Why The Directors Connection?
I have been floating the idea of some sort of networking event for directors for years, but have only now managed to actually do something about it.
Having run many workshops on directing over the years, and fielding many questions from past attendees still to this day, I’m struck by the fact that there is a huge pool of knowledge and experience out there. Many of us are only too happy to share this with others, but there currently exists no mechanism for us to do so.
That’s where The Directors Connection comes in.
Being able to connect with others who have previously done the show you’re currently working on is invaluable. In fact, just this week I rang Grant to say, “Hey, when you did Wicked in Wellington, did you do the thing where…?”
That kind of connection is incredibly useful. It’s good to make contacts and to share knowledge about what is happening in the community, talk about rights, discuss what was successful (and what was not), and share war stories that remind us all that everyone has problems sometimes – and how we might have overcome them – or not!
Directing can also seem a very lonely experience. You’re not part of the cast, or the crew, or the production team, and a huge weight is upon your shoulders.
But being able to have other directors – people you have met through a networking event, for example – to reach out to can help you feel more in control and less alone.
The Directors Connection is an opportunity to bring that wealth of knowledge and experience together. To make contacts, share ideas, ask questions, talk about the challenges we face, and perhaps discover that whatever problem you are dealing with, someone else has been there too.
Most importantly, it’s about connection – because directing doesn’t have to be something you do alone.
— David Adkins
THE DIRECTORS CONNECTION
Saturday 10 October • 7.30pm
Taylors on Hurstmere
