This week I thought I'd talk about the jobs in the music industry, specifically jobs in live events and also the sexism involved after Charl's post inspired me to do so.
So you want to get into the music, performance and live events industries and work behind the scenes? Me too! This is how I'm doing it:
I'm currently studying Level 3 Production Arts at college. The course takes place at college and in a professional theatre (so when I tweet saying I'm going to theatre I actually am). My lecturers are all professionals in the business; a lighting designer and operator, a lighting operator, a sound designer and operator, a stage manager, a craftsman who designs and makes props for TV shows and films and another designer/stage manager.
The course is based upon four main elements:
Contextual and Professional - How the performing and business industries use live events, event planning, stage management, tour management and production management.
Technical - Stagecraft, lighting skills, electrical safety, installation of electrical equipment (such as sound systems), sound engineering, live and concert sound.
Design - Lighting design, sound design, stage and set design, prop design prop making and set making.
Industry Skills Passport - First Aid, electrical safety, rigging, manual handling and risk assessment.
Time spent in college is spent learning about the industry in contextual studies, learning how to rig lights safely and use a lighting desk in our own college theatre, and designing sets, scale drawing and making props. Soon I'll be a stage manager or deputy stage manager assign a classmate on a college dance show, musical, gig or theatre show.
In theatre we're always helping out between working on theory lessons. Whether it's setting up a sound system or lighting grid for an upcoming event, even setting up stages, or fixing plug wires and extensions for future use - it's always building up our skills. Theory lessons are spent learning how to use a mixing desk, learning how to run a show as a stage manager, learning the inside and out of lamps (stage lights) and their names and any other theory needed to help us gain our qualifications. 
We often get involved in production day visits. These visits include a group of students going to a large music venue such as an arena and watching the stage, lighting and sound system get set up and talk to professionals such as production managers and sound engineers about the business, jobs in the industry and the roles involved. At the end we often get a free ticket to the show on the night, last week this was Stereophonics.
Don't be afraid to ask around to get you some experience in this industry, one of the best ways to get in is asking about. Next time you see one of your favourite bands chat to them about what you want to do and ask them if they can help you out in any way or if you can help them out - I know I definitely will be!
Now onto the sexism... (This is where I don't want to come across as a 17 year old ranting feminist but probably will.)
Most of the lecturers and professionals I have met have been male, there are few females in the industry in comparison, only 2 of my lecturers are female. Each and everyone one of the lecturers and professionals like to show that there are more and more girls getting into the industry.
A lot of people are surprised when I, a female, tell them I'd like to be a roadie, that I want to be out on the road with a band, setting up their lights, tuning their guitars, sound engineering and taking on the roles of a tour manager. However if a male told them that they wouldn't be surprised, they'd be spurring it on. Luckily everyone I've told has been behind me in my decision. It seems to be a more male oriented industry to go into? It is - however - in my class there are 9 of us, only two of which are boys, now more and more girls are getting involved, wanting to go out there on tour, wanting to be lighting designers, stage managers etc. I hope in the future (hopefully after a gap year of touring with some bands) to go to university and specialise in sound engineering and become one of few female sound engineers in the industry.
I think the belief is that women can't work on the technical side of the industry because they're seen as weak and often inferior to men, that women aren't as powerful as men and therefore shouldn't be working on the technical side. That they just be serving the men and should stick to the stereotypical 'girlie' jobs in the industry - professional dancers, actresses and singers - where even there they'll be sexualised and subject to sexist insults and actions.
Not to get off track but I've noticed males use the word "girl" as an insult, such as - "You fight light a girl." Imagine how degrading that must make men feel (sarcasm). "Girl" shouldn't be an insult. These sexist men also need to understand that women can be better than them at certain things. Women need to be equal to men, even in an industry ran mainly by men from when it began, this needs to be made known. There is no doubt about it - Both women and men need to be treated equally - not just in this industry but in every industry.
The amount of sexism in this side of the music industry is dropping now as more
and more girls have started to get involved, and personally I think that it's great - I hope that one day sexism in this side of the industry has vanished completely and that not just I, but all the girls going into and who are currently in the industry, are not affected by sexist comments and behaviour towards them.
- Laura (@FloatForev3r)
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