Author Topic: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management  (Read 5878 times)

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SMIsland

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REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« on: Sep 25, 2012, 11:59 am »
Howdy All,

The GM / Executive Director of my company is a theatre veteran and kind of runs things his own way. He was just reinstated after being fired two years prior which this, as you can imagine, has had a lot of drama centered around. It has gotten to the point that the new Theatre Management has not been present at our entire tech process / dress rehearsals (including our Production Supervisor) because they felt an actor would cause a scene. Well, that is what we (my ASM and I) were told when we went to ask for help because a)Theatre Management wasn't present and b) the Director had started to say inappropriate / inflammatory things to the actors. The situation (thankfully right before dinner break) got out of our control, but we we're openly dismissed by him in the office.

Anyway, he has now demanded that we print out a hard copy of our reports everyday and leave it on his desk, because 'sometimes he cannot get to his email.'  We have no SM Office or any sort of facilities to print. And we don't rehearse in the theatre, so we have no real reason to head over there other than to place a hard copy on his desk. The only way we could make this happen would be to head to the office and have someone who is already in there print it out which sounds quite inefficient to me.

He has an assistant, but he feels that it is our duty as stage managers to give him a hard copy. He also says that we don't know how to do our jobs based solely on our qualms against this.

Any advice?

Thanks so much!

Rebbe

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #1 on: Sep 25, 2012, 06:42 pm »
One of the questions that comes to my mind reading this is:  if there were no drama around this person, would you find it unreasonable to get him a hard copy, given the logistical challenges you’ve mentioned? 

If the answer is yes, then it seems like this can be resolved equitably if the focus stays on this issue alone, with the goal of meeting the needs of the person who hired you (in a big picture sense).  If the answer is "no" you probably need to find a way to leave the high emotions around his recent return, and whether or not his perception of you is fair, out of the conversation. 

Either way, You can tell him you'd be happy to provide a hard copy, you just need him to work with you to figure out how that can happen.  Any easy fix might be to have someone who is at the same location as the GM, and does regularly check their email, agree to print him a copy of the report when they receive it and give it to him.  Bringing up the fact that you have no office, and requesting that he provide you with workspace to accomplish this, or a budget to go to someplace like staples where you can make a print out, would be other ways to approach this.   If you are paid by the hour, you can point out the extra expense involved in paying you or an assistant .   
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MatthewShiner

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #2 on: Sep 25, 2012, 10:53 pm »
It's a challenge. I've worked with theaters where I had to email, hard copy and leave phone messages.  Some people just don't check email.

I think we have to have the flexibility to adjust our style to work with the company we are working. 

Now, the logistics of getting that paper copy to his text will be a challenge.  Can you fax it to him?
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loebtmc

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #3 on: Sep 26, 2012, 12:27 am »
Matthew posted my first thought - because you can fax from your computer. That seems to be a great solution that doesn't cost the theater anything, and allows the person to have a hard copy.

BayAreaSM

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #4 on: Sep 26, 2012, 12:46 am »
I second Rebbe's suggestion. See if someone, like your Production Supervisor, would be able to do the print out and place it on his desk. If they cannot provide you the means to print, they should not expect you to use your own paper/ink/printer at home (assuming you even have one at your disposal).

However, ask if they can provide you the means to print. When I was workshopping a musical, the only copier that could make mass copies was at the admin offices of the company, and I was rehearsing offsite in a trailer/classroom at a nearby elementary school. I had to make a special trip to the admin office hours before rehearsal, print wirelessly and make all of my appropriate number of copies, then rush to rehearsal. The copies were needed for rehearsal to be successful, and while the company didn't offer copier capabilities where I was rehearsing, they were available, so I made do.

Sometimes we have to make do with what is available. If they can make printing facilities available, then you should be able to print and drop one off on his desk, even if it is out the way.


jempage

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #5 on: Oct 07, 2012, 07:36 pm »
Some of the HP eprint model printers, as well as the larger multifunction office printer/photocopier models allow you to print files directly from an email address.

On my distribution list for one show, I have officeprinter@sometheatrecompany.org.au on the distribution list. I simply attach my pdf and it appears in the printers intray for the office staff the next morning.

Might be worth investigating in this case.  :)
Cheers,
Jem.
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Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #6 on: Oct 09, 2012, 02:24 pm »
I worked with a director that didn't have a smart phone or a computer and so I had to have a hard copy of each report printed for him while he was in town for rehearsals and performances.  The difference for me was that I just asked someone in the office to print it from my emails each morning and I collected it to get it to the director. 

Is it possible you can ask someone in the office to just print it out for him and leave it on the man's desk?  Maybe even his assistant?  You're still responsible for getting it out and making sure the assistant prints it but you shouldn't have to be on location to make sure that it happens.

SMeustace

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Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management
« Reply #7 on: Dec 27, 2013, 04:26 am »
I send meeting minutes and rehearsal reports by email and I also post a hard copy on a bulletin board or in my production team's mail boxes.
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