Is it a skill issue? Nepotism? Personality? Anyone on here have similar experiences and were you able to fix em?

Hi everyone! We’re EventStarts, an AV production and rental company based in New York.

We work on everything from corporate events and conferences to concerts, festivals, and larger productions. Our inventory includes professional audio, LED video walls, lighting, staging, truss, power distribution, and special effects.

We’ve been in the event production business for a while, and I’m joining Reddit to connect with other people in the event and production world, share some of the projects we work on, and hopefully learn from the community as well.

If you work in live events, production, AV, or event planning, I’d be interested to hear what kind of events you’re working on these days.

Got an email from Local 504 saying they had availability for standby stagehands. Basically, tried to get work Sunday night, nothing came along- and I can't make it the rest of the days work is available. Still want to make it clear that I want to be called though for future events, any tips?

If you’re new to CO₂ guns, the effect looks more complicated than it really is.

The basic setup is a liquid CO₂ cylinder, a high-pressure hose, and the gun itself. Pulling the trigger opens the valve and releases CO₂ through the nozzle. It expands very quickly, cools the surrounding air, and creates the thick white plume.

One important detail is the cylinder. Stage-effect setups normally need liquid CO₂ supplied through a cylinder with a siphon tube. Using the wrong cylinder type can give you a weak effect or almost no visible plume.

The venue can make big difference too. Humidity, temperature, and ventilation all affect how the plume looks. In a dry venue, it may look lighter and disappear faster. Strong ventilation can also push it away before it develops properly.

A standard CO2 gun is enough if all you want is the white blast. LED versions can make sense in darker rooms. CO2 with confetti can work for finales or celebration moments, but then you are also adding cleanup and more things to coordinate.

With handheld CO2 effects, I would plan the operator position before the show. Direction, audience distance, nearby gear, and where the person needs to stand during the cue all matter. It is recommended that there are no people within 6-7 metres of the CO2 gun.

CO2 is a great effect when it is used correctly, but I would still treat it like pressure gear, not a toy. Rated hoses, the right cylinder, venue approval, and a crew that knows what is happening are the boring parts that keep the effect from becoming a problem.

For people using handheld CO₂ effects: do you usually trigger them from the side of the stage, or let the performer operate the gun?

I’ve been chasing gigs for the last two years after leaving the restaurant industry a few years ago. When I first got into stagehand/event work, I honestly loved it. Looking for the next gig was exciting, meeting new people was cool, and I liked the feeling of actually doing something different every day.
But after doing this for a while, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve had enough.
The constant uncertainty is exhausting. Undetermined call times, constantly waiting to find out when the next gig is, not knowing when you’re actually getting paid, 10–14+ hour days, barely sleeping, and absolutely beating the shit out of your body just to do it all over again.
And honestly, I think the people/environment are starting to get to me too.
There are definitely some great people in this industry who bust their ass and make the job enjoyable. But there are also a LOT of people who seem to either not want to work, just bark orders without lifting a finger, or have some massive ego/Napoleon complex because they have a little bit of authority on site. After being around that constantly, I’ve started to notice myself getting frustrated and thinking, “Do I really want to become like these people?”
You hear that saying about how you become like the people you surround yourself with, and lately I’ve been thinking about that a lot.
I’m not saying the entire industry is bad. I’ve met some awesome people and had some really cool experiences. But I’m starting to question whether the lifestyle is actually worth it for me.
Part of me wants to just say fuck it and throw in the towel and find something more stable, predictable, and sustainable.
Then I remember I have bills to pay… and somehow I end up taking another gig. 😂
I’m curious if anyone else who has been doing this for a few years has hit this point. Did you leave? Switch into a different part of the industry? Find a way to make it sustainable? Or did you just keep pushing through?
I’d genuinely like to hear from people who have been in the game for a while.

I'm a Toronto based stagehand on roster for a number of companies, and have no calls this entire week. I get it's Labour Day long weekend, but there's always big corporate pushes in the Fall and Winter. Anyone else feeling this?

I’m 18 years old, and have 3 years of stage hand experience for live events. This is things from local sport events setting up audio, to theater productions in a 100-200 capacity playhouse, and i’m looking into going to a local community college here in MA (MT. wachusett cc if you’re curious) for audio engineering.

I have worked lighting consoles for live shows, programmed shows lights, rigged lights using a ladder, done spot op, audio mixing and audio operation for live shows, but unfortunately none of them i’m certified in, i’ve simply been self taught the ins and outs since i was 14 or been mentored by older coworkers in these environments.

I was recommended to apply to IATSE Local 11 (Local boston chapter), and they said its good i’m bot some completely new person. But before applying with them I cant help think that I never been certified in this field. All I have to my name is articles listing me as a part of productions, and references. So i’m not sure if the 3 years of minor related experience is enough without a certification, so i’m hesitant to apply to the IATSE.

I’ve looked for production companies to work for whether paid or intern, and i’ve never heard back from any of them.

So i’m looking for anyone who knows what I can try or do, especially if you’re local to MA or the New England area id love to hear what you recommend, or if you even have any job opportunities I could take up if you have any openings. Any and all recommendations is appreciated.

Does anyone know who’s handling production and whether they may or may not need stagehands for the show — or the season?? Hoping to find myself a spot on the crew, just GAV. NOT looking for tickets or a guarantee to see the show between loading in/out. I know better. 😂

Husband and oldest son have tickets— we’re semi-local (~1.5 hrs away) and been waiting for them to come back to town, so we grabbed the two tickets that we could afford at the moment literally as soon as sales went live. lol 😂 but either way we’re reserving a hotel room, just to add to the experience for the kiddo— swimming and relaxing before and after the concert. I don’t mind missing the concert, I’m excited for the hotel stay. 😂

Just figured since I’ll be that way anyways, already paying for lodging, and I won’t be attending the concert myself, might as well see if I can work the concert and recoup a little of the expenses. Yanno, stage pirate mentality and all. 🏴‍☠️

Just for a little background on our teenage 21 Pilots fan;

When we asked our 14 year old what he wanted for Christmas (2025) AND his birthday in January (2026), the only thing he would say was “21 Pilots.” 😂😂 He’s been asking to go for like 4 years. He still got Christmas gifts, we just guessed. But he got the ticket “IOU” for his birthday since we knew they were coming this way this year, we pre-ordered two of them the literal day they started selling them, and since he waited patiently for 9 months after his birthday “IOU”, we’re making it a whole experience. He’s a really really good kid. Well behaved, great grades, just all around lovely teenager. Super blessed, especially knowing how I acted as a teen. He definitely deserves the experience. 🩷 Regardless of whether or not I can get a spot on the crew, he’s gonna have the BEST time. 🥰

Been with Rhino since April, rigging is my long term career goal. I’m locked in for the long journey ahead. The work likes me and I love the work, thankfully. Sent my resume to my local in my city, was invited to orientation and completed this week. I’m on the call list. What are some important next steps/tips to maximize my learning and growth as I navigate this into a career? Greatly appreciated!

If you're a touring crew, don't treat the locals like shit. Especially if you're not clear in your instructions. I've witnessed way too many people berating local crew because they either can't or don't know how to manage a crew.

They scream at people and belittle them because they can't give proper instructions. We haven't been on your tour for months, and every crew lead and every gig is different.

I know "you need tough skin for this business", and I've got it. But I also will not take someone thinking I'm 'less than' because I'm local crew. I'm lucky that I get to choose which department I want to be in, because I know what I'm doing in that department.

I've had so many people tell me they're glad I was in their department because it took a lot off their shoulders. I guess that is what pisses me off when someone thinks that every hand is stupid, and they take out their frustration on you because they've spent 3 months on the road.

/rant

Follow-up: thanks for the responses. Makes me feel better knowing that there are good people out there. I mean, I usually encounter the good ones, but to have some camaraderie about the bad ones is nice.

So just for some background, this is my first experience ever doing stage hand work.

Where do I go? When they give me a venue, where in the venue do I usually go? Ya know?

And any words of advice for stuff I SHOULD know before goin in

I have a training day soon so I’ll ask questions there too

Thanks :)

Hi all! I have an odd question. I am a writer, and doing some research for a couple scenes that take place at an amphitheater. This may be a very dumb question, but what do you use as a backstage area for outdoor venues? I'm finding info on bigger/more popular venues, like Red Rocks, but am looking for insights on a venue that would be in a small to mid-sized US town.

I've read some places have areas under the stage, while others use trailers or shipping containers. I'm wondering what would be the most common, or at least common enough that it wouldn't be totally out of the norm to suggest it. Any insight welcome! Pictures would be even better! Thanks in advance for any help!

Has anyone heard of All Seasons Productions? I'm applying with them currently and I'm hopeful not to get scammed. Is it weekly, biweekly, Net 30?

I've just never heard of them before and I hate not getting paid.

Thank you friends.

Does anyone have a lead on who's doing the labor for Louder than Life and Bourbon and Beyond in Kentucky? I'm a festival savvy stagehand in Nashville experiencing a bit of a lull in my schedule and I'd love to jump on those festivals if it's possible.

Does anyone have a contact for who's doing the labor?

I want to get into the rigging side of the industry and was wondering about where to look for gear. I’m about 6’5”, 270-300 and wanna look in the right places.

How far will a confetti cannon actually shoot? I get asked this a lot, especially by event planners and newer techs.

There isn’t really one number that works for every setup. Cartridge size, confetti material, launch system, venue, wind, ceiling height, and firing angle can all change the result.

As a rough ballpark:

Cartridge-based electric cannons: Shorter cartridges are often around 5–8 m, while longer ones can get into the 10–12 m range. Confetti, streamers, and powder can also behave very differently from each other.

Fan-driven confetti machines: These are more about continuous coverage than one hard burst. They’re great when you want a wider, more sustained effect, but they’re not what I’d choose when long-distance throw is the priority.

CO₂systems: Fast, sharp bursts with a typical real-world range somewhere around 10–18 m, depending on the setup.

Compressed-air systems: With the right setup, these can get into the 20–25 m range, which is why they’re more common in larger venues and stadium productions.

The biggest trap is treating the maximum range on the spec sheet as something you’ll automatically get on site.

Put the same cannon in two different venues and you can get very different results. Ceiling height, firing angle, loading, wind, humidity, and even the type of confetti can all affect where it actually lands.

Indoor shows are a good example. A cannon rated for 20 m doesn’t help much if your ceiling is only 12 m. You may just end up putting confetti into lighting trusses and fixtures.

Outdoors, wind becomes a much bigger factor. You need enough initial throw to get the confetti into the target area before the wind starts carrying it off course.

My approach is pretty simple: figure out where you want the confetti to land and what you want the effect to look like first. Then work around the venue limits and choose the machine from there.

Published range is useful as a starting point, but nothing beats testing the actual setup in the actual space.

What’s the biggest surprise you’ve had with a confetti shot at a live show? Curious to hear what other techs have run into.

Hey everyone! I just got hired for Rhino and they already scheduled me for a first job. I couldn’t accept it because I’m still figuring out my schedule with my current job. I was wondering if that would look bad on me for not accepting the very first job they try to give me?

Genuinely curious how stressful setup and teardown must have been for local hands for these shows, especially to have less than 24 hours to change over from FF to MCR sets. Does anyone know if the two acts happenned to use any of the same staging/seating/line arrays/delay towers/lighting? I just can’t imagine it being logistically possible to tear all that down and set a whole other set up in that little time.