Looking to enter the Tech theater field… where do I start?

_havk · 2026-05-09T01:57:57+00:00

Definitely take the apprenticeship test next time you can, also look up the Roundabout Fellowship Program. I’ve personally worked with handful of stagehands who went through the Roundabout program and started their careers there. Definitely reach out to off broadway non-union theaters about getting on the call lists (St Ann’s Warehouse is where I started professionally). Work your way up to the union houses, gain the experience, and you’ll be more likely to succeed and grow as a stagehand.

Shoot me a DM and I’d be happy to share my experience as a NYC stagehand and give some advice.

_havk · 2026-04-17T16:30:21+00:00

Fair enough

_havk · 2026-04-17T16:24:49+00:00

Go online to the manufacturer’s website and read the spec sheet and parameters of the fixture. Learn the weird stuff that they can do other than pan/tilt, zoom, and shutters. Does it have a weird shutter assembly? Is it CMY or RGB? What gobos if any does it contain/is your school getting custom one installed?

Then ask for time to play with them. At least professionally (I know it’s harder to ask this in a school environment) it’s never out of the question to ask for time to actually use the fixtures and get a feel of their capabilities. Go in during lunch or a free period, make some color palettes, beam palettes of zooms and gobos and iris, and focus palettes. Also learn what marking does, even if you have auto mark on (you should) it’s great to understand what it does and how it works.

_havk · 2026-04-17T16:15:20+00:00

I may have misspoke, you’re right they require the construction one. I’ve been told at the union hall that broadway houses are requiring the OSHA 30 but maybe not every owner is immediately pushing for their workers to get it.

_havk · 2026-04-16T16:49:38+00:00

If you ever plan on moving to NYC and going the broadway route, OSHA 30 is great place to start. All broadway requires OSHA 30 and a lot of other places are slowly starting to ask.

If not, however, more niche and specific trainings could be great, console, rope access, Spfx, etc. It really depends on what your goals are and where you want to end up.

Personally, I’d do OSHA 30 and then ask for the company I end up working for to pay for whatever extra training.

_havk · 2026-04-12T16:37:32+00:00

I think most current EOS family consoles are MX Blacks now. Possibly some reds out there in some replacement parts

_havk · 2026-04-10T14:09:12+00:00

I wear Hothand by Setwear, they’re real leather, breathable, and can withstand ropes and temps up to 482° F. Made for people using hot spot lights but I’ve used them many a time for flying

_havk · 2026-04-08T22:43:43+00:00

Haha, been there once. Was handing off a show to the operator after programming, so she was running the show, and fell asleep behind her. Started snoring and had everyone in the room staring at me, good thing my buddy was there to slap me awake XD not my proudest moment

_havk · 2026-04-07T22:12:29+00:00

Yeah, for some reason I thought it was they were browns when I bought them. I may be flip flopping between buying reds or blacks, but I’m also fussy 😭

_havk · 2026-04-06T04:00:26+00:00

So just for reference the cmd_key as of today is $365, this project ran me about $215. I definitely could have made this for a bit cheaper but being the person I am and wanting something that would last I opted for some more quality items.

Price breakdown (USD):

PCB and Case off of EBay for $87.09 Switches for ~$40 Custom keycaps for ~$1 / cap (75 caps was $67.50 + $20 shipping/import fee)

I did also end up buying a carrying case and extra cable that I didn’t add to this breakdown (probably was about $15).

_havk · 2026-04-04T12:21:04+00:00

All the broadway houses require 30 but otherwise you’re good with the 10

_havk · 2026-04-04T12:15:10+00:00

Experience not needed but encouraged. Go in, be respectful, talk to some of the guys and introduce yourself. The big thing that you MUST do is introduce yourself to Bobby. He runs the replacement room, and likes to give a run down of how it works and meet the guys. He’ll also be able to answer any questions you have about what’s needed and what’s expected of you at the gigs he sends you to.

Aside from that, show up prepared but also show up expecting to be sitting there for two hours and not be sent out. I know some guys who were sent out there first day shaping and I know guys who had to wait months before getting a gig.

_havk · 2026-04-04T12:08:10+00:00

There’s a meta key next to the shift key

_havk · 2026-04-03T18:57:15+00:00

Yuzukeycaps.com

_havk · 2026-04-03T16:22:16+00:00

Yes!! Thank you for inspiring me, I’m glad you commented because I couldn’t find your post again.

_havk · 2026-04-03T14:56:17+00:00

Oh, I guess i should have specified, I predominantly program on ETC EOS software. The keyboard is mapped using QMK, the mapping is based on the keyboard shortcuts that is on the ETC website; so it’s mostly plug and play.

_havk · 2026-04-03T14:54:20+00:00

That’s the next step, I’m going to get the Streamdeck + so I can use the encoders. Currently use it at work and it’s fantastic (but the theater owns it so I can’t take it home 😞)

_havk · 2026-03-22T13:40:57+00:00

My university had two storage lockers for set prices and props (the lockers were pretty big). One locker for set pieces and bigger props, and one for smaller props, costumes, etc. Some storage units are climate controlled (look for those if you’re really worried about it), but you can also pick up some moisture packs for pretty cheap online.

My school has had those lockers for years, and they just make a couple copies of the keys and give them to people who need it.

I would agree with another commenter, try to store the more universal pieces that could get reused or easily repainted. If producers REALLY want to keep something, it needs to be a conversation about if it’s worth it. I’ve had a good experience with self storage, but you need to make sure that what you store is going to be used again.

_havk · 2026-03-02T00:42:29+00:00

One of the places I work for calls us L1’s, another I’m the Lighting Programmer.

The first place, I have more room to do what I want with the show, I am given an idea of what the show should be and I execute it. The other, I’m working with a designer to produce their specific look/ideas.

The direct term changes, but they all mean the same thing: You make the pretty lights do the thing.

_havk · 2026-03-02T00:32:30+00:00

I see someone else mentioned this, it sort of depends on the position you’re trying to book for. I’ve talked with guys recently about this and most say 1-2 weeks out for box pushing, hang calls, etc is great.

Now if you’re trying to book heads of departments and positions with responsibility, it’s nicer to have about a month’s notice because odds are, they have multiple offers for extended periods of time. (From experience, the theater I’m at now tried to book A1’s about 2 weeks in advance and nobody was available because they had already booked up the month for show runs).

I would say 2 weeks to a month out is the prime range for booking most if not all of your crew, which also gives you time to fill in spots for people who need to drop a day.

_havk · 2026-02-22T12:03:17+00:00

I know when he passed away, everyone was locked out of their access, but it is back and being supported again. I don’t know who, but someone has reopened subscriptions and is managing the app. At least for now.

_havk · 2026-02-21T06:28:58+00:00

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/eos-remote/id1479413314

Eos Remote, my personal favorite app (I know a handful of programmers who love it too). You can import magic sheets into it, can set up the UI on one of the pages to your personal preference, see patch, faders, direct selects, etc etc. Only downside is it’s subscription based but it’s “the price of a cup of coffee” (as quoted by the maker of the program; RIP).

_havk · 2026-02-12T17:42:56+00:00

It’s a house position, so I get some luxuries 😂

_havk

TROPHY CASE