The British pop band Coldplay releases sustainability report, and they are the first band ever in the world to do so! This band that has been on pop charts for the last 20 years voluntarily produced their sustainability report after the band set out to reduce their carbon emissions by half. While out on their latest tour, the band has nearly done just that.
The series The Traitors has helped with continuing generating millions of pounds for the Highland economy from TV and Film industries. Following another success, this production supports filming in the local region helping market its reputation as a filming location. The Traitors production company, Studio Lambert Scotland, aided in finding the perfect location spot as well as finding local crew and services.
Some common thespian terms that almost everyone in the theatrical and live events industry knows are great to have in your vocabulary if you want to get a foot in the door. Some of these term are more technically inclined while others are used more commonly by performers. Either way, these terms are heard throughout any stage of careers by those in the live events industry.
Contrary to what most people believe, studio time is not all about parties and bringing in as many people as possible to fit into a small space. Quite the contrary actually, as maximising studio time greatly helps with furthering careers for those recording as well as everyone involved behind the scenes such as the mixing engineer, producer, and the talent’s agent. There are only a few ways everyone walks away satisfied, and oftentimes it’s difficult to get everyone involved to agree on how something should be.
These rules of a stagehand can help make your experience be a little easier. As discussed before, being a stagehand in a venue is hard work, but it is where most people in the live entertainment industry start out in their careers whether for the hands-on experience before applying to larger roles, or overall knowledge before deciding a specialty. This is why it is considered a starting point, or closing point, to one’s career in the industry. Stagehands can also be those who are in-between contracts and looking to keep working until their next contract begins. Whatever the reason, these are tips from long-standing stagehands who have been around the block and seen many shows come and go.
An Industry Report since BREXIT became official has been released to the public, and things are not looking good for the live entertainment industry. The insight from several major organisations makes it clear that a smoother service is needed for those working in the industry and something more sustainable is being called for. The report highlights concerns from the masses who have to deal with the ins and outs of BREXIT and trying to work in the European Union from the UK, or the other way around. In short, the complexities of BREXIT and the added issues of a pandemic have made European work for UK professionals and vice versa nearly impossible and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Being a stagehand in a venue or on a site is hard work, but it is where most people in the live entertainment industry start out in their careers. This is for various reasons of course. Some like the hands-on experience before applying to larger roles, some like the networking and shadowing opportunities it can bring, and some like to get an overall knowledge before deciding a specialty. Whatever the reason may be, there is also some understanding that stagehands do the majority of the grunt work. This is why it is considered a starting point, or closing point, to one’s career in the industry. Whether you are just beginning your career, or having it come to a stopping point, these are tips from long-standing stagehands who have been around the block and seen many shows come and go. These rules of a stagehand can be carried from any country, and help you make your stagehand experience last until you decide your next steps.
Following an extensive public consultation, Bedfordshire Council has approved plans for a 1.75 million ft2 Film and TV studio. The studio plans were originally announced back in spring of 2022 with the 143 acre land already purchased. Construction was supposed to begin earlier this year with hopes of finishing the site sometime the following year. However, it seems the strikes across America and rising costs have delayed those plans.
As of 22 September, the Actors’ Equity Association has recognised a new title for its members: Production Assistants. This is the first time in decades the union has supported a new role within itself and the first time Production Assistants have unionised.
Even though the strikes are happening across the pond in America, it is having major impacts in the TV and Film industries in the United Kingdom. According to a recent survey conducted by BECTU (a UK entertainment industry union), found that three quarters of workers are currently not working. Most of those who answered they are not working are freelancers.
It’s more than slightly difficult to find support as a female in the industry. I mean that in any entertainment industry, whether it be live events or film or corporate or something else. Finding an entire company run by and supported by females who know what you’re going through? Unheard of, hell impossible even. Not anymore thanks to Crew Gal’s launch.
I have some bad and even disturbing news, in short the answer is simply it’s not going to happen. For anyone in the entertainment industry who is affected by the SAG-AFTRA strikes in America, benefits are unfortunately not accessible for the majority of workers. Where does this leave the workers? It means once again, most of its people are barely holding on and surviving off of their savings. As there is no end in sight for the SAG-AFTRA strikes, this means people are running out of time with the holiday season fast approaching.
As someone who works in sound, one of the basic regular parts of my job is to have a patching sheet. For those who I’ve already lost and have no clue what this is, an audio patch sheet is a document used to list the inputs and outputs for everything on the stage that you are using for live sound. Making a list is the easiest part of it. Having it be comprehensible by everyone else who reads it is where things start to get difficult. Why is this such a difficulty? The short answer is typically one of two reasons:
Either your handwriting sucks and not everyone uses the same short hands as you do
Or the other person genuinely has no idea how to read the patch list
In case there are any lingering questions of how to practise Fair Work in the creative industries in Scotland there is now a step-by-step guide, and it has pictures!The Illustrated Fair Work Guide provides the absolute basics of Fair Work with practical examples of how to put them into practice in the work environment. Introducing each of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Dimensions – Effective Voice, Opportunity, Fulfilment, Respect and Security – with pictures guiding you along the way. The Illustrated Fair Work Guide has 144 pages (including cover page) and also dedicates a chapter to Fair Work with Freelancers, as well as contributes resources and support for those within the industry.
Since the closing of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it’s no secret that this year is still not stacking up like it was in 2019. Since the doors to the festival reopened in 2022, with a brief soft reopening in 2021, it has become clear just how lacking the large festival is for both artists and industry professionals alike.
This will be an ongoing insight of what it is like as a technician at the Edinburgh Fringe. From our first week to our last, these will be an inside look at what happens behind the scenes that most people don’t get even a glimpse of. This is the seventh week of the EdFringe.
That rush of wind hits you the moment you step foot on the grounds. The feeling of Summer and all the endless opportunities to see your favourite shows surrounds you as does the sound of tens of thousands of other people with the exact same feeling. You have one goal, get as close to the stage of your favourite performer as possible. You beeline it for the stage early enough to get close, but not close enough as you clearly were not the only to have this line of thinking. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to hear everything thanks to festival sound systems and how they work.
The massive pro-audio company is to be officially sold to STG (Symphony Technology Group) for $1.4 billion. Unfortunately for those in professional audio, this privatising of Avid might be an end to the company in a matter of only a few short years…
This will be an ongoing insight of what it is like as a technician at the Edinburgh Fringe. From our first week to our last, these will be an inside look at what happens behind the scenes that most people don’t get even a glimpse of. This is the fourth week of the EdFringe.
As I was recently reading a book, they mentioned a lyric from a song by the Smiths. The lyric goes ‘I wear black on the outside/ ‘Cause black is how I feel on the inside’. It instantly struck me. With all the recent discussions and invitations on insight to mental health in the theatrical and entertainment industry, I pondered a question: If we weren’t constantly wearing black on the outside, would we still feel black on the inside?
This will be an ongoing insight of what it is like as a technician at the Edinburgh Fringe. From our first week to our last, these will be an inside look at what happens behind the scenes that most people don’t get even a glimpse of. This is our third week of the EdFringe.
This will be an ongoing insight of what it is like as a technician at the Edinburgh Fringe. From our first week to our last, these will be an inside look at what happens behind the scenes that most people don’t get even a glimpse of.
This will be an ongoing insight of what it is like as a technician at the Edinburgh Fringe. From our first week to our last, these will be an inside look at what happens behind the scenes that most people don’t get even a glimpse of.
Every year, The Big Freelancer Survey aims to provide a detailed analysis of the past 12 months. With the mixed-methods survey that 1156 freelancers took part in this year, the data that is gathered from the survey feeds into ongoing negotiations between industry workers and the governing bodies. This informs everyone where support feels needed and what the greatest issues facing the performing arts industry are. The survey of 2023 reveals a massive ongoing gender pay gap, and much of the freelance workforce feeling “undervalued, underpaid and under- appreciated.”
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