Friday, November 11, 2016
Early Days
Stage Directions: Entering any job market can be a formidable task, certainly in the entertainment industry it can be daunting. Every year new classes graduate and new colleagues search out opportunities in the industry’s diverse landscape of roles. At Stage Directions we thought it would be informative to speak with some young professionals who are early in their career paths about the transition from school to job and any words of advice they have for those who follow. We also spoke to some teachers and employers about a few things they think emerging professionals should consider. Ultimately, we hope to turn this into an an on-going conversation.
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8 comments:
When I picked this article, I thought it was going to be a general type of deal, with pointers like "get innovative business cards," or "don't be afraid to talk to people about yourself." Instead, this article goes into some actual depth. For a person unsure of where to start in the field, this article does touch on the importance of a theater degree, something that some still doubt. The article also brings up the wide variety of options loosely associated with theater tech and design, a truth I continue to discover.
The article also offers some advice from current professionals, young and old. Danielle Goeders, a technical designer for PRG, says that "messing up on the job is just part of starting out," a piece of advice that may help alleviate some of the new-job jitters. For me, the most resonant passage, however, was a short bit on being open to ideas and on-the spot problem-solving are also important qualities. Both of these things are silently expected of interns like me, but seeing them in writing is a powerful reminder of the qualities needed so crucially.
This article was right on the dot when talking about the jobs theatre majors could possibly have. When I told my dad I was getting a degree for technical theatre, he asked me if I thought I could be on Broadway some day. Personally, I have never saw myself on Broadway. I have always thought of working concerts or themed parks, specifically Disney World. I'm always fascinated when people ask me why my end goal isn't Broadway, because that does not equate happiness in my mind. If I am happy some where designing with people I enjoy, then I will have found my dream job. I think a lot of people forget that live theatre is not the end all be all, but that the degree we get for technical theatre opens up a world of opportunities. I also love that the article emphasizes being open to new ideas. I know when I get into a new place I want to impress the people around me and make sure they know I'm competent, but I forget sometimes that I should never stop learning. I have made it a motto of mine to try to learn at least one thing a day. This allows you to be open but also keep focused because you are not trying to learn everything at once. This article was on the dot when addressing the job search and open mindedness in the world.
I think one of the most valuable things about pursuing a drama degree is that, in addition to learning and honing the specialized, field-specific skills required to succeed in our chosen field, we also learn a wide array of meta skills that are applicable to almost any occupation, in any career field. In this way, a drama degree proves highly versatile, opening a wider array of opportunities than one might think.
On a slightly separate note, even as a junior in this program, I feel the looming prospect of the "real world" acutely, even now. For all the meta skills we are taught, it is hard - and probably will be perpetually - to reconcile to the fact that the future will always be a little more uncertain. Hearing these alternative success stories, and contemplating irregular ways to succeed is reassuring, and thought provoking in addition. I, for one, can never hear enough success stories.
This is such an interesting article! Having a degree in theatre can benefit you in so many ways: mainly how to articulate a thought. I think anyone with an arts background is more holistically trained. The arts are such an incredible outlet that teaches you freedom of expression. With a degree in theatre you can go on and become anything: lawyer, teacher, or even the President (Reagan). I truly believe I have learned more about the world around me by pursing a degree in drama. I think every should at least have some foundation in the arts.
I think this article is really interesting because it points to something both good and bad about arts schools. We learn a lot of skills that are applicable not only to the job we have chosen to pursue but also to the world at large, including how to work with people and how to manage large projects. However, I have often felt that arts schools almost lead people away from pursuing careers in the arts because they are not as lucrative or stable in the future. I know for a fact that many departments almost encourage students to become technicians over designers due to this fact. The part of the article that I had not yet thought about was the fact that once a student leaves an art school to enter the workforce, you should already be familiar with the vendors, industry standards for equipment, companies, and professional names you would encounter in order to get job moving forward, yet it is often difficult to do that while you are still in school. It is an interesting dichotomy that I plan to investigate further moving forward.
This is a great article. I think it is so important to be educated in the field you want to pursue. I believe so much in having a degree and the importance of that degree. Over the summer when I was an intern, designers would ask me where I went to school and I would answer "CMU" and they would be really impressed. I saw that by people in the industry knowing that you are going to school, a very reputable one, and pursuing a degree in theatre, you get a lot of trust put on you because you are thought to have the training necessary to be lead a team and speak eloquently about your ideas.
I love that being a theatre major opens up so many opportunities to me. I often see relief in the eyes of those whom I've just told I'm studying theatre when I explain that actually I can also do a lot more than that. I remember reading a few years ago an article about how businesses would rather hire someone creative with a theatre background than someone who only knows stone cold business because our ability to collaborate is really unmatched by any other profession. I also love the flexibility of my own major. The skills and processes I learn as a stage and production manager are totally applicable to so many fields other than theatre, and I think my background is really going to carry me through my life and career. I am interested in doing a lot of different things, and the fact that many companies understand the value I bring with a theatre (particularly SM/PM) background makes me hopeful and excited for the future. Here's to the 100% employment upon graduation rate!
It really is heartening to read an article such as this one. Every week it seems, I'm constantly learning about new avenues for work with a degree in theatre. And even though I am still extremely uncertain with where I want to go after graduation, I feel somewhat better knowing that I can apply myself to a number of different jobs and work proficiently in various capacities. When I came to CMU, I knew I didn't want to do theatre, but I had no idea what else was out there. Now, in my fourth year, I feel blessed that I have had internship opportunities to let me look around and explore different career paths.
That is not to say that I still don't get the monthly existential crisis or don't break out in a cold sweat every time I think about the job market. But maybe I can be a bit more empowered now to push that fear to the side when I look at all these succeessful fine arts graduates.
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