Who We Are
Tech Without Tears is a full service Production Management, Technical Direction, and Production Video company founded by Jenny Beth Snyder and Aaron Gonzalez. We provide the expertise to get your show from imagination to realization. Communication is key. Let’s chat it up! Feel the freedom to dream big and let us hone it to fit within your financial realities. But don’t be fooled, there are so many ways to achieve your dreams. Creative problem solving is our jam.
We also come with a hefty crew of committed and talented doers. Carps, Electrician, Sound Humans, Video Humans, Drivers, Lifters, spontaneous dance partiers, and we are always looking to add to our roster.
What We Do
Production Management
Pre-production
Calendar creation and management. Liaison between Producer and the Venue. Designer wrangling. Shop/vendor coordination/negotiation. Scheduling and hiring of all technical crew for load-in and strike. Processing timesheets and necessary paperwork for all overhire technical crew. Budget maintenance and receipt tracking.
On Site Management
Present for load in, tech rehearsal and strike to field questions/requests as needed. Run production meetings after previews. Available for correspondence throughout run to facilitate problem solving any malfunctions of touring company’s equipment.
Technical Direction
Pre-production
Attend production meetings. Sourcing/pricing all materials needed to execute the design. Liaison among vendors and designers for substitutions if needed. Working with Production Manager on orders, cost management, and labor overhire.
On Site Technical Direction
Implementing the load-in and strike plan. Oversight of all labor crews. Liaison between venue supervisors and touring company. Design installation. Attend production meetings following tech rehearsals and previews.
Production Video
Pre-production
Attend production meetings. Sourcing/pricing all materials needed to execute the design. Liaison among vendors and designers for substitutions if needed. Working with Production Manager on orders, cost management, and labor overhire. Same as a TD but with added knowledge of video systems.
On Site Production Video
Implementing the load-in and strike plan. Oversight of all labor crews. Liaison between venue supervisors and touring company. Design installation. Attend production meetings following tech rehearsals and previews. Read the performance reports. Troubleshoot/resolve any technical issues that may arise during the run.
Scenic
Depending on the demands of the build and the abilities/limitations of the venue, we either construct the set in the space, or shop it out. Usually there is a combination of the two. Our carpenters vary in special skills which we call upon per the needs of the scenic build including but not limited to; rigging, welding, painting, and fire inspection.
Lighting
Our lighting technicians possess excellent knowledge and skill. Be it Master Electrician, Programmer, or Board Op, our team is willing to jump in and get their hands dirty. Power distribution, cable runs, instrument hang, supplemental rental package consultation, practical fixture manufacturing, and of course…LED tape. Soooo much LED tape.
Audio/Video
Ah, the illusive AV tech. These humans the most difficult to keep around in the Off B-Way world, but we got ‘em! Signal flow, supplemental rental package consultation, rental package installation, system ring out, live show mixing, and the inevitable mid-run wireless speaker malfunction trouble shooting.
Wardrobe
If your show has as many fabulous costume changes as we all wish for, we work with wardrobe supervisors who brandish the skill and grace to make to quick-changes and maintain the integrity of the design throughout the duration of the run. We make sure to work with individuals who understand the importance of the energy backstage.
Trucking
Driving a box truck in and around NYC is the work of either a madman or a genius. Either way, our crew has the chops. Whether it is the long hall to ABC or the bowels of Brooklyn industrial centers, they got it covered. Two person team minimum.
Eco Friendly Construction
Where the heart meets the wallet. We strive to reuse materials, and build in ways that leave materials reusable. We also seeks to pass on our unwanted materials after strike, and if we cannot, we dispose of building materials in recycling centers rather than landfills.
Click here to check out some images of past work!
