TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Sharpie

Name Jennifer Kerr.

Job General manager.

Where Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Why is it important? Sharpies are a thin permanent marker with a fine point. We always have a lot around during the festival because artists use them to sign CDs, posters, T-shirts and even body parts. We also use Sharpies a lot in the office because they stick to whatever surface they go on. You don't want a poster signed for a sponsor to then get smudged. We use them for planning, too. About three years ago, our team sat down with a roll of butcher's paper and a bunch of Sharpies and planned what needed to be done for that year's event. We still do that, as we find planning [is better done by] getting away from the computer.

What do your colleagues think? People use them across our industry. In fact, I was introduced to Sharpies by the sound engineers when I worked at the Opera House. Now, I'm fiercely protective of my Sharpies — they tend to disappear.

Unusual moment? We had a

hip-hop brass band here a few years ago, and all my Sharpies disappeared because the signing was a mosh pit.

How much does it cost? About $4.50 and they come in different sizes. There's even an '80s glam pack I'm eyeing at the moment. It includes jelly pink — that's for the real enthusiast. But in festival terms, it's hardcore black all the way.

SUE WHITE