Pro Sound Web: As referenced in the article “When the show hits the fan,” there was a gig we pulled off without any of our gear.
That’s right. The truck never showed up.
In that same article, I explained the dark art of staying calm and resolving issues without inciting panic in those who carry the check books.
7 comments:
To me, this article really shows the collaborative nature of theater, not just within a given show, but within the industry as a whole. Being consistently nice and helpful to people ends up being necessary when you inevitably need help, and though that reality is very present in theater, it applies to almost every aspect of life. On the flip side, this article also shows the importance of reliability, and the fact that everyone’s job hinges on everyone else doing their job. There is really no excuse (aside from a car accident) for being the truck driver that doesn’t show up. Those types of mistakes cost more than a job, they cost respect and employability in the industry as a whole. From what I’ve seen so far, the network of the theater world is pretty powerful. People know each other and help each other, and if someone is unreliable or difficult to work with, people warn each other.
This is a great story for all the people who tend to crack under pressure. I understand some people can breakdown a little bit, or a lot, and start to let their stress take over their actions. I really think the idea that helps out in these situations is that everyone is working towards one goal: to put on an awesome show. This story does have some nice serendipity in that the materials and gear needed (although not top of the line) was still located in the performance area’s storage. Resourcefulness and knowledge was also a key asset in this story, as the sound engineer for the event knew what basic items (like what CD player and cables) would be available in a non-professional store, WalMart, in this case. Overall, I am crazy happy to hear when things work out like this, and even though coordinators can get a little more on edge than the technicians, as long as the show goes up, everyone is happy.
After reading the first article this author wrote I was impressed with both his ability to stay calm and his ability to keep everyone else calm and working in a productive manor. After reading this article I am even more impressed with his ability to do both of those things. Both of his stories emphasize the importance of staying calm under pressure and not loosing your head. But this one added something that the first one touched on but never explicitly said, the importance of how you act. If the author hadn’t been able to form a connection with the people who worked at the venue and gotten them to like him then this story could have ended very differently. If you can’t be like able or at least pleasant then you remove so much of other people’s motivation to work with you. If you’re lucky their professionalism will keep that from mattering too much but if your relying on someone else having pride in their job to cover for your own attitude, then you’re the one who’s failed to be professional.
Reading articles like this make me excited and remind me why I love theatre, is that weird? I mean, of course I would never wish this situation on anyone but hearing how this author handled a situation that could have been disastrous in such a calm and efficient way, makes me want to be able to handle situations in that way and learn the skills I need to to be able to be comfortable handling those situations. This article highlights what many theatre professionals have to go through, weather it be during the show or any other time in production. After all, the show must go on and it amazes me what we are able to do to make sure that the show does go on. I also think that this article does a great job of illustrating how united and hospitable the industry can be. I think that we are all a little bit of adrenaline junkies with the need to problem solve and when we see someone in a challenging position we are all willing to help in order to keep the show going. The ability to be clam under this kind of pressure is a great skill to have in our industry and this article shows that with a level head and great people by your side, the show will go on.
I think the attitude of confidence and clarity extends beyond just professional audio, and beyond theatre. So much of what we do in a collaborative setting is all talk. I know many people that have figured this out, and use their words to project this confidence and charisma that they could be trusted, and often times that confidence comes from knowledge and experience. But I also know quite a few people who overextend themselves, using that confidence in place of experience. Being confident in yourself is vital, but it is also vital to have to skills to back yourself up!
This is something I still struggle with. Sometimes I go straight to panic instead of calmly looking at the scenario in front of me. I have been trying to work on this but the worst case scenario is often the easiest to envision.
Obviously this is not a position that anyone ever wants to find themselves in, but I think working as a theatrical technician you are bound to have something like this happen at some point in your career. And it is incredibly important how you handle it because at the end of the day theater is a living, changing thing and one of the most valuable skills you can have is the ability to think on your feet when everything changes in the worst way possible. Every show is different and will present different challenges, but to me that is what makes theater so exciting and worthwhile. This article also exemplifies how collaborative theater is, when one person makes a mistake they force everyone else to work together that much more efficiently and effectively. In our industry everyone’s job can effect everyone else, from the artistic director right down to the truck driver. And in an industry that is so interconnected that most important thing you can do is have a good attitude because you never know who you’re working with or who might get you your next job. I remember when I told my aunt I wanted to work in theater, the one piece of advice she gave me was to work hard and be kind to everyone, because this is an industry where everyone talks and a mistake like the one the one the truck driver made could cost him his employability for a long time.
My favorite part of this article was the use of a word that doesn't exist "funner."
In all seriousness, this article was a very exciting read. Though an extreme version of anything that I ever hope to experience, this article speaks a lot to working on a budget. Here at CMU we are fortunate enough to have equipment available to us virtually at any moment in the day. In the "real world" this may not be the case.
Stories like these are incredible, almost out of a movie. Knowing what to do under pressure is so important, and telling of ones professional ability and skill. I am a worrier, and stresser. I fear that if I were ever put in this kind of situation that I would not know what to do, and that CMU being such a heavily funded theatre program is not preparing me for the "what if's" in theatre.
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