VERY rare and commendable. As I've said, we wish you well and there are many regulars around here who would be happy to offer you advice on how to develop your business and skills. However does your experience really qualify you to use the terms ME and Rigger? Those are not terms that are used lightly in the industry. Your signature line "Piss me off and you'll bow in the dark"... if you even SAY that in the real world you might have a hard time finding work. These things trigger a little red flag of concern for some of the old pros. Let me explain. 

There are people around here who have worked in the industry for 20 or 30 years, up the ladder... THOUSANDS of gigs... to earn the title of ME. Personally I'm 38 and I began my life in tech theater in about 1979 in about 4th grade. In that time I've rigged a lot of things, some safely some not. I recently took a 30 hours in 3 days intensive rigging class... and even today, there's no way I would call myself a rigger. Now my buddy "Whatrigger?" who hangs out here in CB on the other hand has people put their life in his hands as he flies them amazing distances up in the air every day... he *is* a rigger. Me? I'm a rigging hack at best. 

What's the point of this? Well In the many years I've been working and teaching both high school and college tech students. I've found that there is often an ego problem that develops with good tech students. I know a student who declared himself a "lighting god" because he was the only one who knew how to program a submaster... the "secret" was to press record + bump button. On the other hand a real "lighting god" is someone like my friend Derek here... who be along shortly with a list of at least a dozen consoles that are no longer in production that used record+bump button to record a submaster (2 points each, 3 points if they are from companies no longer in existence). The problem with this ego/power trip is pros like Van and Derek worked their butts off to get to their positions, the last thing they want is to hire some young kid who thinks he knows everything. We strive around here on CB to help young techs develop their skills, knowledge, and professionalism (unlike every other website, you will be hassled about spelling and grammar if it becomes a problem). Some of the things you've said come across as sounding like bragging and they set off some big red flags. I barely know you so what I'm saying may or may not be true however, if I am perceiving a bit of an ego there may be a reason for it. If you want to work in this industry. The most important thing you can do over the next 10-15 years is to learn to shut up, listen, and ask questions. If you come off as a know it all in this industry you will find out that guys like Van have connections with every theater in town. When you want a job he'll call his buddy over at the neighboring theater. If he hears, "he's a smart guy who knows his stuff but he's a know it all"... you aren't getting the job. Van will hire the hard worker who listens and does what he's told over the know it all any day. 

We had a little discussion similar to this a year or so back. A lot of high schools have this one best tech student in charge of everything and they call that person the T.D. Well, TD is a job that it takes YEARS to become in the real world. Furthermore what a high school TD does have NOTHING to do with what a real TD does. We recommended that in all situations students refer to themselves as Student Technical Directors. It clearly says what you do but won't come off as an ego trip on a job application. 

So, anyway to wrap up this far to long post... for your best interest I suggest you listen a little and take some of these terms more seriously. Take a look at the requirements to just apply to become a certified rigger. It's not easy. Do some research on what pro ME's do. We have a few around here (like Derek) who would be glad to help you in that area. Most of all don't ever assume you know everything. The correct answer is always, "I have an idea of how to do that but how would you like me to do it?" Like I said, I barely know you... but there are warning signs there that make some of us uncomfortable. We like to teach around here. We like to encourage professionalism. We like to do more than just tell you how, we like to help you develop your skills to do it on your own in the big show for real. Please don't feel insulted or talked down to by this. We want you to stick around CB. We want you to have fun. We want you to have an amazing career so we can say, "I remember when..." But Along with that comes mentoring and a little uncomfortable prodding to keep you safe and help you become a person we would all be excited to hire. 

Later!


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 31, 2008)

Ill get rid of my signature Gafftaper. Hughsie89 YOU are very smart with the idea of knowing the people you work with and I have already met 3 people this year who say once im 16 (can drive) they want me to freelance with them. And your words are words of wisdom. In my other post I said I can rigg but I am not a "legal" rigger.


Thanks Guys.


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 31, 2008)

Thats what I was gonna say Gaffer! As far as me being an M.E. for my age what I do within my age range and work makes me an M.E. but if you were to put me next to you then I would go with apprentice if that helps explain things at all?


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## Hughesie (Jul 31, 2008)

On the Topic of rigging i only have one thing to say, don't do anything stupid and don't put others in situations you would trust yourself in 

Because watching your buddy plunge to their death really puts a damper on your day.


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 31, 2008)

Hughsie89 while you dont know me and I dont know you let me put it this way. I am also a pilot in training (my main passion is flight) and Safety is taught to be the absolute main goal. I take the same responsibility to work every single day.


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## Hughesie (Jul 31, 2008)

HighWattageKid92 said:


> Hughsie89 while you dont know me and I dont know you let me put it this way. I am also a pilot in training (my main passion is flight) and Safety is taught to be the absolute main goal. I take the same responsibility to work every single day.


 
I work on this principle personally

"If i would feel comfortable in that position then i will do it."

But i stay away from rigging because i know nothing, anything but rigging scaff clamps to truss or pipe and i don't touch it.

Counterweight fly systems are a different story.

_Also that was in no way a personal attack on you HighWattageKid_ i just decided to put it bluntly instead of side stepping the issue


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## HighWattageKid92 (Jul 31, 2008)

I understand you and i didnt meanto sound rude if I did. I stay away from Large riggings if I made it sound like I work on riggings 60 ffet in the air sorry LOL. I mostly deal with trusses and such. But yes as much as it is a personal thing for you it is for me and funny enough I have the same feelings as you. If I cant reach or would do it. Then im not going to force it or have some one else do it.


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## Serendipity (Aug 6, 2008)

gafftaper said:


> You can download your chocolate chip cookie and glass of 2% milk here.



**** it! I so fell for that.
Gafftaper rocks.


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