http://whstec.com Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:17:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/24/tough-nut-to-crack http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/24/tough-nut-to-crack Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:17:00 +0000 Jack Teets http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/24/tough-nut-to-crack
My place in all of this you might ask? I was the Stage Manager. First of all, let me say the event ran December 9th and 10th, 2011 with two performances each day. I began working on the production during last May of 2011. As the lead Stage Manager I was responsible for the Technical Entertainment Crew (TEC) communications and instructions. A Stage Manager is also responsible for what is referred to as “calling cues.” As an example, when the orchestra needs to be muted and the lights need to change operation (come up), then it is my job to see that the instructions for every coming and going to that effect happens correctly and specifically on time. An event of this magnitude requires over 300 cues and a well-defined script that has been rehearsed countless times. Independently, I lost track of the number of hours I put into my position; as a crew we rehearsed well over 30 hours. When you are in the trenches with a vision of what needs to happen, you do not think about the amount of time, just the end desired result.

Even though the production started back in May of 2011, it began for me as a Freshman entering the Technical Entertainment Crew. That first year, I was not involved much at all. I evolved as a capable TEC member, but began very timidly; totally lacking any self confidence. Additionally, Ihad to learn to communicate with people that were sometimes quite different from myself. I made new friends in the crew, but primarily built scenery and learned the “lay of the land.” Moving on to my sophomore year, it was completely different. I was placed on multiple crews for major events; including “fly.” This is where scenery is dropped in and out as needed. I was allowed to participate on Nutcracker, Musical, and Zenith. Sophomores are not typically involved in all three events. During my Junior year, again I participated in all three. However, for Nutcracker I was Assistant Stage Manager and I was truly stumped. Basically, I was there to serve as a liaison and address conflicts while calling a few cues at the end. Musical that year presented a new challenge as I served as “house sound.” This leadership role provided me the opportunity to serve all the microphones for the production at varied levels and needs. Zenith allowed me to be the Assistant Technical Director. I was assigned to Mr. Poole and assisted Cooper Ruff, the Stage Manager. Often there were conversations with Mr. Poole where I shared with him my concerns; the lack of confidence in my abilities to embrace challenges he was putting before me. Primarily, he had recommended that my Senior year I serve as Stage Manager for Nutcracker. Ultimately, the entire Junior year yielded leadership roles for every production. This opportunity to share my experiences is in hopes that some other young person will take that first step and get involved. The support in teachable moments is always there for the taking.

So, back to being a Senior! Technical Entertainment Crew at Westlake High School has laid a foundation for a wonderful high school experience. I have learned a craft, developed interpersonal communications skills, acquired leadership abilities and responsibilities, and made wonderful friends while having the time of my life. I am a more confident, competent, accomplished student for having participated in TEC throughout high school.

Involvement in TEC has allowed me to learn how to effectively lead people to a shared goal with
a common vision. If you cannot articulate your desires, your creativity, your objectives you will
never reach success with the key essential elements of any goal. Invest time in individuals,
embrace their unique differences, and treat each person with respect. It was a great ride and a
terrific beginning to the rest of my life.

“People will never care what you want them to know until they know how much you care!”

John C. Maxwell

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/04/tec-makes-a-wish http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/04/tec-makes-a-wish Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:10:00 +0000 Jesse Anderson http://whstec.com/blog/2012/01/04/tec-makes-a-wish
Read more about TEC's sponsorship of Brian on the Westlake [...]]]>
Read more about TEC's sponsorship of Brian on the Westlake Featherduster web site.



]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/05/09/the-pinnacle http://whstec.com/blog/2011/05/09/the-pinnacle Mon, 09 May 2011 19:10:00 +0000 Cooper Ruff http://whstec.com/blog/2011/05/09/the-pinnacle
When I first began tech as a freshman I didn't really have a clue about what the organization was or even what my full potential could have been. I wasn't sure where I would fit in, I didn't know a single thing about lighting or sound, I hardly spoke, and I was surprised at the amount of tools that there actually were. To be honest, when I first chose tech as an elective it was because I wanted a quick technology credit to graduate (Although I later realized that tech theatre never actually fulfilled a tech credit at the time). Most of that first year consisted of me just wanting to get through the class and get on with my high school life. However, that all changed when I signed up for Zenith at the end of freshman year. Up unto that point I had not worked a single production but felt as though I should sign up for at least one just to see what it was like before my year ended. I have never regretted that decision. My experience was, well, indescribable. Never had I understood the usefulness of the information I was learning in class until I went to my first rehearsal. Of course, I was still the quietest freshman you could imagine but that didn't deter students from helping and supporting me with whatever I was doing. The older students encouraged me throughout the show and let me know that whatever happened, as long as I did my best, that's what mattered. That experience is what gave me the push that I needed to choose to stay in tech. The valuable lessons I learned from that first show will remain a part of me throughout my entire career and probably the rest of my life.

Getting into my sophomore year, I began to get more involved and understand what the organization had to offer. That, I believe, was my year of firsts. That year was the first time I had touched a camera larger than my own camcorder. It was also the first time I had learned about lighting in the theatre which led to me being chosen to design the lights for "Simply the Best" at Zenith. When it was first suggested by Mr. Poole that I could potentially be a leader in the organization I was baffled. I was becoming more talkative but still hardly said anything more than a few sentences, and I certainly had no recollection of ever leading anything in my life. How could this one man believe that I could achieve anything in the field of leadership? Well, it has taken me months to realize it, but he was right. I love the thrill and challenge of being able to bring a group of forty or so people together and seeing everyone having a fantastic time while still putting on performances that seemingly only Broadway and Cirque can match.

The pinnacle of my junior year and really my entire time in tech theatre was being chosen by Mr. Poole to lead the crew for Zenith 2011. Stage managing Zenith was, to be honest, stressful at times being the main person that everyone would go to for answers. I now have a new appreciation for the many positions on the crew such as the follow spots and Pro Tools operators. My position allowed me to see everything that they did. Those forty crew members taught me that perfection may not always be possible, sometimes curveballs will be thrown in your direction, and that as long as you encourage each other and shrug off the misfortunes then the show will always continue. Being able to pull off three flawless performances was pretty phenomenal. In the end being able to go through this with my tech friends was what really made the experience that much greater. Truly, my experience stage managing Zenith taught me to listen to those who believe in me, trust them and believe in others. I learned how to lead and how to be led. I learned that by creating a positive and supporting environment, each crew member becomes an integral part of an unbelievably successful production.

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

-John Quincy Adams

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/26/from-the-sm-panel-birdie http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/26/from-the-sm-panel-birdie Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:52:00 +0000 Adam Hilton http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/26/from-the-sm-panel-birdie
I learned stage managing isn’t just about calls cues at the exact right times or getting the correct lingo when you talk over the radio. Don’t get me wrong, those are incredibly important duties but I have learned to believe that those aren’t the highest priorities of a stage manager and just doing those things well isn’t going get you chosen or hired as one. The most important job of a stage manager, at least how I saw it, is to make sure everyone on his/her crew is having fun. Without fun or enjoyment the world would stand still and all of us would stare at each other blankly and nothing would get accomplished. When someone is having fun they are more likely to do a better job, think faster, and most importantly want to come back and work under you again. Everyone benefits from a little bit of fun, not to the amount that it becomes distracting, just enough to keep people thinking “Hey. I’m glad I’m here."

I learned to be ready for anything. Bye Bye Birdie was an interesting musical to tackle. It’s not exactly what you would call the most modern of musicals probably fitting of the classification of dated. The script had been edited in many places and had cuts in others to try to make it slightly more appealing to modern times, but for me this just made it difficult to follow. None the less it was bushels of fun (Seeing a theme here yet?) I still remember the first cue I ever called during one of the technical rehearsals. I called it completely wrong. It wasn’t even close. No one noticed though so I did the second most important thing that a Stage Manager has to do; Move on and Forget. I eventually got the hang of things and the cue calling path seemed to smooth out as I was calling each one of them with much perfection. Everyone seemed to be having fun so I existed in a very happy state and life was good. The cues called in the production weren’t terribly hard to call putting calling them as the least of my worries.

I learned that a Stage Manager is useless…without a crew. He/She can sit in a chair looking all ominous and powerful for as long as they desire and call cues to their heart's content, but if there is no one on the other end nothing will happen, obviously. There are times when a crew member may feel useless, but every single person is important on a crew, and I’m not just saying that to be cheesy. I’m not a ‘You’re Special!” kind of person, I’ll tell you the truth pretty much all the time. Every single person on a crew is needed 100% of the time during a show. If anything a Stage Manager is the least needed position on a crew! They just blab the entire time and occasionally something will happen when they say a special word. If you think about it, the stage manager has no direct control over how the production comes together! Everything is ultimately in the hands of the operator, just some food for thought.

I learned how much fun being a leader is! I have some very distinct viewpoints that a lot of people would disagree with and would say that I’m only asking for trouble. Several of my close friends have become tired of hearing me say this but as I see it motivation should be seen though what experience can be gained, not about the position. Without putting the limitation on yourself of "I only want to be a Grip Head," you open up so many doors of opportunity. Instead get in the mindset of, "I want to lead." It’s an experience rather than a position. The experience you get is what you will remember for the rest of your life, not the position you had. There are multiple places on a crew where you can lead and with that it makes your goal of leading easier to achieve as well! The other thing I believe that most people don't is more personal, but I love to see others succeed and I hate to ‘take’ positions from people that they really wanted, even if I was the best fit. I believe this goes hand in hand with my previous point in the respect of that I don’t see it needing the best Road Hog operator. I see it as needing the Road Hog operator that wants the experience of being on a production crew and working with moving lights the most. It’s kind of a confusing point to put in text but hopefully that makes a little sense.

I could go on and on for days about how much I learned from Stage Managing Bye Bye Birdie and how much of an incredible experience it was for me, but I won’t. For my final thoughts I will say just this: Everyone shouldn’t aspire to be a Stage Manager, but instead aspire to have the experience of leading a large group of people through dark and winding path. In reality they are the same thing, but accomplishing the experience will be a lot more memorable than getting the position.

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/21/eternal-lights-tec-in-vegas http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/21/eternal-lights-tec-in-vegas Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:40:00 +0000 Jesse Anderson http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/21/eternal-lights-tec-in-vegas
Last March, thirty TEC students visited Las Vegas on a field trip. In four days, we saw seven shows, including Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère, KÀ, Love, O, and Viva Elvis. All of these shows were unbelievable, both technically and artistically. Immediately after experiencing it, I described KÀ as “the best ninety minutes of my life,” and I stand by that statement today. I—and I’m sure other TEC students—had never seen a production on the scale of the shows we experienced in Vegas. In addition to our aggressive show-viewing schedule, TEC also had the chance to go backstage at four of the shows we saw.

Backstage tours at Cirque du Soleil are like no other experience in the world. Whether it be seeing the backside of KÀ’s stunning Sand Cliff Deck, hearing a sound test utilizing the six thousand speakers in Love Theatre, or traveling from the sub-basement at Viva Elvis to the fly loft 164 feet above, I was always stunned by the opportunity we had to see the inner workings of some of the most technologically advanced productions in the world. These tours not only gave us the chance to understand the inner workings behind the effects we saw during these shows, but they also made us realize the differences—and similarities—between our production of a show in Austin and the production of a two hundred million dollar Cirque du Soleil show. Although they're on a larger scale, most Cirque shows use the same light fixtures and line array speakers as can be found in the Westlake Community Performing Arts Center. Alas, our performing arts center will probably never have a moving stage or a speaker in every seat, but the base similarities in our equipment heightened our benefit from the tours and allowed us to learn from Cirque’s professional techniques.

The thing that struck me most, however, in all of our touring, was the sheer amount of people involved with shows in Vegas. Before our experience, I never really considered the huge array of industries and companies involved with a modern theatre production. There are technicians and stagehands, of course, that operate the show on a daily basis, but before the show opens, there is another completely different set of designers and technicians working toward opening night. Involvement even extends further, reaching industries normally considered outside the realm of theatre. One afternoon, we visited Fisher Technical Services, a company based in Las Vegas that specializes in selling automation winches and control to productions for theatre and motion pictures. While touring their warehouses and workshops, we saw engineers working on a completely different, yet equally important, aspect of a modern theatre production. Engineers at Fisher worked closely on the production of Phantom, designing a specialized system of winches to create the famous chandelier effect.

Overall, the trip to Las Vegas put a whole new perspective on all the work TEC does at home in our PAC. Experiencing several Cirque du Soleil shows from the audience and backstage made me value the knowledge and team TEC has built, and made future work in a related industry seem like a possibility. And with that thought, sleep grabbed me, and I drifted off, the eternal lights of Vegas just out my window.

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/20/grimm-tales-of-stage-managing http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/20/grimm-tales-of-stage-managing Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:30:00 +0000 Michael Kloc http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/20/grimm-tales-of-stage-managing
Now, while stage managing can be quite a daunting position to take, (believe me, I was worried if I could manage all the responsibility) it is definitely worth it. Everyone is friendly and understanding, cast and crew alike. And, for me, at least, the actual show was the most relaxed part. At least then, as long as nothing goes wrong, you’re running down a script and simply have to pay attention to get the timing correct. Before the show was a different story… It is your role to count down the time till the doors open and till the shows start for everyone. Every time a walked the rounds of the backstage area, I got more and more nervous. A bit of stage fright, I guess, because everyone can see if the cues are off. Of course, hearing all the actors respond with “Thank you!” upon hearing the time left is a bit helpful for that.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this position. Well, I expected to completely panic and collapse due to the pressure, but that was a bit of an extreme possibility. But I truly enjoyed it. Partly because I liked the people involved, and partly because I proved to myself that I could actually do what was, in my mind, the most difficult position in TEC.

So go out and sign up for stage manager, if you want a rewarding, if challenging, position. There is nothing quite like it.

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/12/from-the-sm-panel-inspector http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/12/from-the-sm-panel-inspector Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:55:00 +0000 Maggie Martino http://whstec.com/blog/2011/04/12/from-the-sm-panel-inspector
One of the biggest challenges I face as a stage manager is stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m not a shouty person—my voice doesn’t carry and I don’t’ like when people yell at me—so when I learned on my first show that I would have to call times to the actors for their places (30 minutes till places, 15 minutes till places, etc.) I was a little apprehensive about it. The first time I did it was actually kind of funny—about four people actually heard me. I quickly realized that if I wanted these actors to respect me, I’d have to get over my hesitation to yell and be a lot louder.

Another way I’ve been required to step out of my comfort zone is keeping my crewmembers accountable for their responsibilities. If I had a crewmember who was late to rehearsal or neglected to do their job, it was my responsibility to handle it maturely and professionally. Pointing out what someone is doing wrong has never been a favorite thing of mine, so having to do that was tough for me to do.

Another challenge of mine as Stage Manager is responsibility. As just a crewmember, I’m very used to relying on other people to answer my questions and handle big problems. But when you’re the Stage Manager, you have to be the one everyone else relies on. You are the one people go to for questions, decisions, and opinions. Just about everything is up to you. This may seem really daunting (and believe me, it is), but to me, that’s one of the most rewarding parts of stage managing. When you’re faced with a terrifying situation, you face your fears and take on the challenge, and chances are good that you’ll come out with victory.

With stage managing comes massive amounts of pressure. Countless people are relying on you to do everything right and to put on the best show possible (at least that’s how it feels). All that pressure can be tough to handle, but it’s all worth it when you have an awesome crew supporting you through it all. All three of my crews, from Once Upon A Time to Spring Revue 2010 to The Government Inspector, were great groups of people who all gave me oodles of support and appreciation for the job I did.

The pressure can also make one tiny mistake seem like the end of the world. What I’ve realized is that you can’t expect yourself to be perfect, you just have to expect yourself to do your best. As backwards as this may seem, stage managing is actually a very humbling job, despite the power you’re given. You’re forced to accept the fact that the best you can do is the best you can do, and that’s all you can do about it. It’s also a very challenging job, because it requires you to find out just how good your best can be.

While Stage Manager is a job that comes with huge amounts of responsibility and stress, it’s one of the most rewarding and fun jobs I’ve ever had the chance to do. I’ve learned so much from the three shows I’ve stage managed, as well as from SM’s from other shows. I’ve gained so much more respect for tech theater, because I’ve seen first-hand just how tough it can be. I would encourage everyone to try stage managing at least once in your life, no matter how big or small the show. It’s an incredible experience, and it’s certainly one that you won’t regret.

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2011/03/01/tec-how-did-you-change-me http://whstec.com/blog/2011/03/01/tec-how-did-you-change-me Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:51:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2011/03/01/tec-how-did-you-change-me There was a purpose originally given to the past president interviews currently on this website. That purpose was to give perspective on what TEC had done for the presidents that had loyally served it. Seeing as my interview was done while I was still in high school I could only guess at what I had learned. Now that I am nearing the end of my [...]]]> There was a purpose originally given to the past president interviews currently on this website. That purpose was to give perspective on what TEC had done for the presidents that had loyally served it. Seeing as my interview was done while I was still in high school I could only guess at what I had learned. Now that I am nearing the end of my freshman year in college, I have gained even more perspective.

I walked down the halls of Westlake High School for the first time just like every other 14-year-old freshman. I had gone through middle school thinking that I knew everything I would need to know, felt as if I was on the top. Then I got to Westlake and realized that reality was very different. I found myself suddenly in a place where getting ‘lost in the shuffle’ wasn’t an uncommon thing. Luckily for me there was something that separated me from the rest of my class.

I was already involved with something, that something was the Technical Entertainment Crew. At the time, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, nor do I wish that I did (for fear that I would have shied away). TEC for the longest time has been somewhat for the ‘lost kids’, not meant to be demeaning in anyway but really to show that we tend to be the ones with nowhere else to belong. Looking back, I am stunned at the different kinds of people that we got to work together in my 4 years in TEC. There were basketball players, football players, baseball players, dancers, musicians, computer geeks, lacrosse players, and even a volunteer fireman. Despite all of that, we had this common love of spectacle. We wanted to put on the biggest, baddest show that had ever been seen.

You could say that TEC shaped me because I learned skills like lighting, sound, video, photography, etc. but I would tell you that you would only be scratching the surface. The things I really appreciated getting out of TEC were not tangible skills. I learned leadership, camaraderie, teamwork, respect and responsibility. Everything I learned outside of the classroom and in the theatre or TEC office could be summed up with those words.

From the beginning of my high school career I was pushed out of my comfort zone by David Poole and essentially kept out of it until I graduated. That was an extremely important reason why I grew the way I did. Being an officer all 4 years and TEC president for the last 2. I had to learn to adapt quickly. Going through all of the events, teambuilding, hardship, and celebration I gained a fair amount of confidence in myself. Learning the ability to believe in yourself and your own abilities to go on and accomplish great things.

Since getting to TCU, I have done what every college kid does, nap, eat, and make friends. I was able to take the confidence and camaraderie skills I learned while at Westlake and apply them in a whole new setting. Making friends would have been much harder had it not been for what I had gained from TEC. After TEC I also found handling my class workload to be fairly easy, (the lack of 11pm crew calls had to help). Plus this spring I started an internship with a company down in Austin doing some marketing work. Now sure some of these could have been possible without TEC, but definitely not as easy.

I have found that there are very few skills I learned while in TEC that haven’t transferred to college. Of course I will rarely if ever need to program intelligent lights to do a left to right chase on a Road Hog Full Boar, but I will always need the ability to bring a group together and make something special. For that I hope that everyone who is in or will be in TEC will get as much out of it as I did. I hope that the organization continues to flourish so that it will always be there to transform lives and bring in shy freshman and send out strong leaders.

If you haven’t seen the video shot between Boyd Stepan, and myself, see what he and I had to say about TEC last year.

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2010/12/01/t-e-c-in-stage-directions http://whstec.com/blog/2010/12/01/t-e-c-in-stage-directions Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:41:00 +0000 Jesse Anderson http://whstec.com/blog/2010/12/01/t-e-c-in-stage-directions Stage Directions magazine in their “High School Theatre Honors Roll Call.” Click here to read the article on TEC and the other four [...]]]> Stage Directions magazine in their “High School Theatre Honors Roll Call.” Click here to read the article on TEC and the other four honored programs, and to discover why TEC was selected as the best high school program in the southwest!

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/12/02/from-the-sm-panel-midsummer http://whstec.com/blog/2009/12/02/from-the-sm-panel-midsummer Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:00:00 +0000 Julie Maury http://whstec.com/blog/2009/12/02/from-the-sm-panel-midsummer
Stage managing a show, whether an amazing Black Box show, a breath-taking PAC show, or simply a good choir concert, is a lot of power. And as my favorite superhero Spiderman once said “With great power comes great responsibility.” Being a stage [...]]]>
Stage managing a show, whether an amazing Black Box show, a breath-taking PAC show, or simply a good choir concert, is a lot of power. And as my favorite superhero Spiderman once said “With great power comes great responsibility.” Being a stage manager is unlike any other position on the crew because you must not only lead everyone else but you must be your own leader. You must embrace the fact that you have the power to answer your own questions as well as those of your fellow comrades. TEC, being an organization completely run by students, enables you as stage manager to make the decisions that need making. Of course Mrs. White, Mr. Bernstein, Mr. Strange, and Mr. Poole are always available to answer any questions and help you make these decisions, but taking it upon yourself to find the answer brings a whole new world of accomplishment into view. Now, as rewarding as this accomplishment may be, there’s also a somewhat of a scary side to it. What if I make the wrong decision? Am I doing this right? Is this good enough? When these inevitable questions pop into your mind, you can’t help but feel nervous about being so accountable. But don’t worry, I have the solution! A quote from another one of my heroes, Mrs. White. This came about on the wonderful day of my first night working as stage crew for the Holiday Spectacular. Now considering how the PAC was under construction at the time, this show took place in the PE Gym, and under these special circumstances, everyone in the audience, only 10 feet away from the stage, was able to hear the loud crushing of two huge Christmas presents crashing together. Who’s fault? Mine. Getting a little apprehensive I managed to smash my box, as well as the dancer inside of it into the one in front of mine, and to my great embarrassment, everyone saw. As we finished the scene change and ran off stage, I couldn't help but freak out, but Mrs. White was there to help me out with her wonderful words of wisdom. She told me that the reason she loved theatre so much was because whatever happens happens, it’s a live performance, there is no turning back, so all you can do is make the best of it, and if you mess up, oh well! Just do your best and that’s all that really matters!

Now with that said, it’s time I tell you a little more specifically about stage managing Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you are aspiring to be a stage manager, the Black Box is the best place to start! Working in a smaller theatre and a smaller crew may be a better idea than going straight to Zenith. On my crew, specifically, I worked with seven other people, and it was an absolute blast! After spending a week nonstop with them, I got to know them really well, as a group, as well as individually and even got to make up an awesome handshake with each of them! One of my favorite parts of TEC is the fact that it’s just like a family! But instead of the occasional fighting that you may do with your brother and sister, it is replaced by a very high sense of respect for those who you are working with. Knowing that no matter your position on the crew, all of them are important for the show to run smoothly and that therefore you must respect those in positions above and below you. Another one of my favorite parts about stage managing is the interaction you get with the cast (actors/actresses)! In the Black Box, it is the stage manager’s job to call times. One hour till places! Thirty minutes till places! Fifteen minutes till places! Five minutes till places! One minute till places! PLACES!!! The sweetest part is getting to hear their unified response…”THANKYOU!” Here again you witness the respect shared within all of theatre, whether it be between the crew itself, or between the cast and crew, it is crucial for a good show, as well as for forming those tightly knit bonds with friends that you will cherish and keep throughout the rest of your high school experience.

Stage managing was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget, and although I was nervous to take the initiative and sign up, I’m sure glad I did because it taught me a lot and brought me a whole new appreciation for theatre tech. So if you’re hesitant, don’t be, take a chance, try it, you will love it, I promise!

-- your fellow techie
Julie Maury

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/10/25/t-e-c-member-on-broadway http://whstec.com/blog/2009/10/25/t-e-c-member-on-broadway Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:15:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2009/10/25/t-e-c-member-on-broadway
This student's name is Phil Gilbert Jr., a 1999 graduate of Westlake High School as well as a founder of the now illustrious Technical Entertainment Crew. From that point on tech theatre was his passion in life.

Following high school, Phil became a freelance lighting programmer working his way up the ladder in the professional world. On multiple occasions Phil came back to the Westlake Technical Entertainment Crew, helping with the lighting design for the annual dance show, Zenith, and on different occasions programming the light show.

In 2009, Phil Gilbert Jr., landed a job on Broadway. He is the projection programmer for the show Bye Bye Birdie. Making Phil the first student from the Westlake Technical Entertainment Crew to make it all the way to Broadway.



]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/30/tec-in-the-news http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/30/tec-in-the-news Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:31:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/30/tec-in-the-news

http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/06/03/whs-technical-crew-flexes-muscle/


Travis Favaron
2009-2010 T.E.C. President


]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/13/expected-trip-unexpected-revelations http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/13/expected-trip-unexpected-revelations Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +0000 Robert Jameson http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/13/expected-trip-unexpected-revelations
And I’d have to say it was, what other high school organization can say that they went to a Cowboys football game for school-related purposes – and be telling the truth? But not just were we going to see the opening game of the newly renovated Cowboy’s stadium, we were going to be in a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium – on their opening game day. Is that even supposed to be able to happen for a high school football video crew?

Riding the elevator, travelling through the levels (it was very helpful knowing the newly designed layout without the tens of thousands of fans), and walking through the very same field-level entrance the Dallas Cowboys themselves would use later that night to make their star appearance. Their locker room, the cheerleader’s locker room, million-dollar party suites and a ridiculously sized ‘God-Tron’ LED screen all boiled down to one thing for us – the control room for the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium.

“Wow.” “No way!” “Incredible.” All of us little high school students were chirping in glee not only because of the sheer size and sophistication of the technology of the room, but because we already recognized it. The switcher, robotic cameras, graphics, RCU’s – we all knew how to use nearly every piece of equipment in that massive headquarters.

Through the state-of-the-art Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium, we had realized the true extent of this group, of this video crew. We’ll have fun for the entire length of the football season, we’ll spend hours upon hours with friends, but really, be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are getting the knowledge to go directly into the field years earlier than others could imagine, we could go film college football – during college – and we could say that we were a part of the Television Broadcast Crew at Westlake.

Even if we don’t go choose this path as a profession, who else could put on their resume, that they (truly) have the ability to work their high school football video crew job at the NFL Dallas Stadium?

--Robert Jameson
Video Engineer
TV Broadcast Crew 2009

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/12/great-fun-long-hours-away-games http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/12/great-fun-long-hours-away-games Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:51:00 +0000 Robert Jameson http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/12/great-fun-long-hours-away-games
During 6th period Tech II, we start the process of loading our shiny new trailer to the brim with controllers, cables, chairs, and more insulation than you could shake a stick at. The people planning, coming, going, pushing and packing suddenly stop and as we close the back of the truck the bell rings. We say goodbye to all the people not in Video Crew, while other crewmembers outside Tech II join us on the bus. After some singing, discussion, chatting, and cookie munchin’ we arrive at the rivaling Lake Travis’ football stadium.

As excited as we were to get on the bus, we were doubly for getting off. It was an adventure! It was as if were setting up in the boonies – no – we were setting up in the boonies; yet we knew that we had the ability to soon turn it into an high definition video headquarters. And after two tree-mounted lights, some stairs, a few thousand feet of cable and a spider or two it was time for some true ‘bobby’ (barbeque). And being able to sit down and see everything in place, we had single-handedly set up state of the art technology in the middle of nowhere without a hitch – until the lightning alarms blared us all into a frightened silence.

After some nervous waiting (albeit gracious relaxation), the ball was kicked. “Take 2.” “Roll replay.” Ready Tanner graphic. “And… take 1.” And before you could say, “This is Westlake Football” it was over. The band was gone, their own stadium crew was gone, even the stadium lights were gone (temporarily) but we were still there. We re-filled the trailer, re-wrapped the cable, capped some cases and hit the road. It was 2 am, we were tired, we were semi-conscious, but best, we were home.

With what seemed like just a few touchdowns, we had already accomplished one of the most unique and daring adventures in the history of high school football videography.

What did you do Friday night?

-- Robert Jameson
Video Engineer

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/10/tec-in-the-news http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/10/tec-in-the-news Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:56:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2009/09/10/tec-in-the-news


http://www.broadcastpix.com/Press-Releases/Westlake-High-School-to-Tackle-Football-Season-in-HD-with-Broadcast-Pix.html

Travis Favaron
T.E.C. President 2009-2010

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/07/22/tec-officers-prepare-to-plan http://whstec.com/blog/2009/07/22/tec-officers-prepare-to-plan Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:22:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2009/07/22/tec-officers-prepare-to-plan
Besides the retreat being mostly about planning, there is another purpose. Building a bond between the officers for the entire year so that it will go as smoothly as possible. It is best summarized by the mission the officers abide by while on the officer retreat.

To build unity among the officers, prepare for the challenges of the upcoming year, and to ensure that this will be the best year yet for Westlake T.E.C.

As we near the school year beginning, our excitement grows to experience the greatest year yet for Westlake T.E.C.

Travis Favaron
2009-2010 T.E.C. President

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/06/29/hd-video-gear-final-install http://whstec.com/blog/2009/06/29/hd-video-gear-final-install Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:11:00 +0000 Travis Favaron http://whstec.com/blog/2009/06/29/hd-video-gear-final-install
On that day, Westlake high school became the first high school to purchase this much HD video equipment in the state. Students were on their way to having an incredible oppurtunity to work with the same level of gear as ESPN.

The first part of the installation begin in mid-April, right before the biggest production of the year, Zenith. For the first show in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC), the new video equipment would have to be used with only a few practices. Despite the time crunch the students in the video department for Zenith pulled off an amazing product.

Now, in late June, the final installation of the new video system is underway. All that is left with the install is the fiber backbone run between Chaparral Stadium and the PAC, so that the same control room may be used for both football games and theatre productions.

With the install almost being done, all of the students on the 2009-2010 football video crew are excited and eager to use the equipment in its final state starting with the first football game of the year.

Travis Favaron
2009-2010 T.E.C. President

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/27/a-new-name-for-our-new-digs http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/27/a-new-name-for-our-new-digs Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:59:00 +0000 Phil Gilbert, Jr. http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/27/a-new-name-for-our-new-digs
David Poole, Managing Director of the Westlake Community Performing Arts Center at Westlake High School, had this to say:

"The Eanes ISD administration and Board of Trustees, as well as the many patrons who supported the 2006 bond program, have shown an incredible commitment to this project. When the fine arts facility was originally opened in 1984, it was the first stand-alone performing arts center on a high school campus in Austin. The changes, upgrades and technical sophistication included in the current renovation will once again, make this facility the leader in the Greater Austin area."

"Since that opening day in 1984, the facility has been used by a broader group than the high school. Some of these groups include: Eanes fall choir festivals, middle school band, orchestra and choir concerts, Baccalaureate, school board forums, dance recitals, cultural programming, professional concerts, as well as countless others. As the building is used by the community it is appropriate that the Eanes Board of Trustees have renamed the facility the Westlake Community Performing Arts Center."

The PAC is home to Westlake High School's Technical Entertainment Crew (TEC), a full-time student organization that supports the technical production requirements of every show on the stage and handles the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the building's performance and 'backstage' areas.

The members of TEC are extremely excited about the imminent re-opening of the PAC. We are extremely appreciative of the constant support that has been given to the program by the School Board and Superintendent and strive every day to make this program and this facility an example of the great things the community of Westlake has to offer.


Phil Gilbert, Jr.
TEC Alumnus ('99)



]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/25/photovideo-updates http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/25/photovideo-updates Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:40:00 +0000 Phil Gilbert, Jr. http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/25/photovideo-updates
On the Photo page you'll find pictures from several shows, including the recently completed Westlake Choir musical,
On the Photo page you'll find pictures from several shows, including the recently completed Westlake Choir musical, Guys and Dolls.

On the Video page you can watch clips from the past five years of Zenith, including a bunch of our cutting edge light shows, a special 'behind the scenes' video intro from the 2004 show, and the extended cut of the 2004 light show which marked ten years of moving lights at Zenith.

And, released in public for the first time, we have made available two clips from the 2008 WHS Chaparral Football Highlight Video.

As you can see from the stills and footage, the members of TEC are working tirelessly every day to support the student body of Westlake High School and Eanes ISD.

We sincerely hope you can take a few minutes to take pride in the incredible work these students are doing.

Sincerely,

Phil Gilbert, Jr.
TEC Alumnus ('99)

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/24/under-construction http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/24/under-construction Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:19:00 +0000 http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/24/under-construction
If you see a problem, please don't hesitate to use the contact form to let us know.

In the mean time, please check back often for lots of new content including [...]]]>
If you see a problem, please don't hesitate to use the contact form to let us know.

In the mean time, please check back often for lots of new content including photos, videos, and a history of TEC.

Sincerely,

Phil Gilbert, Jr.
TEC Alumnus ('99)

]]> http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/23/new-seats-and-a-new-site http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/23/new-seats-and-a-new-site Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:54:00 +0000 http://whstec.com/blog/2009/03/23/new-seats-and-a-new-site
Since the doors were shut for renovation more than a year ago, [...]]]>
Since the doors were shut for renovation more than a year ago, the FAF has had a lot of work done.

Some of this will be easy to observe. Brand new seats, updated ADA seating, and easier access throughout are just a few of the things that will be easy to spot when you first walk in to the building.

Other things will be a little more subtle to the un-trained eye. New electrical systems, adjustable acoustical curtains, and an updated rigging system are just as critical to the show. These types of improvements are important as they allow us to safely and effectively produce the wide variety of performances that happen in the FAF every week.

Now that we're close to re-opening our doors, the administrators, teachers, and students who make up the TEC family are working overtime to clean up the construction dust (of which there was plenty), re-hang the lights (which were in storage), re-connect the wiring (and there's a bunch of it), and triple check every component.

As we get closer to the first performances in the new FAF, we look forward to sharing our experience with you.

Sincerely,

Phil Gilbert, Jr.
TEC Alumnus ('99)

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