Caroline Mace from ei Productions, a professional lighting and audio company that was formed in 1979 and is currently based at West Gosford on the Central Coast of NSW.
Describe the work you do
Hmmm … CFO of ei Productions but also one of the owners and one of the 2 people who started this company many years ago. My work includes looking after all the money/financing/cash flow/payments. However, I’m also VERY active in equipment purchasing decisions and also have no problem getting on the floor and helping the crew with Test/Tagging and cabling de-prep.
What led you to your current work?
I’m married to the other owner of ei Productions and we both started this business back in the 1980s
What are you working on now or about to start work on?
I’m always busy working on cash flow (keeping it on the positive side), invoicing, payments to crew and suppliers, working on tour + show budgets and talking to suppliers about gear purchasing.
What are the good things about your job?
Working on a company we built from scratch makes me very proud. Working with the great team we have around us. The satisfaction of seeing some of the amazing shows we do.
What are the worst things about your job?
The stress that is created by high expectations and low budgets – this is especially exasperated when it’s happening across several tours/shows at the same time.
What, so far, has been your career highlight?
A business trip to Italy with one of our suppliers where I met some great people, had some fantastic food and had amazing experiences.
What is the most blatant example of sexism you have encountered at work?
Hasn’t happened for a long time to me, but at one stage I used to be the Plus-1 on any industry event invitation even though I was one of the company owners.
What advice would you give to any woman thinking of a career in the entertainment industry?
There are so many carrier paths in the Entertainment Industry and I think some are more suited to women than others. I guess find something you like to do and that you’re good at, stick with it and do it to the best of your ability and it shouldn’t matter if you’re a woman or not. Yes, it’s a male-driven industry right now, and even more so in the past, but all of the guys I know and work with don’t have any issues having me working with them.
What is your career goal?
To have an ongoing, successful business that I can balance with a decent lifestyle.
