Living the Dream
So it's been a bit since I've posted and things have changed a bit.
I still live in Aspen, but I'm working for a different company than I was when I first moved here.
Originally, I was working for 'BellyUp Aspen', but for whatever reason(s) (and I'm pretty sure I know why), I'm not really working there anymore.
I've started working for another production company in the area.
We do a lot of 'Corporate' events.
Very broadly, in this industry there is 'Rock 'N Roll' or 'Corporate'
'Rock 'N Roll' being concerts (regardless of genre [rock, country, rap, etc.]) and theatre (musicals or straight plays), and 'Corporate' which is a term encompassing a (kind of narrow) variety of events ranging from truly corporate meetings/events to private parties given by companies or private individuals.
(Despite the generic 'Rock 'N Roll' label, if you aren't actually doing rock 'n roll, a common 'excuse' for doing things in a more laid back manner is 'Hey, it aint Rock 'N Roll', so there are certainly differences between concerts and theatre, for this discussion, my labels are appropriate, and I think a lot of people in the business would agree.)
Being in Aspen, the winter season (Thanksgiving through March) is mostly 'Corporate' gigs.
And honestly, it's driving me nuts.
I've always hated Corporate gigs.
I'm somewhat anal about things, and that fits well with parts of Corporate gigs, like keeping things neat and organized, but the typical corporate mentallity is rampant.
Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.
A gig is spec'ed as one thing, but the underlings that are actually at the event want something else.
Or else it was miscommunicated somewhere along the line so it was expected that the Production Company would understand exactly what the Client wanted.
Sometimes that happens, but usually not.
Because the Client has absolutely no idea what the gear they spec'ed does.
And I can deal with that to some extent.
But honestly, this company and their cracker-jack operation is making me question my choice of vocation.
In some ways, it's good for me.
I'd kind of gotten into a rut, as it were, and become used to a certain standard of gig, with all its standard expectations.
This company makes me think a bit about what and how I'm going to do what needs to be done, yet at the same time imposes restrictions that shouldn't be there.
Not that it's directly their fault, though they are not blameless.
Things like getting to the event and realizing that you don't have enough sandbags to weigh down a light tree, or you're running short of power cables.
Just because the person that packed the gear didn't think you'd need any more.
Always, always pack extras of things like cables, tape, sandbags, zipties, wrenches, powerstrips, etc.
And the more I work for this company, the more I realize they're doormats.
It's one thing to do a favor for a Client or two, but when you do favors for every Client at every gig, you're a fucking doormat.
Not simple, generic favors like provide an extra outlet or taping down a cable for them, but things like hauling generators off site, being the IT person for their personal computers for their PowerPoint/DVD, putting up or taking down gear that isn't ours, troubleshooting the crap gear they provided so they could save $50 by not renting a proper one from us, etc., you're going too damn far.
In a Corporate world, you must live by Corporate rules.
Like the venue dictating the times you can load in and out rather than you telling the venue when you'll be there.
Corporate also has a higher standard for neatness than Rock 'N Roll, such as more concealed cable runs, pipe & drape, etc.
And I can appreciate that.
If you've ever been to a Corporate sponsored event, job fair, or similar, you may have noticed a lack of visible logistics like power cords and such.
That's the kind of thing I'm doing at the moment.
Part of the problem I'm having is that communication is a bit of an issue.
I'm not always getting all the info needed before the event.
And actually that isn't always the fault of my employers, being as that some of the Clients either don't realize or just don't care what that lack of information does do us, the Production Company.
A generic example is that we're allowed to begin loading in at 1PM, and the event starts at 6PM.
The problem comes up when we really have a full 5 hours of work to do, so we get rushed and are working up to 10 minutes before the event starts.
That's just irritating.
I hate being rushed for time like that.
Especially when it's because the Client can't make up their damn mind about how or where they want something, so we have to do it more than once.
Having done touring Broadway shows, I don't mind the rush of cues and such, but being rushed to set up for an event because the hotel booked a breakfast meeting in the same room from 8AM until 12PM, with the Corporate event to loadin at 12PM without expecting the meeting to run long just irritates the shit out of me.
They always run long and the venues are most guilty on that front trying to book as many events as possible to maximize their profits regardless of what it does to the vendors.
Once again, money win the day.
Shocker.
Anyway, supposedly, this company does more 'Rock 'N Roll' stuff in the summer season, which I know for a fact to be at least somewhat true, but I'm certainly hoping it's more true than 'somewhat', though I'm not going to hold my breath.
So basically, I guess I've decided that I like doing 'Rock 'N Roll' better than Corporate gigs.
Granted that Corporate usually pays better, but I'll be glad to take a minor pay cut to do something more interesting.
I still live in Aspen, but I'm working for a different company than I was when I first moved here.
Originally, I was working for 'BellyUp Aspen', but for whatever reason(s) (and I'm pretty sure I know why), I'm not really working there anymore.
I've started working for another production company in the area.
We do a lot of 'Corporate' events.
Very broadly, in this industry there is 'Rock 'N Roll' or 'Corporate'
'Rock 'N Roll' being concerts (regardless of genre [rock, country, rap, etc.]) and theatre (musicals or straight plays), and 'Corporate' which is a term encompassing a (kind of narrow) variety of events ranging from truly corporate meetings/events to private parties given by companies or private individuals.
(Despite the generic 'Rock 'N Roll' label, if you aren't actually doing rock 'n roll, a common 'excuse' for doing things in a more laid back manner is 'Hey, it aint Rock 'N Roll', so there are certainly differences between concerts and theatre, for this discussion, my labels are appropriate, and I think a lot of people in the business would agree.)
Being in Aspen, the winter season (Thanksgiving through March) is mostly 'Corporate' gigs.
And honestly, it's driving me nuts.
I've always hated Corporate gigs.
I'm somewhat anal about things, and that fits well with parts of Corporate gigs, like keeping things neat and organized, but the typical corporate mentallity is rampant.
Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.
A gig is spec'ed as one thing, but the underlings that are actually at the event want something else.
Or else it was miscommunicated somewhere along the line so it was expected that the Production Company would understand exactly what the Client wanted.
Sometimes that happens, but usually not.
Because the Client has absolutely no idea what the gear they spec'ed does.
And I can deal with that to some extent.
But honestly, this company and their cracker-jack operation is making me question my choice of vocation.
In some ways, it's good for me.
I'd kind of gotten into a rut, as it were, and become used to a certain standard of gig, with all its standard expectations.
This company makes me think a bit about what and how I'm going to do what needs to be done, yet at the same time imposes restrictions that shouldn't be there.
Not that it's directly their fault, though they are not blameless.
Things like getting to the event and realizing that you don't have enough sandbags to weigh down a light tree, or you're running short of power cables.
Just because the person that packed the gear didn't think you'd need any more.
Always, always pack extras of things like cables, tape, sandbags, zipties, wrenches, powerstrips, etc.
And the more I work for this company, the more I realize they're doormats.
It's one thing to do a favor for a Client or two, but when you do favors for every Client at every gig, you're a fucking doormat.
Not simple, generic favors like provide an extra outlet or taping down a cable for them, but things like hauling generators off site, being the IT person for their personal computers for their PowerPoint/DVD, putting up or taking down gear that isn't ours, troubleshooting the crap gear they provided so they could save $50 by not renting a proper one from us, etc., you're going too damn far.
In a Corporate world, you must live by Corporate rules.
Like the venue dictating the times you can load in and out rather than you telling the venue when you'll be there.
Corporate also has a higher standard for neatness than Rock 'N Roll, such as more concealed cable runs, pipe & drape, etc.
And I can appreciate that.
If you've ever been to a Corporate sponsored event, job fair, or similar, you may have noticed a lack of visible logistics like power cords and such.
That's the kind of thing I'm doing at the moment.
Part of the problem I'm having is that communication is a bit of an issue.
I'm not always getting all the info needed before the event.
And actually that isn't always the fault of my employers, being as that some of the Clients either don't realize or just don't care what that lack of information does do us, the Production Company.
A generic example is that we're allowed to begin loading in at 1PM, and the event starts at 6PM.
The problem comes up when we really have a full 5 hours of work to do, so we get rushed and are working up to 10 minutes before the event starts.
That's just irritating.
I hate being rushed for time like that.
Especially when it's because the Client can't make up their damn mind about how or where they want something, so we have to do it more than once.
Having done touring Broadway shows, I don't mind the rush of cues and such, but being rushed to set up for an event because the hotel booked a breakfast meeting in the same room from 8AM until 12PM, with the Corporate event to loadin at 12PM without expecting the meeting to run long just irritates the shit out of me.
They always run long and the venues are most guilty on that front trying to book as many events as possible to maximize their profits regardless of what it does to the vendors.
Once again, money win the day.
Shocker.
Anyway, supposedly, this company does more 'Rock 'N Roll' stuff in the summer season, which I know for a fact to be at least somewhat true, but I'm certainly hoping it's more true than 'somewhat', though I'm not going to hold my breath.
So basically, I guess I've decided that I like doing 'Rock 'N Roll' better than Corporate gigs.
Granted that Corporate usually pays better, but I'll be glad to take a minor pay cut to do something more interesting.
posted by urbnsol at 1:25 PM
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