Entertainment Employment Opportunities for Artist

Entertainment Employment Opportunities for Artist

Welcome,

It has been a few weeks since the last update but I wanted to share with you some opportunities to make a living in the Arts. Everyone will not or aspires to be talent and in lieu of that I am posting this information for you to pass on to others and consideration for yourself.
For those artist out there consider Set design, IT support, or Scene creators. These fields command an excellent salary and options for travel or stationary work. Some basic skills needed for these careers are knowledge of power tools, table saw,carpentry, and mathematical ability along with spatial /design ability. In order to thrive in these fields one needs some valuable building and communication skills topped off with a healthy dose of humility, adaptability, listening and interpersonal skills. In addition the ability to meet deadlines and resourcefulness are mandatory.
Once these careers were segregated by nepotism and discrimination but have since opened the playing field to all ethnicities. It is just as important to have films, plays and productions that feature ethnics in front and behind the camera.
The Brooklyn Young Filmmakers Center featured a program to highlights these area. Tracye Gardner the Director the center presented and mediated over the function. Her insightful and pragmatic approach to careers in the Arts spilled over into the audience. The speakers were Thom De Jesu of Daddy-O Productions, who designs and fabricates sets for film, TV and stage located in Brooklyn Navy Yard. He presented a pulled back the covers on the secrets that make sets appear realistic and how they created it.
Tina Bell, Production Coordinator at Stiegelbauer Associates in the Brooklyn Navy Yard has the distinction of being an African-American Woman who leads one of the largest national houses. Her matter of fact style gave you the nuts and bolts of how creativity and workmanship create the formula for success. Saturday Night Live would request 12-20 sets that needed to be built, created and packed within a very short time. She works with Set Designers, Costume and Wardrobe, Directors, Producers and union workers all just to replicate a set for a scene. Some of the challenges are being given a piece of fabric and being told the room should look like this. Her top knot's team then creates it without stepping on narcisstic lapels or control freaks. Give this woman a medal. Expect to start work at 7 a.m. and leave sometimes at 2:30 a.m. but the payoff is worth it for working with major venues like ABC, CBS, Saturday Night LIve and Daytime Serials Guiding Light and As the World Turns just to name a few. With a good work ethic and solid communication skills you can write your own ticket.
Chris Higgens, Professor of Scenic Technology in the Entertainment Department at NYC City College of Technology, has over 20 years of experience as a technical director and carpenter in Broadway shows, regional theater, summer stock and commercial scene shops. His background as a teacher gives him the edge in developing apprentices for master trades. He highly recommends doing theater as well as every production you can get your hands on. He also has a 2 week welding class to further increase your expertise.

Where to Start:
If you are interested in any of these careers you can join the apprentice Program 718-252-8777 and ask for Terry Ryan. This is a three year program and will carve a niche for you in the industry for major and independent productions.
You can also contact the Local 829 union for information or Local 52.

Another good place to start is by doing industry jobs and they can be found at the Motion Picture Theatre Directory or
mpe.net 212-245-0969

For further information contact Brooklyn Young Filmmakers Center,718-935-0490