Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Tips for Tech
SoundGirls.org: First is load in with just the crew. Everything comes in from the various shops (lighting, sound, scenic) and you put it all together physically for the first time. Once things are mostly set up, lighting gets a day or two to focus (the rest of the crew will work on projects offstage or at FOH) and sound gets quiet time to tune the system, usually without any other crew in the building (love them dearly, but let’s face it, carps are always better at being unseen than unheard).
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Tech is always such a paradox. It can be extremely grueling and long but also extremely rewarding. Despite the long stop-and-go hours of activity, there is definitely a lot to have fun within tech. Also like the author said, tech is such a great way to get to know the whole crew. Once you get into the swing of performing the show I think crew, actors, and designers interact a lot less, but tech creates that bridge. I think it’s so important for the crew to know their actors and designers as it generally makes the workplace so much more at ease. Also, my high school obviously wasn’t very proper with a tech schedule or procedure, we never had a load in because we built everything onstage. So this article was a great way to get a real glimpse into the tech process as I am witnessing my first here at Carnegie Mellon.
When reading this article, I remembered that although every show is unique in its own way, there is a certain tech system that simply works. In most situations, there will always be lights that need focusing, sound that needs adjusting, and scene changes that need to be meticulously timed out. I find it interesting that even in a professional setting, the most accurate way to make sure items get put back in place is through reference photos. It is also mentioned that it is important to build relationships with designers since once the show opens, it is up to the stage manager to maintain the integrity of the show. This is a concept I often forget the importance of because coming from high school theatre, the shows I did were only open for 2 or 3 nights, so it wasn’t really a concern as the designers were students either in or watching the show. The point made about “how you interact with your crew during tech will set the tone for the rest of the run” is something that I find to be extremely important. I like the idea of handing the person who is wearing a mic to be tested funny jokes or interesting facts rather than having them count. It is those little touches that I think helps everyone de stress for a moment.
I found this article strangely comforting. Not just because it was quite thorough and extensive, but also because it described small and honest truths about the inner workings of our tech weeks. I almost created a feeling of a shared community because we all go through similar struggles, whether that is sound technicians dealing with noisy carpenters in the audience, or honestly just acknowledging how exhausting the whole schedule is. The word “tech” is intimidating to me, it is so multifaceted and honestly such a competitive industry that superficially, it is a little bit scary. But, I have found that once you get into the nitty-gritty of these processes it’s just learning the systems and collaborating with each other. Also, because this is required to be such a collaborative field, people are forced to teach and learn from each other, requiring some level of humility. Plus it also helps that we have to go through this sometimes affectionately called “hell week” together.
Ask any techie or actors what their thoughts on Tech Week are and I can almost guarantee they’ll say something amongst the lines of: “I both hate it and love it”. A statement I can most definitely agree with. Tech, in its simplest form, is often a dreadful yet highly rewarding experience. It is the moment in which the show begins to come together. Lights, costumes, set, sound, crew, and actors begin to assemble the production as a whole. So, as one would expect, it is also often chaotic. That being said, and as the article points out, there is comfort in knowing everyone is on the same page. As a potential future Stage Manager (that is still to be debated) I also found this article to be useful in preparation for going into the field. These are definitely useful tips to consider and knowledge to have for the near future.
There are actually a lot of really good tips in this article. Most of which apply to more than just sound, even though the article is written for a sound specific blog. One of my favorite parts of the article is the "practical tips" section. In particular I found the second bullet down to be very funny. I can not say I have ever read something are talked to someone that recommended using retail therapy for when you are having a bad day. In general that just seems like a terrible idea, for me it for sure would buy, I would get a little carried away and my credit card would not be happy. The other important tech week tip is definitely to bring snacks, as stated in the article. Without a doubt I can say you will end up hungry at some point and having some trail mix or a granola bar at the ready is imperative. This provides some quick sustenance to keep you moving until your next meal. Last thing I want to add is to remember to drink water, you'll definitely thank yourself later.
As a person who's never done a professional tech, this was very interesting. I think one of the things that made a lot of sense that Augustine emphasized was the cohesiveness of the crew. If your crew gets along and everyone knows each other well, you’ll likely be more productive. I found the point about bringing a book or newspaper to read on mics very funny. I had never thought about that. It makes complete sense. Another thing I found interesting was the pictures. It reminded me of taking a picture of your parking spot, and I will definitely use it. I also noted the “overlooked” aspects of tech. I thought that was interesting, and how she specifically noted music, which is important for sound, and I wondered what other areas there are. I found spending time with designers interesting, because in a way it is a kind of networking, which adds stress to an already stressful time.
This article is so helpful to me! I’ve never actually been through a whole, complete tech process and this article gave me a really good insight to what it’s like. I think, though, much of the process consists of just trials and errors – some things work, others do not, and you’ll have to figure out why. But I think that’s what I really enjoy about theatres – the whole process of working with others in teams and problem solving. Also, I learn so much when working with others from their professional fields. It’s so rewarding when we see the show goes on and knowing that we have worked collectively to produce something. I will definitely keep the tips mentioned in the article in mind for future references.
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