Author Topic: Production, or no Production. That is the question.  (Read 11853 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Melugin

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« on: Mar 21, 2006, 02:52 am »
Ok. I feel really stupid asking this question, because i have no idea. but i know that it will be answered. What is the difference between a Production Stage Manager and a Stage Manager and a Co. Stage Manager... :lol:
If All the World's a Stage, i want to operate the Trap Door!

centaura

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 405
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #1 on: Mar 21, 2006, 06:36 am »
"The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked"

Hey - if you can't ask your fellow stage manager a question - especially in a category of "student and novice" - who can you ask?  That's a very good question, one I left my university not really understanding the difference between, as they used the job titles a bit off.  I consider a Production Stage Manager as a role in larger theatres where they might have multiple shows with multiple stage managers going on.  In that situation they're in charge of all the stage managers and ASMs running around.  Company Stage Manager is the British version of that title.  While that is what I think of when I hear PSM, there are times when just a regular stage manager will be called a PSM - to me if there's no other full stage managers working at the theatre, then the 'p' is not needed.  That's my understanding of the titles.

-Centaura

Mac Calder

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #2 on: Mar 21, 2006, 09:40 am »
As a general rule, Centura has hit the nail on the head. In smaller shows, occasionally the "Production Manager" is called the PSM too, just because it can be.

For example, one company I worked with had this structure:
CSM is the head honcho of Stage Management for the company, PSM is in charge of the production, and works from pre-casting to just before tech then DSM calls the show from tech onwards.

Another, the PSM is the head honcho, CSM is a stage manger employed by the company on a contract for a long period (ie 12 months/4 shows) and the CSM takes a show from begining to end.

A lot of companies use the various prefixtual terms interchangably.

centaura

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 405
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #3 on: Mar 21, 2006, 05:28 pm »
DSM = Deputy stage manager.  I learned CSM & DSM in London, and I do believe that MC is an aussie - so it seems that the British titles have worked their way down under.

Quote
A lot of companies use the various prefixtual terms interchangably.


This is where things get confusing - 'cause he's dead right.  I've worked at a small theatre where their two titles were PSM and ASM, and we were it for the SM department.   I also worked somewhere where on most shows the PSM was the SM, but there were two shows in the season where there was a different contracted-in SM, so the PSM became her 'boss' for those shows, 'cause he was the venue's permanent SM.  So, just to confuse you - it can mean something sometimes and it can mean nothing other times.

Confused yet?  ;)

-Centaura

Mac Calder

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #4 on: Mar 21, 2006, 07:14 pm »
Yes - we Aussies work (pretty much) like the Brits do it, with a few Aussinisms thrown in just to make sure that international people working on Aussie shows get confused.

As far as 'power structure' goes, there is certainly a British slant on it.

Melugin

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #5 on: Mar 22, 2006, 03:09 am »
ok... yes, i am a bit confused... how about community theatres, and high school. which one would i be? (high school sm.) where would i go to be a PSM. and in England it would be a Co. SM? or, no...? :mrgreen:
If All the World's a Stage, i want to operate the Trap Door!

Mac Calder

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #6 on: Mar 22, 2006, 07:08 am »
As a general rule - In a highschool, you are asked to SM _ONE_ show, or rather, to be the SM of _ONE_ show. Hence, you usually become the DSM or PSM or just the plain old SM. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

Actually, I lied a bit before. Truthfully, in australia we tend to use 2 different naming conventions for within a show - those for a musical/opera/operetta, and OTHER. Here is a brief equivilancy list assuming that the person who calls the show also rehearses it.

Musical : Other
DSM : SM/PSM
SM/ASM : ASM

Outside of the single show, you have your company SM. They have a contract with a certain company (as opposed to being contracted to a show), which says that for a certain period of time (arbitrarily, 12 months) you are a stage manager for the company. Usually, the CSM is 'above' the PSM/DSM in the heirachy of things and they usually keep the entire show (and company) running smoothly.

I mentioned above that the equivilency assumed that the same person called as rehearsing, if there are separate people:

Musical : Other : Job
PSM : PSM : Production up to tech week
DSM : SM/Calling SM : Tech week and beyond
SM/ASM : ASM

Basically though, don't worry too much about titles unless you are in a professional theatre - amdram/student theatres often do not have the people, budget and skillset required to have all the levels of stage management, and the jobs are usually not as defined.

centaura

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 405
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
in the states. . .
« Reply #7 on: Mar 22, 2006, 01:00 pm »
Quote
Usually, the CSM is 'above' the PSM/DSM in the heirachy of things and they usually keep the entire show (and company) running smoothly.


Here is where its different between Australian & British theatre and American theatre.  Here in the states we don't use the titles "Company Stage Manager" and "Deputy Stage Manager".  Here's a brief list of what the roles tend to be:

ASM:  US:  assists SM
ASM: AU/UK: assists SM, can also be prop person

SM: US stage manager
DSM: AU/UK for "Deputy" - roughly the equivalent of a US stage manager - is the one who actually calls the shows

PSM : US - usually someone in charge of an entire season of shows, not just one show in specific.
CSM:  AU/UK - the equivalent of a US PSM, thought often has aspects of a US Company Manager and Production Manager

Yeah - I know - I used Company Manager and Production Manager without the "S" in the middle - those are other jobs in management.


That's about as basic as I can break it down - and even then that's really over-simplified.  As a HS student, you're basically a SM.  The other roles are for larger companies - just think of it in terms of the more people there are to deal with, the more people you need to deal with them.

But these are also just basic guidelines as well - often companies will create titles to suite their purposes/ interpretations.  Its just something to be aware of - but be sure to ask a company what the job role is as they see it when you apply for something.

-Centaura

isha

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 101
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #8 on: Mar 23, 2006, 02:58 pm »
well and what I am doing at my school is this...

I SM-ed the music...

but all year I have been in charge of the auditorium (I tech for anybody that does anything in there, I am in the space everytime something happens (not only to insure that nothing is broken but also that they don't steal our equibtment) and then I am in charge of making sure activities/productions clean up their stuff and get the stage ready for the next activity that happens in there.
So I've spent a lot of hours in cleaning and moving and re-hanging washes...that sort of thing..but it's been a great experience for me..I can now hang a decent wash, I can operate the PA system, I can operate and do a good job at sound op-ing (like I know how to mess with EQ and levels and all that fun stuff.) I know how to use a CD recording and set-up a good recording of a concert, I can run and program a lightboard (with occasional help from the manual), I have learned a ton of butt-kissing smarming techniques and have also learned how to play the system to get stuff for our space. And did I mention that I've done a lot of cleaning? and organizing..and cleaning....and more cleaning...but it's really been fun. The school is granting me my technology credit for doing this, and I've been tracking my hours and am somewhere near the 350 hours mark.  8O

but I call that the GENERAL MANAGER position....(I'm assuming you are doing something close to the same thing? you are trying to build up the program, and trainging other kids, and you know how to run most everything in your space?)

-isha
~isha

Mac Calder

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #9 on: Mar 23, 2006, 07:20 pm »
Actually, if anything, the role would be best described as "General Technician" or just "Venue Technician".

A 'general manager' is far more paperwork and finance oriented, it would not be manning the desks, but rather ensuring you have the people on hand who know what they are doing to man the desks. It would not be cleaning and organising, but rather approving the requisition forms for cleaning supplies, and ensuring your technical staff keep everything organised.

That said, within a school situation, titles often mean bopkiss, and carry the weight of a feather - a small one at that.

Melugin

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #10 on: Mar 25, 2006, 08:54 pm »
Quote
....(I'm assuming you are doing something close to the same thing? you are trying to build up the program, and trainging other kids, and you know how to run most everything in your space?)

 Um, no. the techies at my high school won't let me touch anything. i lost their trust when i was dead tired and cut a gel for a source four instead of for a fernell. (i know that i spelled that wrong.) :) :twisted:  :roll:
If All the World's a Stage, i want to operate the Trap Door!

isha

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 101
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #11 on: Mar 26, 2006, 03:13 am »
source 4 what? (are the ellipses and zooms the same size for gel frames? I don't think they are...)

fresnel is how you spell it : )

and this is how you spell traveller...(a drama class has got to be good for something aye? ...lol)

I'm really sorry, it's too bad everything is going so miserable for you right now..I know how that feels, just remember to forget all that and do the show. Put it all out of your head and focus on what you've got to do....(it'll be over in 5 days?) there is always a beginning a middle and an end. and remeber that no matter how awful things are goin, it will be over....and if you are still having trouble, pull support from this group. We are all here doing the exact same thing you are doing...

break a leg.
-isha
~isha

centaura

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 405
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #12 on: Mar 26, 2006, 08:31 am »
Quote
source 4 what?


"Source Four" is a brand name of ETC lighting intruments.  They're the most popular main-stream lighting instrument that you'll find around the US.  I'm guessing that you might be in an old Strand house to not have any Source 4's there?

They're nice instruments - ellipsoidals with removable barrels - so that you can swap what degree instrument you want.

-Centaura

Debo123

  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 80
    • View Profile
Random tidbit
« Reply #13 on: Mar 26, 2006, 11:05 am »
In Italy they call source fours by their highest wattage- "750s"

And now you know something new, maybe.

Melugin

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • http://
Production, or no Production. That is the question.
« Reply #14 on: Mar 26, 2006, 09:37 pm »
Quote
Put it all out of your head and focus on what you've got to do....(it'll be over in 5 days?)


um, nope. i have a count down for 10 days. that doesn't include the strike of the show. thanks so much for everybody's support!

-liz
If All the World's a Stage, i want to operate the Trap Door!