Observational Awareness Training?

[catalinacisne]

Hey all,

I need to work on my observational skills when it comes to details - when watching performances, a lot of times something will look weird (a light brighter than usual, a set piece oriented the wrong way, etc.) but I doubt myself because I won't be able to remember for sure what it is supposed to look like. So either I won't include it in Notes because I'm not sure whether I'm correct, or I'll mention it and I'll be told that's how it always has been.

Beyond just paying more attention to the details, do you guys have any recommended exercises or training for cultivating that skill?

[MatthewShiner]

Start to question everything.  It's the only way to do it.

In reality, this is a very har skill to build up without working on long runs - and then without working on long runs without something going wrong.  I always joke that after three months it becomes like just seeing glitches in the matrix.  I can watch a show, and ONLY see the four things wrong on stage - your eye becomes drawn to the chair off spike, the light burnt out, the late spot pick up, and the actor in the wrong costume.  But, it takes awhile to train your eye to build up to that.

On that note, there are a lot of visual puzzles, like the ones with two pictures, and you have to note the differences, that might help.

[Rebbe]

Think about what kinds of things you do remember, and figure out what it is that makes them memorable for you personally.  For instance, I find that writing things down helps me remember them; I may never look at the note again, but somehow the process is writing it down solidifies it in my memory.  You could make more extensive notes about props and set pieces, or even take pictures and put them near your calling station for quick reference during or after shows.  You can’t track lights and sound in quite that fashion, but if you can reassure yourself about other elements, you may have more brain power left to focus those details instead of trying to take in everything. 

A final thing to keep in mind is that mistakes are part of the learning process.  Once you realize something can be off or is off, you will become more accustomed to checking it in the future.   Once you’ve been stage managing for a while, these little things will become ingrained and easier to accomplish all at once.  It’s like driving; when you first get behind the wheel you have no idea how to watch the signs and the road and the pedestrians all at once, but with practice it gets easier.

[Maribeth]

If there's something that I can write down in my book that will help me, I will often do that. A little note next to each cue that says what the cue does ("LQ47- opens stage, chandelier up") goes a long way towards helping me notice when something is not as it should be. Or, if there is something that is a recurring problem- like a door that has to be closed for a scene change to work that frequently gets left open- I will write a little note to myself so that I remember to check it. Like Rebbe said, I also find that the act of writing something down makes me more aware of it.

Sometimes I will jot a note to myself in the middle of the performance if something looks weird and ask someone else after the show to see if they noticed it as well (like an out-of-focus lighting unit).

[nick_tochelli]

Knowing what every cue does is by far the most helpful trick for identifying potential lighting issues as Maribeth said. It's also exceptionally helpful to be very familiar with the channel hook up and dimmer schedule. It will help you identify the potential "problem child" quicker after the show when you're going back through your notes.

The way I help myself for a run is to focus specifically on tech elements during tech. Really watch where everything goes, and how it works on the stage. You've just spend X number of weeks focusing on the cast, and listening to their performance and cadence. It's now time to "rehearse" the tech elements in the same way. Get used to the way the tech performs and the way it flows. Associate what the tech elements are doing in comparison to the onstage action to give it a reference point (ie. Cue starts on this line and completes on this line). Actors play around with their timing but they eventually settle into a pattern. So will the tech.

I guess the long and short of my advice is gain and retain as much knowledge as you can during your rehearsal process/tech process. Eventually you could get to the point where you work on a long enough run that you'll be able to identify differences in a heart beat.

It will come with more shows under your belt. You'll learn how your mind retains the knowledge needed to notice when things have gone awry. But knowing that it is a "weak" point in your SM Skill set already means you're on your way to making it better.

[LizzG]

Everything that everyone else has said is great...and like they have all said, it's a skill that takes time.

If you didn't get to tech the show yourself and thus didn't get that time to really study all the tech elements, my two cents is this:

Start with those times when you see something off and think it is wrong.  Ask your crew in the moment if something is different - like Matthew said, question everything.  If they say yes, something is off, then they can give you specifics so you know for next time (like if a specific lighting fixture is out of focus, etc.).  BUT, if they say no, nothing is wrong and your gut says otherwise, write it down anyway.  This way, next time you call the show, you can take a close look at that section and see if it happens again.  If it doesn't, obviously there was definitely a problem one of the times.  Clearly, this won't work for things like a burned out lamp because if it's out, then the lamp will just still be out, but with moving lights that occasionally don't hit their focus or something odd in an audio mix, etc., it can be helpful. 

You can alternately ask what the thing is supposed to look like, rather than asking if it is wrong (like asking what the focus is supposed to be doing with a lighting cue, or how the prop presets).

You'll also learn about your crew, and their willingness to tell you when something is wrong.  I once worked as an ASM with a head electrician, and every time I called the show and asked him if something was off focus, he would say no.  Then after the show, my PSM would tell me, in fact, my hunch was correct and something was off focus.  So I would just write it down and then I would know for sure the next time.

[ekylsnav6]

If you are having trouble keeping tracking of everything I would say that you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help from your crew. If you have ASMs you could possibly assign one of them to look out for the little things that you might not have been able to catch. Also, I would never hestiate to note something, even if you are unsure of your note. I've never been afraid to learn from my mistakes. It can be nerve wracking, but beneficial too.

~best~
Matt

[catalinacisne]

Thanks for all the advice, guys! I think my situation is somewhat unique in the business - I am the only crew member for these shows (actors are staged to move scenery as needed within the show), and we have one 10 of 12 in which to tech the hour-long shows. There really isn't time for me to stop and watch things for my own sake, or else we wouldn't get through the show in the time allotted. My actors aren't much help either, because they get so into "the world" of the play that when I ask them about anomalies post-show, they usually have no idea what I'm talking about.

BUT I've recently changed positions within the theatre, and will now be backstage as a PA for the AEA productions, which will give me a lot of great chances to test myself about differences etc.  So thanks for the advice, I'm looking forward to applying it!