Project Mentor
Prof. Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer
Department: Dramatic Arts
Research Project Overview:
My creative project, Fire Season, is a podcast form audio drama about the US and Australian wildland firefighters. The story places these firefighters in actual fire events of the recent past and through this story the audience is exposed to important topics around climate change, land management, and international collaboration. I am both writing and directing the project, and the Summer will encompass, pre-production, design processes and recording sessions.
Role of a SHARE Summer Apprentice:
There are three potential opportunities on this project and there is some flexibility to tailor roles to the right applicant(s). The roles are:
- Assistant Sound Designer – sourcing and recording sound effect options for use by the Sound Designer. These sound effects will be integral to the building of the soundscape of the piece.
- Composer – composing and recording instrumental music which will support key moments in the audiodrama including emotional builds and scene changes, similar to the use of music in films.
- Production Assistant – This role includes helping to deal with the logistics of production including sourcing equipment, helping to create schedules, communicating with actors and members of the creative team, note taking during rehearsals and recording sessions (via Zoom)
If you have interest in more than one position, please state that. It may be possible to make a position a hybrid covering more than one area.
Summer Schedule/Time Commitment:
Both the Assistant Sound Designer and Composer positions have some flexibility around their start dates. Initial training and meetings can start in the final week of May up until mid-June. The work can run all the way through to the end of the SHARE Award timeline in August and work should be fairly evenly split over the weeks, with some flexibility to accommodate scheduling conflicts. There will be an initial hour-long online meeting which will introduce the project and help with structuring workflow, time management and communication, as well as 1-2 early conceptual meetings with myself and, if possible, the Sound Designer. After that check in meetings can be scheduled at mutually agreed times in order to give feedback on work and continued direction and support. I would expect to need to meet approximately once a fortnight for 30-60 minutes, but this can be adjusted to fit individual needs.
The Production Assistant role will begin in early July with an initial 1 hour Zoom meeting for training and then weekly check-in meetings to help with task management and training for the note taking and assistant role during the recording sessions. The role requires a concentration of time around mid-August (final dates TBD) when approximately six days of voice over recording to be done between 9am-5pm (breaks will be taken of course). Work during the recording period will take up roughly half the allocated hours. If there are any remaining hours left after the recording session, support with workflow to the sound editor would be appreciated and organized by mutual agreement with training given. This role is both integral to the project and includes ample opportunities for observation.
The timelines for all positions are detailed above. Any meeting will be made at mutually convenient times and apprentices are free to complete their weekly work at any time during the week, with the exception of the Production Assistant role in which specific scheduling around recording sessions is necessary. I like to work with an even split of weekly hours within the work period, but there is some flexibility to accommodate personal schedules.
Preferred Qualifications:
Students from the following programs are particularly encouraged to apply:
- DMD or Drama, with specific focusses in Sound Design, recorded media production or Stage Management
- Music with specific focus on composition
Formal education in these areas is welcome as is experience coming from extra-curricular activities or work experience.
To Apply:
The application opens on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Click here to submit an online application for this research apprenticeship through the Quest Portal. The application deadline is Friday, March 28, 2025, at 11:59pm.
Click here to view an outline of the general application questions. In addition to the general questions, students will be asked to provide a resume and respond to the following question:
- Please describe any experience you think is relevant to the position. (750 words max)
Please note:
All students hired for a SHARE Summer apprenticeship must complete a federal I-9 form and present original documents in person to OUR staff as part of the hiring process. Visit this U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services page for more information about acceptable documents. You cannot begin working until this is complete. Students are encouraged to plan ahead for this. For example, if you are going home for spring break, consider bringing original documents back to campus with you.