Author Topic: SM Portfolio?  (Read 4769 times)

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lilmonki in black

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SM Portfolio?
« on: Oct 28, 2007, 03:35 pm »
I'm currently taking a portfolio class.  We're getting ready for the 'real world'.  My teacher (who is a designer) told me that my portfolio for SM should contain pictures, and that's about it. 

He says if I'm being interviewed as a stage manager, they are just going to assume that I know how to notate blocking, schedule, and such things.  I'm not sure I agree with him.  My work happens in my prompt book.  Even if I'm horrible at my paperwork and notation (which I hope I'm not  ;) ) the play could still look good.  And besides... what kind of pictures would a stage manager put in a portfolio?  I'm fairly confused at this.  I have interviewed for positions before, and I've always had a prompt book at the ready. 

So.  I suppose the real questions I'm asking are these... what is in your portfolio?  Do you even have a portfolio?  Do you use your best prompt book as your portfolio?  Any help on this subject would be appreciated. 
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LisaEllis

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Re: SM Portfolio?
« Reply #1 on: Oct 28, 2007, 03:52 pm »
Nobody's looked at my portfolio since senior year of college.  That's a good thing, since it got water damaged during a move and I had to throw it out.

I had various design and drafting projects from my classes, etc.   I had a portfolio page for each show I worked on with the program title page and a couple of cool-looking photos.  And my production books.  When we did portfolio review every year, each student had a table to display on.  Stage managers were always the most boring displays, so you tried to liven it up with a table cloth, candy, etc.  By senior year you didn't display drafting from freshman year, so maybe I had a book open to a complicated cueing sequence.   Whoo-hoo.

Since college, it's all been emailing my resume around.  And references.  I've never had someone ask to look at a produciton book before they hire me.  And now I don't keep my books...they're kept by the company that did the show, for their archives.  So all I have is my resume and references.  I try to keep a program from shows, so I can someday make a scrapbook or something.  But that's about it.

So, if your class is doing a portfolio presentation, try to make it as interesting as possible.  Photos, programs, etc., but also include your book.  That's the physical work you produced.

Hope that helps!

MatthewShiner

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Re: SM Portfolio?
« Reply #2 on: Oct 28, 2007, 07:20 pm »
For professional jobs, all they are ever going to ask you for is your resume and an interview.  Maybe for internships or entry level jobs, or possibly applying for school, they may ask to see a copy of a production book or sample paper work.

Your teacher is right, everyone is going to assume you know the basics.  But pictures?  I am not sure why.  I didn't design it.  A simple set show could be very, very complicated. 

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erin

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Re: SM Portfolio?
« Reply #3 on: Oct 28, 2007, 09:06 pm »
The only time i've ever needed a portfolio was grad school admissions.    Anyone in the real world is going to be more interested in your references than anything you manufacture.   Hiring a stage manager is more like hiring a baby sitter than  an architect.    Who you've worked with is far more telling than any physical, tactile results that could be shoved into a portfolio.

Photos?   Are you also doing design work?  What kind of photos demonstrate your ability to stage manage? 

The only things i would expect in an SM portfolio are programs with your name credited as SM, and samples of paperwork.  Maybe a sample calling script.   

Jessie_K

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Re: SM Portfolio?
« Reply #4 on: Oct 29, 2007, 11:32 am »
When I first graduated, I made myself a portfolio with sample of calling sheets, run sheets, etc.

I never once used it for anything.  In fact, it is still in my closet untouched.  I am sure it is beautiful, but it hasn't been useful.

However, for a few recent interviews, I did bring along a few pages of sample paperwork.  But that was mostly just to show off (make me memorable) because they were in Chinese.

 

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