A highlight from AV Spotlight

Meet Meg Sciarini-Smith, she works for a multinational corporation that at this time will remain redacted. Smith is currently working with the signal flow, which is a fancy way of saying machines or devices that work together to create something bigger. Her main goal is to ensure that these products she works with are capable of being used in tandem with larger devices. If the product doesn’t work, Smith finds people that can help make it work.

You’re not learning if you aren’t making mistakes. – Meg Sciarini-Smith

According to Smith, she “fell backward straight into” this world. Stemming from an interest in photography, an accidental step into film, followed by film classes in college, Smith recalls always loving the arts. A participant in college theater, Smith started working with professors to integrate video into the theater space. Throughout this journey, it became clear to Smith that she found great inspiration from content design. Smith recalls her passion truly igniting during a weekend trip to the University of North Carolina to view a Cirque Du Soleil show. It was after this show that Smith’s interest, determination, and grit awarded her with a technician role for Cirque Du Soleil.

When talking about working with Cirque, Smith recounts the many families that made road life work. Whether it was young cast members working while attending school, or a mother raising her fourth child, there were ways to adapt. Smith notes that the Las Vegas lifestyle is more permitting for a person that will ideally settle down, as Vegas supports this way of life.

Proud of herself, Smith humbly reflects on her journey and how she got to the ambitious level of success working for a world class theater company. A true go-getter, Smith claims it was her ability to absorb anything, to be a sponge. Within three to four years, Smith was able to diversify her background despite her original interest stemming specifically from art. Smith followed handbooks and the experiences of others. After falling injured, Smtih began freelancing, delving back into her original passion of content creating. It was through this that she got picked up by Criss Angel and his tour. Here, Smith worked with lighting and different consoles.

Looking back, Smith acknowledges the path that got here to this place. When reflecting on her biggest mistakes, Smith says, “You’re not learning if you aren’t making mistakes.” Smith continues, “I make all new mistakes, and that means I’m learning,” cementing Smith’s mantra of never making the same mistake twice. Her biggest mistakes, she notes, include a mishap with the launching of an image on a screen during her first solo show along with both her and her boss sticking their fingers in a fogger and being electrocuted.

Aside from changing fogger’s and their user-friendliness, Smith says she dreams of dealers understanding that products should not be compartmentalized for one use. Smith states, “You can create a product for intended use, but if you box yourself in to make that the only thing it can do, then it better do it damn near perfect, and well, and all the time…when you box yourself in…that is your market.” Smith wishes for a world where manufacturers were prepared for their customers to want more out of a product. She encourages those involved in product design and assistance to use these moments of pressure as teachable opportunities. If the question is solved once, it will solve a larger issue eventually.

At the close, Smith reminds listeners that she can be found via Twitter @MachinaMeg.

What’s in your backpack?