# Education Questions



## Noramac (Sep 9, 2011)

So I have a couple of questions. 

I got the opportunity to do a couple of shows in my high school, and it was the only thing that I have ever resonated with. It was fun, I felt like I was at home, and I took very well to the kind of work we were doing. I decided that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I have some questions about how to go about doing that. I mostly want to work with lighting, hopefully design but I love just working with lights.

1. What degree would teach me the most about lighting? I am currently leaning towards a Theatre Arts degree at Portland State University, as they have some options for technical theatre. 

2. I am planning to get my prerequisites out of the way at a Community College, and then transfer over to PSU. Is this a good idea? or should I do all four years at PSU?

3. Would a theatre arts degree help me do lighting design for touring bands and such?

Any advice is good. Thanks in advance.


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## Karim (Sep 9, 2011)

Noramac said:


> So I have a couple of questions.
> 
> I got the opportunity to do a couple of shows in my high school, and it was the only thing that I have ever resonated with. It was fun, I felt like I was at home, and I took very well to the kind of work we were doing. I decided that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I have some questions about how to go about doing that. I mostly want to work with lighting, hopefully design but I love just working with lights.
> 
> ...



1. That sounds like a good place to be as far as a major goes. Of course, I can't answer this for you. I will recommend that you talk to the design professors at PSU. They'll have the best information for you and I'm sure they'll be more than willing to share. 

2. Community College is what I'm doing and I highly recommend it, if only for the ridiculous amount of money you stand to save.

3. Unfortunately I don't have the answer to this one. Perhaps the more seasoned folks around here will. All I can say to it is "It couldn't hurt, right?". 

For the sake of full disclosure, I'm currently a community college student on the last leg of my stay at my CC before I transfer away. I'm not a "pro"...yet! *fingerscrossed*

Lastly, good luck with you're future endeavors!


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## derekleffew (Sep 10, 2011)

Warning: This post contains pragmatic cynicism, which may be objectionable to more sensitive viewers. 


Noramac said:


> 1. What degree would teach me the most about lighting?


A BFA from a "name" conservatory theatre school like CCM, CMU, UNSCA, CalArts, etc. Not only will you be taught the most, you'll be forced to learn it, or you'll wash out at your annual end-of-year review. Many of these types of schools have honed the pedagogy down to an exact science, and crank out students with the precision of an assembly line. 


Noramac said:


> 2. I am planning to get my prerequisites out of the way at a Community College, and then transfer over to PSU. Is this a good idea? or should I do all four years at PSU?


While this is great for a number of academic pursuits, I don't think it works as well for the theatre technician/designer. You're missing out on two years of production experience. Many BA-type programs do five major mainstage productions per year: a musical, three plays, and a dance concert. So instead of twenty possibilities, you've limited yourself to ten.


Noramac said:


> 3. Would a theatre arts degree help me do lighting design for touring bands and such?


It may not hurt, but it won't help all that much either. If you want to be a [-]roadie[/-] touring technician, drop out now and get a job in a lighting shop coiling cable. See http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/6384-i-want-lighting-designer.html and Getting a Job in the Industry - ControlBooth . If you want to be a designer, get your shiny new diploma and then plan on spending several years in the same shop coiling cable along side those who have a four year head start on you.

See also http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...q-recomendations-about-college-education.html , written specifically with the likes of you in mind.

Good luck in all your future endeavors.


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## gafftaper (Sep 12, 2011)

1) I suggest before you step in too deep you get a little more experience and decide if this is what you really want to do. This is not a decision to make starry eyed based on only a single good experience. There are a lot of negatives about this industry too (read those thread's linked to above). Find a local community theater or school to volunteer at. Go ready to learn and willing to work hard and do whatever they will teach you. Send Van a private message for ideas on where you can go in the Portland area to volunteer and learn. 

2) The value of the C.C. experience depends completely on the faculty and the quality of the program. There are many C.C.'s out there with faculty who know nothing about tech and where you will learn nothing but bad habits. On the other hand, I owe nearly everything I know about tech to a C.C. technical director who was a brilliant theater artist. I spent my spare time all the way through grad school going back to volunteer and learn from him. So research well before making this decision. _Talk to current students about what they have learned!_ 

3) In a good C.C. program you can actually get a lot more experience than you would get your first two years at a 4 year program. Due to the 2 year turnover cycle, a C.C. needs people with little to know experience to rapidly develop skills and get involved. I have had a student with only two quarters of training doing lighting designs for shows (with my assistance of course). In a 4 year program that's a job reserved for upperclassmen or even grad students. At a C.C. I can't wait for students to develop for a couple years, I have to rapidly identify the serious students and start training them immediately for the more difficult leadership roles. However, as you were warned in #1, you could also end up in a bad C.C. getting tons of time doing tech work but learning nothing but bad habits that will set you back when you get to the university. 

4) Finally, no disrespect to Portland State, but I suggest you seriously consider moving down to Ashland and attending SOU. They have an excellent theater program, I have two former students down there doing tech and loving it.

5) Money. If you can only afford a C.C. Then make the best of it and work your but off. The last thing you want to do in theater is leave school with a massive debt. You will NEVER make a lot of money in this industry. Get used to that idea now. I know two people with expensive and impressive theater degrees who had to quit theater and get an office job to be able to pay off their student loans. Years later they have never been able to return to their first love and work in theater. Get all the education you can reasonably afford, or you may crush your dreams forever.


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## drewski91 (Sep 16, 2011)

I almost went to Portland State a few years back. I couldn't afford the "name" schools. I loved PSU, but ended up finding an afforable no-name school with a better theatre program. As far as no-name schools go, it's a _decent_ one. Not the best, but just like anything else, you'll get out of it what you put in. Plus, it looks like a good option for you since your only experience has been HS shows, and you might change your mind about what you want to do once your start exploring all of the different fields in theatre.

SOU wasn't an option for me, because while it did have a better theatre program (so I strongly suggest checking it out), it's in the middle of nowhere. And after years and years of living in the middle of nowhere, I needed to be in a city, and I don't regret that one bit.

One good thing about Portland State is that it is _theee_ best transfer school I know of. The way that their general ed program works, you can transfer in at any point, and you won't have wasted any credits. So if you decide to go the community college route for whatever reason, know that it's not going to help you any more to do the full two years and get your AA than to do a year or a semester or whatever before moving to PSU. With that said, I agree with the assertation that you're much better off getting four full years of production experience at one school. I tranferred universities halfway though, and while it was a good move for me, my one regret was that I hadn't been able to do more than 2 years there.


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## DrPinto (Sep 16, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Warning: This post contains pragmatic cynicism, which may be objectionable to more sensitive viewers.



prag·mat·ic [prag-mat-ik] 
adjective Also, prag·mat·i·cal 
1. of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations.


cyn·i·cism [sin-uh-siz-uhm] 
noun
1. cynical disposition, character, or belief.
2. a cynical remark.

This is just in case anyone else had to look them up. I can't do big words on Friday.


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## Pie4Weebl (Sep 17, 2011)

Also ask about how many successful alumn have graduated from the school your looking, having a good network can help you along when you are starting out.


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