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Why am I running?

Hi team, my name is Fraser, and I am running for Equipment and Training Officer! Backstage has played a large role in my university experience, and I would love to be able to give back to the society by contributing my experience and organisational skills to the role of Equipment and Training. My experience in theatre tech both prior and during Backstage, as well as my degree involving electrical engineering would make me a highly suitable Officer, and I hope that you vote for me in the AGM!


What are my values?

- Confidence – One of my aims is to ensure any member of BSS will feel fully confident utilising any piece of equipment involved in a show, and hence I will ensure more equipment training sessions will be made available to members, as well as enabling members to request sessions to build confidence and knowledge.

- Preparation – I aim to guarantee all productions have suitable amounts of consumable materials to function (e.g., tape, batteries, etc.), and hence will build on the current system of shortage notification, to enable both visibility of the system as well as maintaining the prompt turnaround times for sourcing said consumables.

- Organisation – To ensure Backstage Society can function, I will ensure inventories of the stores (tech, set, 20D) are up to date – enabling both internal and external equipment/prop enquiries can be made as efficient as possible.

- Knowledge – My personal endeavours in theatre technician roles have provided me with ample relevant experience, enabling me to undertake this role in a competent and driven manner. In addition, I believe my experience in electrical engineering would suitably supplement this role, making me a suitable candidate for the position.


Why vote for me?
By voting for Fraser as Equipment and Training Officer you will guarantee a qualified and dedicated committee member and ensure Backstage Society will operate smoothly for the future. Improve Backstage and Vote for Fraser.

For those of you who know me: I’M BACK! For those of you that don’t know me: Hi, I’m James and I would love to be your E&T officer for 2023-24.

Although I've been very busy on placement 200 miles away in Reading this year, I still managed to get involved by seeing a few shows, and even being the LD for VF. I have a wide knowledge of the society having worked as a sound engineer, runner, AV designer, DSM, and many times as a lighting designer! In the future, I’d like to focus more on PM and advisory roles.

Next year I’ll be going into my 4th year of studying electronic and electrical engineering. My course enables me to have a good understanding of technical Backstage equipment, and I’m not afraid to solve problems using initiative, no matter how big or small. Communication, organisation and problem solving have all been key aspects of working with suppliers during my placement. This should come in very useful when managing our equipment, such as when something needs fixing or other societies want to borrow stuff.

Backstage has helped me grow my confidence. As E&T officer, I would love to give more new members the confidence to become involved in designing, by holding termly designer training sessions.

This will go hand in hand with general crew training, another key aim of mine for next year, and something I experienced at past training sessions and even helping run a 2021 Give-It-A-Go! I’m an approachable person and always offer as much help as I can when people are stuck. I will actively look to offer help to new members in a fun way.

I’ve met some awesome people through Backstage, and it’s amazing to watch a show come together from such a wide variety of talent, showing the importance of the society. I appreciate how vital it is to keep all our equipment in order and well stocked, helping keep the society functional for everyone to enjoy.

I can’t wait to get back to doing Backstage full time and coming to socials again. Having good relationships with the societies we work with will ensure that our shows can continue to be as unforgettably fun as possible for many more people in the future. I’d love to be a part of next year’s committee, offering new opportunities to others, and helping us deliver the best shows the Riley has ever seen!