A career in the entertainment and performing arts industry?

I meet a fair amount of people who desire to carve a technical career in either the entertainment or the performing arts industry. A lot has been said about this industry that I've been involved in for the last 15 years professionally; comments I've heard range from it being physically tough to limited financial prospects. Personally, I do not think that this industry is any harder than any other industry or business out there.

Before going into the nuts and bolts of the industry, a key issue for anyone interested in being involved in the industry must be aware of is the convergence of technology. Technology is moving at an extremely rapid pace and this convergence is happening before our very eyes. It doesn't matter which industry you're in; computer and communications technology are moving at a rapid pace and innovations are creeping into every area of life. Some of these advances makes our lives a little easier, some actually make it a little more difficult due to the learning curve involved. Networking technologies are changing the way devices are communicating with each other, allowing flexibility and control that was never thought possible before. No longer is audio about choosing a microphone, or lighting about why type of fixture is most suitable for a scene, but knowledge about computer software, networking protocols and various other technological options are becoming necessary for the person involved in the industry.

The other important issue to note is that there are no shortcuts in this industry. Everyone will need to pay their dues to get to a level of competency that is recognised by folks in the industry. That includes people who think that they are god's gift to the industry. Be prepared to start working from the bottom upwards; I started by setting up my church's audio system every weekend for over a year, waking at 6.30am, long before anyone was in church. That year gave me a good foundation in putting a system together.

Some qualities I think are needed for this industry include :
Patience and perserverance - keep focussed on what you believe in.
Humility and humbleness - come to the table with the desire to serve, to make things better, not worse.
Desire to learn - lifelong learning is crucial in this rapid advancing age of technology in many different areas.
Willingness to serve - I call this fulfilling the vision of others - in the technical field, often we are called upon to bring the producer's vision to reality.
A thick hide - all of the above requires a dogged persistence to see the end result.

A good question to ask yourself is, "What do I see myself doing in ten years?" I believe that you're on track if you can come up with a good, solid answer to that question. Take a step back, look at what you're doing currently and do a little evaluation on how the present is going to take you to your goals in the long term. If you're wanting to be the technical director of a performing arts centre, then look at what that job entails and start growing your skills in those areas. The same goes for other areas like audio, lighting, staging, etc. Each area requires a certain set of skills that can only be developed over time via education, experience and a fair amount of mentoring by others who have been doing it for years.

I have heard of people saying how fortunate they are to be involved in a job they love, and it's no longer feels like work. In retrospect, I can attest that there are many moments that I have felt that a lot of the projects and events I've been part of really do not seem like work at all. It's a great feeling to be doing something that you love and be paid for it!