Author Topic: Half Hour Call  (Read 24340 times)

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loebtmc

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #15 on: Jan 05, 2010, 11:18 pm »
it's amazing what some people think. I did (polite, respectful but firm) battle for my actors w a long-time director who insisted that on a 10/12, the actors had a 1.5 hr dinner and the last 30 minutes was their half-hour call, and he was furious at my (calm but firm) insistence that the 2 hrs was the actors completely, we didn't need a half-hour call for them at that stage of tech and if he wanted them in costume their half-hour started at the 2 hr mark.


BayAreaSM

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #16 on: Jan 07, 2010, 02:19 am »
 
Quote
Yep, that's the answer I think . . . but I am amazed by how people think the first break is not due until 1:50p. 

Matthew,

This was always a kicker with me at the summer company I worked for. With half hour at 7:00pm and tech starting at 7:30pm, we had to take our first break at 8:20pm. This differs greatly from AGMA, which states in it's contract that Half Hour is the "Dancer's Half Hour Break" - so when we hit our tech half hour at 7pm, we tech from 7:30pm to 8:50pm. Kinda stinky for them, but their contract clearly states it (well, at least our particular contract with AGMA). Always kind of screwed me up going back and forth between the companies and keeping the half hour rules straight.


EFMcMullen

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #17 on: Jan 08, 2010, 09:53 am »
I also love this puzzler.

Okay, it's tech.

Actors are called for a 12:00n Half-Hour Call, and then you start on stage at 12:30p to work (NOT RUN).  When is the first AEA break due?

Next scenario: You are still in rehearsal doing a dress run.  Actors are called for half hour.  Do you still give them a five before you call places if your Act I is over 50 min?

MatthewShiner

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #18 on: Jan 08, 2010, 10:42 am »
No, considering you are doing it under show conditions (not planning on stopping and running) - then I think this would be a "show condition" where the break would not be required.  Although I could make the argument for the 5 minute break, I think it would be waste of everyone's time.  If the half-hour was a true half-hour, and there was no excessive costumes, make-up, etc . . . then I was just say were are running under show conditions, with half-hour and the run of Act 1.

Although, that's a very good question, as I am staring down a 1 hour 50 minute first act of my current show, which means under show conditions, there is 2 hours and 20 minutes before their first break - although there is no one actor in every scene . . . many have at least 30 minutes where they are not on stage.
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VSM

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #19 on: Jan 08, 2010, 01:50 pm »
That sounds to me like a decision for you and your bladder to make!
Ordo ab chao

MatthewShiner

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #20 on: Jan 08, 2010, 03:03 pm »
Yeah, classical theatre and small bladders do not mix.

I actually look for places in the calling script if I had to duck out of the booth, where I can.
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DeeCap

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #21 on: Jan 11, 2010, 09:20 am »
I also love this puzzler.

Okay, it's tech.

Actors are called for a 12:00n Half-Hour Call, and then you start on stage at 12:30p to work (NOT RUN).  When is the first AEA break due?

I asked this question to my professor, (and a working professional sm) and he said that the break would be at 1:50. Now I'm all confused.

Has anyone asked Equity about this?

VSM

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #22 on: Jan 11, 2010, 11:22 am »
AEA would respond that the break occurs after 80 from actor calltime.
Or 55.
But I would call a five right before we start to achieve maximum rehearsal time.
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MatthewShiner

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #23 on: Jan 11, 2010, 11:46 am »
I have asked AEA about this multiple occasions, half-hour is considered work time, and has to be included in computing work time during rehearsal.

The best thing to do, to maximize time during tech periods where half-hour is given is the following:

1) Give them 30 minutes half-hour, take five, and then move on to your 80 minute work session.

2) Or, be very clear with the cast that during tech/rehearsal periods with costumes you will give then 25 minutes to get them into costume, then give them a five minute break, and then start.  Trust me, if you are working with any sort of "older/experience" actors, they will fight you on this . . . thinking the half-hour is all sorts of sacred - when in reality, the half-hour call is really just tied to a lot of rules around performance. 

As far as the AEA rules are concerned, there is no half-hour until you get to paid-public performances.  In reality, tech rehearsals are just normal rehearsals.  It's considered standard to give the cast 30 minutes to get into hair, costume and make-up, but in reality, if it only takes your actors 5 minutes then that's what you need to give them.  If you make it clear to the cast that your expectation is for them to get into hair, make-up and costume in 25 minutes, and then give them five minute break, and start 30 minutes after the call - then life goes on.  I usually announce at the top of the half-hour that I expect them to be ready in 30 minutes, plus take a five minute call - and then adjust the calls to to the break, announce the break, and then call them back.

Let us be honest, how many of us going down and check with actors in during half-hour during tech, to see actors sitting down, chatting until like ten minutes before they are expected onstage.  Usually, I have more the enough to do on stage during tech that I don't feel like I am losing time, but there has been techs were I have told the actors - ten minutes to get into costume ASAP, and we start on tech.

Now, if you are doing a run, or show, you only have to worry about the break at intermission, so it doesn't matter how long the it is between breaks.  (Like, my actors on my current show have 2 hours and 35 minutes from fight call thru half-hour to intermission).

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loebtmc

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #24 on: Jan 11, 2010, 12:39 pm »
I have frequently seen, during tech, a "break as needed" policy - staggering the breaks scene by scene. Seems to work well, other than those few who have no off time. Officially the cast is told that when off stage, they are officially on break so we don't have to stop the rehearsal and break the entire company at the same time. This allows a more realistic working time frame, and it allows stopping for crew/designers or the person with no offstage time (which can be true for some but not all plays). Works well, esp as this means when we take a break, the SMs actually get one instead of spending the whole time finding everyone twice (the giant circle to put on break, then back) and the work we all do during our breaks gets done. The only folks who fuss tend to be, amusingly, those who sit in their dressing rooms waiting for their 1 or 2 scenes and (as noted above) more senior actors who are used to company breaks rather than understanding that this allows time to solve technical issues and wastes minimal time.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #25 on: Jan 11, 2010, 07:02 pm »
My only problem with staggering breaks like that is it's hard for my to track on big shows that SM, crew and all actors are getting breaks.  It's sometimes just best for everyone to take ten and then come back together.

I am the worse, and sometimes work hours before I cry foul and have to take a break.
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loebtmc

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #26 on: Jan 12, 2010, 03:25 am »
I agree - I tend to let everyone else break but me, cuz I'd rather just plow thru and get it done -

staggered breaks work in specific circumstances - not all - but they do work for certain types of shows. And for those shows, so much easier than chasing down actors on break to give them 1) break and 2) back...

RuthNY

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #27 on: Jul 24, 2013, 09:38 am »
I am reviving this thread from 2009-10, both because I'd like new forum members to read it and weigh in, and because I heard something recently that belongs here. Read the thread, from the beginning, if you haven't done so before. It's a good one.

Regarding the myths surrounding the "requirement" for a "half hour call" during a rehearsal, a couple of days ago someone said this to me: "On a ten out of twelve Tech Day. The actors are due one half hour call per day  They have a half hour to get into costumes for the early session, but not for the later session."

That is why I'm breathing new life into this old thread. Where do people get the idea that something like this is a rule?
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loebtmc

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #28 on: Jul 24, 2013, 12:57 pm »
Regarding the myths surrounding the "requirement" for a "half hour call" during a rehearsal, a couple of days ago someone said this to me: "On a ten out of twelve Tech Day. The actors are due one half hour call per day  They have a half hour to get into costumes for the early session, but not for the later session.

I have worked with a few busy directors who have also been actors (some Broadway) who believe this and were shocked when I disabused them of this notion. No idea where they get this idea - after a 2 hr lunch break we then add a formal half-hour for costume and make-up? No idea where this notion came from, and it makes little sense.

BayAreaSM

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Re: Half Hour Call
« Reply #29 on: Jul 24, 2013, 07:39 pm »
When I was working outdoor Shakespeare, there wasn't a half hour call for the afternoon rehearsal, since there were no costumes, but for the evening rehearsal, after the 2 hour meal, we did have a half hour call for costumes and hair.