FORMS: Contact Sheets

[Rebelsw/oapplause]

Usually I only have one contact sheet, but I recently read in a thread that some of create both an "actors" version and a "sm" version. For my normal contact sheet I include name, role, home phone, cell phone, and email. What is the difference between the two and what do you include in a "sm" version? Thanks!

Edit added label to subject line-Rebbe

[Scott]

I don't include designers, vendors, crew etc. in my actors contact sheet.

[loebtmc]

I usually keep two, and sometimes three or four contact sheets

Actor contact: everyone the actor needs - just basics: cast, PR folks, producer, director, SM team, location of theater, location of rehearsal hall, box office number - once the run starts, I add running crew and keep copies in the front of my notebook and in the booth (handed out at first rehearsal, given to cast, PR, Costumes, producer, director, SM team) (hope I'm not forgetting anyone in my pre-tech brain)

Production Contact: the full production team, including producer, director,  sets, lights, props, sound, costumes, SM team, PR - (handed out at first rehearsal or production meeting to all production team)

Personal contact: very often folks have private/back numbers they don't want spread far and wide. This is my personal contact sheet, the one that lives with me until we close = this can be the director with a private cell or an actor's work number or a star's home. Anything that doesn't get shared and only gets used in emergency

Final contact: this is a conglomerate of everyone who has had anything to do with out show and includes all info they are willing to share (I copy it off the Emergency Contact that gets filled out at first rehearsal - my form asks what they want listed on the final contact) - goes to everyone with last performance

[maximillionx]

I usually do three sheets.

One is for the actors and includes their contact information, along with anyone who they might need to get in touch with (myself, the costumer for fittings and such, etc...).  This is handed out to the cast.  This might also have some basic information they may need as well.
A second is the production contact list, which I am sure is pretty standard, listing the production team.
The final sheet is a combination of the two.  This is the sheet I keep handy at all times in case I need to get in touch with anyone.

Each of these sheets includes names, positions/roles, phone#(s), and email(s).  I guess my "sm version" is just a comprehensive list of the two contact sheets I hand out to two different groups.

Personal contact: very often folks have private/back numbers they don't want spread far and wide. This is my personal contact sheet, the one that lives with me until we close = this can be the director with a private cell or an actor's work number or a star's home. Anything that doesn't get shared and only gets used in emergency.

I put these right in my phone, just in case.

Now my question is:
Is it standard procedure to put your contacts from this sheet in your phone and remove them once a production is finished?  I would assume the answers vary on size of the production.

[ReyYaySM]

I don't typically put actors' phone numbers into my cell phone.  I make a wallet card that lists the actors' preferred contact number and reference the card when I need to call someone.  However, I have been known to program the phone numbers of my chronically late actors into my phone to save myself a little time. 

[loebtmc]

Actually, this seems to be generational. With a few exceptions, the folks who program everyone into their phones tend to be younger, and those of us who rely on our printed sheets tend to be older. My 26 yo ASM had all the phone #s programmed before end of first reh and told me and she always deletes at the end of the run, while I only added the director and a few key designers I keep working with over and over. The actors enter my phone when they become friends. But that's me.

Regarding the back lines/private numbers, no, I wouldn't program those in. I work w too many people who have stalkers or other high-visibility security issues, so I keep those numbers with me and lose them in shredders when we're done.

[chrrl]

I'm 28 and I program all numbers into my cell phone before a show starts because I like to know who's calling me (especially when it's midnight...).   I also don't have my contact sheet with me at all times, but I always have my cell phone. 

I don't do multiple contact sheets and it hasn't been an issue - but if I worked with people with sensitive contact information I would.  Instead I make it very clear that contact sheets are confidential.  Adding a "Confidential" watermark raised eyebrows with people that I work with - wondering why I would even need to do that.  I guess it's a very midwestern company and we aren't that concerned with people knowing how to get in touch with us.  Before I started here contact sheets were posted on the callboard (in a public building) - but that has stopped.

[Aerial]

I don't generally do separate contact sheets anymore (though I did in college).  At the theatres I've worked at, its seemed to be the standard that it is one main sheet.  I'd say it depends on the theatre.  If a place I worked at generally did two separate ones, I would adapt. 

I'm also in the camp that programs everyone into my cell phone, but I agree that this is generational as I lot of stage managers I've worked with don't (I'm 27).  I also put the rehearsal & performance schedule into my phone.  I just like to have everything in my pocket. 

[planetmike]

I put everyone in my cell phone primarily so I know who is calling me, since caller-id is unreliable at best.

[MatthewShiner]

I do one contact sheet.

Information that people want to be confidential, I do as hidden text and only print on the SM Version.

If I send out an electronic version of the contact sheet, I send out as a PDF - so people can not sniff around and find confidential information.

I put people into my cell phone as they call me . . .I add contact.  But otherwise, other the designers and director types, I don't type them all into my phone (although over the years I have added quite a few to my phone).

I do have my phone on locked version now so if my phone gets stolen (which it has before), then they don't have access to that information.

[Amie]

I like the way you work, Matthew. Good idea (re: using cells, hiding info. etc)

[loebtmc]

ooh - how do you do hidden text? Share please!

and, I use the run contact sheet as the base for the final, but I have worked w companies who were funny abt everybody having everything until after we closed, and companies who wanted final contact to be everyone who had every worked on the show ever - name address phone email for all - so what I was using was a whole lot shorter than the final contact after everyone was added in. Also, spent time in companies who didn't want the actors having the tech info and vice versa (other than those who needed it, like costumes) etc - so I learned early to separate cast from production team, and merge them for the final contact.

[MatthewShiner]

On microsoft word . . .

highlight text

go to format text

click hidden

then when your preferences, print options you can click and un click hidden text to be print.

One document that is updated, you just choose what is printed.

I have my staff also change the color of the hidden text to BLUE - so when we are looking at the SM version of the contact sheet - which includes ALL info, we know which information was hidden, and which information we give out to everyone.

[KMC]

In Excel there are two ways to do it.  One is the basic select your columns, then right click on the selection and click "hide".

There is a little niftier and more convenient version I've just started using recently a lot, and I really wish I'd have known about it sooner, so here is a little mini tutorial.  This is in Excel 2003, if you're running newer or later versions there may be some differences.

1.  Enter your data, but of course.  This obviously is something I've just thrown together in haste.  Apparently Excel has also decided to toss the "cell" column into scientific notation.




2.  Select the data you want to hide.  NOTE:  be sure you select the entire column(s) you want to hide and not individual cells.  You can also hide rows, the procedure is exactly the same, except you will select rows, not columns.




3.  Navigate to "Data > Group & Outline" and select "group" as shown below




4.  Note the "minus" sign that has now appeared in a grey area above the columns as shown below.  Clicking this minus sign will hide the data you selected.




5.  Below is a shot of what your sheet will look like hidden.  Note the "minus" sign has now turned into a "plus" sign.  As expected, clicking the "plus" sign will show your data.  





When you print or .pdf an excel sheet, any hidden data will not show up.  It's important to note if you send the spreadsheet to someone, they will be able to see this data!

I hope this was helpful  

[loebtmc]

wow, thank you both for a terrific new tool that will allow me to eliminate one version (I use both word and excel, depending on the theater and how computer-savvy my cast or prodn team are)