Author Topic: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.  (Read 5235 times)

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SMfairy

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Hi all,
I am an English student, currently studying for a BA joint honors degree in musical theatre and technical theatre at university in England. When I graduate in summer 20011 I want to further my training in stage management at postgraduate level, as this is the profession I wish to pursue. From my research so far, the training opportunities in the UK do not range widely within this specialised area, therefore I am widening my search to institutions in the US and Canada. I am keen to find out which institutions are recommended, and what the procedures and opportunities are for international students.
Thanks. Claire.

JacintaErdogan

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #1 on: Dec 20, 2009, 04:13 am »
I'm from Australia, but I know there's a place in Canada called The Banff Centre that focuses on the arts.
Here's a link:

newbielink:http://www.banffcentre.ca/ [nonactive]

That's all I can tell you though, I don't really know anything about the place. Hope that helps.

cprted

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #2 on: Dec 20, 2009, 01:55 pm »
I'm from Australia, but I know there's a place in Canada called The Banff Centre that focuses on the arts.
Here's a link:

http://www.banffcentre.ca/

That's all I can tell you though, I don't really know anything about the place. Hope that helps.
I have no idea if Banff takes international students (don't know why they wouldn't), but it is a great place to develop as an SM in Canada.  I know a few people who have gone through their programs (both SM and Design) and they have nothing but great things to say (it has helped their careers too).  It is somewhere I endeavour to go in the next year or two.

LCSM

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #3 on: Dec 20, 2009, 08:06 pm »
Canada also has the National Theatre School which, though it dosn't have a specific stage management program, has a great program called Production which includes stage management and lighting/sound design among others. I have several friends there right now and they all give the school glowing reviews. Here's a link: http://www.ent-nts.ca

JacintaErdogan

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #4 on: Dec 21, 2009, 12:16 am »
I'm from Australia, but I know there's a place in Canada called The Banff Centre that focuses on the arts.
Here's a link:

newbielink:http://www.banffcentre.ca/ [nonactive]

That's all I can tell you though, I don't really know anything about the place. Hope that helps.
I have no idea if Banff takes international students (don't know why they wouldn't), but it is a great place to develop as an SM in Canada.  I know a few people who have gone through their programs (both SM and Design) and they have nothing but great things to say (it has helped their careers too).  It is somewhere I endeavour to go in the next year or two.


A girl I know who studied the same course as me, got a scholarship there, so I am assuming they do accept international students  :P

centaura

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #5 on: Dec 21, 2009, 08:51 am »
Where do you want to end up working as a stage manager?  I ask since stage management practices vary between England and the US, and if you get too much of your education over here, it won't help you as much as a local degree will in the actual day to day practices of stage managing.  I'm not sure of the differences in Canadian stage management - I had applied to Banff but was not accepted.  That was 15 or more years ago, so I can't recall why.  But I recall having issues at an apprenticeship I had in England because a lot of the basic job roles that I knew as an American SM didn't translate, and I was not aware of some of the things expected of me in the normal British system.

-Centaura

SMfairy

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #6 on: Dec 21, 2009, 07:32 pm »
Hi, thanks everyone for your replies.

Centaura; I had noticed, from reading thins forum, that there are some rather significant differences between SM in the UK and the USA, for example, the job role of DSM doesn't seem to exist in the US, as it seems to be included in the role of SM.

I am looking to work in the UK really, but having lived abroad when I was a child, I am not adverse to working overseas, and am looking to see what is out there. It's always interesting to see what goes on elsewhere and what the opportunities are. If anyone has any suggestions as to training in other countries, and their experiences, I would welcome them too!

Thanks,
-Claire

centaura

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Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.
« Reply #7 on: Dec 22, 2009, 12:26 pm »
Yes, DSM is not something that's separated out in the US, as well some of the British PSM duties are really done by a company manager or production manager in the States.  I had a horrible time as an ASM over there - and I never really did figure out if the ASM doing the role of a props person was an industry standard or whether it was just an odd affectation of the place that I was apprenticing.  Most ASMs in the states would not be in charge of finding and making props, there would be a separate props person, or it often falls under the scenery department.  As well, we almost had a disaster on the show I was working on because no one told me that the special make-up effect was supposed to be done by me, they just assumed I knew and I just assumed that make-up was taken care of by the wardrobe department.  Again, there were some issues there that I was never sure after the fact whether that's really what British ASMs did, or whether it was just that place.  Anyway, I was just pointing out that things different from culture to culture, and while I fully support studying abroad as a way to expand your horizons, I've also learned that only so much translates between cultures.

-Centaura