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Messages - KMC

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946
Thanks for your information!  There are a lot of young folks out there that are always curious about life on board cruise ships.  How are yours as far as dress codes, restriction from guest interactions, and "Other Duties"?

-Centaura

Uniforms for our techs are great, simple black slacks and a black polo (you can wear khaki shorts if you want before 6:00pm - very nice for those days in the Caribbean).  Everyone has to wear the obligatory nametag but it's not a big deal. 

Restrictions from guest interaction are not that severe.  The folks you hear about that have to stay in crew areas are your galley folks, bar servers, dining room waiters, etc...  They actually encourage staff and officers to interact with the guests.

Other Duties are almost non-existent.  With the equipment we have it takes years of training and experience and/or a college degree to get there.  Our techs are kept very busy with a rehearsal and 2 shows every day, preventative maintenance, repairs, etc...  The one exception to the "extra  duties" would the that Stage Staff occasionally help out on the rock wall.  Because they come from a theatrical background most have a basic knowledge of rigging and can pick up belaying without too much trouble.

947
Tools of the Trade / Re: What is Gaffer Tape?
« on: Mar 28, 2007, 12:07 am »
I made a pencil holder add-on to my maglite sheath out of gaff.  I got really sick of my pencil always poking me in the thigh.  Has held up for about 6 years now.

948
SMNetwork Archives / Re: I'm New
« on: Mar 26, 2007, 06:30 pm »
Hello kmc, and welcome.  I have always wondered what the cruise ship theatre's work.  Care to enlighten me?  :P

Thanks for the welcome!  I posted something about ships in the "onstage" area.

949
Stage Management: Other / Stage Managing onboard a cruise ship.
« on: Mar 26, 2007, 06:29 pm »
In one of the other topics someone (I believe Bridget) asked what it's like on a ship.  I can't say how it is for all cruise lines, but I can talk specifically about Royal Caribbean.  A lot of people don't typically associate ships with "good work" but there is in fact some good work out there.  Now don't get me wrong, you're not going to find art onboard ships, but you can find some decent vegas-style shows.  Onboard most of our ships (anything new than 98 or 99) we have lots and lots of fun toys.  All of the scenery is controlled by a rigging computer which takes MIDI timecode (MIDI Bridge to convert SMPTE to MIDI, SMPTE received from Show Control computer).  The fly space, orchestra pit, stage lifts, floor tracks are all fully automated.  Lighting rigs are all intelligent and we run hog (II, III, PC, and iPC) consoles exclusively.  Sound consoles vary from analog to digital, a few Euphonix consoles, some digital Yamaha consoles, and some analog Crest consoles.  All video projections are controlled via show control with SMPTE timecode received from the MX 24-24.  A lot of our ships also have human flying (flying by foy) in both the main theatre and studio b (ice rink). 

Calling a production show onboard is very different from traditional theatre.  Instead of calling each cue individually you're saying "timecode Go" at the top of the show, then simply getting clears from your stagehands if scenery is good to move.  If something isn't clear you just take your hand off of the deadman.  If everything's clear just sit back and relax!

950
Tools of the Trade / Re: What goes inside a SM Kit?
« on: Mar 26, 2007, 06:05 pm »
Does anyone else carry the Stage Manager's prop?

Maybe I'm ignorant, but what do you mean?

A bottle of Whiskey.  For after rehearsal when it's just you and the director and he/she starts bitching about how it's just "not working", or maybe about a certain actor, designer, etc...  You bust out the stage manager's prop.

951
Tools of the Trade / Re: What goes inside a SM Kit?
« on: Mar 26, 2007, 06:02 pm »
That doesn't make it the SM's job to actually do all this- esp not from their personal funds.  (It should be noted that it's often the SM's job to stock and maintain the first aid kits for a show, from the show's funds. This is fine with me. I'm arguing against our providing it from our personal funds.)

I agree -- but I also think theaters/producers should install phone lines and not depend on us paying for cell phone use :)

If the theatre doesn't want to provide you a cell phone you should be able to expense any phone calls made for the show.  At the very least you can write it off your taxes.

952
Tools of the Trade / Re: What goes inside a SM Kit?
« on: Mar 26, 2007, 09:12 am »
Does anyone else carry the Stage Manager's prop?

953
Employment / Re: resume format
« on: Mar 25, 2007, 05:49 pm »
I would rather see 5 stage management credits with some details about the shows than see 25 credits that simply have show name, director, and theatre.  Put what makes you qualified for the job you're seeking right there in plain view. 

I can't disagree more.  If you send a CV style resume, it looks like you are trying to fluff your history.  If I know the theatres/directors names/KIND of theatre/show name, I know what you do.   If I need details, I'll call your references. 



Like I said, I'm sure people will disagree! 

954
SMNetwork Archives / Re: I'm New
« on: Mar 25, 2007, 04:59 pm »
When did you graduate Penn?  I have a lot of friends that went there.

May of 2006. 42,000 people at my campus alone so I doubt I'll know them  :P

955
Employment / Re: Too Old
« on: Mar 25, 2007, 04:06 pm »
I think people make too big a deal out of age.  I am a young Stage Manager (22) and had no problems earning the respect of the department of about 60 people that I managed.  Conversely, I've seen managers twice my age have trouble earning the respect of a group of 20.  Maturity is key, and often times people automatically (and mistakenly) associate age with maturity.

956
Employment / Re: resume format
« on: Mar 25, 2007, 03:55 pm »
I can offer some advice from the other side of the coin, as quite a few resumes come across my desk at work.  One thing I think is overlooked a lot is the following.  Very very very rarely is your resume going to get you the job.  The goal of your cover letter should be to get the person to look at your resume, the goal of your resume is to get you an interview, and the interview is where you get the job.  I would rather see 5 stage management credits with some details about the shows than see 25 credits that simply have show name, director, and theatre.  Put what makes you qualified for the job you're seeking right there in plain view.  Do you have experience with scenery automation, have you worked with a live orchestra, what's the largest cast size you've worked with, etc... 

But you will have different opinions on resumes from everyone you talk to, I'm sure a lot of folks disagree with me when I say to put more information there than is "traditional". 

957
This is a great example of why it's imperative that you have a flexible style of management.  Obviously the way you communicate with a cast of 8 is going to be much different than the way you communicate with a cast of 80.  With a cast this size you have no choice but to trust your assistants and delegate effectively.  Doing that will allow you to focus on the "big picture".

958
Talk about a complete disregard for safety, yikes to all of this.

959
I would love to, but the work I'm doing now is rather far removed from something that'd be useful for a Stage Management course.

960
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: YAle Short Hand
« on: Mar 25, 2007, 02:30 pm »
Any SM worth their salt knows there's no "right" way to do things and modifies their methods from show to show, especially blocking notation.

Couldn't agree with you more KJ.  At the end of the day your job is to communicate effectively and ensure all parties have the information they need.  If the "format" you choose does that and people can understand it, then great.  And as you said, there's no "correct" way to take blocking.  All of us are thieves, we steal things we like from each other to make our own methods better.  And that's the best way to improve your own performance.

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