www.livedesignonline.com: “I think we were one of the first industries to come to a screeching halt,” said John Huddleston, director of Live Events for Upstaging, in an interview for WGN9 in Chicago. His Sycamore, IL, company has retooled from equipping large concert tours for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, and Paul McCartney to making protective masks and plastic room dividers, using a warehouse of equipment, a fleet of semis, and employees to fabricate products. “We’re pivoting to whatever’s in demand,” Huddleston adds. Watch the video interview with Huddleston here.
6 comments:
I have been hearing that entertainment businesses are changing their focus to helping out the medical industry. This work is relevant and important, and will save lives. I have heard costumes people sewing masks and distributing them to medical professionals. But I have not heard about these entertainment tech companies switching to build emergency structures. It is amazing that these people have decided to do this. I didn’t think entertainment technology could be applied to a situation like this, but it does make a lot of sense that they can do that. My initial concern was about the cost. How much would these companies charge hospitals if they were to build emergency structures for them? But I’m glad to hear that the CEOs of these companies are not trying to profit out of this situation. It is great to see people finding innovative ways to help in their own way.
We talked about this a bit in class and I was both impressed and not surprised. The nature of the production industry lends itself to quickly adapting to new situations and needs through creative and unusual solutions. In my opinion, we were perfectly situated in the headspace for this kind of world event. The speed with which the industry has had to shift its focus and begin providing for the pandemic makes me quite proud to know and say I'm going into this field in the future. I know right now it's scary for those currently in the industry or, for the seniors, about to enter it. During our run crew recitation, we spoke a bit about the industry at the moment, or the lack thereof and I can't imagine how stressful and scary that would be right now. To think that you're about to go and try and find a job where there really are none. It's a hard time to be in live entertainment right now and everyone is handling it with such inspiring grace and ingenuity.
I really love how in such hard times, the technical theatre community is coming together and helping the medical community sustain themselves. All of this quarantine and stay at home stuff is simply trying to reduce the spread so the medical facilities can handle the situation. I think in the long term this solution is going to make the pandemic last a lot longer, but I can also see that letting millions of people die just so we continue on is a bad idea too. I think that as a theatre community, we are always trying to do something to help others and make the world a better place so I am not shocked at all that this is something the community would do. I also know that besides technical theatre companies lending products, similarly animal hospitals and veterinarian clinics are providing some resources and ventilators to hospitals if they can; all of this goes to show that the general communities care about helping others get through this even if big corporations and governments don’t prioritize the individuals impacted.
Another prime example of a community coming together to help out in times of need. In all honesty, it makes perfect sense that entertainment companies are channeling their resources and repurposing their equipment to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. I think it is incredible that ETC is making protective gear for doctors and nurses, and then selling them at cost, not seeking profit. It is really refreshing to see. It makes me think of industries like pharmaceuticals and medical equipment which blow up their prices for life saving prescription medicines, like EpiPen or insulin, and lifesaving medical equipment. These things are often the difference between life and death for people in need, and yet thanks to capitalism, these companies are squeezing as much money out of these people as possible. The fact that ETC, a company that is not even remotely tied to the medical industry, is making and selling protective equipment for no profit at all, is really refreshing to see. It is humble and it is honest. Many industries have something to learn from companies like ETC.
It had not occurred to me before that events production companies might have a place in building temporary structures. It makes sense, though. If properly utilized, the theatre and events companies are possibly the best poised to erect such temporary facilities, as we have extensive experience in quickly creating and deploying structural and electrical elements, as well as power distribution, data networks, and communications systems. The theater industry is skilled in working on a timeline and on a budget. I hope that somebody with the power to implement such a strategy comes to the same conclusion or has it suggested to them, because it could save lives, as well as help an industry that is currently in dire straits. The entertainment industry is currently a massive well of untapped potential and of unsupported need. One can only hope that somebody figures out a way to solve one problem with another.
So far today there have been quite a few articles about theatre companies putting their resources towards the COVID-19 pandemic on a growing scale. We started with masks in individual shops, then organized regional efforts to produce gowns, and now nationwide companies building temporary structures for the treatment of COVID-19 (Might I hope we figure out a way to make respirators next?) With each new installment comes more structure, regulation, and product. I wonder about the cost of these endeavors considering the likely strained hospital budgets. For instance, paying someone by the hour to make masks would cost likely 3-4$ per mask rather than less than $.50 per commercially made mask. I would suggest any company manufacturing anything for the covid-19 lowered their production costs in order to be able to provide supplies and services at the lowest cost possible. With a structure like the one in the video, I wonder about the stuff in the tent. Are there people manufacturing beds and mattresses and other necessary medical equipment? Additionally staffing another building must be quite a struggle.
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