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In this episode of the Sound Design Live podcast, I talk with Heatherlyn Eagan about how she has managed to book back-to-back tours since university by positioning herself as a stage manager and lighting technician. We discuss electricity, lighting fundamentals, and non-stop life on the road. Plus, these questions:
- How did you get your first job in lighting?
- Can you make more money as a designer or a technician?
- How do you stay busy in the touring world?
- How do you stay happy and sain on the road?
- How does cruise work compare to bus and truck touring?
- What are the basics I need to know to start working in lighting?
- How do you feel being a woman in the lighting design industry?
- What are some lighting horror stories?
Show notes:
- All music in this episode by Stockholm Vodou Orchestra.
- Heatherlyn’s book is The Meteoric Rise and Fall of Nat Nelson: Vaudevillian Extraordinaire
- Template = gobo = pattern = pie tin
- Quotes
- I have more work more often [as a tech] than I would as a designer.
- I have my little niche in the touring world. I am a stage management lighting split. Which has, on the small and medium scale tours, become a necessity.
- Most of these tours go out with a 25′ box truck, which doesn’t require a CDL.
- I’m a stage management lighting split. The minute they would see that…Ok, come here.
- When it came down to it, I had my pick of what show I wanted to do.
- If you are touring with 10-15 people, it’s important to have some alone time because you are seeing the same people day in and day out.
- It’s very important to understand what you need out of the day and make sure you get it.
- Generally whoever is asking will tell you want they want. If they don’t, ask.
- Generally once I dock the truck in front of a bunch of stage hands my level of respect goes up.
- I have a very specific genre of books that I like to read. It is historical fiction that takes place in NYC 1880-1912.
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