in the off season

Well I'm a tech, and I worked almost every day since september to xmas eve. But now that January has hit, and dont get me wrong I'm glad to have some time to relax, but going pretty hard for so long I feel that I get bored quicker. Perhaps always having something to do or think about for 4 months straight has dont this to me.

So to my point, what do other tech's get up to during this quiet period? and how long before you start to get some regular work coming again?

Cheers.

MattC

Haha, I am so much the same. All year things happen and there are shows, but come Christmas time, I get so bored. I don't understand why there's so little work around during the 'festive' season, but hey, I guess that's what you get in this industry. Hard enough getting work the rest of the year. I usually start getting work by early Feb. And what do I do in the meantime? Get bored. Write posts on websites. Write plays...Get bored. Sleep in. You know, the usual stuff.

I only have two weeks off so it is nice to slow down and spend more time at home or with friends, plus watch tv, videos etc to get ideas and inspiration from the larger shows. Even though we can not have the budget of a Cher concert to achieve what Cher can as we do not have the scale of their concert revenue earnings, we can still keep improving what we offer on our budgets by selling improvements to current "standards".

I also use the time to do equipment maintenance and catch up on those interesting designs that keep getting put to one side. In amongst all of the old rubbish you see at auctions etc, there are some bits of equpment worth refurbishing for the cost of mainly time.

Have a look at doing live music lighting as it does not have a break due to festivals etc, so can be slotted in with theatre.

Hope you have a good New Year.
Don

Well said Don,

A true artist at heart, like you i only have a few weeks break then its into the planning stage for all the fun and frivoloty for the year.

It is a great idea that people should keep their minds soaking up all that may be possible - you never know you may get a emergency call to do Cher or Robbie cause the tech could have had colour and sparkles overload and colapsed in a pile of......

hmmmm interesting effect for a stage - haha

Oh well here is sending light to the industry for a very powerfull and changing 2005. Hold on everybody - it will be a blast.

Aaron.

Look after ones new family and think of the things they can light in the future. Think better than Cher and Robbie.

I have followed your philosophy Fi and spent time with my children and family as they grew and developed and did not push them in any direction I wanted them to do, but through his personal choice my son is a third year law student and for relaxation, and as a bonus a paid operator, does live shows ranging from Steve Poltz to pipe bands. He does not listen to Cher normally, I play it for the visual spectacle.

In the future I imagine he will not have too much time for lighting, for the present it is a source of income for text books and he gets paid to watch bands he likes if they come to his venue.

I did not get my two week break as I am in the second week of lighting a two week ballet season so there is work out there if you look for it.

If you get a chance to see the Cher Farewell concert, it was replayed New Years Eve, it has a great range of acts incorporated in it and if you get a chance to see a Bizurcus show in Freemantle they do trapeze and tissue work which is great to watch.

Don