# Show Production and Touring



## x-treme (Jun 11, 2004)

*Re: Welcome to the Student Feedback forum!*

What's an LD who tours with a Rock Band?

I am interested in working with in the Music Scene, and I've been contemplating attending Fullsail and take their Show Production and Touring program. 

I was also looking online for jobs (only for research) and most jobs for Stage technicians require a Bachelors Degree. Fullsails program offers only an associates degree. Is that a problem?

Thank you 

A high school enthusiast!


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## Mayhem (Jun 11, 2004)

*Re: Welcome to the Student Feedback forum!*

Have you done a search of the topics within this site (hit the search button at the top of this page) for Full Sail?

There have been several posts previously, as well as a few more recent ones. Having not progressed through the ranks and as a self-employed mobile DJ I am unable to comment upon much of what you want to know - well at least provide you with answers.

I would suggest making some phone calls to some of the larger touring companies and asking what they expect.

I would also have a look at which program at Full Sail interests you and why and then compare that with other schools.

It really is going to be one of those things in which you will need to do the legwork and make the comparisons etc. Remember, what is good for one person is not always good for everyone else.

One thing that I would like to see is that when you make your decision as to which path you choose to take, that you post a message on this forum outlining what it was that influenced your decision and any other information that you find out.

Also, if you want to ask about any of the teaching methods or styles that you hear about – please feel free to do so.

I hope that this is helpful as a starting point


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## Inaki2 (Jul 3, 2004)

I'm in FS right now doing ShowPro. The place is awesome. I have read many slandering and many good stuff about it. Eventually it all comes down to you getting out of it what you get into it. The place is awesome, I nearly fell on my ass just by seeing the main building, and there's like 6 of them!!!!!
Take the tour, ask questions, send me an email whatever you need to know at: djcontrol [at] earthlink [dot] net

Good Luck!!


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## Mayhem (Jul 3, 2004)

To every student out there, this is the first lesson that you must learn:


Inaki2 said:


> Eventually it all comes down to you getting out of it what you get into it.


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## Inaki2 (Jul 4, 2004)

Couldn't have said it better myself....oh, wait..I did!!!


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## yvfd82t (Aug 22, 2004)

so where FS any way and how can i get in??


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## Inaki2 (Aug 23, 2004)

FS is in Winter Park, FL, and you can get in by applying and paying for it 
Check out www.fullsail.com


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## yvfd82t (Aug 24, 2004)

I might just do that...is FS any good??


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## Inaki2 (Aug 24, 2004)

Well, there has been lots of discussion about that, I think it is good. You gotta get in contact, come see the place, etc, feel free to email me for any opinions, but I won't start the good/bad debate yet again


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## yvfd82t (Aug 24, 2004)

Ok no problem i'll check out the site and find a way down there to check it out.


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## Amy (Oct 18, 2004)

i'm looking to here sometime myself. all i need is money.. i definately wanna take the tour tho.


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## digitaltec (Oct 18, 2004)

there are several ways to get onto a rock tour. One way is to intern at a rental house for a few momths then hope they will let you do some one off's then hopfully in a year or so after working for them, they will send you out on a small tour. Another way is to work at a bar or smaller venue. What usually happens is "smaller" bands that cant afford say an Light tech or a FOH engeneer will pay for a local at the venue to mix audio. Then if you did a really good job, when they break out and go a larger tour, they might take you with them. 

Though there really is no set time when you might go out on a headliner tour, going to a school like Full Sail will give you a head start. Most of the big dogs like Marc Brickman and Joe Paradise have been in the business for an extremly long time and have paid their dues and have gained experience to get to where they are today. 

I think that most people trying to get into the industry try to go big and they fail. Your best bet is to start small and gain experience and get picked up by a larger company. You will probably not only gain more experience but might get farther in your carrer that way.


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## Amy (Nov 17, 2004)

i remember being asked to tour with a band once.. if only i wasn't still in highschool.


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## Image of the Mind Studios (Jun 13, 2007)

Here's a bit of what I experienced when I was doing freelance tech- I did Boston, New York & LA. When I was in Boston I got a ton of work, until IATSE came to me and told me they wanted me to join. I didn't have any advisors and I didn't know any better, so I said no. Mainly because it cost $750 to join & I didn't have the money. That ended my work in Boston. I could not have believed that the work would dry up like that. So I left Boston and went to NYC. I got a lot of work there and I thought I'd look into United Scenic Artists. I went through the test to Join USA as a lighting designer. I got most of the way through and they told me they wanted me to go to NYU. I didn't want to live in New York and it was very clear that if I was a union lighting designer that was it, I could'nt touch any body elses area of work. I'm a producer/designer/writer and I could'nt bring myself to be limited to one area of work. That has harmed my career as a tech. If you have the chance to get more schooling and get that BA, do it! The sooner you get it over with the better it will be for you. I went for the School of Hard Knocks and it's called that for a reason. Believe me, you don't want to go to that school. You'll find out that the unions have a tight grip on the industry. If you want to get regular work you will need to come to terms with that. People work in non-union, but it's not stable and they take advantage of you. Once you get into the flow it is next to impossible to get back into the school frame of mind. I know you want to get out there and do it, but take your time and make sure you get the right foundation. You'll regret it if you don't. Good Luck. AG


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## len (Jun 13, 2007)

Touring encompasses a wide range of experiences. I'd visit roadie.net to get a feel for what touring in the music business is like.


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## Jamie (Jun 14, 2007)

i was looking at Full Sail at one point, and it's a good touring school. the only reason i didn't go is because i wanted a four-yr program. i'm doing work in a pretty big rental house this summer, and it's kinda showing me that I don't really want to tour. once you get in the industry, you love it. keep looking for small gigs and the bigger ones will come. and keep asking yourself questions; the industry is vast, find your niche

srry to sound so freaking phylisophical. sorry i can't spell that either


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## egorleski (Jun 15, 2007)

yea im working for a company that does sfx for alot of tours and such so i sat down with Marc Brickman for a little and basicaly the same thing he told me was what everyone is telling u. be prepared to work a whole lot of crappy stuff for a long time. LD for small no name bands. They go and play a festival with some bigger names someone sees somthing they like, right place, right time things happen and you break in.


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## kesowul (Jul 24, 2007)

Jamie said:


> i was looking at Full Sail at one point, and it's a good touring school. the only reason i didn't go is because i wanted a four-yr program. i'm doing work in a pretty big rental house this summer, and it's kinda showing me that I don't really want to tour. once you get in the industry, you love it. keep looking for small gigs and the bigger ones will come. and keep asking yourself questions; the industry is vast, find your niche
> 
> srry to sound so freaking phylisophical. sorry i can't spell that either


I'm in the Show Pro program right now and believe me it's not all about touring. We have an Installation Tech. course that teaches us all about home theater design and calibration. And in the advanced classes we talk about acoustical properties and the physics of sound...how to essentially make a room flat. Wonderful school in my book.


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## techguy57 (Oct 16, 2007)

Working in a touring/roadhouse venue is a good way to discover if the touring lifestyle is a good fit for you. While I think I'd have enjoyed a short tour, I'm personally glad I decided not to go that route. I need a bit of stability in my life that touring couldn't offer. After 4 years, the touring house I was TDing at consumed too much of my life and time, so I took a job with better hours, better benefits and better pay working as the TD for a community college. Go figure. Just do your best to decide what your biggest priorities are and then go for them! 

I'll second the notion that if you give it a little time, it isn't very hard to find your niche in this industry. It's all about what you know, who you know and what you have done and can do. Once you figure that out the rest will fall into place.


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## punktech (Oct 30, 2007)

as a current college student, i have to say that college is not a bad way to go. i personally want to be a designer and i don't think i could get anywhere near as well rounded an education at a tech program like Full Sail. right now i'm taking a global art history course to give me further inspiration and concepts. also many colleges and universities with good tech programs have TDs and ATDs that are well connected in the industry. my ATD worked with Candice Brightman in the last few years of the Dead's touring years among others, my TD is also the TD for a very popular and fairly well know summer stock company in Western Mass., and one of the acting professors is a founding member of another great summer stock company. i am not in anyway saying that the teachers at Full Sail aren't well connected either (i don't know any of them so i can't make that judgment), but most college theatre professors haven't always been professors in my experience. and don't assume that just because you don't like high school that you won't like college. college is different animal and i find it much more fulfilling than high school ever was. make your decision carefully and after looking at all kinds of programs is the best advice i can give. don't jump on what you think is the easiest and quickest thing, you might have a better experience elsewhere. also keep in mind that you can change your mind and transfer anywhere at anytime.


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