Riggers take entertainment to greater heights

When it comes to lifting the entertainment industry is unlike a few others. Mission Impossible. Need I say more? As Tom Cruise scales the highest buildings in the world or hangs off the side of aircraft – all in the name of entertainment – behind the scenes are a group of riggers who have made his impossible mission possible. It is a sector, says Paul Fulcher, managing director of Rigging Services, a UK-headquartered company that specialises in lifting solutions for the entertainment industry, that comes with a range of demands and requests that sometimes defy any logic. “The entertainment sector is very different to most other sectors when it comes to lifting and rigging. Yes, there are similarities and overlaps, but unlike the rest of the industry in the entertainment sector we purposely break many of the rules that exist in most lifting circumstances.” The biggest of these is probably the fact that loads are deliberately lifted over people and sometimes, thousands of people at a time. “In all rigging, you will be told again and again to not lift anything over people as it is a real safety risk. Much of the lifting in the entertainment sector, however, happens above the heads of people and it is done on purpose. Whether it is equipment or décor on a stage being moved from one place to another, lights and other paraphernalia or even performers themselves, it is often done with people down below.” The other major difference, says Fulcher, is it is quite common that the lifting being done involves multiple lifting operations all at the same time. “We worked on an event in Holland – working above a large audience in a stadium involving more than 1000 hoists. It is complex and requires multiple lifting solutions at the best of times.” According to Fulcher, another major aspect to consider in the entertainment sector is that, unlike most sectors, there are no second chances.

“If you don’t get the lift right there is no show. There is no second or even third attempt.” “When the show starts the performance has to take place. There are no excuses.” Furthermore, he explains, that build times are exceptionally short, sometimes only a few hours are available to install the rigging. “It is undoubtedly a very unique industry that comes with a huge responsibility. Riggers have to be

well-trained and experienced.” “The ability to think outside of the box is very important while it is also advantageous to have as wide as a possible skill set.” He says in the entertainment sector, like most other sectors that require heavy lifting, the importance of ongoing training cannot be overemphasized. “Training ensures a competent workforce be it in entertainment or the industrial sector.” “If you are, however, moving from the industrial or commercial sectors to operate in the entertainment sector you will be required to undergo some further training due to some of the skills riggers in this sector are required to have that are not necessarily needed in others.” He says much of this added training is around understanding the culture of the entertainment sector which is extremely unique. “The competencies required around general health and safety regulations, the standards that apply, working at heights and load-lifting are all very similar to the industrial sector, but you would need to have detailed knowledge about the specific equipment that is utilized for many events and shows that can be different to normal rigging.” Fulcher says the rigging skills and techniques applied are also slightly different when it comes to an event, show, concert or production. “There is an endless list of aspects that the rigger is expected to understand and contend with along with the overall visual concept that the producer of the event is trying to achieve.” A rigger must be able to guide producers and directors of events as well. “Many solutions used within the industry require an in-depth understanding of the equipment and linking that to the director’s vision.” “Managing expectations is therefore a big part of the job. Once you have committed to the production requirements, it needs to be delivered and therefore you need to be involved in the show development from the get-go to ensure that deliverables are achievable.”

Like many industries, the entertainment industry was highly impacted by the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Around the world events, shows and performances came to an immediate standstill. According to Fulchers, this had a direct impact on riggers working in the sector. “It is an industry that is fueled and powered by a large army of freelance contractors that were all instantly out of work and left without any assistance.” The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the entertainment sector was one of the last industries to return to work and is still not completely back up and running as many venues still face restrictions in terms of the number of people allowed on premises. “Our sector saw a mass exodus of riggers during the Covid pandemic. People with decades of experience left and have not returned,” he explains. “This has left our sector reeling. As events start taking off again and shows and concerts are taking place again along with theatre and movie productions, there is a critical shortage of qualified and experienced riggers to service this industry.” “As the world returns to normal we are seeing a huge skills shortage.” Another concern is the fact that many recruits are now wary of the sector due to the massive impact of the pandemic and are opting to rather use their skills in the industrial sector for fear of being left jobless. “We have to train recruits while at the same time try to get some of the experience we have lost back in our industry.”

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