Wednesday 11 February 2015
Friday 28 November 2014
Lit- Opportunity Online
Who is the author?
Style of writing?
J.L Harkness a Dance Spirit Writer
Quote/ Supported by:
Harkness creates her own assumptions by combining her own opinions and those of professionals around her.
Harkness creates her own assumptions by combining her own opinions and those of professionals around her.
Erin Cameron- Representative for eMODEL/castnet www.castnet.com
Danielle Samson- Dancer
Meredith Patterson- Broadway Performer
Mark Grant- Film Producer
Annoymous-NYC Agent
Mark Grant- Film Producer
Annoymous-NYC Agent
Who is the publisher?
Dance Spirit; 6,3; International Index toPerforming Arts Full Text pg.64
When?
March 2002
Where?
New York
Intended audience?
'A dancers guide to online services and networking on the internet'. Harkness aims the article at performers interested in developing networking sources and techniques.
Intention?
The intention of the article is to encourage performers to take charge of their own careers by taking in their own hands. Suggesting self promotion online by joining talent sites/ online agencies. 'bloc dancers are now being seen internationally via their website' Www.blocagency.com. It suggests a few different sites and explains how easy it is to find appropriate services by simply browsing the internet using key words such as 'talent' 'dancers'. Harkness explains how important it is to use online services to promote,
interact, communicate and find information. It makes you very accessible to people makes it easier and could potentially lead to work. 'I would definitely advise using an online service, because the industry is all about networking yourself' Danielle Samson.
Its aim is to also create awareness around scam websites that are just out to make money. Advising you to be careful when making your selection.
However
Harkness does not want us to completely abandon tradition routes- Face to face castings/ getting scouted/ auditions.
I think especially for a dancer and performer, the feel you get for a personality in the room is very important.
Its aim is to also create awareness around scam websites that are just out to make money. Advising you to be careful when making your selection.
Red signals- expensive to sign up, encourage you to use their photographer, classes etc. Telling you they will make you a star.
Good quotes:
Good quotes:
It informs the reader about setting up personal websites with Meredith Patterson explaining some of the jobs she has gained from it.
'Its so much easier because it is all right there in one place' Meredith Patterson
'Understand how online services allow decision makers to have talent at their fingertips. They can connect you to different castings'.j.L Harkness
Shawn Perine New York web designer 'it's well worth the investment considering your gaining international exposure'
Www.blocagency.com 'bloc dancers are now being seen internationally via their website'
Style of writing?
It's in a dance magazine so it's quite informal and easy to read. It's quite a short article so it gets straight to the point, doesn't drag on, pull any areas out too much. It just wants to act as a quick and efficient piece of Information for us. The title 'opportunity online' is exactly what the piece is promoting. However I do feel it is also very balanced as it does give both sides; explaining concerns, awareness, and also reminding us that the web isn't always peoples ideal way of casting.
In short it's good to use all the sources provided but for this to only be a small part of our network.
Thursday 27 November 2014
Task 5c
Exploring ethics further in reader 5 has presented to me the different approaches and contexts considered throughout various walks of life. Opinions can differ on this subject which can sometimes be dependent on the culture, religion, race or law. It is the assumptions we make in order to create the guidelines we perceive to be adequate and fair for all. It is also important to realise why we make these assumptions in the first place which I feel is a necessary point to start with (Post 19/3/13 An Important Point! ).
Ethics will play a vital role in our inquiries so understanding different approaches is paramount.
What are Ethics?
Ethics are a set of guidelines we adhere to throughout life to establish equality and to create social soundness. I believe it is the way we should conduct ourselves around others and the environment to ensure that no harm is brought to anyone or anything.
Reader 5 explains that there are 3 different contexts of ethics used: personal, professional and organisational. These frameworks I will be conscious of when conducting my inquiry.
Personal
My personal ethics have been derived from my upbringing from my family, involving manners, family values/morals and religion. I believe personal ethics can be taken with you wherever you are in life and help define you as a person. I felt more confident in my assumption when hearing about the history of ethics 'The word ethics is widely held to have its origins in the Greek work ethos, which means character'(reader 5). Treating others how you would like to be treated is something to think about when conducting my inquiry. A declaration, consenting the information collected is vital.
Professional
Professional ethics involve the guidelines set in place in a professional working environment. For example, it could be shown as a code of conduct (post 16/3/13 The Teaching Environment).
Organizational
Organizational ethics can be likened to organizational culture.
This then brings me on to my next observation. What do we do when different contexts of ethics conflict with each other? What is ethically right? For instance, I am currently appearing in a profit share production at a London fringe theatre. This of course means the amount of money I make depends on the amount of profit made by the show itself. Spilt between a production team of 20 odd people could mean that I make virtually no money at all. This decision means I am going against professional ethics e.g Equity minimum wage, so why take it? After a long hard think and looking at the bigger picture, I decided that this experience offered to me was a great opportunity and not to be missed.
Hobbles (1965) believes that in order to live in a ethically correct and equal society we must abide by a set of rules to keep peace. I agree with Hobbles but reflecting on past experiences makes me realise that sometimes, maybe my personal training wasn't always morally correct. Was everyone always treated equally? Yes that was the aim set out by the teachers and students but was it always the case? Immanual Kant (1779) views were similar to those of Hobbles but suggests that rules should be acknowledged more because of reason than religion. Helping people no matter what your desires are is definitely commendable, but does it always happen? Are we sometimes too wrapped up in our own little worlds? It is something to be aware of through day to day life because it then brings it back to the point, treat others how you would like to be treated.
Theoretical approaches
We can compare and evaluate the theoretical approaches that have emerged.
Consequentialism
The heart of consequentialism is if an act is morally right, with the outcome being to benefit the greater good.
Deontology
Deontology focus's on good will, with this being the motive behind an act. Only then is it deemed good.
Virtue
Virtue ethics, instead of concentrating on rules, looks at the persons character and what actions reveal about this person.
The reader draws up an example for us, demonstrating the conflict these ethics may have. When exploring case study 2, I can appreciate how the ethical dilemmas conflict. For example, Kevin Carter carrying out the job he intended to do but to then just leave a dying girl without trying to intervene and potentially save her life. This of course deems to be ethically wrong, however some argue that his act was justified as Kevin Carter, along with with the rest of the team where instructed to not physically come in to contact with someone for fear of catching epidemic diseases. So what was the just thing to do? Should the photographer have risked his own life to help save another? There is much deliberation on these type of cases and I am not sure if there is always a right or wrong answer, however this case demonstrated how ethics can conflict with each other.
Research
Earlier I touched upon how important it is to adhere to ethics when conducting my inquiry. I therefore found the research section of the reader very beneficial and will use the methods presented as a good framework for my research. For example, the guide lines recommend by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). Task 5D asks me to discuss my ethical dimensions and what frameworks I plan to apply when carrying out my inquiry. I will therefore touch on BERA in more detail.
Reader 5 has has made a great contribution to my knowledge surrounding Ethics. The examples given have provided me with a better understanding of the importance of ethics throughout life and how we must try and find a balance between all contracting types, no matter how hard it may be.
BBC Ethics- Introduction to ethics 2013
Grewcock, D. (July 2011), The Stage: Low Pay/No Pay Week
Hobbles, T. (1986) The Leviathan. London: Penguin Classics
Kant, I, (2007) Critique Of Pure Reason. London: Penguin Classics
Lankard, B. A. Practice Ethical Behavior. Connections. School and Work Transitions. Columbus: The National Center for Research in Vocational Education, The Ohio State University, 1987. (ED 288 981).
Ravisi, D and Schultz, M (2006) Responding To Organisational Identity Threats: exploring the role of organizational culture.
Ethics will play a vital role in our inquiries so understanding different approaches is paramount.
What are Ethics?
Ethics are a set of guidelines we adhere to throughout life to establish equality and to create social soundness. I believe it is the way we should conduct ourselves around others and the environment to ensure that no harm is brought to anyone or anything.
"Ethics are a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is good for individuals and society"
BBC Ethics- Introduction to ethics
Reader 5 explains that there are 3 different contexts of ethics used: personal, professional and organisational. These frameworks I will be conscious of when conducting my inquiry.
Personal
My personal ethics have been derived from my upbringing from my family, involving manners, family values/morals and religion. I believe personal ethics can be taken with you wherever you are in life and help define you as a person. I felt more confident in my assumption when hearing about the history of ethics 'The word ethics is widely held to have its origins in the Greek work ethos, which means character'(reader 5). Treating others how you would like to be treated is something to think about when conducting my inquiry. A declaration, consenting the information collected is vital.
Professional
Professional ethics involve the guidelines set in place in a professional working environment. For example, it could be shown as a code of conduct (post 16/3/13 The Teaching Environment).
Organizational
Organizational ethics can be likened to organizational culture.
"organizational culture is a set of shared mental assumptions that guide interpretation and action in organizations by defining appropriate behaviour for various situations. It is necessary we identify the frameworks set in each sector of organisations, especially when on a large scale as ethics could sometimes differ throughout and cause conflict"
Ravasi, D. and Schultz,M. (2006)
This then brings me on to my next observation. What do we do when different contexts of ethics conflict with each other? What is ethically right? For instance, I am currently appearing in a profit share production at a London fringe theatre. This of course means the amount of money I make depends on the amount of profit made by the show itself. Spilt between a production team of 20 odd people could mean that I make virtually no money at all. This decision means I am going against professional ethics e.g Equity minimum wage, so why take it? After a long hard think and looking at the bigger picture, I decided that this experience offered to me was a great opportunity and not to be missed.
"And yes, the likelihood is that, come the end of the run, you still won’t make any money from the venture. In most cases, though, people don’t take these kind of jobs with the hope of a monetary reward. The incentives on offer can be far greater"
Grewcock, D. (July 2011), The Stage: Low Pay/No Pay WeekSo how do we resolve ethical dilema? I believe there is no right or wrong answer. I feel I have only touched the tip of the ice berg when it comes to ethics as it is such vast subject and I feel like there is a lot more to learn. However, the quote below provides me with some food for thought.
'Resolving ethical dilemmas, therefore, requires interpersonal and negotiation skills as well as the new application of employability skills--honesty, ability to work cooperatively, respect for others, pride in one's work, willingness to learn, dependability, responsibility for one's actions, integrity, and loyalty' (Lankard 1987).
Hobbles (1965) believes that in order to live in a ethically correct and equal society we must abide by a set of rules to keep peace. I agree with Hobbles but reflecting on past experiences makes me realise that sometimes, maybe my personal training wasn't always morally correct. Was everyone always treated equally? Yes that was the aim set out by the teachers and students but was it always the case? Immanual Kant (1779) views were similar to those of Hobbles but suggests that rules should be acknowledged more because of reason than religion. Helping people no matter what your desires are is definitely commendable, but does it always happen? Are we sometimes too wrapped up in our own little worlds? It is something to be aware of through day to day life because it then brings it back to the point, treat others how you would like to be treated.
Theoretical approaches
We can compare and evaluate the theoretical approaches that have emerged.
Consequentialism
The heart of consequentialism is if an act is morally right, with the outcome being to benefit the greater good.
Deontology
Deontology focus's on good will, with this being the motive behind an act. Only then is it deemed good.
Virtue
Virtue ethics, instead of concentrating on rules, looks at the persons character and what actions reveal about this person.
The reader draws up an example for us, demonstrating the conflict these ethics may have. When exploring case study 2, I can appreciate how the ethical dilemmas conflict. For example, Kevin Carter carrying out the job he intended to do but to then just leave a dying girl without trying to intervene and potentially save her life. This of course deems to be ethically wrong, however some argue that his act was justified as Kevin Carter, along with with the rest of the team where instructed to not physically come in to contact with someone for fear of catching epidemic diseases. So what was the just thing to do? Should the photographer have risked his own life to help save another? There is much deliberation on these type of cases and I am not sure if there is always a right or wrong answer, however this case demonstrated how ethics can conflict with each other.
Research
Earlier I touched upon how important it is to adhere to ethics when conducting my inquiry. I therefore found the research section of the reader very beneficial and will use the methods presented as a good framework for my research. For example, the guide lines recommend by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). Task 5D asks me to discuss my ethical dimensions and what frameworks I plan to apply when carrying out my inquiry. I will therefore touch on BERA in more detail.
Reader 5 has has made a great contribution to my knowledge surrounding Ethics. The examples given have provided me with a better understanding of the importance of ethics throughout life and how we must try and find a balance between all contracting types, no matter how hard it may be.
BBC Ethics- Introduction to ethics 2013
Grewcock, D. (July 2011), The Stage: Low Pay/No Pay Week
Hobbles, T. (1986) The Leviathan. London: Penguin Classics
Kant, I, (2007) Critique Of Pure Reason. London: Penguin Classics
Lankard, B. A. Practice Ethical Behavior. Connections. School and Work Transitions. Columbus: The National Center for Research in Vocational Education, The Ohio State University, 1987. (ED 288 981).
Ravisi, D and Schultz, M (2006) Responding To Organisational Identity Threats: exploring the role of organizational culture.
Tuesday 25 November 2014
Should you become facebook friends with your boss? In other words, should you mix personal and professional?
This question has received conflicting opinions. Some people feel that it is acceptable to allow your professional network to intergrate with your personal and so therefore would not look badly on befriending work colleagues. On the other hand, many feel that they would prefer to keep their personal and professional lives separate. Is there a right or wrong answer? Like many things i dont think there is but i will explore all areas and then create my own assumption.
Different Industries, different opinions?
A lot of my research involved musical theatre/ singers/ actors. Although there were conflicting opinions within this area, i found that people in this industry were a lot more open to intergrating both personal and professional as appose to people who worked for recruitment/ lawyers firms.
Different Industries, different opinions?
A lot of my research involved musical theatre/ singers/ actors. Although there were conflicting opinions within this area, i found that people in this industry were a lot more open to intergrating both personal and professional as appose to people who worked for recruitment/ lawyers firms.
Entertainment Industry
Myself
I decided to take a look at my own network and ask myself the question should you mix personal and professional? I noticed that facebook, twitter and instagram allowed me to be friends with/ follow colleagues past and present as well as choreographers, directors and casting directors. However, each network had different functions.
Facebook
Looking through my facebook , I noticed that the majority of my friends list consisted of:
School friends
Family
Present friends
Ex work colleagues
Present work colleagues
Photographers
Choreographers
Friends and family on Facebook is an obvious one but being a performer, my friends can cross over with work colleagues. I think this is because a lot of us in this industry do it because of our love for it. This means that naturally the people that you work with share a lot of the same interests.'I would always prefer a referral, so having your friends as a source of help. If you say im friends with such and such she recommended me to your agency' singer songwriter (2013). I have created and kept friendships from past and present jobs and keep in touch with them via facebook.
So how about choreographers/ directors/ casting directors?
I can say that I could count on one hand the amount of 'Creative' professionals I have as my facebook friends. All of these contacts are people I know very well and have created strong relationships out in the field. So for example, a choreographer I have worked several times for and created a strong and reliable bond with. 'if I wanted to be seen for 'show y' I would msg 'mr y' and be like Hi 'mr y' my agents put me forward I would really love to be seen, hopefully see you next week, because I've done a few jobs for him. I think a personal message is always better than an agents message, but only once it's got to a point where your agent can't do anymore'. However, it isn't always gaurenteed to work 'I have in the past for a friend. It was for 'show x' and she didn't get an audition. I chatted to the resident director on Facebook because we had chatted in the past and created a relationship. I asked if she could be seen and to be honest it didn't go in either of our favours. He didn't get back to me and she didn't get seen, so as a lesson I probably wouldn't use that as a source' Musical Theatre Peformer 27 (2014).
I think it depends what kind of relationship you have with people. The reason I say this is that I am Facebook friends with one of my creatives in work at the moment, but not with the others. If I take a step back and look at these relationships, I can see that the reason I am allowing that cross over between work and personal with this character is because we genuineally get on well. Although very professional in work, we can talk on a personal level. I would also like to point out that it wasnt until 9 months in to the job that I actually sent a friend request. It probably could of happened sooner but I didnt want to intrude on my part. Right at the beginning of the contract I didn't really know this person so why would I send a request? 'The workplace may not allow you to get to know your boss as a person. Becoming friends with your boss on Facebook may reveal that the two of you share common interests. Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan Strickland
Twitter
'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan StricklandSo can it depend on work enviornment and culture? In some cases I believe it can. As I mentioned above, I have created a closer relationship with one of my creative team. This allows both professional and personal communication within the work place. Because of the nature of the job, physically, mentally tiring, it has allowed me to create closer, personal relationships. Being in such a hard training environment for months allows you to connect and turn to people who are going through the same process, as well as those who are your mentors and guiding you the way. Opening out to these people and creating a joint bond is for the goodness of the show. So sometimes having a laugh, having a strop, voicing your opinion can therefore add to the overall dynamic and understanding of the piece. Learning how people work and getting more personal is part of the journey...those who sweat together, stay together!
'The answer will depend on factors like your workplace's culture, your boss's attitude and the sort of content you've included in your Facebook profile' Jonathan Strickland
I therefore believe that due to the nature of the performance industry and how it can sometimes be informal/ more personal e.g turning to someone on a personal level for advice, sharing the same hotel room, traveling etc. It is more accepted to intertwine both personal and professional life. However I believe you should always mix these two wisely and with the right kind of people e.g people you genuinely have relationships/ friendships with. I think a lot of it comes down to common sense. I speak to my choreographer purely on a professional basis and as a company member not as Melanie. I would therefore not approach her on Facebook as we don't have that kind of relationship.
Is it more normal for us as performers because a lot of the time it can be 'if you have the right look'?
It's a very shallow statement to make, but I do believe that a lot of work out there is dependent on what you look like, are you the right height? build? So does this make it a lot more acceptable for people to advertise themselves on Facebook/ Instagram using their portfolios/ selfies? Are we secretly hoping that a shared picture of video might just catch that certain persons eye? Does this then give us more reason to allow personal and professional to mash up?
The performance industry showed how the intergrating of both social media (in excess) and professional websites can contribute to the success in their professional practice.
Are Other Industries Different?
Reflecting on myself and the data and literature accquired, I have learnt that the performance industry in certain aspects can intertwine both personal and professional aspects. When comparing this research with the points learnt from other industry professionals, I could see that there was a big difference.
I noticed that a lot of business people prefer to keep a line between personal and professional. 'I use Facebook purely for personal use and sources such as Linkedin and email as my professional means of communcation' recruitment consulant 27 (2014). With this being the majority of the feeling, I decided to ask myself some questions.
1. How does the tone of voice/ language change depending on the context/ job? The way a Lawyer speaks when in a professional environment is going to be different to when that person is out having drinks with friends.
2. So how does that compare to how a performer speaks in a professional context? Is there a vast difference between the two?
2. Attire... even the way people dress in work environments is different
A Dancer- leggings, vest top and trainers.
A Lawyer- Suit, tie and shoes.
Even looking at those questions and observations, I can see that the business industry is a lot more formal than the performance one.
Does this then mean that really as a performer, we are being more ourselves in a working environment as appose to those who work in an office?
More freedom with language and personality e.g cracking jokes, more personal conversation because naturally we share similar interests. Personality adds to the room, create more of a dynamic in the show.
Businesses are seen to conduct a much more serious tone which uses more formal and articulate language. This I believe is to due to the nature of the work. For example, a Lawyer dealing with an intense divorce case is not going to converse in an informal, slang like manner. This would be highly inapprorpriate and deemed as unprofessional
‘I have the option to let some people in to both worlds while keeping most people in the ones I prefer’ Recruitment Consultant (2014).
Therefore....
Businesses less likely to mash up both sides of life because it would show a different person? Not who they seem in work?
What would be the effect of this exposure?
Bad
Allowing work colleagues over to your personal side of things could sometimes seem invasive. It can allow professionals to see inappropriate behaviour, activities and pictures of you. This also includes unethical and inappropriate communication with one another. Showing a bit of your personality is one thing but taking it to the next level could lead to serious problems both in and out of the work place. With social sites being a lot less strict than a work environment, people may choose innappropriate communcitaion which could then be deemed acceptable in both the work place too. Losing this respect and professionalism with one another will not reflect well in a work environment.
Conclusion
These arguments show that there are many conflicting opinions regarding professional and personal online networking. Should you mix personal and professional? I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. The pros and cons explored above shows that it depends on many factors. Looking at different literature and hearing peoples thoughts allows me to look at this area from different angles. This has therefore allowed me to put together a few tips and pointers that I feel personally would work for me.
Myself
I decided to take a look at my own network and ask myself the question should you mix personal and professional? I noticed that facebook, twitter and instagram allowed me to be friends with/ follow colleagues past and present as well as choreographers, directors and casting directors. However, each network had different functions.
Looking through my facebook , I noticed that the majority of my friends list consisted of:
School friends
Family
Present friends
Ex work colleagues
Present work colleagues
Photographers
Choreographers
Friends and family on Facebook is an obvious one but being a performer, my friends can cross over with work colleagues. I think this is because a lot of us in this industry do it because of our love for it. This means that naturally the people that you work with share a lot of the same interests.'I would always prefer a referral, so having your friends as a source of help. If you say im friends with such and such she recommended me to your agency' singer songwriter (2013). I have created and kept friendships from past and present jobs and keep in touch with them via facebook.
So how about choreographers/ directors/ casting directors?
I can say that I could count on one hand the amount of 'Creative' professionals I have as my facebook friends. All of these contacts are people I know very well and have created strong relationships out in the field. So for example, a choreographer I have worked several times for and created a strong and reliable bond with. 'if I wanted to be seen for 'show y' I would msg 'mr y' and be like Hi 'mr y' my agents put me forward I would really love to be seen, hopefully see you next week, because I've done a few jobs for him. I think a personal message is always better than an agents message, but only once it's got to a point where your agent can't do anymore'. However, it isn't always gaurenteed to work 'I have in the past for a friend. It was for 'show x' and she didn't get an audition. I chatted to the resident director on Facebook because we had chatted in the past and created a relationship. I asked if she could be seen and to be honest it didn't go in either of our favours. He didn't get back to me and she didn't get seen, so as a lesson I probably wouldn't use that as a source' Musical Theatre Peformer 27 (2014).
I think it depends what kind of relationship you have with people. The reason I say this is that I am Facebook friends with one of my creatives in work at the moment, but not with the others. If I take a step back and look at these relationships, I can see that the reason I am allowing that cross over between work and personal with this character is because we genuineally get on well. Although very professional in work, we can talk on a personal level. I would also like to point out that it wasnt until 9 months in to the job that I actually sent a friend request. It probably could of happened sooner but I didnt want to intrude on my part. Right at the beginning of the contract I didn't really know this person so why would I send a request? 'The workplace may not allow you to get to know your boss as a person. Becoming friends with your boss on Facebook may reveal that the two of you share common interests. Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan Strickland
Who am I following?
Friends and family
Industry professionals:
choreographers, directors, producers
Celebrities
Comparing
twitter with Facebook, I can see that I allow myself to 'follow' more
industry professionals than I would 'friend' them on Facebook I
think this is because twitter is less personal. A 'follow' seems less
intense than a 'friend request'...because you may not be friends with them, but
just interested in what they do.'Twitter
you can follow anyone so you've got access to anyone you don't know but
you know is in the industry' MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER 23 (2014).
Looking at my tweets I can see that I have 'retweeted' and 'favourited'
information from directors and choreographers that I was working with at
the time. This includes sharing opening night information, promoting
tickets, sharing exciting pictures/ videos from rehearsals. Together we
were creating talk and excitement around the show, promoting and
broadcasting what we could.
'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan StricklandSo can it depend on work enviornment and culture? In some cases I believe it can. As I mentioned above, I have created a closer relationship with one of my creative team. This allows both professional and personal communication within the work place. Because of the nature of the job, physically, mentally tiring, it has allowed me to create closer, personal relationships. Being in such a hard training environment for months allows you to connect and turn to people who are going through the same process, as well as those who are your mentors and guiding you the way. Opening out to these people and creating a joint bond is for the goodness of the show. So sometimes having a laugh, having a strop, voicing your opinion can therefore add to the overall dynamic and understanding of the piece. Learning how people work and getting more personal is part of the journey...those who sweat together, stay together!
'The answer will depend on factors like your workplace's culture, your boss's attitude and the sort of content you've included in your Facebook profile' Jonathan Strickland
I therefore believe that due to the nature of the performance industry and how it can sometimes be informal/ more personal e.g turning to someone on a personal level for advice, sharing the same hotel room, traveling etc. It is more accepted to intertwine both personal and professional life. However I believe you should always mix these two wisely and with the right kind of people e.g people you genuinely have relationships/ friendships with. I think a lot of it comes down to common sense. I speak to my choreographer purely on a professional basis and as a company member not as Melanie. I would therefore not approach her on Facebook as we don't have that kind of relationship.
Is it more normal for us as performers because a lot of the time it can be 'if you have the right look'?
It's a very shallow statement to make, but I do believe that a lot of work out there is dependent on what you look like, are you the right height? build? So does this make it a lot more acceptable for people to advertise themselves on Facebook/ Instagram using their portfolios/ selfies? Are we secretly hoping that a shared picture of video might just catch that certain persons eye? Does this then give us more reason to allow personal and professional to mash up?
The performance industry showed how the intergrating of both social media (in excess) and professional websites can contribute to the success in their professional practice.
Professional-In Red
Email- send C.V’s,
contact industry professionals, receive notifications on auditions (from
agent/websites)
Spotlight- C.V easily
available to industry professionals/ casting directors. Notifications on
auditions/ castings
Skype- Online
auditions/ interviews with industry professionals. Speaking with peers about
upcoming events/ work
The Stage- Industry
news, castings, jobs, reviews
Youtube/ showreels-
Post videos of performances/ showreel of work
Dancers Pro/ Casting Pro/Dance Cast- Create online profile, audition and casting information
Personal/In Blue- Professional ways it can be used In Red
Facebook- Communicate with
friends, post portfolio pictures, upload
showreel, communicate with dance community who share interests and information.
Constant line to past employers and work colleagues which can keep you in the
loop.
Twitter- Follow friends,
talk with friends both publicly and privately, follow
anyone in the world therefore access to information, tweet and retweet to promote your show/ gig etc
Instagram- Post pictures
and videos, can then be regrammed and liked
which leads to more exposure.
Are Other Industries Different?
Reflecting on myself and the data and literature accquired, I have learnt that the performance industry in certain aspects can intertwine both personal and professional aspects. When comparing this research with the points learnt from other industry professionals, I could see that there was a big difference.
I noticed that a lot of business people prefer to keep a line between personal and professional. 'I use Facebook purely for personal use and sources such as Linkedin and email as my professional means of communcation' recruitment consulant 27 (2014). With this being the majority of the feeling, I decided to ask myself some questions.
1. How does the tone of voice/ language change depending on the context/ job? The way a Lawyer speaks when in a professional environment is going to be different to when that person is out having drinks with friends.
2. So how does that compare to how a performer speaks in a professional context? Is there a vast difference between the two?
2. Attire... even the way people dress in work environments is different
A Dancer- leggings, vest top and trainers.
A Lawyer- Suit, tie and shoes.
Even looking at those questions and observations, I can see that the business industry is a lot more formal than the performance one.
Does this then mean that really as a performer, we are being more ourselves in a working environment as appose to those who work in an office?
More freedom with language and personality e.g cracking jokes, more personal conversation because naturally we share similar interests. Personality adds to the room, create more of a dynamic in the show.
Businesses are seen to conduct a much more serious tone which uses more formal and articulate language. This I believe is to due to the nature of the work. For example, a Lawyer dealing with an intense divorce case is not going to converse in an informal, slang like manner. This would be highly inapprorpriate and deemed as unprofessional
‘I have the option to let some people in to both worlds while keeping most people in the ones I prefer’ Recruitment Consultant (2014).
Therefore....
Businesses less likely to mash up both sides of life because it would show a different person? Not who they seem in work?
What would be the effect of this exposure?
Good
Some companies may create a life on Facebook 'These companies might value employee input and contributions to the Facebook page'. Contribution may show more to your personality and you may discover that your share similar interests. Creating a more personal relationship with your work colleagues may lead to opportunities in the work place 'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work'. This then ties in with a work life balance. Showing that you have interests and a life outside work allows people to see a deeper you.
Recruitment- Some companies use social media as a means of recruiting new employees. For example, salesforce.com. If this is the case, you may need to befriend your boss to participate.
Creating a network on Facebook with friends and colleagues can be that link to expanding job opportunities both present and future 'It's also a tool that lets you create a network of contacts that you may be able to leverage in the future'. If you share the same interests or value the same organizations, you may be able to network with your boss to achieve goals or complete projects outside of work. Ultimately, this relationship might bring benefit to your community. 'Facebook makes it fairly simple to create a professional persona with one group while gabbing about American Idol with another — why not take advantage?' CHRISTINE GERACI
Some companies may create a life on Facebook 'These companies might value employee input and contributions to the Facebook page'. Contribution may show more to your personality and you may discover that your share similar interests. Creating a more personal relationship with your work colleagues may lead to opportunities in the work place 'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work'. This then ties in with a work life balance. Showing that you have interests and a life outside work allows people to see a deeper you.
Recruitment- Some companies use social media as a means of recruiting new employees. For example, salesforce.com. If this is the case, you may need to befriend your boss to participate.
Creating a network on Facebook with friends and colleagues can be that link to expanding job opportunities both present and future 'It's also a tool that lets you create a network of contacts that you may be able to leverage in the future'. If you share the same interests or value the same organizations, you may be able to network with your boss to achieve goals or complete projects outside of work. Ultimately, this relationship might bring benefit to your community. 'Facebook makes it fairly simple to create a professional persona with one group while gabbing about American Idol with another — why not take advantage?' CHRISTINE GERACI
Bad
Allowing work colleagues over to your personal side of things could sometimes seem invasive. It can allow professionals to see inappropriate behaviour, activities and pictures of you. This also includes unethical and inappropriate communication with one another. Showing a bit of your personality is one thing but taking it to the next level could lead to serious problems both in and out of the work place. With social sites being a lot less strict than a work environment, people may choose innappropriate communcitaion which could then be deemed acceptable in both the work place too. Losing this respect and professionalism with one another will not reflect well in a work environment.
PRIVACY
One of the main concerns people have about personal mixing with professional is that some things will be out there for everyone to see.‘While
pics of you goofing off at a party may be amusing to your friends, they won’t
be to a potential employer’ Lisa Arnet (2007). It doesn't necessarily have to be something inappropriate, but maybe just something personal that you want to keep to a certain group of people. You can make your profiles private/ albums
private so that you control of who sees them. 'Use Facebook's
privacy settings and filter options to limit what people can see on your
profile. You can even sort your co-workers into a list that only has access to
certain parts of your page' JONATHAN STRICKLAND.
Conclusion
These arguments show that there are many conflicting opinions regarding professional and personal online networking. Should you mix personal and professional? I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. The pros and cons explored above shows that it depends on many factors. Looking at different literature and hearing peoples thoughts allows me to look at this area from different angles. This has therefore allowed me to put together a few tips and pointers that I feel personally would work for me.
- Only allow a work colleague in to your personal network when you feel you have created a genuine friendship and understanding for each other.
- Consider your work environment and other colleagues personalities. Are other work colleagues conversing online? Do a bit of research before you make your decisions.
- Allow your personality to come across, but be careful of certain images and conversations that can be broadcasted online. Even if you have adjusted your privacy settings, there still might be things out there that you don't want professionals to see.
- I personally always conduct myself in a polite and professional manner on any online social networking site. Never swearing or using offensive language for others to see.
- Save the ranting for a face to face conversation with a trusted friend. Ranting about your bad day at work online I feel shows lack of respect and filter.
- I try not to give too much away or overload my friends/ followers with too much information. For example, I don't want to know that your sitting in the bath right this second!
- I believe a lot of this comes down to common sense, and you judging the situation correctly. Always work cautiously, taking your time to make decisions.
Friday 31 October 2014
Schedule
Hey everyone! Hope you are all getting on ok.
I had a really great talk with Adesola on Friday morning. It has really helped me straighten out a few thoughts in my head. I feel confident with the themes I have discovered and feel excited to delve deeper in to them! It has also allowed me to create a plan for the next few weeks. Adesola reminded me that I need to stick to a tight scedule now to allow myself valuable time to write up the work.
So after our chat, I found myself sitting there for a good while making tonnes of notes!! This allowed me to look back at the scribbled notes I had written during our conversation and think a little more about what was said. I could then expand on certain areas and organise it all, which therefore made it a lot clearer in my head.
Scedule- Friday Oct 31st- Nov 9th
Literature- Although I have a fair amount of literature relevant to my themes, I have discovered deeper lines and so feel I need to find some more literature that applies. (Already finding some interesting pieces)
Organise- I will then print out all of my information and start sectioning it off in to my themes. So for example, give each theme a colour, look at the literature and highlight the relevant parts in this colour. I will then do the same with the data I have collected from people.
THEME- WHAT IM EXPLORING IN THEME- WHAT LITERATURE APPLIES TO IT- WHAT DATA APPLIES TO IT
Therefore all the ingredients are getting mixed together! :)
THEN....
Draft my Analysis the week starting November 10th!!
Once I have all my themes organised and sectioned out in to their colours, I can start drafting my analysis.
This is the heart of everyhing, it's what it's all about. I will start in the middle and then write outwards from there. Once I have that as my core, I will then be able to write the rest of my piece e.g I will know what I'm summarising in my introduction. I also feel that the analysis will take the most time to write so it's always good to start with the hard bit first!
I will keep you all updated with how it's going! :)
Thursday 30 October 2014
Where I'm at!
So as I said in my earlier posts I am looking to build a little more on the research I gathered last year. Am I on my way with this with just a few more areas I need to cover. I have also found a few more pieces of literature that I found to be very interesting.
My plan is to now get all of my information out in front of me and try to make sense of it all. This is quite daunting as there is so much information and its hard to know where to start!
My interviews, focus group, observational notes, surveys my action research as well as all of my literature.
The divisions-
My research is a variety of different ages, roles within this industry, nationality, different professions. With them all being at different points in their careers.
Can I see patterns emerging? Contrasts? Are these divisions showing drastic differences in the way different people conduct themselves? Or are the results quite similar?
As I explained in a earlier blog of mine ' Literature- Trying out a new method' I am using reader 7 as a guide with my literature. Applying this method to my new literature findings will help organise all of the information and make it more readable for me. I hope this will make it easier for me to compare and contrast the different pieces.
Action research-
Reflecting back on the whole process so far has taught me how important it is to be aware that I have my own strong opinions and to always remember that. As long as I am questioning things from different points of view and interpreting things in different ways I am broadening my knowledge and insight and leaving myself open for more information, combining these with my own strong opinions.
This then brings me on to my action research. It would seem silly to wait till the end of the inquiry process to try out new methods I have discovered when I could activately try them out myself during this process and use it as part of my research. I could sort of use it as a pilot type thing with my friends and see what they thought of it. How did It come across? What are their opinions on it? Is that method something I should apply when working with industry professionals in the future?
So in short, i still need to...
speak to a couple more people
experiment with my action research
Evaluate the new lit I have found so it's clear and organised (using my new method)
Add my last bits of info to what I already have/ notes I've already made from interviews obs etc.
start to evaluate and organise into sections- similarities, contrasts. What am I seeing?
Tuesday 28 October 2014
Reviewing module 2- changes/ changes from last year!
This blog
post is from last year before I interrupted the course. Luckily due to
the nature of my inquiry I feel I don't have to make too many changes.
However, because my situation has changed from this time last year, I
now find myself constantly surrounded by my research candidates. Some
areas are now more accessible which is great because if anything I can
acquire more information using different tools and methods. I also hope
that because it is a year on and our world and technologies are forever
developing and changing there is even more for me to get my teeth in to!
Reviewing module
2 and feedback given has really helped me get started and discover
changes I may want to make to my original plan.
"Aim is to develop beyond the module itself as I feel this is something I have learnt from my previous assignments"
My plan originally was all about me doing the inquiry and asking the questions, observing the situations and then somehow making conclusions about what I feel I have learnt and changes I might make to how I network. However, after the help of Adesola, I have realised how I can experiment myself with different approaches of networking as part of the research project and see how I feel. It would work well experimenting with close peers of mine and getting their feedback of how I came across. This is a perfect example of me putting myself in other people's shoes and being open to change. During the campus session Mimi Whitney explained how she experimented with all the journal writing methods in order to find which one worked best for her. This is exactly how I now want to work with the networking methods I come across. This new action research incorporated with the ideas I gather from my own research on others I hope will give me a significant amount of knowledge surrounding this subject. I also love the fact that I can explain first hand what the experience is like and as I keep saying, getting it from different points of view!
I
conducted several interviews, observations and surveys last year which I
felt at the time had given me enough information to get started.
However, a year has gone by and I am interested to see if there are any
changes in peoples responses and actions. I am lucky enough to have the
past information as a base for me but I am building on top of that by
asking more questions to different people and seeing if much has changed
In a year!
See the bold italic areas to see the changes from this post last year
-
I have decided to get rid of 'focus group' as an inquiry tool. As Paula
said in the session less is more and if I'm honest with myself, I find
it virtually impossible to get a group of my professional friends
together. As these where the people I was going to being focusing on
(employed and unemployed performers) I realise that a one to one
interview is more applicable and less time consuming (we don't have long
and trying to find a time when everyone is free together could prove
quite challenging!).
This
is the first big change being made. I said last year that I found it
virtually impossible to get together a group of my professional friends.
This is because at that time I was at home in Liverpool with family and
so not surrounded by my professional friends who are more
or less based in London. However this year I am lucky enough to be in a
professional job. I am currently performing in Starlight Express in
Bochum, Germany. This means that I work, live, eat and breathe with my
fellow cast mates which makes them very accessible! We have all been in
this together since February and so I have created some amazing friends
which I will have forever. It is such a big company with some cast
members having worked here for over 10 years! This is amazing for me as
it allows me to research a whole spectrum of people e.g different ages,
experience, nationality, roles and status within the building (ensemble,
principals, dance captain, choreographer, skate coach etc).
I
feel a focus group would sit well with my close friends within the
company as I know I would find it easy to get us all together in one
space.
-
I did originally plan to research professional performers within the
industry but I now feel it wiser to expand further by also interviewing
agents, directors and also other industry professionals in other
professions. Getting more opinions and thoughts from different types of
people status's and industries will allow me to discover themes (or not)
and relate and contrast to my own experiences and literature.
-
An overall aim for this process is to self reflect on my own history
and experiences more. Acknowledging my own unconscious actions in the
past (attending Laines taster course. Why? to get seen before my
audition? to catch someones eye and be a face rather than just a name?
Was i aware of this at the time? Moving to London to attend Laine
Theatre Arts. Did I realise then the importance of having Laines as a
credit? Did I know the effect it would have when going out in to the
real world? Also being accessible by being in London.
Reviewing Module 2
Adesola
agrees that this is a good observation and how important the actual
process is itself. When asked what and inquiry was in the campus
session, are explanation focused more upon the journey and learning
through the process itself, rather than the objective being about
finding a right or a wrong answer. We are all different and may find so
many different opinions and questions surrounding our topic. However, I
believe we should take the parts we feel will work for us and that are
relevant to are own practice and compare with the theories we don't
fully relate to in order to develop understanding and greater knowledge.
This we can then use to our advantage during our professional
practice.
Reviewing
module 2 I have realised how important it is to be aware that you have
strong opinions about your topic and to carry this thought with you from
the beginning to the end. Keep questioning the ideas and the way you
are reading things. This point that Adesola mentioned to me has really
stuck out. I have my own opinion already in mind but I shouldn't let
this hinder how I read or interpret any of the information. Make
yourself ask questions that you wouldn't necessarily ask to try and get a
different point of view . This then relates back to what I said earlier
about using all of what you accumulate, even if you don't necessarily
believe or understand it. The more we can put ourselves out there in
other people's shoes and question it even more so, the more we can
absorb an therefore develop our learning and knowledge.
Action Research? Yes sounds good to me!
My plan originally was all about me doing the inquiry and asking the questions, observing the situations and then somehow making conclusions about what I feel I have learnt and changes I might make to how I network. However, after the help of Adesola, I have realised how I can experiment myself with different approaches of networking as part of the research project and see how I feel. It would work well experimenting with close peers of mine and getting their feedback of how I came across. This is a perfect example of me putting myself in other people's shoes and being open to change. During the campus session Mimi Whitney explained how she experimented with all the journal writing methods in order to find which one worked best for her. This is exactly how I now want to work with the networking methods I come across. This new action research incorporated with the ideas I gather from my own research on others I hope will give me a significant amount of knowledge surrounding this subject. I also love the fact that I can explain first hand what the experience is like and as I keep saying, getting it from different points of view!
Developments-
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