Bored, so I figured I would post some photos

I am only young but I want to get into Sound and Lighting when I am older. I have done a few small concerts 9Helped) and I work with a Djing company,

Very Impressive setup to myself and Im sure other. IM talking most SOund. Lighting nice too.
Great Work

Thank you very much Haynes. I am not very old myself (in my early 20s still) and started doing theatre stuff back in elementary school. Then went to a high school with two theatres, one massive 2500 seat arch theatre with a trust/pit and the other also an arch theatre but around 725 seats. So its never too early to start, keep with it and keep volunteering, sooner or later some one will notice you and want you.

I'm only 38. Been getting by butt kicked in this industry since I was 10. Not giving it up any time soon. But I'm a sound guy and 100% self-funded. No working for someone else and nobody looking out for me.

It's a hard world out there. I'm technical, not marketting. I am great at what I do, just have a hard time telling people about it. With no corporate dollors or endorsements or help from the outside, it's tough to get ahead right now, especially in this marketplace.

Serra Ava: What are you using on the ends of the front truss?

Those are ETC Source Four ParNels. Great fixtures, work like a Fresnel but are in a Par frame. Zoom range is 25-45 degrees. They also put out more light then a 1000w 6" Fresnel does with a 750w lamp, coming closer to a 2k 8". The beam isn't as soft and even as a Fresnel however. It also has less intensity do to the refractor then an 'equally' lensed S4 Par would. But since it puts out a circle and has a zoom, much easier to work with then Pars a lot of times.

I still, however, use Pars for certain things, like back light, side light, and high side light. The oval makes it easier to control with those angles. The Nels I strictly use as overhead, cyc, and front light.

Elation has a similar unit called the Opti Par Zoom. Same idea behind it and works the same way.

Well, good to know. I'm asking because I know you've notice that I'm looking to get something with higher output than my ADJ 64 LED Pros, so I figured those looked like one of the Elation fixtures you were recommending and talking about recently.

For me, my lighting requirements tend to be relatively simple, at least at the moment. I don't want it to get too far out of hand, but it will in time, it always does. I am forced to stick with more expensive LED options because I can't find any places with decent power, or those that do refuse to provide the proper distro. I've based my entire rig around 2500 and under attendance and able to get power from available standard outlets. Of course, it can easily tie into a proper distro as well by swinging cables.

SerraAva,

Very nice! I hope to do gigs like that in the future. Right now I am just doing the local bar scene with local bands. I'll get some shots during my next gig and post. Would love some constructive crit and any ideas that might help me improve. Anyway, I just wanted to tell ya congrats on the incredible setup! Where are you from?

Ric

I am from a place called Washington Township in New Jersey. its about 20 minutes directly south of Philadelphia, hence South Jersey (North Jersey and South Jersey should be different states with how different they are, you wouldn't know its the most densely populated state living in Southern Interior, nothing but trees and farms). Anyway, thanks for the complements.

Been a few years since we were down your way. Last time we were down there, it was at the Desert Ridge Marriott in Phoenix. Keep at it though, we started in bars and are now doing nationals and large corporate things. Corporate is where the money is at, but man does it steal your soul.

Talk about stealing your soul.

I was doing an event in 2007, and as thanks for the job I did, some band stole my wireless accessories(body packs, accessory cables, lavs, headworns) and then picked and chose their way through other mics(stole 2 of 4 SM57's, 1 of 2 SM86's and 1 of 2 SM58's, a Sennheiser e835, 2 of my e609's). Thanks to the stealing of the body packs and lavs and running things so tight to keep things affordable, that one act of theft cost me my entire 2008's corporate events. At $500/ day and 200+ days booked, that WAS good money. Couldn't get any financial help to get replacement body packs and lavs and I'd lose money renting gear, it damn near drove me to bankruptcy.

The promoter's insurance decided that despite a comprehensive policy that included theft, they choose to say it didn't cover theft and I can't sue them(because I'm that broke). My insurance decided to drop me because they decided what I do is too high risk. Wow, and you charge me $300 a month for that? Nice.....

I make sure promoters cover me completely, medical, liability, comprehensive.

Obviously I have good working relations with the promoter, as I am continuing to do his events.

I've been up and down this road. National acts, touring acts, one-offs, tech, system tech work, emergency "fix it" jobs(ranging from gear to entire systems prior to tour starts or early into tours), saving tours from bad engineers(like, zero'ing the console and starting over so their deaf FOH and/of monitor guy has something decent to work with. It's typically the FOH guy with problems). I just decided to stop working for other people and do it myself.

HOWEVER, with a wife who likes to sabotage work and 3 kids, my flexibility is somewhat limited these days!

Yes, my wife sabotages work. If I do a job and it's not enough in her opinion, it's "why didn't you charge more", and if I lose a job then it's "Why did you ask for so much"(it could be the same numbers). She'll also call up clients and try to squeeze more money out of them, which causes cancellations. Now I hide my contracts so she can't contact clients anymore, which helps a lot.

Right now, while I want more and new business, I'm fairly happy with my repeat clients, but it isn't enough work. A multi-day in January, August, September and October. I still want more.

The Sacramento, California area is strange. People want cheap, period. Quality is not even on the list of concerns, or even competence. Or, you have the high-end companies who are willing to spend, but then go with the 2 larger companies than myself and I won't say they are getting screwed, because they aren't, but they could be paying less.