Author Topic: Production Meetings  (Read 9786 times)

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JDL

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Production Meetings
« on: Aug 13, 2007, 03:36 pm »
What is the average number of Production Meetings for your shows?
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Balletdork

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #1 on: Aug 13, 2007, 03:45 pm »
Traditionally once a week for every week of rehearsal- plus at least one pre-rehearsal and one post-close...

So- If I'm working a so with a 6 week rehearsal period, and 3 weeks of performances- I'd have 1 pre-rehearsal production meeting, 6 during rehearsal meetings and one post-mortem.

Also- these meetings are (hopefully) not design meetings!  ;)

Mac Calder

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #2 on: Aug 13, 2007, 08:43 pm »
I pretty much concur. I also like to make sure I have one the day before bump-in and one after the first week of shows if there are many issues.

Sarah

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #3 on: Aug 13, 2007, 09:45 pm »
In my experience, it has been customary to attended meetings one week prior to the start of rehearsal through the rehearsal period, ending with the last meeting the week before tech. Production meetings held more than once a week are superfluous and redundant, IMHO.

I am dismayed at the lack of postmortem meetings; I find them a valuable tool for streamlining the production process.

Jessie_K

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #4 on: Aug 13, 2007, 09:58 pm »
It depends.  On the opera I just did, we started monthly meetings about 6 months out and then switched to weekly once we moved in full-time rehearsal.  We did hold a post-mortem, which was great.

For dance (tours) we usually would pow-wow before each leg of the tour and/ or NY season.

MarcieA

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #5 on: Aug 13, 2007, 10:53 pm »
Also- these meetings are (hopefully) not design meetings!  ;)

Ha.Haha. Hahaha. I laugh at your optimism.

Though I am really optimistic that the production dept. meeting we had in July will change that.
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Aerial

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #6 on: Aug 17, 2007, 08:01 pm »
We tend to do once a week from pre-production through the beginning of tech.  Once we go into tech, we have mini production meetings nightly until press.  We don't usually do post mortems.

SMExtraordinaire

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2008, 09:36 pm »
I work at a year 'round theatre so we have a production meeting every week that will span at least 2 shows (the one currently running, the one going into rehearsal and perhaps even the one after that depending on timing).

During tech week we have a prod meeting every night to lay out all issues that need to be addressed out on the table. These meetings tend to be long, but actually somewhat productive.

So here is my question, how do you keep a prod meeting running (the weekly ones)? I have found that here they have gotten used to making each prod meeting a time to have all the other little side meetings they should have already had or should have scheduled after or even could do over email. What is the cut off for these types of discussions? How do you keep a prod meeting running smoothly, keeping it productive, but not becoming a "hash out" meeting that could take place for 2 people?

Any advice would be helpful as my PSM has just resigned and I will be taking the reigns (and the current format is driving me nuts)...
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Scott

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2008, 10:07 pm »
For me, especially on smaller budget projects, I try to keep production meetings to a minimun and save them for those critical junctures when all the side conversations have been exhausted.  Does that make sense?

chops

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Re: Production Meetings
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2008, 10:24 pm »
I hold weekly meetings with my producers, crew and cast.  I tend to keep them all seperate becuase my crew does not need to know what the things that are being discussed with the producers and vice versa.  I guess that falls into the side meeting discussion.  However even when we have been running the same shows for an extended duration i like to have the weekly meetings.  It helps me to keep all of the shows straight.  Considering that I have five shows running today I can occasionally not notice everything that is becomming a problem. 

As far as keeping the meeting on track... Walk in with an agenda and make sure that you are running it.  If there is a side conversation which needs to happen then call it out.  I often times just tell people to side bar that issue after the meeting and get back to me tomorrow.  Just make sure that you follow up your request and ask the parties involved what solution they came to.  I find that my weekly meetings mainly keep me informed and ensure that the needed side discussions are in deed happening. 
Peace,

Chops