File puptcrit/puptcrit.0908, message 29


From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 17:19:55 -0400
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] re. interns


I am fascinated to see so many different vews on this topic.
>From those who are appaled and see abuse everywhere, to those who see 
apprenticeship as a godsend for both parties, and all shades in between.

As a perpetual student of Puppetry, I am often on the side of learning, and 
will again and again meet and work with people who know and have experienced 
more than I do.
As with any situation where people are involved, either abuse or great 
mutual gain can happen.
Let's not forget that the intern is not automatically a victim trapped in a 
situation. He/she can decide, after getting as much information as possible, 
to get in on the fun or not. They can usually decide to leave if they are 
feeling abused.

There is more to a salary than the dollar amount, when one really thinks 
about it.
A wise person I have the honor of calling a friend, told me that no matter 
what you offer, a commercial transaction is a relationship. I now feel that 
both parties must feel that they are being appreciated and respected, for 
that relationship to be a successful one.


One example from an intern:
I am very grateful to Ann Legunn of the PuppeTree (Vermont), for providing 
me with the opportunity  to go on my first puppetry tour in 2007. Her 
interns get to help build or repair the show, and then perform it on tour. 
I learned a lot about Puppetry and more, got to see a bit of the United 
States, , met a few colleagues, and gained the confidence I needed to be 
able to call myself a performing puppeteer.


One example from someone "hiring" an intern:
Last year, on an independent film project, my colleague and I needed extra 
help on the set building, but litterally had no budget for it. Another 
colleague I had met in a mask movement workshop offered to help, as puppetry 
is one of his passions, and he had Theatre Carpentry experience.
Turns out he has a very sharp mechanical mind, and he helped us solve two 
major problems, as well as building some very sturdy extra structures.

I felt a bit guilty at first, even before we started, that we could not 
spend more time showing him all the techniques we were using for the film 
(which we did as much as we could anyways).
Then he reassured us by saying that he was getting a lot from it.
I soon realized how keen an observer he is (he is a writer), and how his few 
questions were so targeted that he would get the most out of any situation. 
For the days he was available to work, he was always there as early as we 
were, working efficiently, looking like a monk in meditation. Truly an 
inspiration.

This year, thanks to him, I had a manual labor contract, helping a local 
theatre move storage area. I got to meet all these people and get well paid 
for this very interesting opportunity for the future.
The theatre in question is an English speaking one. And I had never had any 
contact with them in Montreal, as both the French and English theatre 
communities seem to be operating very indepedently from each other.

He moved back to his home province a few months ago, but I hope we get to 
work together again.

Life wants us to live abundance. It is up to us to make sure we remain aware 
and available and active to see it happen, and make it happen.
Many situations are golden opportunities that we may not see at first.



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