Messages

916

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 27, 2005, 12:52 am »

I am a big big fan of Laurence Sterns book - and you can pick up an earlier edition second hand really cheaply. I have the seventh edition in my collection which seems to spend a lot of time on loan to others.

917

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 26, 2005, 06:44 pm »

I don't think some of you fully understand my dilemma... I go to a high school of less than 200 people with a VERY small theatre budget.  We have no designers, aside from scenic (the art teacher/art club do our sets).  Because we have no designers, we  have no production meetings.

That does not change much. You just make sure you get the cues for everything. Of course if you are in a small school with no budget for theatre, chances are you don't have coms, and if you don't have coms you cant call, if you can't call, you don't REALLY need cues in your book (I would put them there anyway for reference).

 There is also a high probability that in reality you don't have an SM, as there is little to no need for one. I know my school never had one (just over 500, no drama budget, same story).

Whilst you can make a prompt book without doing a show, actually writing a bible is an evolving process and you really can tell when a bible has been made up on the spot (ie, there are no eraser markings & everything is too neat.

When I did my first SM job, I took the bible home every night and 'fixed it up' - probably took 3 hours every night after a full 8 hour day. When we got to NC week (My 'no major changes' cutoff point, usually a couple of days before load in) I make a SECOND bible, I prepared the thing as I described above, only instead of separate pages for everything, I placed a blocking sheet on the back of every script page, and I photocopied a lined block onto the back as well (to keep the blocking neat), then I re-wrote everything. Took a full 2 days to finish it neatly. Sure it was great to call from, but the extra time I spent on it almost killed me due to lack of sleep.... There is a moral there somewhere about perfectionism in PC's, I am just too tired to find it.

918

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 25, 2005, 01:06 am »

Or bother your ops. Most shows will have a lighting and sound designer. They will do a break up of what they see as being needed (I also do my own before the first production meeting), and during a production meeting, the sound and lx synopsis is handed out, and the director um's and ahh's and then says "Yes, no, want this, want that" and voila, a cue synopsis.

Now this synopsis evolves throughout the show, and you make sure you keep track of it as well as the sound and light designers, and you end up with a cue list. Then the things are plotted - make sure you note everything as well as the ops/designers. The when, where and duration are noted, as well as the board states. You really only need the when. HOPEFULLY, your designers will give you the completed cue list and operator run sheet, but if they don't, you usually end up making one up yourself.

When you are doing a secondary school show, often the director/teacher does most of the SM work as well as the design work - a complete P in the A for the SM who wants to do things 'by the book'.

919

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 24, 2005, 07:42 am »

No, I think it is worse when the actor/ess waits until 35 minutes before beginners to call in sick because 'there is the understudy', and then you get another major part ring in who also has the same understudy, and you are screwed because now it is 15 mins till curtain, one understudy confused about which role s/he is meant to play and NO way to solve the problem. I just thank god that I did not have to call that show cos my ops knew it so well...

920

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 24, 2005, 07:18 am »

That is something that is worked out during the production.

Basically before you tech everything, you are either given a cue synopsis, attend a plotting session where que placements are worked out, or something of the sort. It is not the SM's job.

However: MC's Basic Guide to PC Creation:

Take one script.

Use a photocopier to copy script , reducing it slightly, then cut out the block of text and paste it onto another in the upper right corner.

Create a small floor plan of the set. Paste this on ANOTHER sheet and photocopy as many as you need. (there is a method in this madness)

Arrange in book form so that there is script on the right (or left, your choice) and then a floor plan on the opposite page. If you flick through it, page one should be script page one, floorplan one. Flick the page, there are two blank pages. Flick the page again and you have script page 2, floorplan 2. This is so that when you screw up something totally, you can easily replace it, or when there are additions and subtractions they do not screw everything up.

Now I do blocking by placing a number over the word (in a circle) that the action occurs on, and use  "1,2,3" act as beat counts. I then write the action in a short hand on the opposite page under the ground plan.

Now this is what gets tricky. I find it easiest to lable objects - ie if there are 2 table, one up stage prompt side (Stage Left) and one down stage op prompt, and actor "Rory" walks from the up stage op prompt side of the USP table, to the up stage prompt side of the DSOP table, then a line later sits.

0 - R: USOP USP Table
1 - R: X USP DSOP Table
2 - R: Sit USP DSOP Table

0 being of course page start. Some people just draw on the ground plan.

As for cues:

Code: [Select]


SB LX5-12                                            THIS IS WHERE IT OCCURS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------^
SB SD12                                               sdfsdfsdf
                                                            sdfsdfsdfsdf
+----------+                                           sdfsdfsdfadsad
| LX 5 GO |                                            This is where GO is
+----------+--------------------------------------------------^


921

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Blowing yolk out of an egg?

« on: Jul 21, 2005, 09:22 pm »

Well yolk is yellow, so shaving cream is not good, and the 'whites' are clear until they are cooked.

 How is it being blown out - in one burst all over everyone, or is it going to be huff, puff and ooze out. In any case, suspend belief for the moment. Maybe make some custard (or use UHT shop bought stuff) and place it in a reservoir, which has a simple sliding trigger mechanism (nothing too technical) then as he 'blows' (whilst pointing the egg down) he can pull the triggering mechanism, allowing gravity to work.

Or use a shaving cream can and have him pull the trigger on the can whilst blowing - make it look like he is actually holding the egg, but have the can hidden inside.

Theatre is about suspension of belief. Just because he is blowing an egg, does not mean his breath has to do anything.

--Edit--

Another idea - use a relatively thick custard or creame and use a sauce bottle - you know the soft plastic squeeze bottles...

922

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 19, 2005, 06:41 am »

spose that is the difference between larger companies and the ones I end up working with... I end up with a pc budget of about $20 - enough to photocopy enough stuff for the production, and they charge far too much for copying (read AU$0.10 per page per side) so my prompt copies, often upwards of 500 'pages' begin to get expensive.

923

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 18, 2005, 04:38 am »

The largest problem with taking a copy of an entire bible with you is the fact that it is VERY rare that you get to keep one. The only one I got to keep was my very first because it was a new australian (I seem to do a lot of them) and the writer did not want it and we put it on independant of a company. I have done a ton of AmDram new aussies, and even then either the company or the writer will insist on them being returned.

924

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 12, 2005, 06:42 am »

but if you want to work for a certain company, and they ask you to jump, you jump.

Not necessarily. Let me clarify my position: Say I want to work for Company X. So I apply with a Res&CL. Company X responds and says, thanks, we'd love to see a porfolio. NOW my desire to work for them changes. Because I have more information which leads me to believe they don't know too much about my job after all, and thereby maybe not as much about theatre, and maybe I actually don't want to work there. And so I do not Jump. Unless maybe I'm only applying for an intern-type position or I have some good reason to think their requesting a portfolio is a good idea.

Also, I concur with everything Matt said. Well stated, sir.

I see your point - I suppose I am in a different situation though.

I do not live in an area that one can afford to be choosey - and the fact that they want to see a portfolio is not a big enough reason to not apply for the job. So far I have been employed through either the company or through the producer, the fact they need a portfolio does not matter to me - even if the company does not know the role of an SM, I can usually get that sorted in one of the first production meetings.

Admittedly, I am not pro - I am a uni student, and I fit shows into my schedule when I can, so I have only done 5 or so payed SM jobs (portfolio required for one of them), none of them have had problems when I handed everyone a basic breakdown of roles during the production.

925

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 10, 2005, 07:57 pm »

Yes, you should not NEED a portfolio, but if the employer ASKS for a portfolio, the employer GETS a portfolio. The potential employee's opinion - or public opinion does not matter.

It is all well and good to say you don't need one, but if you want to work for a certain company, and they ask you to jump, you jump.

926

SMNetwork Archives / stagemanager portfolio

« on: Jul 08, 2005, 07:02 am »

Here is a brief outline of my portfolio:

I choose three shows I have done - ie a musical, a 'play' and an opera.

I take a few (3 or 4) pages from each prompt book (the good bits with lots of cues) and a couple of the forms - ie rehearsal reports, performance reports etc. etc. Add some photo's to the back and if you have them, review cut outs.

I bind each one up as their own show (staples down the side).

Each one ends up being about 10 pages. A cover letter at the front, detailing EXACTLY what each one is:

ie:

Code: [Select]


Show X is a musical written by ____. I stage managed this in ___ with ___. This show is a challenge due to the necessity to use both the score and script to call from.

Show Y is a new Australian play, which was directed by the playwrite, and involved a number of re-writes. Scripts were revised weekly, requiring prompt alterations and log keeping.

Show Z is an opera composed by ____. This was my first attempt at calling straight from a score.

Please find enclosed for each of the above shows a few pages from my prompt book, and x,y,z,a,b,c. Also enclosed are some images of the shows and reviews.

I look forward to a response in the near future.

Regards

ABC

927

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Outdoor Shakespeare

« on: Jul 07, 2005, 08:17 am »

never done the show, so I do not know the script, but a lot of it is in the way the paper is released. See if you can get her closer to the ground, and back facing the wind. And use heavy card.

I would not add something like glue to the back... It looks dodgey.

It is also in the release of the paper, if it is thrust down in a fit of rage, it will not blow as far away. If it is held in her hand and then her hand angled downwards allowing them to slide down to the ground slowly then there is more chance for a breeze to pick it up.

928

The Hardline / candid rehearsal snapshots?

« on: Jun 24, 2005, 09:54 am »

When I SM, the rule is a flat out "No Cameras" - Re camera phones, my cast and crew know that if they have a mobile phone, it either goes in my box, or in their bag, not on their person, and most definatly not ON!

If cast want photo's, I have a digital camera which I bring to set rehearsals (notice given well in advance on my production schedule) and if they want anything special, they can tell me and I will email them the next day. During my promo shoots, I make sure lots of photos are taken, and I say at the end "If you want a copy of all of the photo's, place your name on this sheet of paper" - then I burn them onto CD, or email them hopefully by the next rehearsal... or I put them online.

You must also note that if you are taking photo's of any U16's (or 18's) that PARENTAL CONSENT must be given - which usually means that within the permission slip your children had their parents sign - you did get parental consent I hope - you have

"I give permission for my child's photograph to be used as promotional material for SHOWNAME and also for use by COMPANY in any general promotional material which may be published in the future."

929

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / FOH calls

« on: Jun 13, 2005, 07:45 am »

Ticket box warnings are definatly a must - a venue I SM'ed at had one that you just placed red garage sale dots in the warnings applicable for those who did not want to make up their own. Another had strict guidelines about including all warnings on all tickets and flyers. God help you if you had a show that had the lot, you could not fit the name of the show on a poster less than A1 in size.

930

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Backstage or Booth?

« on: Jun 13, 2005, 07:43 am »

I suppose it all depends on how you see the different people. I see the crew specifically as MINE. I see my actors more as kids who have grown up and left home, basically. So I really am over possessive of my crew, the actors know where my door is, but I have already helped raise them with all they should need to do, so to them I should be almost peripheral during a show.

That means I am better off in the bio box, close to at least two of my crew, LX and SD op, the two op's who typically have the most cues.