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Career change.

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Teknotice View Drop Down
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    Posted: 13 April 2017 at 12:04am
Once again I seek your wisdom SP!

I have been in IT/websites for all of my career but running parallel is my passion for sound systems and music events.

When I’m sitting a the desk all day I know its really where I don't want to be. It was my plan to work in the office and build up a little sound system business on the side with an aim to quit and run it full time. But that never materialised. I have the sound system
(full stable audio) but haven’t made a penny from it (no business, dead club nights, non-payment, costs) so that is not an option.

What I really want to do is leave the desk job and work for an events company full time. I have mid-level sound engineering and crewing experience and can drive vans (over 25). When I was unemployed I called round some recommended events companys and they just weren’t interested and no response to emails they asked me to send.

Any suggestions would be great
'why on earth do you need this much amplification?!'
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 12:08am
sadly a lot of companys only take crew on an ad hoc basis, but a few do recruit full timers, from time to time. Ill ask around a few of my contacts for you.
May also help if we new your location / area in uk...
https://www.elements-audio.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote toastyghost Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 9:07am
If you haven't got real experience and don't know companies already you're pissing in the wind sadly. It's a saturated market and testing out an unknown guy Vs the pile of backlog freelancers desperate for work you already know is sometimes just not at all on your mind

You would do better to start crewing with DNG, Crewsaders, Gallowglass and get to know the industry contacts and such first. Pay is decent whilst you wait. Lots of our regular and best guys and in that way and get good work elsewhere too because it taught them a lot of v important stuff.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imageoven Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 10:53am
Plenty of IT work in the corporate sector of events.

Do you like watching powerpoint presentations?

You need to look and talk like them though.
Keep pushing on, things are gonna get better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jacethebase Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 11:03am
+ 1 for going down the Crewing routes. GallowGlass and Crewsaders are always looking for good guys.

Working festivals etc forget it! Money is pants unless your on a sensible sized stage. Most small stages are being done for peanuts and that reflects on crews wages. I literraly don't bother tendering for new festivals anymore.
Its such a shame, people would rather save a few quid than have a nice sound system and good crew.
www.wedding-production.co.uk

www.stage2sound.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote monkeypuzzle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 11:58am
Yep, can only 2nd or 3rd what has been said. There are really only three ways to get to having a successful career (even then its always on the edge!).

!. Local crewing as has been mentioned. There are many site/stage managers, crew bosses, LX and Audio techs that I know that started with a crewing company, shown their worth and been picked up by those that recognise their talents (or lack of sometimes but thats a whole other topic!)

2. Run your own events, spend years (or loads of money) building them up and linking in with other already successful companies.

3. Go back to study and do an events based course at respected university/college... brown nose it from there onwards or be a pretty girl that is willing to spend 3 summers stuffing crew food tokens into envelopes....

Like toasty says, its a saturated market, there are probably more people studying events work than there are jobs in the industry. You have to have something very special to offer, have friends in high places or work very hard for little money. Not to put you off, putting on your own events is a great thing to do as you are then actually employed in the events industry and when you start crewing, you are closer to the level you are aiming at and those that you are looking to be employed by will be able to see your track record.
blah blah blah blah blah......
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote King George Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2017 at 11:32pm
There are events companies that specialise in temporary IT infrastructure. Some specialise in site wifi, IP cameras etc at outdoor events.

Maybe a good way out whilst developing more skills and leaving a desk job.  

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2017 at 10:10am
Saturated market is an understatement! lol
True story; i did a small multi band event recently where one band was entirely freelance sound engineers, all separately asking if I had any jobs available... not including the stage crew, backline techs and guest foh techs. Over half owned a x32 personally.

I feel quite lucky that all my gear is paid for, no debt, no finance and a different type of regular client base to pay the bills so I then get to enjoy some travelling these days, otherwise I think it would be literally crew work as an 'in'.
Even the local venues have too many engineers for their size all working on low wages.

Not all bad though as there are always opportunities somewhere.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Earplug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2017 at 1:34pm
Originally posted by wires wires wrote:

Saturated market is an understatement! lol
True story; i did a small multi band event recently where one band was entirely freelance sound engineers, all separately asking if I had any jobs available... not including the stage crew, backline techs and guest foh techs. Over half owned a x32 personally.

 
How times have changed. Back in the 60´s and 70´s everybody wanted to be a rock star. Now they all want to be sound engineers!  LOL


Earplugs Are For Wimps!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2017 at 2:15pm
😂 very true. People have realised rock stars don't make millions anymore and it will take a while for them to realise that sound engineers don't either 😂

Now it's turn up, stare at a computer screen and number values for the entire show and go home. It was way more fun turning buttons and using rare studio gear, then going to the afterparty

Edited by wires - 14 April 2017 at 2:16pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Teknotice Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 April 2017 at 6:13pm
Thanks for your comments everyone. All taken on board.
'why on earth do you need this much amplification?!'
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shagnasty View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shagnasty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 April 2017 at 2:06am
TBH

"crewing get you gigs"

Ha

HAHA

F'king Ha

I did a world tour without knowing what the back of a truck looked like...

USSU Crew had this "we crew for Guildford Civic, that's how you get on tour......" yeah, as a lacky..

Crew push my cases, crew don't magically become touring engineers..

I quit touring around 2001, because worthless cretins with "media studies" degrees and other worthless, clueless, "I like to play with myself", not nice people were going out for literally 1/5th what i command, with no catering, no PDS and self drive.

That is not touring, that is living rough!

I did do little run to cover a gig my mate was TM'ing around 2010, my first poverty tour, still got near to grown up wages but had to drive, the muppet I replaced did 2.5hr loadins and 2hr outs, I got that to 30mins in 14min out ( Salford CREW ROCK) but still no way I am gonna do that for long.

My advice if you have a clue about basic IT, stick with that.

Entry level IT monkey £40K on 37.5 hr week.

Touring monkey £25K for 90/hr a week.

I now do conference/exhibition work for a fair day rate, IT consultancy for 3 times that rate and admin render farms for that again.

I have a small (ok, like bigger than I meant it to be) Turbosound system that only does gigs I fancy and earns enough to keep my 7.5 tonner and Van on the road, but in real terms that is a hooby to me, I have paid my mortgage and have the time to play with speakers but under no circumstances would I advise anyone to move into what is now a lowest common denominator industry.

A £350K house in Guilford will clear you £24K a year ( I know, wouldn't cover my bar bill) a £350K rig will cause you a £700K turnover possibly without £24K clear...

Step away, the market is SO dead right now, unless you think £200 a day is a viable wage, stick with IT...

Learn WebGL, get £500 for 8hrs a day







Edited by shagnasty - 18 April 2017 at 2:08am
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