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Kass
Student
Flower Mound, Texas
1
Question
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Does anyone have tips on technical crew portfolios?
Hey! So I'm doing an interview for technical theater and does anyone have any tips on putting together a portfolio? Any piece of advice you provide is great!
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arthur adam
1
Answer
New York, New York
Updated
arthur’s Answer
That’s exciting — good luck on your interview!
For a technical theater portfolio, keep it clean, visual, and easy to flip through. Here are some solid tips:
• Show photos of your work — Production shots are great, but also include behind-the-scenes photos (build process, wiring, rigging, programming, etc.). That shows what you actually did.
• Label everything clearly — Include the show name, your role, the year, and a short 1–2 sentence description of your responsibilities. Be specific (e.g., “Programmed light cues in ETC Ion” or “Constructed rotating platform”).
• Highlight problem-solving — If something broke and you fixed it, or you had to design around a limitation, include that. Directors love to see how you think.
• Organize by skill area — Lighting, sound, set construction, stage management, costumes, etc. It makes it easier for interviewers to find what’s relevant.
• Keep it concise — 10–20 strong pages/projects is better than overwhelming them with everything you’ve ever done.
• Bring digital + physical (if possible) — A tablet version is nice, but having a small printed binder can be helpful in interviews.
• Include paperwork samples — Light plots, cue sheets, ground plans, sound plots, drafting, or prompt book pages if you have them.
Most importantly, be ready to talk about your work. They’ll care more about how you explain your process and collaboration than just pretty pictures.
For a technical theater portfolio, keep it clean, visual, and easy to flip through. Here are some solid tips:
• Show photos of your work — Production shots are great, but also include behind-the-scenes photos (build process, wiring, rigging, programming, etc.). That shows what you actually did.
• Label everything clearly — Include the show name, your role, the year, and a short 1–2 sentence description of your responsibilities. Be specific (e.g., “Programmed light cues in ETC Ion” or “Constructed rotating platform”).
• Highlight problem-solving — If something broke and you fixed it, or you had to design around a limitation, include that. Directors love to see how you think.
• Organize by skill area — Lighting, sound, set construction, stage management, costumes, etc. It makes it easier for interviewers to find what’s relevant.
• Keep it concise — 10–20 strong pages/projects is better than overwhelming them with everything you’ve ever done.
• Bring digital + physical (if possible) — A tablet version is nice, but having a small printed binder can be helpful in interviews.
• Include paperwork samples — Light plots, cue sheets, ground plans, sound plots, drafting, or prompt book pages if you have them.
Most importantly, be ready to talk about your work. They’ll care more about how you explain your process and collaboration than just pretty pictures.
Thank you for the advice.
Kass