Sunday, 20 October 2013

Volunteering/Work Experience Ideas

Task for Thursday 17th:
You are to research and develop a proposal for a voluntary position/work experience activity to engage with by 1st January 2014. Try to be bold in your selection and do not be put off by thinking it won't happen (three years ago one student spent time with Rankin; so be bold and determined).
Develop a letter/application and a rationale for why you consider it appropriate.
Volunteering and work experience ideas:
  • Amberly museum printing workshop
  • Charity shop window dressing
  • Work experience with Lez Brotherston, stage, set and costume designer
  • Marks and Spencer promotional design team
  • Work with local graphic designer
For my work experience I have decided to write to Lez Brotherston in the hope to gain a day or two work experience with him. The chances of this happening are very slim, but it can't hurt to try, especially as I will be seeing his work at the upcoming performances of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake. Lez Brotherston is an award winning British set and costume designer, working extensively on film, operas, dance, theatres and musicals.

I first came across Lez when my godmother sent me a DVD for my birthday of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, her favourite ballet, she'd already told me a lot about, knowing how interested in dance I was. My mum and I sat down to watch the film production and were instantly engaged by the familiar Tchaikovsky accompaniment to the not so familiar choreography. As the performance progressed we began to notice the interesting costume and sets, showing thought out designs, with the sets focusing on perspective and the costumes on original creativity.


The first live performance I'd seen using Lez's designs was Edward Scissor Hands by Matthew Bourne at Sadlers Wells in London. I remember being in awe at the set in particular, and how the dancers incorporated the constructions and props into the performance working with it and around it.


Lez's work is inspirational to me, to be able to spend any amount of time with him, talking about his work and how he got to where he is now would be wonderful. If this doesn't work out I have plenty of other ideas, but if you never try, you never know, I think this quote from Lez sums this up quite nicely,

"You have to feel comfortable enough to say "Here's an idea, it may be terrible" because out of something terrible, something great may happen."

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