The Curse of Drop Box

[MatthewShiner]

So, I had an awkward moment a week ago where I walked into a shared office space, and noticed on the shared desk was another stage manager’s pre-production list – which was my form.  Flat out, my form.  Not looking like it, but just slap a logo on, change a few lines, copy my form.  It took a while for me to track down HOW this SM got the form, and although I am a little disheartened that someone took the form, I am flattered someone would want to borrow it; just a little put out that someone would not ask beforehand.

At the end of the day, it’s a cautionary tale that if you are sharing drop box, people have access to those files.  Be careful, it you don’t want something to get out there – move it out of the shared file.  Not only forms, but any confidential information – let’s to producers, actor confidential info, staff info.  Remember, once a person has access to the files, it’s very easy for them to batch copy, move out and now have them all.

[ReyYaySM]

Limiting access (among other reasons) is why I started creating a show specific Dropbox folder that was SM only.  The only people with access to the folder are my assistants and me.  While we also belong to the larger show Dropbox folder that the entire creative and production staff are members of, my team and I have a folder that is just us (and I maintain admin control/select the option that I am the only person who can invite others to join).  It gives us an opportunity to share documents amongst us for easy access and editing and then we upload final drafts to the show Dropbox for the entire show staff to access (usually in pdf format).  But there are certainly files that I only keep on my personal computer. 

[MatthewShiner]

I also think you just need to be clear these files are not to be copied by anyone.

Even an assistant can copy, and then distribute being innocent, thinking this is what is normally done.

[PSMKay]

A new era of stage management calls for a new type of checklist! With all of the communication protocols we have flying at us, it might be a good idea to introduce a new checklist that addresses security settings for each of the main tools we might use on a production, and then run it as part of our pre-production setup. So, a standard checklist for Dropbox might be:

- Set up shared dropbox folders
- Create dummy sub accounts at multiple levels of access**
- Test uploading and downloading at all levels
- Verify that the following files are in the Dropbox and accessible to levels X, Y and Z
   - File A (entire company)
   - File B (SMs only)
   - Show logo (all production staff, marketing and box office)
- Send out invitations to all who will need access
- Verify that all who will need access have logged in at least once
- Verify that master password is stored in the prompt book and ASM knows where to find it in emergency

Strike checklist:
- Ensure all parties have uploaded all pertinent files to the shared dir.
- Remove access to shared dir from everyone.
- Backup shared dir contents and archive with prompt book.
- Remove show-related files from shared dir so it can be reused.

Have separate checklists that you can press into service depending on if your company wants to use Dropbox, Drive, Google Sites, Skydrive, or whatever. If you're the non-techy type, make sure you write down every click and poke that you make on your way to setting things up perfectly.

** I do this a lot. For example, I have a dummy regular user account with more than five posts, a dummy account with less than five posts, and a dummy moderator account here on SMNet so that I can see the site like you guys do without all the admin bells & whistles.

[LizzG]

Another option - PDFing your files.  If you want, you can PDF them so no one can even copy and paste and you can PDF so you can't print them either.

[MatthewShiner]

There are enough programs out there that allow you to convert PDF --> Doc that any content can still be mined.  But, I do that for most docs I send as a partial deterrent for editing.

[NomieRae]

That is pretty disheartening to have someone flat out copy your format. In the past if I've really liked a form I ask if I can use the framework but make it my own and 9 times out of 10 they are flattered and allow me.

I've also seen people get really touchy about forms that seem similar just by lack of variables. One time I had a PSM ask me if I stole their friends' contact sheet setup because they looked so similar. Sure enough, he sent me a PDF and we had the same setup and even a similar font, but I had to malicious intent to steal any format... I just came up with something that looked good and was useful.

[MatthewShiner]

There is a difference between copying a form and copying content.  This was a content issue. 

I am more flattered then pissed when people copy forms - but seriously, how many different ways are there to make a daily call sheet?  And, my format has evolved over the past 15 years - borrowing a bit from stage managers (with permission).  So, they have evolved. 

But a flat out copy (font, break down, working, terminology - I call some things some very specific things . . . ) - without permission - that's a bit different.  A bit different.  (especially a long, 10+ page document). 

I think at the end of the day - ASK!  It's so much better to ask permission, then gamble with the other person being angry and have to deal with that.

[Branden]

My dropbox account is set up so that I can store all of my files in one place, and that I feel comfortable sharing it with just about anything.

Every folder has a subfolder titled 'Drafts', and they hold all the word documents-and almost all of them are password protected, on various levels.

All of my performance reports are kept in Excel, with each performance as a new sheet-which means that all the performances are available in one [sometime massive] Excel file, and the document is 'Read Only' password protected, so anyone can view it, but only those with the password can edit it.

The more sensitive documents require a password to view. Then the things that everyone need to see are saved as PDFs outside the 'Drafts' folder.

I suppose, as already mentioned, a dedicated plagiarist could reconstruct a template from a PDF, content even, but it at least offers some protection. 

[RuthNY]

As discussed in threads like this over the years, it's easy to convert almost any pdf into an editable document, if you have the correct tools. Your pdfs are not as protected, as you think they are.

I suppose, as already mentioned, a dedicated plagiarist could reconstruct a template from a PDF, content even, but it at least offers some protection.

[KMC]

As discussed in threads like this over the years, it's easy to convert almost any pdf into an editable document, if you have the correct tools. Your pdfs are not as protected, as you think they are.

I suppose, as already mentioned, a dedicated plagiarist could reconstruct a template from a PDF, content even, but it at least offers some protection.

This is good advice, and it really doesn't even take any special tools.  A full copy of Adobe Acrobat is all you need in most cases.