»For me, working with others successfully means: At eye level and with finesse.«
A situation that I always come across: The first crew briefing on location: light, sound, video, broadcaster, webcaster, interpreter. All trades at the table, absolute professionals and off to the next event in a few days. Each time time I challenge myself to get them out of their comfort zone of “we always do it this way”, to rethink things.
Knowing what I’m talking about
The initial reaction often comes with some skepticism. Does this guy even know what he’s talking about? Yes I do! Not on the same level technically as these professionals. But I have ideas and visions that make the event successful. And years of experience in what will or won’t work. So a new idea, an interesting detail, will not be dismissed as “can’t be done” so quickly.
But that requires finesse and intuition. You also may have to drop a specific vision and seek a compromise – which may well be even better than the original idea.
Lighting settings have to be defined, cue points, structures and processes. The stage is evenly lit? Do we want that? Maybe semi-dark for the dramaturgy? Color accents with washers? I see it as my job not to leave the big picture to chance or to individual trades, but to give directions independently in the interests of the customer and to find ways to achieve the optimum according to the given concept.
Lighting settings have to be defined, cue points, structures and processes. The stage is evenly lit? Do we want that? Maybe semi-dark for the dramaturgy? Color accents with washers? I see it as my job not to leave the big picture to chance or to individual trades, but to give directions independently in the interests of the customer and to find ways to achieve the optimum according to the given concept.
Teamwork with a vision
The budget rarely allows an ideal preparation time, usually no more than a day or two. During this time everything has to be set up and rehearsed. A hard time for everyone involved, often until not much earlier than midnight.
Each of the professionals involved has his or her own means and possibilities – it is important to know them in principle, to combine them and to use them so that the event achieves 100% effect. That is my personal aspiration.
