Author Topic: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE  (Read 11855 times)

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MatthewShiner

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TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« on: Dec 16, 2012, 02:22 am »
So, working at a new theatre, got a request for a "stalker page"?


It's what I would call a "headshot page" - headshot of the cast, with their name and role for the sound guys, specifically the A2 to get to know the cast quickly.  I also use them on large cast shows to put in their actor packet to help people learn names.  Side note, always ask the cast for which headshot they want on this page before you go pulling any old head shot off the interwebs.
« Last Edit: Dec 16, 2012, 02:24 am by MatthewShiner »
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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.

megf

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #1 on: Dec 16, 2012, 07:34 am »
I've done this before. Very helpful. I think we called it a "company cheat sheet" rather than "stalker page," but the essence of it was a breakdown of every single person in the building (by department - alphabetically within department) to ease the process of matching faces and names. In one case, we included all cast, management, local and Pink Contract stagehands, and all the creatives present during tech/previews... the document was many pages long :)

MatthewShiner

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #2 on: Dec 16, 2012, 11:05 am »
I would love to do one for the entire staff, the main issue - is number of pages, does everyone have a photo, and (if at an institution) how quick is the change over . . .
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Maribeth

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #3 on: Dec 16, 2012, 11:49 am »
I have heard of something like this using the term "face book". (Not to be confused with the social network). Great idea, esp. for large-cast shows.

Jessie_K

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #4 on: Dec 16, 2012, 12:06 pm »
At Voyage de la Vie, we had pages like this posted in strategic locations throughout the theatre.  Cast, crew and staff.  There was turnover, so we updated the pages about once a quarter.  It was very helpful given the large cast, large crew and the fact that the Singaporean crew tended to go by nicknames.  The chart included real name and nickname.

Aerial

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #5 on: Dec 16, 2012, 03:30 pm »
My summer theatre does this as a board, with a photo of everyone in every department, posted on a wall in a backstage corridor. 

ejsmith3130

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #6 on: Dec 16, 2012, 03:37 pm »
I have also encountered something like this when I worked in company management for a summer opera company. It was just the singers, but it was super helpful when my job was to meet them at the airport for the first time and take them to their housing. I was astounded though at how many times they really didn't look like their headshots...

BayAreaSM

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #7 on: Dec 17, 2012, 03:36 am »
I created something like this once, but it was because my ballet company went on tour to China and we wanted everyone on tour to know who was actually "with" us, meaning massage therapists, dancers, department heads, special family guests, etc.

I haven't made one since.

Cedes

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #8 on: Dec 17, 2012, 09:23 am »
I used this for my last big musical, because we had students in it from multiple departments. Basically, it was a condensed actor info sheet with a photo. I called it my cheat sheet because I'm horrible with names/faces.

On_Headset

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #9 on: Dec 17, 2012, 01:40 pm »
I call my cast pages Brady Sheets. (Reason why.)

With large casts, I use them to take attendance while I'm still learning names. Crossing the person's face off is a little dire (especially if you do it in red sharpie), but it's a quick and efficient way to learn those names--and to cover your butt when you inevitably forget one.

One term to add: Tinkle Call, which translates to "The House opens in five minutes, and we can't flush the backstage toilet without making thunder in the auditorium, so if you hafta go..."

megf

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #10 on: Dec 17, 2012, 05:17 pm »
I would love to do one for the entire staff, the main issue - is number of pages, does everyone have a photo, and (if at an institution) how quick is the change over . . .

Regarding number of pages - how much real estate do you have on the walls backstage? ;) Alternatively, if it really is just to help acquaint the Audio department with cast, I would bet a packet is all they need, whatever the number of pages. (In my imaginary world where everyone is clever, the sound guy would cut out individual pics/names, and attach those slips to the mic bag or box used to deliver microphones to dressing rooms. A girl can dream...)

If there is high turnover at the level of running crew and casual staff, why not just try to include all the regulars? Some crew may not be working on *your* show, but all the regional companies I've worked at had a short list of people they hired often, even if those folks weren't regular full-time staff. Of course, if you have frequent heavy turnover in the cast, that's another thing...


MatthewShiner

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #11 on: Dec 17, 2012, 05:21 pm »
Sorry . . . I was trying to start a thread about odd terms for something . . . thus the "Stalker Sheet"

I am very well aware of the need and use for Headshot Page (or whatever people call it).  Often, the first people who will ask for it is the audio department . . .but I have used it for a wide variety of purposes.

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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.

missliz

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #12 on: Dec 17, 2012, 07:01 pm »
I heard someone refer to the final dress as a "gypsy dress" yesterday. Something I'd never heard.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

nmno

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #13 on: Dec 17, 2012, 11:47 pm »
I heard someone refer to the final dress as a "gypsy dress" yesterday. Something I'd never heard.

Or a "gypsy run" which is the last run thru in the rehearsal hall prior to moving to the stage, usually an invited run (not a "dress" per se, since there are no clothes yet.)

catalinacisne

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Re: TERMS YOU NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
« Reply #14 on: Dec 18, 2012, 10:59 pm »
My theatre made its first spike tape stick around the time Lady Gaga was just beginning to get popular, and since it was so colorful we began calling it the Disco Stick. I've since moved on and have gotten a lot of weird looks by asking for the Disco Stick during a spike call.