Woo HOO More Interviews

Except that they're the good kind this time.
So I've been spending my time here at USITT learning a lot about this industry and also feeling kindsd of out of the loop. Now I don't mean this skill wise, I feel that I know a good deal ( not that I can't learn more) but I feel lost when people are talking about important designers. When I hear there names, I have no clue who they are or what they have done, all I can tell is that they are imporant. I normally realize this because of the way that people say there names etc. For instance yesterdy there was this session with the Scenic Designer, the TDs (there are 2 of them) and one of the Props Master of Actors Theatre of Louisville. Now I went since this particaluar session was about how they dealt with the Humana New Play Festival. The thing about the Festival is besides being New Plays is that it is rep. So for the month of March they are running 7 shows in rep. Now since I'm working rep again this summer, I was more interested in how they do things ( this is how I think) and some of the soultions that they have come up with to deal with change overs etc. Well that's not what 99% of the people in the room were interested in. They were interested in what Paul Owen the Scenic Designer had to say. Over the cousre of the hour and a half I realized that this man had been a driving force in American Scene Design for at least the last 30 years and that I had never heard of him. So I went hmm, who else here is important that I don't know about. I've found what I need to learn next, I need to learn about all of these people who came before the current generation of designers and techincans.
Other than that realization in that part of my knowlege its been pretty good. Yesterday I got to attend this great session on paper props and learned about a lot of good rescorues, (induling this one guy Herb who in his retirement is makeing a collection of paper good available via Cd) and some new techniques. I also was able to let the people there know about the water color paper trick with plotters as well as about the Tate online. Then I got to hear Jon Jory ( the retired (I think) Artisic Director of Actors Theatre) speak. Which was great. The other really cool session i got to go to was about Handmade Scene Painting tools and it was done by Rachel Keebler the head of Colbalt Studios, who is really nice and had a lot of good info. ( By the way she was giving out drawings of the tools and if people want them I am willing to make copies and mail them.) And I ran into people that I worked with last summer and some that I will be working with again. And got hugs so that was great.
Today I didn't go to that many sessions. The first one I wanted to go had too many people , so I didn't get in but I did get to wander around the stage expo and check stuff out. And then after some debate I hiked over to the Marriot and signed up for interviews (there was a fee involed which lead to the debate). So tomrrow is a portfolio review and 4 interviews. So hopefully I'll get some work out of this. ANd then I finally got into this session about Non tradtional product use. It was awesome. The two presenters talked about what they had found and opened up the floor, there must have been at least 150 people there all with a lot of good knowlege about werid things used in productions. Finally it was decided that some how we needed to make a list and add to via email so hopefullu I'll get that info to whomever is interest. Oh and for those Scene Painters amongst us, if you add some lysol or Pine Solv to your paint it will keep the bactriea out and keep it from going bad as fast. And then the really cool thing that happened was that I got to go on a tour of Actors Theatre and I got to meet and talk with one of the Props Masters there. He was really nice and answered my questions about how do you deal with rep and delicate props and stuff like that. So it was really cool, but I need to eat and then head on back over. I'll let you all know what happens.

I finally got an Interview

I wanted to post something a little more upbeat than the last couple of posts. I got a job interview at one of the local coffee shops. :) About fucking time. So yeah for small victories.

The upside

After my slightly frustrated post I do have to say ther was at least one bright note. I got some girscout cookies mailed from home. You know sometimes Moms just rock.

So yeah things have been interesting here. Unfourtunaly the housing situation has fallen apart again but on the upside Dave's parents let me know that they didn't mind having me around, so due to there graciousness I have a place to live. Not that that means I'm not looking for somewhere, but trying to find a place for 2 months is next to impossible so I'm cocentrating on finding a job until May. ANy job. Which is hard to doin Corvallis. I've been surprised how many fast food joints/ coffee shops/ and stores want a resume. I'm sorry I only really want to go to the trouble of handing someone a resume if they are offering a salary and maybe benfits. Not a part time hourly wage thing. So its been frustraiting. On the other hand the best application I've been handed has been a paper plate from this place American Dream Pizza. They said to put my info on it anyway I wanted to, so out can the art supplies. They liked it and said they get back to me after OSU spring break ( next week). So hopefully.
In other news I'm getting to go to USITT so that should be rather interesting and hopefully help me get a job in the fall. I'm looking forward to it. So that's what's up in the world of the Chris.

Progress Has Been F%@$* made

So finally after a decent streah of frustration I might have a place to live soon! ( Does happy dance in coffee shop)
Dave and I went up to Portland on Monday to look at some leads and visit Shannon Buss who is living there now. Well unlike Seattle which was a total bomb, all of the places we went to had space avaiable. The first place was way too expensive so that go nixed rather quick. The second we went to was out a bit from downtown but right next to this huge beautiful park. There was a part that was left like the woods from around here and it was so beautiful, just lush and green and piney. I really liked it. And the apartment is month to month for 500 a month, which is dirt cheap when you split it between 2 people. The only other thing is that it is kinda of got this 70s chic thing going down but I'm willing to forgive that.
So after that we drove up to where Shannon is living. She lives in this part of Portland that is kinda mix of State Street and Brady Street. Its kinda cool and electic and I rather like it. It is also about 5 blocks from Powell's (the bookstore I was gushing about in an earlier post). And it turns out her buldign ( which incidently is month to month) is renting. Albeit it is for 650 a month but the location is better and the apartments are nicer.
We enjoyed are visit with Shannon a lot. She and I kept going "this is soo werid.." its odd to see someone from Wisconsin in Oregon. I'm glad to say that she is doing well and seems to be having fun. Her apartment is really cute and so is her cat Ditto, who provided me with much needed cat thearpy. ( Namely cause Dave's Dad's cats still refuse to talk to me or let me touch them). So things are moving and hopefully I will be too. :)