Author Topic: Stage Manager's relationship with IATSE or union stagehands/crew?  (Read 4436 times)

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SMeustace

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What is a stage manager's relationship with IATSE and/or union stagehands and crewmembers? In terms of scheduling, distributing jobs/assignments, cue sheets, call times, breaks and etc.?

Can they have a crew member be called at a certain or specific time or is it by the authority of someone else (PM?)
« Last Edit: Dec 15, 2014, 07:58 am by SMeustace »
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

BayAreaSM

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It may depend on the company.

Generally all calls for IA are set through your company's Production Manager/Technical Director.

For those that are IA, they are registered with the local with their certain skill sets that determine what departments they can work in, and are generally ranked within those departments (at least with the locals that work for me). If they aren't classified as a rigger, they won't be booked as a rigger for a job, etc.

Your PM will place the call with the local, asking for a certain number of Carpenters, Props people, Electricians (breaking down into board ops, spot ops and deck elex), etc. The union rep puts the call out to the local (now they have a new online system, which makes it much easier than before) and members decide whether or not to take the call.

My company has a specific set of department heads that are part of our local, and they always work our shows. As the heads of their departments, once the IA call is filled, the heads decide who will do what within their departments. That is not stage management (or even the PM's choice). They know their fellow members and know their strengths and where they will excel best.

As stage management, my ASM makes the run sheets for the rail, carpenters, props and the deck electricians (after consulting with the LD and our Master Electrician). I make the spot sheets, as we don't have an ALD. My ASM and I consult on cue numbers and cue light colors to make sure what I'm calling/flipping matches the paperwork she gives the crew.

Department heads assign crew members to the tasks on the run sheets, and my ASM and PA take note as to who is doing what and if additional people were needed for a certain shift, etc - in the very likely chance that we do this production again.

As stage management, we call breaks, and we must be aware of the IA rules for the crew's breaktime as well. Generally, I prefer to call "Universal 10's" - so that my dancers and crew take a break at the same time. If that is not possible, I make sure that after the shift is complete, the crew get their required break (which is not as strict as my dancer's union breaks) after their work is done, and we just bring the dancers back for notes in work lights until the crew is ready.

Because PM's make a budget for shows, changing a crew member's call time is something that you need to discuss with the PM. Depending on your company's or the venue's contract with IA (whichever one you are working under) IA will have varying minimum calls (either 4 or 8 hours a day), and if you are not versed in the contract, you could be making a costly decision.

Hopefully that answered your question. And if not, we do have some members on here that are members of IATSE - maybe they can offer more insight.

SMrose

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In addition to what BayAreaSM has said, you should have a Steward assigned to the show.  This is your on-site "go to" person for calls/changes/etc.  This person is the on-site  Business Agents' liaison.

 

riotous