A career as an automated lighting programming can be both fun and rewarding. It is important to always improve your craft and keep up to date with consoles and fixtures. You also need to remain professional in all circumstances to ensure a long and successful career. I have heard about programmers who have ruined their careers through thoughtless actions, bad attitudes and other improper acts. Several of them were once considered the cream of the crop, but now, sadly, they barely even make the “where are they now” list. By studying the actions of others, you can learn how to avoid wrecking your career and ensure a long and profitable programming profession.
Don’t Walk Away from a Gig
Recently, I was working a corporate event, and just 20 minutes before the start of a main session, the audio playback guy argued with the director and then walked away, never to return. The production team did a great job reallocating staff and deciphering all his notes before the show started. This guy basically ruined his career with this one stupid move.
If you have personal grievances with others on the crew, you should work this out as quickly as possible. Some personalities just do not mix well together, but walking away from a gig due to a disagreement is never acceptable.
The Exception
In matters of health and safety, you may find yourself in a situation where the only thing you can do is to walk away. Of course you should always communicate your concerns as much as possible first, and only when the danger still exists should you consider walking from a gig.
Many years ago, I was working an electronic music festival and noticed at load in that there was no barricade around my front of house location. I repeatedly asked the crew chief, production manager and promoter to provide the barricade before the show. They never did, of course, but I chose to run the lighting anyway. Then, when a major star appeared on stage, the entire audience pushed forward, and I was shoved into my console and nearly crushed. At that moment, I turned off the desk and left the venue, as I was not going to risk my life for this gig.
Don’t Try to Steal a Gig
Unfortunately the following behavior happens too often in our industry. Some programmers will talk directly with a client and suggest that they can do a better job than the current LD. Others will simply hand out business cards and tell clients that they do the same type work as the LD. In additional instances, touring lighting directors will convince a client that they should handle both the design and direction duties.
Many careers of accomplished programmers have been destroyed as they try to move forward in a hurry. Instead, they create a bad reputation for themselves and get blacklisted from many LDs and production managers. They quickly go from the top of the working list to the top of the “not to be hired” list.
The Exception
There are no exceptions to this rule; you should never try to steal another’s gig. However, you may unintentionally find yourself in this situation. I had been programming for a particular band for several years and a couple of different LDs. Then I received a phone call from the production manager asking me to submit a proposal to be the designer of their next tour. I let him know that I was not comfortable taking the current LD’s gig, and needed to check in with him first. So I called the LD and let him know about the phone call and got his blessing to continue on. In the end, I did not get the LD gig, but I felt good knowing that I did not risk my career by even considering the gig without talking to the current LD first.
Don’t Forget You Are Not the LD
As a lighting programmer, you are often working in tandem with an LD to create looks and chases for a show. You may grow fond of certain things that you build and wish to have them included in the production. But you must always remember that you are not the LD, and that the ultimate look of the lighting is the LD’s responsibility, not yours. If you spend too long arguing with the designer to convince him/her to use your particular cue, then you will certainly damage your reputation and relationship with the designer. You must always remember that it is their show, not yours.
I once read a resume from a kid that claimed he was the LD for U2. I think that most everyone knows that Willie Williams has been their LD for almost their entire existence. I knew this kid was not the LD for U2 and was immediately turned off by this one line on his resume.
Even if you do get the opportunity to program for a band, that does not give you the right to claim them as a client. I have programmed and designed looks for many top bands that played a single night at various corporate events. However, this does not entitle me to list on my resume that I have designed for them. They were simply a part of the corporate event.
The Exception
Sometimes you may be both the LD and the programmer on the gig. In this case, the only person you can disagree with is yourself regarding certain looks. Again, though, you cannot claim to be a band’s LD when they play at your event.
Don’t Pretend to Know Everything
I had an LD once tell me of a programmer that, when stumped how to do something, he would take a walk outside to “gather his thoughts.” He would then come back in and accomplish what was asked. As it turns out, he was going outside to call another programmer and ask how to do the particular routine on the console!
In another instance, a programmer was asked to change all the green lights to blue. When the LD noticed the programmer looking at the screen and notating all the green lights so he could select them, the LD mentioned that there is a quicker way to accomplish this task. The programmer bluntly told the LD that there was no such method and that he had to manually select all the green lights. The LD again said that there was a method, because he had seen other programmers do it in the past. Once again, the programmer protested. So as the programmer took his time notating and typing in the green fixtures, the LD called me and had me explain to him the simple two key presses that allow it to happen automatically. Of course that programmer was promptly removed from the LD’s list of programmers.
The Exception
There is no exception to this rule. You should always be open and honest about what you know and don’t know. If you are unsure how to accomplish something on a desk, just let the LD know and then either find another way or read the user manual. Most every console now includes an electronic version of the manual built into the desk, thus putting the help you need easily available at the press of a button.
Stay Successful
A career in automated lighting programming can be very rewarding and life-fulfilling. As with any career, those with a passion for what they do will succeed beyond their dreams. A dedication to being a skilled, honest, and friendly worker will ensure many great years of gigs. Typically common sense behavior will not result in any problems, but sometimes our personalities can get the best of us. Avoid destroying your career by following the above advice, and your career will be prosperous.
