An amateur is defined as someone who doesn’t get paid for the work they are doing. An amateur may be a college athlete busting his butt in exchange for an education. He or she may be a volunteer worker. They may not be trained well, but they are doing their best to do something they want to participate in. Either way, they are not considered skilled professionals, even if they are quite good at what they do.
Skilled Volunteers
A good leader can get a lot out of an amateur or volunteer. The Super Bowl Halftime Show is conceived and run by a team of talented individuals. But when it comes to the meat, it’s the hundreds of volunteer hands who get it all set up in six minutes every year. The kids, just like those ballplayers in the NCAA basketball tournament in March and early April, are killing it. And to me, that makes them highly professional at what they are doing, even if they are deemed amateurs.
And that’s why I’m upset with the way I see things going on the Internet these days. When the big wide web started out, there were all sorts of forums for stagehands, carps and prop masters. Lighting squints and video geeks found places to hang. I found general places where touring folks as well as corporate technicians of all ages were able to discuss their craft. Any bantering between audio people and their lighting counterparts was taken in jest. These were sites where advice was solicited, and knowledgeable co-workers provided thoughtful, well-versed replies.
Somewhere along the line, this has changed. Not everywhere, but I find myself backing out of certain groups/forums because I’m finding them full of paid amateurs. That’s right. People who disgust me with their retorts to simple questions asked by a person who has a genuine question about our biz. I understand that certain roadie forums are all about telling war stories and guzzling beer anecdotes on how it was back when. But God forbid some person interested in their profession asks a question that they could easily answer. They line up 50 deep and unload barrels of insults on the person who posed the valid question. These folks are the real amateurs in my book.
Nice Rant, Nasty Response
Last month, I watched as a professional production manager I know posted a simple note, wondering why he even advances certain gigs. It had become painfully obvious that day that the person he advanced the gig with had not forwarded any info to the respective local crew. It was a respectable rant, made as if he was speaking among friends. The onslaught of unprofessional replies from people was sickening. This guy who posted a question became a victim of amateurism by people who were thinking they were cool. It was online bullying, and the amateurs just piled on. In the words of rigger Lyle Centola (referencing the movie Bull Durham), “All those people are used to the minor leagues. They have been playing Triple A ball and have no idea what it’s like to make it to the show.”
One of my personal faves is when a traveling tech writes in with a question such as “Where can I find some LED lights in the middle of New Jersey for a surprise gig tomorrow?” There may be two legitimate replies, but there will be eight people offering up stupid unnecessary replies. These are the same people who swear that no college can teach them what they have learned from the road, and it’s a waste. That may be correct in verse, but rest assured, that college kid will learn everything you know in half the time it took you. Every time someone bashes a Full Sail graduate, they are displaying their own amateurism.
Anyone can falsely certify himself or herself as a pro on the Internet, and that needs to stop. Truck loaders can give rigging advice now. Companies spend money investing in a new employee who just may have fabricated their career. There’s a person online who claims to have held many touring positions, yet nobody could vouch for them. On some threads, they claimed to be an audio executive, FOH mixer and friend to countless roadies. They claimed to be an accomplished LD. Eventually this person proclaimed himself to be a safety expert. This was no longer harmless. We should trust folks like those who are actively involved in the Event Safety Alliance, not an unknown person giving unqualified advice. So often a roadie may proclaim “I did the 1997 Sabbath tour as a guitar tech.” This may be true, but the facts are stretched as they actually filled in for a week while the steady guy got married.
Perhaps the time has come for an actual registry of touring personnel. A site where employers can verify the touring experience of potential employees before they interview a person about their qualifications. It’s nice to see a new company like TourReady (www.tourready.com) coming to fruition with the mission of giving us the tools to locate crew based on their skills, certifications and verified tour experience.
For PLSN editor Nook Schoenfeld’s video introduction to the April 2015 issue, go to plsn.me/201504ednote.
