Who are you?
I am Stacy Kempton from Western Sydney. I started in the industry at the age of 15 as a volunteer in community theatre doing props and set construction. I then moved on to stage and fly tower before settling on lighting and lighting design. About 13 years ago I went back to TAFE to add audio to my repertoire and ended up teaching and being a Subject Matter Expert for their courses across the state in my original specialties. In my spare time, I enjoy camping and rock climbing, plus I am a practising lawyer when I get a chance with a focus on business, IP and WHS.
Describe the work you do
As the CEO of Prismatic Group Pty Ltd, I delegate to my gifted crew and ensure the business is always prepared to tackle any request because we pride ourselves on delivering customised services for standard and bespoke events. But I can still be found on a lighting desk or pushing road cases because I like to ensure I remain current and understand what each task requires across the company.
What led you to your current work?
From the first time I walked through a stage door, I felt like I was home when in the theatre or backstage at an event. What started as a dodgy PA and lighting rig that spent more time set up in my lounge room than at venues, is now a warehouse full of production gear, props, costuming, and anything else we need to be a one-stop-shop for theatre, film, and events; not to mention a crew of industry professionals who can do anything from design an event from scratch, to direct a feature film.
I set out to make a company that would give people who were passionate a leg-up in the entertainment and events industry, and we went through a large expansion post-Covid to make sure that happened.
What are you working on now or about to start work on?
Our team have just finished a youth theatre production, live action role play (LARP) event, and we are about to go into our music and corporate AGM season along with some install work. Over the last year, we have worked on corporates including multiple awards dinners, theatre, music, community and a variety of other events and shows. We also have venues that we manage or support, with the most unusual being the Hawkesbury Paddle Wheeler.
What are the good things about your job?
We get to merge art with technology every day working with other creatives to make something new or exciting. I also love as CEO, getting to see the team learn, grow and express their own creativity to push the limits of what we are told is possible.
What are the worst things about your job?
I guess the muddy clean-up after a torrential downpour at an outdoor gig can be pretty bad… but that is part of the job, and we get it done with some jokes to lighten the mood.
What, so far, has been your career highlight?
The answer has evolved over time. Once it was the big gigs, but now it is the small wins when a team member achieves a new skill or does a design that is beyond their expectations. It is also all the talent I get to work with both in our team and on stage, it is a pretty unique and creative community.
What is the most blatant example of sexism you have encountered at work?
When I started in the industry, I applied for a job at a venue and was told I needed to go to WAPPA and get a degree if I wanted a job in spite of my experience. The next guy through the door, with no experience, was hired.
More recently, we quoted a gig with three over-qualified team members (all female or non-binary) and were told we needed to beat an equivalent quote if we wanted the job. The equivalent quote was for one man to operate grandMA, Vision, FOH audio, monitors for multiple acts including a 7-piece band and do all the stage changeovers, a set of tasks that would be too difficult for a single person.
Our team, like many people in the industry, is incredibly talented and highly trained; it is difficult to see talent in the industry go to waste because of outdated attitudes to gender and diversity.
What advice would you give to any woman thinking of a career in the entertainment industry?
I give the same advice to anyone entering the industry, regardless of gender. Be good at what you do and find people that support you. To be good and to find the right people, you need to invest your time in training, volunteering, work experience, applying for paid roles and networking. But don’t volunteer too much, because it can start to make you and the world around you think your work doesn’t have value, but if you have skills then there is value in them.
Also, we can do long days sometimes or be pushed to do some tasks that seem impossible, but it should be within the legal guidelines and you should always be treated with respect.
What is your career goal?
Currently, I am focused on the team’s career goals and making sure we are sustainable for the future. We have some exciting projects coming up in film, themed social events and theatre. We are also starting our own annual festivals and industry conventions program which will expand our team beyond our production roles into more events management.
