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Topics - David_McGraw

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1
The Green Room / Stage Manager Survey...Go!
« on: Nov 04, 2019, 08:20 pm »
The seventh edition of the biennial study of American stage managers is now open!  This national survey tracks training and employment trends along with rehearsal and performance practices.
In the 2017 survey, 1,775 stage managers participated. The SM Network has supported this survey since its inception in 2006.
This survey is open to anyone who has served as stage manager or assistant stage manager on at least three productions (circus, dance, opera, theatre, etc.) in the United States (or a tour that originated in the US). There are separate lines of questions for veteran stage managers and people who are just starting their careers. 
 
This online survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Results will be published at http://smsurvey.info in February 2020.
Visit http://smsurvey.info to participate and to read the reports of previous surveys.

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The Green Room / Stage Manager Survey 2017
« on: Nov 02, 2017, 10:32 am »
The sixth edition of the biennial study of American stage managers is now open!  This national survey tracks training and employment trends along with rehearsal and performance practices.  I was proud to partner with the University of Iowa for the first decade of the survey; the new academic partner is Elon University.

In the 2015 survey, 1,662 stage managers participated.  The 2017 edition of the survey includes new questions about communicating with your production team, traveling for work, and learning to read music.

This survey is open to anyone who has served as stage manager or assistant stage manager on at least three productions (circus, dance, opera, theatre, etc.) in the United States (or a tour that originated in the US). There are separate lines of questions for veteran stage managers and people who are just starting their careers. 
 
This online survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Results will be published at http://smsurvey.info in February 2018.

To take the survey, please visit: https://elon.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1TjOB1nOXLlNRgV

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The Green Room / 2015 Stage Manager Survey - Results!
« on: Jan 28, 2016, 08:57 am »
We would like to thank everyone who participated in the November survey: the 2015 Stage Manager Survey surpassed all goals with 1,662 participants!  The survey report is now available at http://smsurvey.info.  As always, the report is free and you are welcome to share it with friends and colleagues.  And, if you have never participated in the survey, sign up on our website to get news about the 2017 survey!

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College and Graduate Studies / URTA Grad School Interviews
« on: Dec 18, 2015, 02:11 pm »
I just learned that URTA (www.urta.com) will waive the late fee for Stage Management candidates who want to interview for graduate programs at the New York City interviews on January 30th.  While they have a full slate of candidates for the Chicago interviews, they have lower than expected numbers for NYC and they want to make sure the graduate programs see enough qualified candidates.

If you want to apply, contact Sara Falconer at auditions@urta.com and mention that you heard about the late application waiver for NYC.

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The Green Room / 2015 Stage Manager Survey - Now Active!
« on: Nov 01, 2015, 06:27 pm »
The stage management program at the University of Iowa is conducting its biennial survey of stage managers.  This national survey tracks training and employment trends along with rehearsal and performance practices.  In the 2013 survey, 878 stage managers participated.  The 2015 edition of the survey includes new questions about salaries, negotiations, and work/life balance.

Anyone who has stage managed theatrical productions in the United States (or a tour that originated in the US) is encouraged to participate. There will be separate lines of questions for veteran stage managers and people who are just starting their careers. 
 
This online survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5avzASNoen0AKVv

Thank you.

6
The biennial Stage Manager Survey launches on November 1st and we are finalizing new questions to ask in this edition of the survey.  What question do you want to pose to hundreds of stage managers?  Most questions are multiple-choice to keep the overall survey short - besides, the SMNetwork is a far better forum to have a discussion.

If you haven't taken the survey in the past, you can join our mailing list at http://smsurvey.info or follow the link we will post on this Discussion Board on November 1st!

7
I have been in a discussion about how a resume might appear differently for someone stage managing in theatre, dance, or opera.  Other than listing that particular genre first and with prominence, do others notice any differences?

And would someone working in television or film create a different style resume (other than job title differences such as 2nd Assistant Director)?

8
Tools of the Trade / New Break-Time App: Take 10!
« on: Sep 22, 2012, 11:30 pm »
Mark Stys, an AEA SM, released a new app two days ago called Take 10!  This app does for the iPhone, newer iPod Touches, and the iPad what Will Pickens' MegaWatch did for the laptop: provide a clean and straightforward way to track Equity breaks.  I will post my review on iTunes and on my own website so that I don't cross any lines by promoting a product on these message boards.

The reason I am making this post is to discuss the cost of software specifically designed for stage managers.  The biggest question for many stage managers looking at this app will be "Is it worth the cost?"  Take 10! costs $14.99.  With all fairness to Mark (whom I just met for the first time two days ago), if this app were being sold to millions or even tens of thousands of users, I would expect to pay $1.99 or even $0.99 on sale.  Don't get me wrong - it is a very good app.  But it is a timer app and there are great generic timer apps that cost between free and $1.99.

But let's say that this app did cost $0.99 and it was insanely popular among stage managers.  It might sell 1,000 copies over a two-year span.  Apple takes 30% of all revenue and charges $99/year in developer licenses.  To reach a thousand stage managers, you will need to advertise and maintain a website.   I know from a short e-mail exchange with Mark that it took him the better part of a year to develop this app.  If he, or any stage manager creating new apps, charged "Angry Birds prices," he would make less than a half-week's salary for months of work and years of customer service.  And that's if the app is popular.

So, if we want specialized apps for our field, are we willing to pay a "premium" given that we are such a niche market?  Other niche markets have foundations or large commercial companies that are willing to pick up the costs as part of their philanthropic or brand awareness goals.  But we don't have pools of funding other than if we, as individuals, are willing to invest.

What do you think?

9
Tools of the Trade / Backstage Calling Station/Console
« on: Dec 05, 2011, 03:36 pm »
It looks as though this question hasn't come up for a couple of years:

What do you look for in a backstage calling console/station?  My theatre is in the process of building a new one and I am looking for best practices and all the latest bells and whistles.  What do you love or hate about your backstage station?  Should we install a cupholder for water bottles?

10
The Green Room / 2009 Stage Management Survey Results!
« on: Jan 15, 2010, 03:01 pm »
The results of the 2009 Stage Management Occupational Trends Survey are now available at http://smsurvey.info.

The 2009 survey had 525 participants from 37 states.  The survey included questions about calling techniques and show management, and were further analyzed by union affiliation, age, experience, training, and gender.  For instance, the older the stage manager, the more likely that she/he creates a back-up copy of the calling script (51.9% of 61-70 year olds, but only 25.8% of 26-30 year olds).

If you have questions for the 2011 survey or would like more information, please contact david-mcgraw@uiowa.edu.

Thanks again to the SMNetwork for helping to promote this survey!

11
I am conducting a survey of the techniques that stage managers use to call shows.  Advances in lighting, sound, and motion control have changed the way that shows are operated -- how have these advances changed the way that shows are called?  This survey will also help identify innovations in creating calling scripts and communicating the individual cues.

http://www.hostedsurvey.com/takesurvey.asp?c=SMCalling

This online survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
There are also opportunities to provide feedback on any of the major questions. 

Anyone who has stage managed at least 1 theatre production in the United States (or a tour that originates in the US) is encouraged to participate.  There are questions for both AEA veterans and new students of stage management.  Once the statistics have been gathered, I plan to open the discussions to stage managers outside of the US and those that work exclusively in dance, opera, and/or special events.  The only reason for limiting the survey to stage management of American theatre is to generate statistics based more from participants' experiences and years in this particular field than from the different calling styles and traditions from other countries or performing art forms.

If you find the survey useful, please forward this invitation to your colleagues.

Thank you very much,
David McGraw
Production Stage Manager
Theatre Arts Department
University of Iowa


12
Tools of the Trade / Cue Lights
« on: Sep 08, 2006, 05:17 pm »
I am the PSM for the University of Iowa's Theatre Arts Department and we just received grant money for a new cue light system.  We've been using a home-made system for years but a grant in communication-based technology became available and we jumped on it. 

Would anyone recommend any of the new high-end cue light systems?  Ideally, we would like a system for all three of our main theatres, but we could also look at a more mobile system to share between spaces.  We have our eye on one system, but we are unsure how easily it will travel from tech table to booth on a regular basis (we might need to build a sturdier frame).  We are willing to be on the "bleeding edge" and try something completely new, especially since we will keep our old switch boxes.

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