I work with a vast array of people in our business. I get along with everyone regardless of color, religion or sexual preference. I like to think that every project needs teamwork to get it done. I firmly believe that if my crew likes me, my show will be better. I may be a production designer, but I value everyone’s input. The lowest guy on the totem pole may sometimes have a great idea that I will incorporate into my show, so I listen. I try my best to avoid being a prima donna, and I believe I have succeeded in that. » No “Ego” in Team
The dictionary defines a prima donna as “a vain or undisciplined person who finds it difficult to work under direction or as part of a team.” I think of them as know-it-alls who do not believe anyone is better than them. Of course, they exist everywhere in our business, but thank goodness I do not have to work with many of them, and I downright refuse to hire any of them. Instead, I hire guys like Warren Flynn. He rides a Harley, has lightning-fast fingers and is not interested in sitting around contemplating lighting looks for hours while some artistic LD is tweaking little foo-foo stuff. Unlike some picky designers, (we are both from New York), we know what we want immediately. We’re sitting in an arena programming some large show that many other designers have lit in the past. My LD friends have told stories that are not pleasant about lighting this show. On the contrary, I just forge ahead, and it’s been nothing but a love groove so far.
Warren Flynn is my programmer for this gig. He has programmed this show with other LD types over the years. He said it best. “Nook, they like us because we are not prima donnas. You designed the lighting rig, yet not one time did you ask that any lights be moved to another location. You never complained about the show being under-lit. And there is never sarcasm in your voice.” Damn straight. When I design something, I know where I want to put every fixture and set element when I put it to paper. Sure, sometimes things are a little off, and there are sometimes unknown factors that pop up and disrupt the whole scene. But stomping my foot and throwing a hissy fit will not help me, nor my reputation.
» Setting Things Straight
Warren and I are two surly New Yorkers who have been programming lights since they started moving. And for some reason, we both despise programmers who think they are better than others. I don’t really know this one particular guy, but I am included in mass emails he sends out every six months saying that he is available. First of all, I find it rude that he should even contact me. His programming may thrill others, but to me I can run my fingers through a console at three times the speed he can. I’ve had designers who use him actually call me and say “So and so says the console cannot perform this particular task.” That I “spec’d the wrong console.” I immediately refute that by explaining to the designer (also a good old programmer) the proper keystrokes so he can go embarrass the prima donna programmer.
Warren has programmed his share of Broadway shows. I have never had that luxury and I chuckle, as I can’t believe some of the stuff I am hearing. He tells me of this one elite programmer (again, it’s a person I actually know and have little respect of his abilities) who will come into a gig and just sit there, refusing to work until a tech comes over to turn on his console. Seriously? I recall being on a tour with this guy 25 years ago. He would have his tech hang the 20 lights, and I helped by running his multi cables the first couple gigs while they were programming and ringing out the system. All of a sudden he decides he is too good to load out his own lights, and he thinks I am going to permanently look after his cables. Screw him. I stopped helping the prima donna. Next day, the rig goes up (he’s now too good to show up for load in), and he cannot get any of his lamps to strike or move. He asks me if we have power. I look at him as I am focusing the PAR cans, like he’s an idiot. Shortly thereafter, he finds his cable trunk full of cable and just berates his tech for not running it. He was lucky that I brought the entire lighting rig back down so he could run his cables. The rest of the crew howled in laughter at the fact this knucklehead actually allowed the rig to go in the air without testing his lights.
» The Price of Perfection
A few years ago, an LD I know was designing a huge tour for one of those boy/girl TV star acts. They were going to use the same lighting company I prefer, and I happened to be there when the LD was explaining their vision. Something was said about a half circle of truss that would encompass the stage. I asked the LD if they wanted a 50 or a 60-foot diameter circle. The answer I got was “I’m thinking of something like 56 foot.” Well, that is not a stock size. I mentioned that in this instance I would just take a 50-foot diameter truss and insert six feet of straight truss in the upstage center section. Nobody in the audience will ever know. But alas, I am not the designer and not the prima donna. In the end, the act paid over $50K for the truss to be manufactured and the tour was a huge success. But the designer was not asked back to design the next tour.
As Warren and I walk into work today, the ME asks us how it’s going. He thanks me for dousing the lamps in all the movers each night. I look at him quizzically and ask him, “Why wouldn’t I?” He says he doesn’t know, but the guy they had last year refused to do it, and they had to bring a tech in at 3 a.m. each day just to turn the lights off from the console. We’re both shocked that such a prima donna gets gigs.
» Keeping it Simple
Years ago, I got cornered by some agent who represents some designers. I guess it’s common for Broadway folks and some others in my trade to have a manager forge contracts when his clients are hired for a design. The guy went on to explain that I should join his “brotherhood” of designers and let him represent me. All I could do was chuckle. Why pay some suit a percentage of my dough? I cut my own deals, and I cut them with a handshake. I deal with a lot of guys with many tattoos. Longhair head bangers, hippy jam bands as well as punk rockers. My forte is rock shows. If this guy called any of them on my behalf, I would simply lose work and damage my street cred. If someone did owe me cash, I’d just have Warren and his pals pay him a visit. I guess I’m just not a prima donna.
