To become a stagehand, one can join a union or gain experience through community theaters, internships, or attending theater programs. Networking is important, and an interest in production can help. Physical fitness and willingness to work long hours are required.
There are several ways to become a stagehand, depending on where you want to work. In some regions, for example, people who want to work as stagehands will need to join a union and otherwise won’t be able to find work. In other areas, non-union work is readily available, although people may choose to join a union to access certain benefits. In all cases, people interested in becoming stagehands must be physically fit and willing to work long, hard hours, including odd hours.
One way to become a stagehand is to work from scratch. People may choose to volunteer with community theaters and similar organizations to gain some basic experience and start working with professional theaters right away. Professional cinemas will start interns with very basic tasks so that they become familiar with the basics of the job, allowing them to specialize in props, scenery, electrical, sound, equipment and other departments. In large urban areas, it may be necessary to join a union to work in a professional theater as a stage, in which case the process can be complicated by the process of applying for union membership.
Another option for those who want to become a stagehand is to go to school. Some professional schools offer manual training and people can also attend theater programs at colleges and universities to learn the craft. By the end of the training, the graduate will be a fully competent stagehand who may have had the opportunity to work in a wide variety of productions including dance performances, live theatre, film, television, pageants, concerts and so on. . With these qualifications, candidates can apply for jobs in their field of interest, as well as apply for union membership.
The stagehand community can be insular, which can make your career difficult. Someone wanting to become a stagehand would be well served by establishing a wide network of friendships and connections, otherwise gaining union membership and finding employment can be difficult. Stagehands also have to choose between working at multiple locations and productions in a general area or for a single production company on a full-time basis, for example as an employee of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
An interest in production is also important for anyone wanting to become a stagehand. It helps them understand the history behind the types of productions they work on and appreciate the arts, as understanding the productions they work on helps stagehands do their jobs better.
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