Author Topic: Portfolio?  (Read 8835 times)

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Jill Woodward

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Portfolio?
« on: Sep 10, 2010, 01:20 pm »
My university requires all seniors, regardless of theatrical focus, to create a portfolio page. It got me thinking about a stage managing portfolio. I've never seen one, but want to attempt to create one. Any suggestions?

dallas10086

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 10, 2010, 01:46 pm »
Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork.

Any reports you've developed (production, rehearsal, meeting, etc.), lists, spreadsheets, and an example of your prompt and call books, preferably 'real' paperwork from past shows you've done. Make sure any personal information doesn't make it into the portfolio.

BLee

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 10, 2010, 01:54 pm »
I was required to make a full portfolio for my undergraduate degree. I choose sample paperwork from a variety of shows that displayed my organization, creativity and fore-thinking (meeting needs early). I used a very nice display binder with page protectors and made copies (without hole punches) of all the pages. For each production featured I also included a short description of the challenges I faced during the production (because I was sending it off to one graduate school before my interview).

From an URTA point-of-view (and graduate schools in general I imagine) the portfolio is a good talking piece and a great visual aid for interviews. That being said I don't remember a single interviewer bothering to really look at it or ask questions based on it. My undergrad emphasized its importance and put me through quite a few mock interviews with the portfolio and in the end it didn't help me at all. As it was put to me once "Any monkey can do paperwork, I want to know about you."

I do keep an old prompt script together in a binder in case the need arises for a visual aid. Since all of my professional interviews thus far have been by phone I have yet to use it in a professional situation.

I guess my point is to really consider your needs and decide how important a portfolio will be for you. I spent a decent amount of money on my portfolio only to not have any real use for it. You can spent tons on professional portfolio binders (which don't display stage management paperwork very well and are awkward to hold in an interview) and specialty papers. If you want to make one be realistic and keep it minimal. Choose your top productions and feature specialty paperwork that are tailored to the specific needs of a production. Or if you have one really great production that had a lot of interesting aspects then you might prefer to clean up that production book and use that as your portfolio instead (which makes a lot more sense to me than a traditional portfolio).
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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 10, 2010, 07:15 pm »
For final portfolio review at my grad school the stage managers, in addition to all the paperwork/prompt book stuff you would expect to see, would also include work from our non stage management electives.  I had several of my AutoCAD projects, costume design renderings, sound design stuff like the system block diagram, and a couple scenic painting pieces.

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #4 on: Sep 10, 2010, 11:41 pm »
Yep. I would encourage you to slide a few pretty pictures into your portfolio. "Hard" content should make up the bulk of the document (paperwork, paperwork, scripts, paperwork...), but an occasional photograph or sketch to illustrate a point or a project will help make the reading go a bit easier and will help you catch an eye or two, and that counts for something when the reader has 200 portfolios to go through.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #5 on: Sep 11, 2010, 12:22 am »
Given a "Stage Management" portfolio is NOT a industry standard term, no is it really used, just make sure it fulfills the academic need.

After your first couple of jobs, no one asks to see anything other then a resume normally, and if they do ask for more, it's most likely because they don't know what a stage manager does.
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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.

Bwoodbury

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #6 on: Sep 12, 2010, 01:03 am »
I did my portfolio online for Apprenticeship interviews a while back, but I've actually used it a lot since then. I have a page for each show describing who designed/directed it and then what the major challenges are. Within that are samples of paper work for that show and pictures showing the challenges I described. By flipping through the pages people have told me it's nice to see who we've worked with in common as well as whether I have experience with anything specific they're looking for.

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #7 on: Oct 25, 2010, 07:39 am »
For an SM yur porfolio is your paperwork. I have my best prompt book as well as paperwork from my digital scripts and then my portfolio is nothing more than pics from the shows I have been involved with (including any tech set or lighting pics) as well as programs from the show. They are great for a visual and so the person you are speaking to can see the scale of show you worked with (professional vs community theatre).
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Jill Woodward

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #8 on: Nov 03, 2010, 11:22 am »
Thank you everyone for you feedback and advice! I'm much obliged!

John Zachary Wells

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 06, 2011, 02:08 pm »
Ive just finished all my portfolio stuff for college. For me its all paperwork. I would also recommend that you add some creativity in. No one just wants to see a three ring binder filled with forms.
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MatthewShiner

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Re: Portfolio?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 06, 2011, 06:42 pm »
But be careful about being too creative . . . I mean, I have to say, 10 years ago I received a resume from a young stage manager that feature six pages of pictures with a "day in the life of a stage manager" attached - it was so unprofessional, so out of the norm - it just made me feel like this person felt like I, as PSM for a major regional theater had no idea of what a stage manager did, and at the same time, to make the pictures more fun, did cutesy and fun and outrageous things - to make it memorable - and trust me it - it stood out as completely unprofessional to this day.

Remember, going to far off the norm and to creative can backfire . . .
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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.