The Citizen, 2004-06-16, Page 15C
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BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2004. PAGE 15.
Local takes on job of technical director
building
Tech director
After seven years of
By Sarah Mann
Citizen staff
After working hands-on at the
festival in the technical department
for seven years constructing sets,
Belgrave native Robin Sanders has
taken a "desk job."
As technical director for the 2004
regular season. Sanders', job has
shifted from being told what to do to
being the boss of a crew of almost a
dozen.
"1 keep kind of like going down to
the carpentry shop [saying] 'Can I do
something guys? Can I build
something? I just want to use a screw
gun. . . please?' cause I'm up doing
drawings. ordering and Excel
spreadsheets left, right and centre."
As technical director. Sanders is
basically the go-between for the
designers and the carpenters and the
people who actually build the sets.
"We get blueprints and models and
stuff from the designers so we have
sets, Belgrave-area native,
to make construction drawings of
those and sort of interpret how we're
actually going to build it, how the set
is going to break apart and what
we're going to make it out of."
Most of the materials needed are
purchased locally but there are
always some specialty products that
can only be found in Toronto or
shipped in from Montreal.
Another part of Sanders' job is to
keep things running smoothly, a job
he says is shared with everyone.
"We make sure that things around
the building are OK and doing some
capital work and facilities
management."
The tech ,.department began
working on May 10 but Sanders
started thinking about it all in
January when he got some of the
scripts from artistic director Eric
Coates and started making notes.
Growing up in the area, Sanders
attended F.E. Madill Secondary
School where he was heavily
involved with the drama department.
"Madill was a great experience
because )ended up being in
management positions. I could be the
head honcho there Well before I was
ready to be the head honcho here so
that sort of got me a little bit of
management experience... I've been
working here for seven years now
and I really know this place and a lot
of the people come back."
Sanders says. compared to some of
the people he is in charge of, he is
actually really young and somewhat
inexperienced.
"I'm sort of in charge of guys who
have been working in theatre and
done way more shows that I have
which is pretty fun but it's kinda
weird. We're all really great friends
to begin with so that helps quite a hit
and 1 just make fun of myself.-
Those more experienced
counterparts have played a helpful
role when it comes to Sanders'
meetings with designers.
"They are really great and kind of
giving me advice and watching out
for me. I get feedback from
them.'OK, did I ask everything that I
needed to know at this meeting?—
When asked how he would state
his case to a drama class as a
technical director as to why it's just
as valuable as acting Sanders laughs
and replies, "I did actually •do this
once."
"Basically.) try and dissuade them
'cause it's a sucky job. It's poor pay,
long hours and hard work, but the
people are fantastic and it's a great
place to work — the theatre world in
general."
Sanders says he thinks theatre is
great technically "because you really
have to be on the ball and thinking
and be incredibly creative in a much
more physical sense than if you're an
actor. You have to figure things out
and what direction they're going to
go in."
Although Sanders may not have
won over the drama class with his
explanation of the technical side of
theatre, he admits there isn't a whole
lot he'd rather be doing.
"It's been an incredibly fun time,
and, aside from the long hours, hard
labour and crappy pay it's
wonderful. And all those are good
things that build character."
Something else Sanders is working
on this year is implementing new
safety standards like wearing hard
hats and fall arrest equipment.
Partially through government
legislation, theatre is now 'being
classified as a construction or
industrial site "because it kind of
slipped through the cracks before."
"We're making sure we're a lot
more conscious about safety which is
a good thing but it's a little bit of a
trial because it's all psychological."
The shop received a couple 01
special donations like a new guard
for the table saw and hard hats.
Sanders says he loves working in
Blyth, especially with his crew.
"It's basically a four month long
party and we're going to do a couple
of plays while we're at it. We don't
have to dress up, we get to listen to
music all day long, hang out, drink
coffee, and go on field trips [for ice
cream]."
Does Sanders feel unappreciated?
"By its nature it's a low
recognition job... it's part of the gig.
No one says thank you and you don't
come out and give a bow at curtain
call because that's the actor's job.
But, when it comes to doing
job as technical director he says. I
do my job really well, no one will
notice — that's how it goes."
Robin Sanders has taken a 'desk' job. (Sarah Mann photo) 411111 IN iii MI 111 ill in M IN MI ill El 1111 M NS I, ill Eli III MI MI III 14
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