LIVE DESIGN FORUMS

One of the biggest mistakes I see deisgners make, is to spend all of their time in front of their computers and racing from project to project. Granted, we all need to pay the bills, but pay attentiion, there’s been more than one article lately published about the importance of “networking” and for good reason. Networking is really an old-fashioned-white-collar-IBM way of saying “making friends in your industry.” The art of “acquaintance-ship” hasn’t changed much since we were all toddlers. You simply introduce yourself and find something in common to talk about. In attending LDI, you already have something in common! This is an opportunity for students, teachers, architectural, theatrical, film, video, and lighting based visual artists to get “touchy-feely” with the latest and greatest the manufacturers have to offer. (Are you listening manufactuers? Stop boycotting LDI!) This is one of the few times that we designers have to get out and talk to other designers - about what works, what doesn’t, and a myriad of stories that can only be told with a drink in your hand! You never know who you will sit down next to, find yourself standing next to at a booth, or have the opportunity to hear speak. Personally, I prefer the LDI that takes place in Las Vegas - yes, a great deal of my work is now in Las Vegas and it is closer to home, but I spent a good part of my life helping build a theme parks too, so I am no stranger to Orlando. Las Vegas covers the realm of lighting arts from kitsch to class and stage to architecture - quite often in the same venue! Also, it isn’t impossible to get a decent meal after 10:00 pm the way it is in Orlando! I was looking at the article that appeared in Live Design last year about the last “20 Years of LDI” and am a bit embarassed to admit that I only seem to have missed attending three of them! If you can afford it, get a full pass - attend any and all conferences you can - my old TD Thomas Little used to preach “the more you know, the more you know” and I continue to base my own continuing design/life education on that standard. Walk through the convention hall from one side to the other and really look at what is there-take the time to introduce yourself and actually “talk” to the manufacturers, representatives, and sales people. Again, you never know who you will meet or what you will learn - and besides, it’s a lot of fun!

Ahh, networking- one of my pet topics, especially when talking with students and others who are trying to break in to the industry. I suppose the topic deserves some more discussion, but we can start here, since Marian has made a point of highlighting it in the Live Blog.

Networking is an interesting practice. It comes naturally to some of us, like second nature. You meet people, you talk to them, you form relationships. Ours is an industry formed and defined by relationships, no matter what specific area you work in (theater, events, concerts, etc). Certainly that is true of other industries as well, but entertainment production is one of those fields that puts relationships to the test all of the time. How many times have one of us had to call someone at some ungodly hour when trying to patch an unknown lighting fixture, find a gear supplier (or bar) in a strange town, or solve some other dilemma, because the show must go on?

I’m not too bad at networking. My connections and friendships have served me well. Just as importantly, I have served them well. One of the things that I find when talking to students or other people looking to get a start in the business, is that networking has a negative association for many people. They look at is as “schmoozing,” a sleazy way of trying to get ahead or get what you want. I see this all too often, especially with students coming out of theatre programs. (like I did)

I take a very different view. It’s all about the networking, it’s all about the connections. When it comes down to it, it’s all about the people. The people are what make the work that we do so great. The people that you can turn to in a pinch, the people that you can trust to just do their job so that you don’t have to worry about it, the people that come up with something amazing that constantly surprise you, the people that have your back. Entertainment production can be a brutal endeavor, and for me, the people are what make it worthwhile.

There’s a book I read a little while ago that addresses some of these issues. It’s called “Never Eat Alone,” by Keith Ferrazzi. It’s one of those “airplane books,” popular with traveling executive types looking for the management trend of the moment, but I found a lot of truth in it. Ferrazzi breaks down a lot of the reasons why connecting with other people is a good idea. For me, a lot of the recommendations in the book were already second nature, but those who find the prospect of making connections may find it a good resource. I took two main things away from the book. The first is: “don’t keep score.” Don’t evaluate your relationships strictly in terms of “what have they done for me lately?” If you create a personal environment where you actively do things for other people, it has a way of coming back on you for the better. If you look at everything through at “tit for tat” lens, you are bound to be disappointed. The second major point that resonated with me is to not categorize all of the connections that you have. Life is funny- a personal contact can connect you to a professional one and vice versa, if you are open to the possibilities. Connections are not all about getting work for yourself or others. It can mean recommending a book, a movie, or a vacation spot. The general philosophy of the book is that if you create a proactive environment where you are helping other people, it will come back to benefit you as well. I can certainly say that this has been true of my experience.

And yes, I prefer LDI in Vegas, for networking and other reasons.