MPH Australia is the Employer of Choice for production lighting. Here’s what employees can expect…

Cohesive vision

  • Career-building

We are lights. We are a leader in the lighting production industry in safety, innovation and operations.

We deliver lighting production that exceeds our Client’s goals and inspires their customers.

We want to work with passionate people who care about safety and lighting.

Formal training and accreditation programs

  • Career-building

Training is essential for all staff, so we have several concurrent training programs.

On-the-job training, where experienced people informally train others in techniques, practices, skills and approaches. Typically following a “Watch me / I’ll watch you” guidance style. This happens many times a day.

Internal Organised Training, where in-house trainers lead staff through an established lesson plan to learn a skill the company requires. Often around company policies and procedures. A few times a month. New training modules are being developed constantly.

External Training, where MPH pays for training provided by third parties (and of course, pays the employee for their time while attending the training). Courses like scaffolding, EWP, Heavy Rigid truck, forklift, working safely at heights, and various rigging certifications are common. These are offered to staff during their employment, commensurate with their role and duties.

MPH partners with Industri Education, who are developing a two-year Associate degree in Live Production. MPH is providing course design advice, and the MPH warehouse will be a venue used frequently for training. MPH staff will have the option of attending some modules.

Jay Chou is set up and ready to go. All lighting for this stadium show by MPH.

Process driven

  • Clear expectations, Empowering

Producing lighting shows is a process, and while every show brings some unique opportunities, there’s a lot they have in common too! Our Production Process details each step of making a Job happen safely, with minimal friction and meeting the Client’s vision. The process was built from employee input, and the process continues to improve over time.

From clear processes, we make training modules. Once training is completed, employees can work autonomously.

The Production Process includes a “retrospective analysis” section where staff on a show look critically at the show and ask “How can we improve?”. As necessary, the Production Process is revised and additional training is organised.

Clear expectations

  • Empowering

We believe that setting clear expectations is essential. When the company makes it clear what’s expected, employees can do their work without “asking for permission” or being closely managed – they can work autonomously, making decisions that benefit the Client and the company.

Each person on a show has clearly assigned responsibilities (and learning objectives). In our warehouse, each morning a “toolbox” meeting discusses safety and tasks for today (it’s on the whiteboard as well). Every employee has a Position Description.

Growing and dynamic

  • Exciting

We’re growing at a fast pace – more equipment, larger jobs, more staff, larger warehouses, more trucks. It’s exciting, but also has caused some “growing pains” we’re trying to manage (setting clear expectations is one of the ways we’re improving). New equipment needs to be integrated into our systems, and we learn how to maximise the benefit of it.

A fascinating "collapsing" design for the I Am Hardstyle show, seen here from backstage.

Safety focus

  • Table stakes

People’s safety is always our highest priority in the warehouse, and out on show. Safety is part of how we do things – it’s embedded into every policy and process “on paper”, but also in practise. We have a culture of discussing issues and finding the safe way to meet Clients’ needs.

Senior Lighting Technician Jake moves equipment for a Job.

Pay

  • Table stakes

We stick to all conditions of the generous Live Performance Award at a minimum and are typically exceeded. This includes:

  • All travel and allowances are covered when touring
  • Convenient RDO scheme
  • Touring employees are paid for travel time and days off on tours
  • Superannuation is paid at the government-mandated rates

Weekly on a pay cycle, without fail.

Structured org chart

  • Table stakes

We have a solid organisational structure – part of our “clear expectations” policy is that everyone knows who their manager is at any one time.

Work on exciting tours, festivals, events

  • Exciting

With an average of three Jobs a week (many more in the busy season between Sep to Apr), there’s always something new and different to work on. Touring musical acts and festivals are our most common work, but architectural, schools, and worship events are rapidly growing sectors we’re proud to serve as well.

Still setting up Transmission dance party.

Work with qualified experts and industry leaders

  • Career-building

MPH employs qualified expert riggers and electricians, who are available to all staff for support and informal mentoring.

MPH also employs industry leading Lighting Technicians who regularly put together shows with hundreds of DMX-controlled fixtures, complex data networks, and safe distributed power networks at scale.

A view from the power distro racks at a Yungblud concert. Bottom left, a RoboSpot controller (remote follow-spot)

Clean and organised

  • Table stakes

Our warehouse is spotless and organised. Recurring processes and standards are well-defined, and more being added all the time, to reduce ambiguity. Each type of equipment follows a detailed de-prep process, so it’s for hire on the next show.

Warehouse Technicians Charlie and Ollie talk with Lighting Technician Max about fixture de-prep.

Working conditions for touring employees

  • Clear expectations, Work-life balance

We always seek employee agreement to work outside “Ordinary Hours” and for touring employees, clearly provide the estimated workdays and times in advance. Rosters are released a week in advance and seldom change. All time tracking is electronic, from a smartphone app. Work schedule changes are always open to discussion.

Strict policies in place for the quality of accommodation for touring staff.

Modern inventory

  • Career-building, Exciting

We frequently purchase new inventory to meet our Clients’ needs. Typically, this is LED-based IP-65 moving lights (higher IP ratings decrease turn-around time, as ensure inside components stay cleaner).

And not just moving lights – we’re on a mission to remove all Australian plugs and sockets from our systems, so we’re only using Tru1 connectors for all appliances. This reduces connections and increases reliability. We’re constantly modernising our power and data racks to be more functional, reliable, safer, and easier to use.

Warehouse Technician Daniel assembles clamps.

Visionary leadership

  • Career-building

Our leader, Matt Hansen, has been an industry professional for around 30 years. His leadership helps us keep perspective on what’s important (safety, processes, improving), but also feel part of a team of experts and deliver high quality jobs to Clients.

Senior Account Manager Michael has also been an industry professional for around 30 years (more info). His industry knowledge of equipment, systems, logistics, venues and promoters helps us strategically win bids then execute on Jobs to an extremely high standard.

Matt and Michael are accessible to all employees for career advice and mentoring.

Technical Supervisor Tim takes a break from prepping a Job.

Opportunity to make a difference

  • Career-building, Exciting

We’re growing, but we’re still a small company. Everyone makes meaningful work contributions – even junior roles. Employees’ input into processes and systems improvement is always considered and usually incorporated.

100% Australian owned

  • Nice to have

MPH is currently and plans to remain Australian owned and operated.

Access to gigs

  • Exciting, Nice to have

Employees may have opportunities to attend shows MPH works on, even if they are not assigned work on that show… and usually with a “plus 1”.

Green focus

  • Nice to have

MPH has a strong focus on “being green”. Some examples include, washing and reusing cloths to clean equipment, encouraging re-usable food packaging, recycling as much waste as possible, reducing energy usage, repairing items whenever possible, and printing minimally.

There’s a lot more work to do, and our five-year green plan sets out our challenges in detail (ask to check it out when you come in for an interview!).

Graceful exits

  • Career-building

MPH has a place for long term employees advancing though our “Levelling up” process to gain increased skills and greater responsibilities. We accept that some people want to move on, and we make that transition process easy and friendly. We support people exiting by offering genuine verbal references, and a standing offer to return to work at MPH in the future.