Author Topic: Good day!  (Read 3277 times)

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bkrst275

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Good day!
« on: Jan 24, 2014, 05:00 pm »
My name is Brandon, and I am currently studying for my B.F.A. in Stage Management at Small Midwestern U! (No, that's not the actual name of my school, but I think it would give too much away if I actually named my school. It's tiny.) I have been doing theatre since middle school, and stage management since I was a sophomore in high school.

One interesting thing that happened quite recently, I was an ASM for a musical production at my college. The designers had the brilliant idea of dressing part of the ensemble as "stardrops", which involved the careful creation of vests implanted with tiny LEDs and battery packs. The director (let's call her "Lisa") absolutely loved the idea from the moment it was suggested in a production meeting. Finally, during tech week, we got the vests from wardrobe and electrics. "Lisa" decided she didn't like the choreography in conjunction with the light-up vests. After trying two different setups, she decided to set the vests aside and "deal with them later." At final dress, when the SM asked about the vests, "Lisa" answered "If we have time, we'll get to them, but I'm telling you right now that we won't have time." Ultimately, the vests were not seen onstage until months later, when a student-run improv show used them for a short skit culminating in their SM calling from the booth, "Nah, I don't like where this is going, just scrap the whole thing!"

Well, thanks for reading, and I hope to get to know some of you and learn a few things!

yomanda

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Re: Good day!
« Reply #1 on: Jan 25, 2014, 12:26 am »
Hi Brandon, and welcome to SMNetwork! 
Who knows, maybe those vests will get stage time some day.  They sound interesting. I am involved in a show now where the designer is working to create a glow worm costume which may involve LEDs of some sort; hopefully with more satisfying results for the director.  :)

Have fun looking around at the different boards, there is a lot of great information here - I know it has helped me. And the search bar is a great tool if you are looking for something specific. 

Again, welcome!
Yomanda

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Re: Good day!
« Reply #2 on: Jan 25, 2014, 12:43 pm »
Awesome tale, Brandon, and great attention to detail! You're doing a fabulous job and your hair looks great today.

The company I used to work for spent quite a lot of effort making a realistic, fake turkey for use in a show from which it was eventually cut. Out of a sense of vengeance, the props master snuck it into four shows over the next two years. I love when items develop back story between shows (as long as they're not disruptive, of course).

Are you working on any productions at the moment or are you just doing coursework? Small Midwestern has an awesome SM program and they've sent us a ton of great contributors. Hopefully we'll continue to see you around so you can be one too!

Thanks for joining us!



Maribeth

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Re: Good day!
« Reply #3 on: Jan 25, 2014, 01:09 pm »
Hi and welcome to the boards, Brandon! Be sure to check out the Students and Novices board- there's a lot of great information there.

What's your favorite production that you've worked on so far?

ejsmith3130

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Re: Good day!
« Reply #4 on: Jan 25, 2014, 05:20 pm »
Welcome!

I love little stories like that- I was watching the special features for the Harry Potter films and the costume folks were talking about a man they covered in tatoos in knockturn alley that took hours and hours to do, and it ended up not being in the final cut of the film. They did show all the work in the special features, but it kills me inside to think of all that work on the cutting room floor.

bkrst275

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Re: Good day!
« Reply #5 on: Jan 25, 2014, 09:55 pm »
Thanks, everyone, for your remarks, advice, and interesting stories!
As for various questions:

Are you working on any productions at the moment or are you just doing coursework?

Yes, in fact, I just started ASMing (is that a word?) for an opera last week! It has been in the making for a few months now, but I had not been involved because its rehearsal schedule conflicted with the previous show I was involved in. I am also getting into more in-depth theatre classes, as well as gen eds and a programming class for my Information Systems minor.

What's your favorite production that you've worked on so far?

My favorite production, hands down, was when I did Drowsy Chaperone my sophomore year of high school. That show just has so many good songs, and the witty, sarcastic comments from the Man in Chair just crack me up! I was on the fly crew for that show, and I just adored all of the people I was working with.