Everyone knows what happens on the stage during a performance. What few people are aware of is what happens behind the scenes. The Dibden audio-visual (AV) crew has duties that go unseen by most people, but are nonetheless important.

The AV crew has the responsibility of creating archives of show recordings, streaming shows online for viewers that can’t attend, as well burning show recordings onto DVDs for resumés of the performers and crew members.

Heather St. Arnault is the AV master, and has the responsibility of training crew members alongside Mckenna Bovey and Nathaniel Garland, two of her crew members.

“I explain how each shot can affect the outcome of the film,” St. Arnault said. “I am also the one who tries to find solutions to problems.”

Aimee Wolfe is the hospitality master, and also works as IT for the AV crew.

Other crew members include Brady McNeil, Quincy Walter, Kemal Onor, Alexis Bush and Jared Asher.

McNeil described his favorite experience working with the AV crew so far.

“When I worked the Daddy Mac show. It was my first show filming independently, and it was very fun. I had a great time working with the AV crew, because they were super inviting and very friendly towards me, making my new job feel almost natural.”

Meanwhile. St. Arnault’s favorite experiences are when she gets to work on dance shows.

“Working on the dance shows is always fun, because this is the time where camera artwork can show,” St. Arnault said. “Just by watching the practices, I try to picture it as though it’s going to be on TV. Trying to find the best shots.”

Bovey noted concern over the state of the equipment that the AV crew owns.
“Currently, we borrow it from GMA-TV, the local area access television station, and the equipment is pretty nice, but it’s not our own, so we’re constantly worrying about getting the rights for content,” Bovey said. “Because if we don’t, we have to use our own equipment, which is several years out of date”
Bovey also mentioned that it’s not the fault of the theater itself; it’s the fact that the theater has a budget that’s currently not able to cover what every department needs.

“Right now, there are leaks all over the theater, and the budget is stretched thin across all the departments,” Bovey said.

Multiple members of the crew stated that the AV crew works together like a family.

“The other members of the crew are like a big family,” Garland said. “Heather is like the mother of the family raising us (Me, Quincy, Brady, Kamal, Mekenna, Alexis), her children.”
According to St. Arnault, being a part of the AV crew gives the opportunity to turn a hobby into a job. She has been working with video production for over seven years previous to joining the crew. Bovey agrees with this sentiment.

“I’m a double major in History and English, so I don’t really have much of a chance to be creative, but my job in Dibden allows me for to do that,” Bovey said. “So, the best part is the creativity.”