Career Update...

So although many people think I had already left the ROH, I have in fact been on sabbatical for the last 10 months whilst I undertake my fellowship with the RSC and Magic Leap, whilst also undertaking the development of Rose Bruford's new Centre for Digital Production. I should, in theory, be returning in a couple of months to resume the lighting visualiser job that I love. However, I've decided to make the break a permanent one so I can pursue an exciting opportunity which I will of course share when the time is right.

I absolutely loved my job and was rightly proud of it and of the productions we all made together. Deciding not to go back was a hard decision but one thing I have learned during my year off is how important it is to keep challenging yourself, moving your skills forward and always looking to the future. I feel that this is my moment to embrace something really exciting that is happening and it is worth leaving something I love for.

I felt this deserved a soppy post and a video with some pictures of my life at the ROH (which makes it look like I never left the vision suite - which is true, or I spent all my time working on the Olivier Awards - which I wish was true!).

I survived 10 years, worked on 300 different productions, worked with over 50 different lighting designers and sent over 20,000 emails! While I worked here I got my Masters Degree and started my PhD. It took me through a period of my life when Vicky and I got married, bought our first house and had all three of our children - who all managed to make it in to hang out in my office before I left.

I worked with some amazing people, some of whom have left and others who still work there. I wish them all the very best for their future and the future of the ROH which I will look back on as being the happiest period of my life.

My top moments:

• Accidentally bumping into a Shetland Pony in the dark in the wings.
• Taking a bow on stage after lighting the Jette Parker Production with my parents in the audience.
• All of the Olivier Awards were a highlight, but the final one held at the ROH was special because I got to share it with my sister who was representing Kinky Boots as Deputy Wardrobe Mistress.
• Receiving the Hololens and the exhilaration of deploying to it for the first time.
• Sitting in the audience for the Nutcracker family performance, sharing what I do with my Isaac - who now loves that I do lights for theatres even though I technically don't anymore!
• Running down to the lighting systems office late on a Friday night to help Paul and Robin get some practical lanterns finished in time.
• Standing next to Steven Hawking in the wings during a Bafta Award
• Being invited to travel all the way to Australia to share the work that I do.
• Having some of my colleagues at my wedding to share our special day and making them feel part of my family.
• Getting a private audience with Elton John after they forgot to tell me to leave my office so I couldn't see him warming up.
• Getting the phone call that I had gotten the job in the first place which I will be eternally grateful for.
• Arriving a the o2 Arena to see my work on the visualisation realised so perfectly on such a massive scale without a problem.
• Every time a director, designer or lighting designer told me that the production couldn't have happened without the work that I do.
• Being proud to be part of an amazing and dynamic production environment every time I walked across the stage.