Author Topic: Showcase Costume Fittings  (Read 5759 times)

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babens

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Showcase Costume Fittings
« on: Oct 02, 2012, 08:48 pm »
A question for those of you who have worked the Showcase Code here in NYC.  I'm trying to figure out what is allowed in terms of costume fittings, as there is nothing spelled out in the Code language itself.  The director does not want to give up rehearsal time to lose an actor to a fitting (as they pretty much never do).  Now under some contracts (I know for sure TYA, as that is the contract I've been working the most under the past few years) say that fittings must be part of the rehearsal hours for that day, and paid as such.  Others, such as the Off-Broadway (which I've been referencing the most for questions that are not spelled out in the very basic Showcase language) do allow for fittings outside of the rehearsal schedule, provided there are no break violations (i.e. should a fitting start at 9:00 then the actor must get a meal break no later than five hours from that point). 

What rules have others gone by in the past?  Obviously I'm putting in a call to Equity in the morning, but if somebody has done this recently it always helps to know ahead of time what Equity's previous stance has been.

Thanks in advance.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #1 on: Oct 02, 2012, 09:43 pm »
Since there no specific language about costume fittings, nor conversation about work hours versus rehearsal hours, I think you should assume that all work hours need to come out of the rehearsal hours, unless AEA says otherwise.

Please share your answer.
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nick_tochelli

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #2 on: Oct 03, 2012, 10:06 pm »
During rehearsal hours only in my experience. The point of the showcase is to leave the actor as free as possible to do other things whole rehearsing for the showcase. You can't make them come in during nonscheduled rehearsal hours.

But like you said, check with equity. I'm almost positive that will be their answer.

MarcieA

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #3 on: Oct 03, 2012, 11:42 pm »
During rehearsal hours only in my experience. The point of the showcase is to leave the actor as free as possible to do other things whole rehearsing for the showcase. You can't make them come in during nonscheduled rehearsal hours.

But like you said, check with equity. I'm almost positive that will be their answer.

If I recall correctly, the answer is actually the opposite of this. (Full disclosure though, this conversation was a few years ago. They could have changed their stance on this or I just just be wrong. But, to make sure I understand their answers completely, I do ask very specific questions, such as "If I'm rehearsing 6-10pm, you're saying I can schedule a costume fitting at 12pm?)

In my numerous conversations with Equity about this, they have told me that working on a Showcase is basically the equivalent of volunteering one's time, and so fittings can be scheduled at any time during the day, as long as the actor is amenable to that time, and as long as the fitting is included in the total number of hours allowed per rehearsal day, which on a regular showcase is 6 hours. You'll notice that on the Showcase code there is no span of day limitation, so it's 6 rehearsal hours, not 6 out of 7. Theoretically, a fitting could be scheduled for 11am, and rehearsal scheduled for 7-11pm.

In my past experiences on showcases, I personally always try to schedule fittings during (or immediately before or after) rehearsal unless it just isn't possible for whatever reason, and then move on to hours outside of rehearsal that are at the actor's convenience. A very specific example of this would be fittings at the Costume Collection, where fittings on-site must be scheduled in advance and only during their specific hours of operation (9a-5:30pm and last checkout at 4pm). If you're working on a show that only rehearses in the evenings, scheduling a fitting during rehearsal hours won't be possible.
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babens

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #4 on: Oct 04, 2012, 02:25 pm »
No response yet from Equity, but we were able to work out time within our days for the current fittings to be done, so no issue at the moment.

MarcieA is correct in terms of the span of day limitations, or lack thereof, as I had that question the last time I did Fringe (which was admittedly a few years ago now).  The reps at the time confirmed that the actual span of day had no limitation, it was just down to the number of allowable hours, and of course normal breaks, rest periods had to apply (i.e. meal break after five continuous hours, 12 hours between end of day and the next call, etc).

For now I've just been referencing the Off-Broadway rulebook for those questions which aren't spelled out in the Showcase Code when the reps drag their feet on getting back to me with an answer, making sure that I keep things in favor of the actors. 

I'll still let you know what Equity has to say once (if) the reps give me an official answer.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #5 on: Oct 04, 2012, 07:13 pm »
But it still seems if you are allowed X number of hours for rehearsal, and want to schedule a 1 hour costume fitting, that actor can only rehearse x-1 hours.

One of the biggest things to wrap you ahead around on the span of day rules is rehearsal terms like 7 out of 8 versus work day rules - which is where span of day add in.

Even on the LORT contract, there is no span of day rule, it is 12 hours by default, since you need a 12 hour turn around, but you can schedule a 13 hour span of day if you are pushing back your start time an hour.

It's how you can do costume fittings at 10:00a, 11:00a, 12:00n and then rehearse 1:00p - 10:00p with an 8 out of ten hour rehearsal span.

As long as the costume fititngs but up against the rehearsal hours, you are fine (And as long as other break considerations are in play).

Again, I think you are safe and sane in treating the showcase agreement of rehearsal hours to be the pool of hours all work must come out of . . . unless AEA says otherwise. 
« Last Edit: Oct 06, 2012, 10:55 am by MatthewShiner »
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babens

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #6 on: Oct 05, 2012, 11:11 pm »
Again, I think you are safe and sane in treating the showcase agreement of rehearsal hours to be the pool of hours all work must come out of . . . unless AEA says otherwise. 

That is how I've been treating it, which is where the director and I had a slight butting of heads.  Luckily we've been able to work out times for said fittings that make everyone happy, which is good since Equity still never called back with an official answer.  Until then I will hold to the stance that under the Showcase that fittings are included in the number of hours the actor can work in a day/week, and will continue to disagree with any directors who think otherwise.

And, for what it's worth, I've been on the TYA contract for much of the past four years where the span of day is very much spelled out and enforced, so that concept is very engrained in my brain for the time being.

EFMcMullen

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #7 on: Oct 06, 2012, 07:57 am »

Even on the LORT contract, there is no span of day rule, it is 12 hours by default, since you need a 12 hour turn around, but you can schedule a 13 hour span of day if you are pushing back your start time an hour.


I'm confused. Doesn't Rule 50(a)(3) spell out the 12 hour work day?  I've always gone by that.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #8 on: Oct 06, 2012, 10:57 am »
Sorry, yes, there is 12 hour span per actor, what I was saying in my head and didn't do a very good job online, is that the span of day for a show can be more than 12 . . . as long as any individual actor doesn't cross over the 12 hour span of day or 12 hour turn around.  (Don't don't drink and post)

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #9 on: Oct 06, 2012, 01:18 pm »
And in most instances, the span of day rule and the 12 hour turn-around include the Stage Manager as well...
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babens

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #10 on: Oct 06, 2012, 06:20 pm »
That makes much more sense, Matthew, and I totally see what you mean now.  I admit I wasn't quite following you at first.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Showcase Costume Fittings
« Reply #11 on: Oct 06, 2012, 07:20 pm »
Babens . . . there was no way to follow that logic in the original post.  I did not complete the thought. 

When scheduling complicated shows and when you have to think outside of the box, you can assign people different spans of day, especially for those things you don't need to be present for - Costume Fittings, Press Events, etc.  As long as each individual is following the rules, you are fine.

It is sad that some of the agreements don't have things like span of rehearsal hours or span of work day, but hopefully there are other rules in place to get producers from abusing those who are working under those agreements.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.