Author Topic: ASMs: What is in your intro/rules speech to your new ASM?  (Read 5451 times)

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dee4156

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I've done this a million times but I wanted to hear from others about what you like to include in your first day speech to your ASM. Not necessarily job responsibilities (ie what paperwork they'll be doing), but any rules you have about conduct, approach, and how to set that perfect tone :) Thanks, this'll be fun!

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« Last Edit: Dec 16, 2011, 04:42 pm by Rebbe »
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Rebbe

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Re: AMS: What is in your intro/rules speech to your new ASM?
« Reply #1 on: Dec 16, 2011, 04:31 pm »
I prefer conversations to speeches.  I don’t think I would like to be given a speech on my first day as an ASM, so I try not to put others in that position.  If circumstances allow, I try to start with a low-key meeting, maybe going for coffee or the like, and get to know each other a little. I like to know how they got into theater, what are their favorite things about stage managing, things they are looking forward to on this show, for example.  I’ll try to feel out the opposite facts as well; pet peeves, challenges they’ve faced or are expecting in this show.  I’d share my take on these issues, too, and answer any questions they have for me.   If possible, I’ll delegate them duties that play to their strengths (hopefully they like things I hate, such as taping out the set).   The most important thing I want establish at the beginning of the process is that we work as a team and engage in open communication.  I don’t think there can be a “perfect” tone, every production is different, but if there were, it would be a tone of mutual respect.
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MatthewShiner

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Re: ASMs: What is in your intro/rules speech to your new ASM?
« Reply #2 on: Dec 16, 2011, 06:28 pm »
True, I don’t do a speech – but start a conversation from the initial interview throughout the entire process.  You have to time some of these things along the way to the whole team, not just the ASM.

1)   We are a team – first and foremost.  Not just a top down linear power structure, but a team. 

2)   No one should ever get emotionally attached to paperwork or job assignments, we may switch things up – it may not be a reflection of your talent or work, but just the needs of the team.

3)   Don’t view information as a commodity.  When working on large teams, we divide and conquer tasks.  So, it’s my job as PSM to make sure to edit out the noise, and give the right people the right information – you may not need to know everything. 

4)   Don’t start on a huge project on your own without checking out with me – I love initiative, but it maybe assigned to another team member, or I may have a reason why to wait on the project.

5)   Even if you aren’t working on a piece of paperwork, learn what the other team mates are working on – at least enough to take over in a pinch, or help out.

6)   We are here to do a job – not here for you to work on your career.  This means for me you don’t bad mouth other team members to make yourself look good.  Don’t be paranoid if I have a conversation with one team member and not you – it doesn’t mean you are being fired.  (If you are being fired you will know it.)

7)   Confidentially is key.  Anything said among the team, stays among the team.

8)   It’s vital that we keep an upbeat, positive atmosphere about the work.  Don’t facebook or tweet negative things about the work or the show.  It has a way of getting back to people.

9)   If you are having a bad day, or a personal issue that might effect your job, please tell me – maybe I can rearrange job duties that day.

10)   If you need time off, talk to me – maybe we can work something out.

11)   If you feel like you have TOO much responsibility, speak up.  You know your own limitations.

12)   Everything that happens goes into the production report – had a conversation with props in the hallway, put those notes in.  That report is a sum of all the day’s happenings for the show.  I will edit out what I need to.

13)   Every team member from Intern to PSM should be watching rehearsal like there are the PSM, although with a focus on their area of specialty.  If you notice a problem or an issue arriving, speak up . . . please, make the team look good.

14)   Anything your send out via e-mail, I should be cc’ed on.

15)   Any paperwork you are going to send out, I should be given the option of looking it over – and if it is the first time we are sending out a piece of paperwork – FOR SURE MAKE ME LOOK OVER IT.

16)   I am not a huge fan of stage management having relationships with the cast and/or crew.  If you can’t avoid it during the production, please try to keep in on the down for the rest of the company.  If you are dating someone, please let me know . . . sometimes there are confidential issues I would have to keep you out of the loop on.

17)   Lot’s of time the PSM is above the fray of the common gossip, please keep me in the loop – often from that gossip – one can find out cast members are unhappy or other issues are in the works – and we can problem solve on the sly.

18)   We need to be clear to people about when we expect things.  Do not over use ASAP (if everything is ASAP, then we start saying sooner then ASAP).  Give a day and time, you can not be more clear then that

19)   In tech, I need an ASM to be aggressive about their needs on deck, and make sure the show is tech’ed as well as it can be on deck given the limitations of our process.

20)   NEVER MAKE ME APOLOGIZE FOR YOU OR YOUR ACTIONS.  Everyone needs to sort of learn to adapt their style a bit to many, but the ABSOLUTE WORST THING that can happen is for me to go talk to someone, and they say, your assistant did this “terrible thing” (and it actually be a terrible thing) in the name of the show, or even worse, in my name. 

21)   And the end of the run, we have a production book that is complete and clean enough that another team should be able to pick it up and put together the show we did.

22)   During tech, remember I have lots of voices in my head.  Please be patient wit me.  Let me know you have heard me and are working on something by saying “working”.

23)   Don’t hold it in – if I do something that upsets you, puzzles you, mystifies you – find an appropriate time to check in with me.  It maybe a genuine misunderstanding.  It maybe there is a genuine issue we need to solve.  But let’s not just sweep it under the rug.  I have bad days too.

24) One of the great things about working with a large team, is the ability to learn from each other - please feel free to speak up if you think you have a better form, a better way of approaching something, etc, etc.  Also, don't feel you have to completely adapt to my style - no, you just have to be able to work within my style.  I don't need a team of four or five of me (for those that know me, that would be terrible!)


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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

loebtmc

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Re: ASMs: What is in your intro/rules speech to your new ASM?
« Reply #3 on: Dec 16, 2011, 07:22 pm »
Love this - and sometimes it's hard to get newer ASMs to hear these things, they so want to be the SM instead of learning....so many opportunities to learn new ways of doing things, and so many individual responsibilities that need to be handled separate from what the PSM or SM does so one hopes the ASM is good at those things!