So, I'm fairly new to the whole "blogging community" and am quite awful at writing about my life events. Never was very good at keeping a journal or diary. But, at the suggestion of a friend I was advised to start a blog. Not sure if he was serious about wanting to read about my adventures in the Audio Industry or not, but I've created one. If only for shits and giggles, and there should be plenty of giggles. Because lets face it, I'm hilarious, even if I don't mean to be the majority of the time. A costumer trapped in the audio wold.
As this blog is titled "From Zippers to Faders" I'm intending to blog and chronicle my life working in the audio industry, though audio to me is but a mistress and my true love is costume designing. Like with most things in life, you go to the one that's going to get the job done. I enjoy doing sound, it keeps my bed warm like a good lover, but I still would love to design costumes, and yes, I've stopped the lover references, for now. Oddly enough, "Lips Of An Angel" by Hinder comes to mind when using those similes. Try to get that out of your head now. You're welcome.
I attended SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conference) in March and was told on several occasions that, and I type this close to verbatim, "I don't see hiring you when you have no experience doing costumes, your resume reads 'sound designer', not costume designer". Well, to that I say "poo"! Hearing that on a number of occasions really put me in a bad mood through those interviews, I was so depressed, angry and annoyed, one of those days I just left and didn't attempt any more interviews. Four years, FOUR FUCKING YEARS spent paying to go to school so that I could be a costume designer, and I am leaving this May with only having done one, ONE, costume design. That is ridiculous! I am so livid that when I was recruiting later on at that very conference and later at USITT, I wanted to tell people to not bother with this school if they wanted to do costume designs. Now I'm not the best designer in the world, but come on, four years and thats when I get a design, on my fourth year!? It was by chance that I stumbled upon sound design, and it was a very fortunate stumble. Two years ago I was assigned a sound design (because no one else would do it) for a children's play (The Lost Language of Wifflesplatch) TTU was producing. Over a hundred cues later my first sound design was born, it lived! Sort of. Since that design I have designed sound for four shows and assisted one; One of those shows was even a paid gig. Those shows plus having stage managed two shows and designed scenery for two shows, it baffles me how I have only done ONE design for costumes, when that is what my concentration is in this BFA program. Two years full of designs, and only one of those was what my heart yearns to do. I know I can do audio, I enjoy it, but I know if I just settle for audio work, I won't ever be truly happy. There will be an empty place in my soul, and I hate seething over how my collegiate program screwed me over in giving me "experience".
I've recently (as of a month ago) accepted a job running sound at Hershey Park and though I am not completely green to the audio industry, I am new to anything outside the educational world. I'm pretty nervous for this new experience, but more so pumped, though I do think it has really settled in yet. There are so many things coming up in my life! Graduation and my first official job as an adult in my field, (though not my first professional job) its all quite exciting, and daunting. In 25 days I'll be leaving Texas, and on May 18th I'll be officially a college graduate. Now, all that's left is to find a longer season to be hired for and get out of Texas, hopefully for a good long while. I want to miss you Texas. This job in Pennsylvania was the basis of my blogging debut. Surviving the audio world, one costumer will drop her seam ripper and scissors, and trade them in for a recorder and macbook pro. Lets get to sound mixin'!
If you would like to see or hear anything I've designed (costume or sound), visit my website at jesnicoledesigns.com
