Jobs In the Performing Arts Industry. Musician. [1] A musician is an instrumentalist who creates and/or performs music. This could be live on a stage or in a recording studio, either as a soloist of in a group. Musicians usually specialize in one type of music, but some branch out into others to expand their range. Most musicians activities will be similar regardless of what instrument they play or the type of job they have. General tasks for a musician can include; Performing on stage and participating in recording sessions, Practicing regularly,
Preparing for auditions, Preparing for and attending rehearsals. Maintaining instrument, Learning required music. A Musician can work closely with; [11] Actors. Fellow actors may be on stage while the Musician is playing, this means they will share rehearsals together and generally performers spend time backstage with each other, especially if they are touring with each other. They may also give each other feedback, and constructive criticisms which will help improve the individuals performance which will boost the whole shows performance. Dancers/Singers.
If the Musician is assisting in providing a backing track for a dance piece or singing piece then the musician and performers will need to work closely together to construct their performance and rehears it to get it up to a high quality performance. Musical directors. If a show or production features live music it will most probably have a musical director or someone of that sort who knows a lot about music and how to adjust it so it can be at it’s best during a show. A musician will have meetings and one-on-one sessions with the musical director to work on music pieces, receive feedback and check that the musician is keeping on target.
The musical director will also pass on ideas or problems that have risen from any meetings between directors and producers. Actor/Actress. [2] An actor communicates a character and/or situations to an audience through speech, movement and body language. It usually involves interpreting the work of a writer, normally with the help and instruction of a director, although they may devise their own character or improvise with a character as a reaction to the audiences reactions. An actors work varies enormously, from live stage performances, community theater, soap operas, radio work and film and TV parts. Typical work activities can include;
Liaising with an agent, Job seeking and networking, Preparing for and attending auditions, Learning lines and rehearsing, Research for a part, Performing for a live audience, Performing in a studio or ‘on location film’ for film, television, internet and radio broadcast, Doing ‘voice-overs’ for advertisements or recording audiobooks, Liaising with venue managers and accommodation providers. An Actor/Actress can work closely with; [12] The Director. The Director will be the one who instructs the performers on what kind of thing he/she wants. If the Director doesn’t like a piece then he shall talk to the Actor and they will have to adapt it.
The Director likes to keep updated on the performers and will often have meetings with them to check their progress. If an Actor has any ideas or inquiries they can talk with the Director about them. Musicians/Singers/Dancers. Fellow performers may be on stage while the Actor is also performing, this means they will share rehearsals together and generally performers spend time backstage with each other, especially if they are touring with each other. They may also give each other feedback, and constructive criticisms which will help improve the individuals performance which will boost the whole shows performance.
Script Writer. The script writer will be the person who has the image of a character or scene in their head while writing the script. The script writer would discuss the characters or scene with the Actor to make sure that it follows what they want or imagined. The script writer may change the script as well, and an Actor with any problems about the script can approach the writer to sort it out. Dancer. [3] Dancers portray character, story, situation or abstract concept to an audience through movement, body language and gestures.
This normally involves interpreting the work of a choreographer or artist. Dancers work in a variety of genres such as, classical ballet, contemporary, street dance and Asian dance are just a few of many examples of these genres. They can perform to a live audience or take part in a recorded performance for T. V, Film or a music video. Typical work activities for a Dancer includes; Preparing for and attending auditions, Preparing for performances by rehearsing and exercising, Perform to live audiences or for Television, Film and music productions, Create choreography and perform it,
Looking after costumes, Liaising with an agent. A Dancer can work closely with; [13] Musicians/Singers/Actors. Fellow performers may be on stage while the Dancer is also performing, this means they will share rehearsals together and generally performers spend time backstage with each other, especially if they are touring with each other. They may also give each other feedback, and constructive criticisms which will help improve the individuals performance which will boost the whole shows performance. Choreographer. The choreographer of the production will be the Dancer’s instructor.
They will teach the dances and help get the Dancer ready to perform it on stage. The choreographer will be the one that has been briefed by the Producer and Director on the image and mood of the production. Then a choreographer will take that information, construct a dance piece and teach it to the Dancer. They will work very closely together for pretty much the whole production. Changes may be made to a dance at the very last minuet. Theater stage manager. [4] A Theater stage manager coordinates all aspects of a theater company to sure the successful delivery of the performance.
This involves many duties such as, managing rehearsals, actors, staff as well as liaising with the front of house staff and director. They need to have a good understanding of both the technical and artistic side of a performance so they can ensure the performance is delivered to the directors requirements. Depending on the size of the show a theater stage manager could be working on their own in a small company, and have assistants and deputy stage manager for larger productions. Typical work activities for a Theater stage manager include; Setting up and running rehearsal schedules, Procuring props, sets and furniture,
Arranging costume fittings, Distributing information to other related departments in the production process, Supervising the loading of equipment and set during the ‘get in’ and the ‘get out. ‘, Making changes to set, prompting actors and cuing other technicians, Running backstage and onstage during performances, Liaising with the director, and other technical departments, If touring they would need to Liaise with resident staff and other performance venues. A Theater Stage manager can work closely with; [14] Actor. During a show the Theater Stage manager will be in charge of running back stage and on stage.
This involves looking after the dressing rooms in which the actors will be getting ready. The manager will need to make sure everyone is behaving and that all is going ok. This requires interaction with the actors. Also onstage the Actors may need cues from the wings, or general help if they need to do a quick change or something to that nature during a performance. The Stage manager is there before shows as well if the actors have any quires that need addressing. Director. The Theater Stage manager will be briefed by the Director to know how the production should look. This involves going over lighting, set, sound and staging.
Its the Stage managers job to take this on board and check throughout the production that the process is going alright. They will also need to construct and design the staging, lighting and sound to the Directors instructions who will most probably have regular meetings to check up in the progress. Technical crew. The Stage manager will be in charge of a group of Techies who will help with the setting up and running of the show. The stage manager will direct the crew to do jobs, such as hang the lights on the rigging, program the sound, do mic checks, build staging, etc.
All these jobs need doing and the Stage manager will oversee them and work with the Techie crew to get it done for the production. Lighting Technician. [5] A lighting Technician is responsible for the set up and operation of the lighting before and during the performance. They take care of lighting interior and exterior scenes, while using lighting to alter the mood and shape of the visual side of a performance. Typical activities for a lighting Technician would include; Liaising with the lighting director and designer to agree on the lighting design. Looking after and establishing the lighting equipment,
Plotting the lighting, Coordinating the technical crew, Assembling and hanging all the lighting equipment needed, Stocking up and checking the lighting equipment regularly. A Lighting Technician can work closely with; [15] Stage Manager. The stage manager will over look the work that the Lighting Technician does to make sure it’s up to a high standard and they will be there if there was any need of help. The stage manager may also be the person to help train a Lighting Technician, so they would work close together. As they are working in the same space they are bound to interact often and help each other.
Lighting designer. The lighting designer will have drawn up the lighting design from ideas at the meetings with the director and producer. The Lighting Technician will then take the design and hang the rigging the way it needs to be, following angles, directing and colour indications from the diagram. They will then use the design to help program the cues ready to operate for the show. The lighting designer will want to check up on the rigging and may make alterations throughout the process, meaning that the Lighting designer and Technician will probably meet several times throughout the production. Wardrobe manager. 6] A wardrobe manager works with a team of assistants (If it is a big scale production, if not it may just include them alone) to look after all costumes related to the production. They have to ensure all costumes are clean and tidy (If that is the costumes look, If not they need to keep the costume in the state it is meant to be) and in good condition. Alterations will be needed frequently, especially with a large cast. Working closely with the costume designers and makers the Wardrobe manager needs to make sure the wardrobe runs smoothly, and that it can cope with nearly any accident involving costumes.
If a show includes quick changes then it is up to the Wardrobe manager to check all costumes are in good condition and ready where they need to be for the actor to change. Typical activities for a Wardrobe manager could include; Making alterations when necessary, Keep costumes in required condition and state, Keep costumes together and organized to prevent costume being misplaced, See to the safe transportation of the costumes (If touring. ) A Wardrobe Manager can work closely with; Costume Designer. The costume designer will be the one to design and sometimes make the costumes for a production.
The storage for the costumes and the crafting area are likely to occupy the same space, meaning that both designer and manager will work in close proximity. The costume designer may as the help of the manager if the work is getting to much, or will instruct the manager on how to take care of the costumes. They will most probably help each other out, and the wardrobe manager will be altering the costumes to fit the performers. In smaller scale productions the Wardrobe manager and costume designer will probably be the same person to save on costs.
Actors/Dancers/Singers/Musicians. The wardrobe manager will be in charge of making alterations and repairs on the costumes. They will need to measure the performers and select the costumes they are wearing and adapt them. This may need to be done more than once, especially on a longer running show as people change, and even the cast may be swapped about. If there is a problem with the costumes the performers will need to see the wardrobe manager to get it sorted out. Producer. [7] A producer is the main player in a production of Television, Film and video industries.
They oversee each project from the start to the end and may be involved in the marketing aspects of the process. Producers work very closely with directors and other production staff to check up in the progress, report their expectations and sometimes will have input on creative decision making, depending on the client and brief. A producer needs to have directing skills so they can take care of all project operations. They arrange funding for each project and are responsible to keeping within that budget. Typical work activities for a producer include; Rains the funding for projects,
Reading, researching and assessing different ideas and scripts for future productions, Build and develop a network of contacts, Hiring key staff, including a director and crew to shoot films or videos, Controlling the budget and allocating resources, Troubleshooting, Holding regular meetings with the director to discuss characters and scenes, Acting as a sounding board for the director. A Producer can work closely with; [16] Director. The producer will hire a Director when they have a project that they want to do. When they find a Director they like the Producer will ask the Director to help them put on this production.
There will be many meetings between the two of them as they work out a plan, decide on other people to help and then start looking for a cast. The Director and Producer will be very close, especially in the start up, when they hold meetings with other designers and managers. When the production starts rehearsing then the producer will take a step back and check up on it often via the Director who will give updates. Often Directors and Producers get so close in their time during a project that they often stick together, and if the Producer needs a Director they will go with the same one. Marketing manager.
The producer often gets involved in the admin side of a production. As they control the budget it’s understandable that they might as well control other admin aspects. So the producer might get involved with the advertising and helping with the strategies that the Marketing manager should use to effectively advertise the production. A producer has often got a head for business, that’s why they get inveigled with producing, so a producer should be able to work with the Marketing manager quite well to do some advertising. Box office staff. [8] [9] Box office staff work at cinemas, theaters and concert halls.
They are responsible for taking bookings, reservations and payments for tickets. They will act as stewards and direct people to their seats, as well as advising seating for certain people with disabilities or special needs. Box office staff need to be flexible as they may be asked to work in the Cafe, or bar at the theater, or as an usher. Typical activities for Box office staff would include; Taking telephone bookings and ticket purchases, Dealing with enquirers about seating and ticket prices, Issuing tickets on the performance night, Selling programs and other merchandise,
Ensuring the security of the box office. Box office staff can work closely with; Theater manager. The theater manager will be the one who trains, oversees and helps with the Box office work. They will be the one to decided who gets employed, they will probably train them themselves and then will have regular checks with the staff to make sure they are ok. Every now and then the Theater manager will have a meeting with each of the staff members to check up on them and see how things are going. If there are any problems the staff can go to the Theater manager to bring up the problem. Marketing manager. [10]
A marketing manager is in charge of the marketing side of a production. They are in charge of raising the profile of the company and production. They use above and below the line marketing techniques to advertise the production. By using T. V. And Radio they can advertise on a large scale, covering a wide range of potential audience members, in order to make them want to watch the show. Designing and using posters, fliers, mail and email can direct the advertising to a local level. Working to get the local people to come and watch the production. They may work with other people, or if it is a small company they may work alone.
Some theaters have their own Marketing manager and have them advertise the productions that don’t have their own marketing team. For bigger scale production the marketing manager of the theater would liaison with the company marketing team to work out advertising strategies. A touring company may have their own marketing manager touring with them. Typical activities of a Marketing manager may include; Devise and implement strategic plans to effectively advertise productions. Design adverts, fliers and posters. Write emails and direct mail. Oversee any assistants they may have.
Produce brouchers for theaters and programs for productions. Liaison with the media to inform and advertise and be the main point of contact with the media. Research audience and data capture, to keep the advertising standards at a high quality and effectiveness. A Marketing Manager can work closely with; Director. The Director will want to brief the marketing manager on the kind of advertising the show wants, as well as plans for the programs. The marketing manager will listen to the Director, go away and design strategies, programs, posters and other forms of advertising, and then take it back to the Director for them to be checked.
If the Director likes them then the Marketing manager can get on and do her job, if he doesn’t like them they will go away, re-do it and then talk to the Director again to see if he likes it. They will do this until the Director likes everything they have come up with. Then they can get on with advertising the shows. Media. The media, such as journalists, may want to get a scope on the production. The marketing manager is their point of contact, through which they can access the Director, Producer, crew and cast.
By approaching the marketing manager, who will set up meetings with the above, they can then do interviews and reports on the production and behind the scenes exclusives. The marketing manager may also want to contact the media to advertise the production, whether in the news paper, on T. V. Or Radio. They will need to contact the media to be able to send the adverts to be advertised. Bibliography. http://www. prospects. ac. uk/musician_job_description. htm – Job description for a Musician. [1] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/actor_job_description. htm – Job description for an Actor. [2] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/dancer_job_description. tm – Job description for a Dancer. [3] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/theatre_stage_manager_job_description. htm – Job description for a Theater Stage Manager [4] http://www. creative-choices. co. uk/lighting-technician – Job description for a Lighting Technician. [5] http://www. stagejobspro. com/uk/page. php? uid=197 – Job description for a Wardrobe Manager. [6] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/television_film_video_producer_job_description. htm – Job description for a Producer. [7] http://workdescriptions. moonfruit. com/#/box-office-job-description/4559282555 – Job description for Box office staff. [8] http://www. reative-choices. co. uk/develop-your-career/template/box-office-staff – Job description for Box office staff. [9] http://activateperformingarts. org. uk/jobs/activate-performing-arts-marketing-communications-manager-activate – Job description for a Marketing manager. [10] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/musician_related_jobs. htm – Related Jobs to a Musician. [11] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/actor_related_jobs. htm – Related Jobs to an Actor. [12] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/dancer_related_jobs. htm – Related Jobs to a Dancer. [13] http://www. prospects. ac. uk/theatre_director_related_jobs. htm – Related Jobs
