Shine On

Why did you become an Entertainment Technician?

Come Now – Be Honest!

Did You Knowingly sign up for all the sleepless nights, extreme stress and perennial abuse?

Did you shrug when you were blamed for equipment malfunction?

Smile to protect a junior technician’s eff up?

Are you in it solely for the high of doing a great job ? (that nobody notices). And are prepared to receive flack for something that somebody did not approve of? (after it was done)

If you answered ‘YES’ to ALL of the above, then stay with me buddy.  You’re not going anywhere.

If you thinking about where you stand. It’s time to look for something else to do with your life.

Our way of life isn’t coming back for a while. There will be an old way of doing things, and there will be a new way of doing things.  Both will co-exist until performers, producers and investors will decide what works best for them. 

Our lot probably won’t have a say in the outcome.  We will have to adapt.  Luck will play a huge part here.  Which one of us will be most familiar, most well known in practicing the technologies that will become mainstream?

So the big Question – What do we do now? While we wait for a clearer picture.

Obviously we all have our own priorities and so we must attend to them first.  Our families must eat, stay healthy and stay sane. Live as ‘normal’ and as ‘familiar’ a life as we can.

Try and ignore the fear mongers and the sensationalists and use common sense for the main part.

Nobody knew anything about fighting this enemy.  How wise our leaders were to chase weapons and build great wasteful institutions at the cost of basic healthcare is becoming apparent all over the world.  I hope that will correct in time.

The big question remains – Does the world have enough resources to support its population?

Look for those answers in another kind of publication.

All of us here are focussed on making sure everybody we share our planet with is fed on a steady stream of great music, great visuals and crystal clear communication.

If the past years of recorded history are anything to go by even the earliest inhabitants of our planet were looking for ways to express themselves. Rock Music took a long time to evolve into Led Zepplin and the Beatles. And continues to evolve rocking the world. Does anybody here see any signs of slowing down?

Great! Then stay with me. 

My Plea and my advice to all of us – especially the young ones, is use whatever free time you have to study ART. 

ART in all its aspects.  Be it painting, sculpture, music, visual arts, or architecture. 

Open your eyes and mind to study any art form that speaks to you.

Not just to glance through it – but delve deep and study every aspect of it.

The Internet makes it easy to browse.  But please don’t stop there.  Pick anything and really go deep. Narrow down the field and get to the bottom.

Use the Internet to Research.  Read everything you can on the subject.  Open yourself to appreciate every significant detail of your art form.

What came before it? How and why did it take its current form? Who led the movement? Study the lives and careers of the stars. Did they chance upon this art form or were they guided to it. What shape did they find it initially?  How did they twist it?

I promise you it will be a journey that you will enjoy.  A Journey you never had time for earlier.

But immerse yourselves into it as deep as you were immersed in your career before this interruption.

Whatever you are doing before, whatever you choose to pursue now.  Trust me you will evolve.

You will understand transition. Understand what leads to what.

We are in the business of communication. Every artist from the Cave Painter, through Leo Da Vince, and down to Beyoncé entire career paths were created by their ability to communicate with their audiences and give them what they want. 

They amuse on one level, are role models to some, lead us on a cathartic journey and deliver us spent and exhausted at the gates of ecstasy.

We need to understand that bridge and build one for ourselves.

No! we are not performers – we are the bridge builders that magnify this experience to an audience of thousands and if we are lucky – Millions.

All without the pressures of stardom and living in the public eye. 

True we will never experience the power a performer has, as she holds a few million enthralled with her performance.

But Hey – look on the bright side – if we are good and in demand – we will be sought after by a diverse range of performers.

Our careers will be longer.  Our Experiences more varied and definitely multi coloured.

Make the Best of that diversity.

But –in my view we must always be inspired.  And to be inspired we must be educated.

To make the best of what we have.  Adapt it to be applied in as many different fields.

Real Example.  I studied Rembrandt.  It all started with an article years ago that spoke of his work ‘Eating Light’.  What the hell was that?

It started a journey, in the days before the internet that took me to museums; spend scarce pocket money on books.   Devour the work of contemporary artists that claimed to be influenced by his work. Artists, cameramen, architects, printers.  I met a range of diverse characters (in spirit). 

Looked through their work and slowly understood the master through their eyes. His shading.  Every time I saw a print or a photo I discovered another shade of brown and amber. Another detail. Saw glimpses of his work by contemporary artists.  Wondered what the old man would do with the modern techniques of today.

How would Rembrandt light an EDM concert?

It was great journey. One that fulfilled me and drove me mad. To date not one person has caught me copying the master’s tricks. They appreciate the shading and the texture – and think it’s original.

Perhaps it is, as the old Bugger never had Robe and ClayPaky and Avolite to help him. 

I will never paint ‘Man in the Golden Helmet ‘. But the masters at the World Gold Council will shake my hand and congratulate me for making their latest Gold jewellery Line sparkle in just the right Lustre.

I will be grateful and deposit a share of my earnings into the ‘Visit Rijksmuseum Fund‘. Sadly, I’ll never be able to Own the Original.  Got to be glad for all the many prints that just don’t capture every aspect of the painting.

But then it gives me something to look forward to after lockdown is lifted.

To finally spend my ‘Visit Rijksmuseum Fund’ on what it was meant for. Pray for me that I won’t have to dip into it to live through this crisis.

Happy Hunting guys.  Find something that catches your eye and hope that spark ignites your journey to the very top of your chosen field.