How do I get a job as a set designer/builder?

Question

I would love to have a job as a set designer/builder, both for entertainment venues (theaters, concerts) but also for conference venues (convention centers, etc.). I have experience in technical drawing, a degree in art, and quite a bit of construction experience. Any ideas for where to look for such jobs??

I have gone to college, I have a B.S. degree in Art and Sociology/Anthropology. I took a stagecraft class and built sets for several productions - so I know a smidgen of what I'm getting into.

Answer 1

If the typical ..telephone/newspaper ads thing doesn't work out ..I hate to say with those jobs its WHO U KNOW.

Start off in a well populated THEATRE area...start small, work your way up...

You have GOT THE EXPERIENCE now just go be heard.

Answer 2

You can get easy experience actually doing trade shows.

Every year they do the MAGIC show in Las Vegals along with the Consumer Electronics show and always need help.

It's a lot of fast, hard work, but it will be a good training ground.

With some of that experience you might land a very low paying job at a side street theater doing their work.

MAGIC is going to pay you $15 to $25 an hour over the three day haul your only going to make $250 a week at a small theater.

Big theater is union and you have to work your way up and collect union cards.

It's part of IATSE and it's those people who were striking Broadway.

They now can hire as few as 18 people per show.

You can't do work you don't have a card for without apprentising and then you have to qualify for the card and buy it.

Union cards cost anywhere from $500 to $20,000 to buy depending on what position it is. Usually one payment certfied check.

Union wages, however, are good.

$15 to $50 an hour with 8 hour minimum, plus health plan (but you have to work a certain amount of $$$ or days each year to qualify).

Answer 3

You could start off doing an apprenticeship at a reputable theatre. Start looking up theatres in your area. Most carpentry jobs are union so you might want to do a little research on that.

As far as designing it is best to start off as someone's assisstant.

Of course you could also go to college for Theatre and major in Design. You would be amazed at how much really goes into designing a show. It takes a ton of work and research. You have to be able to really dig into the script and collaborate with the director in order to bring their vision of the show to life.

If you decide to go to college a lot of doors will open up for you as a designer. There are so many opportunities and venues for you to gain employment. I went to college in the south so we had SETC, which was an annual conference for college students to attend in order to get summer theatre work, there is USITT which is another venue for workshops and employment in the technical fields of theatre, there is the ACTF an annual theatre competition where colleges take their show to the state level, get passed on to a regional level and then if they are lucky enough get passed on to the national level and go to Washington, DC. At this festival the designers are nominated for their work on the shows for a Design competition. Their designs are presented at the regional level and if they are given the nod they get to go to DC and present their work to the national pannel. It is a thrilling experience and you get to work with so many different people who have been in the business a long time. They bring in Tony Award winning designers for the workshops and you work side by side with them for about 3-4 days. It is amazing.

You don't have to go to college for it, but if you choose to do so you might have an easier time getting into the work force.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

Most professional set designers have an MFA in set design.