Messages

1126

The Hardline / Re: violation

« on: Aug 25, 2007, 11:03 pm »

I don't know where you are, but I have never had an AEA rep use my name any time I have reported violations or even just had questions. And unfortunately, I have dealt with this kind of situation - taping abuse - with some frequency. In a couple of cases, I have informed the rep knowing that there was nothing anyone could do other than, after the fact, producer (or cast) education or as leverage w a concession request. However, I question sievep's response. On more than one occasion, AEA has gone to the wall for me and my shows. It is important to bear in mind that we, the members, are AEA - not only does our union does have our collective best interests at heart, the staff is charged to do what we ask of them. In fact, taping is a huge issue generating a lot of discussion that is widely different between NYC and the rest of the country. So bringing this situation and your concerns to your reps' attention allows more input into what we hope will be a more united outcome. (Please don't read anything into this; I am trying to be very careful not to share my personal views and have heard valid arguments on both sides.)

YES talk to your business rep, and do ask to remain anonymous (or, ask about a "hypothetical" situation). Your producer needs to understand the ramifications of his actions, and the actors need to know their rights. After all, there is a reason taping requests requires a unanimous and anonymous ballot. Cuz if any ONE person says "no" that's the answer and the producer MUST honor that. 

1127

Stage Management: Other / Re: Taping the stage for dance

« on: Aug 24, 2007, 01:18 am »

Cool! Glad to see they are accessible and/or easily build-able now. I hadn't seen a rope light used that way before (mind you, this was abt 15-20 years ago) - and whether they invented it or just adapted it cleverly to their space, perhaps (since they didn't take the initiative) someone else figured out an easy way to create it and passed it along - it seems very cool and convenient, and if I go back to doing a lot of dance, I may invest and build one!

1128

Stage Management: Other / Re: Taping the stage for dance

« on: Aug 23, 2007, 11:31 am »

There is a theater in Irvine, CA that has built a better mousetrap (and I wish they would market it), but in the meantime here it is for all to create for their own selves.

Designed for dancers - they do a lot of ballet and musical theater in the space - it is a regular white light string that unrolls all the way DS just at the lip of stage edge. There is a single red light at center, and going out in both directions a (can't recall the color) light at quarter stage and half stage with the option of  a blue light every two feet (for musicals), and a green light ever four feet. You never have to tape (or peel off) the stage once you have found center - you just unroll it and leave it be until you're done, then roll it back up.

Seems to me a handy device, and one that would make some clever person a ton o'dough in theater sales. Think of the savings in both tape and time for setting and striking stage marks. Saves glowtape too - and keeps the performers from walking off the edge or getting too close to the edge, since it's a clear demarcation of stage edge that can be seen by all the performers - but not by the house (amazingly) - it is a great tool.

1129

The Hardline / Re: LOA and LORT?

« on: Aug 10, 2007, 12:50 am »

Any contract can be LOA - it's a letter of agreement referencing (fill in the contract)

Yes, many of them reference LORT agreements - and as a default, getting the book for an idea of its rules couldn't hurt - but you never know what percentage of the pay they have agreed to....

break a finger -

1130

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Talking to a group of campers about stage management

« on: Aug 09, 2007, 08:38 pm »

I am a huge fan of interactive classes wherever possible - altho of course it all depends on the ages of the kids. I have had great success with bringing script pages from the shows they will be seeing and/or working on (as actors or as techies) and asking them to pull out the SM-related stuff: Props, costumes, set pieces, gags, etc - what does an SM need to know abt, be aware of. Now, mind you, I selected script sections that were heavy on at least one or two aspects of production, but it was great to see them challenge themselves to look at a script and try to read it the way we have to.

And of course, we spent something like 30 minutes on "I'm sorry, I made a mistake and it will never happen again" - finally I had them try to write down blocking, which was a real challenge to kids who don't know how to focus on many things at once and still write down where who went.

1131

The Hardline / Re: Guest Artist Agreements

« on: Aug 08, 2007, 11:25 am »

...and please don't worry that you are not a member of AEA. A good AEA deputy will be able to answer on-the-spot concerns, and your local AEA rep will be delighted that you called and be very willing to help you maneuver the trouble spots. (And, depending on where you are, we can give you the name of the person to ask for in the closest office city)

Break many legs and have a ball!

1132

The Hardline / Re: Guest Artist Agreements

« on: Aug 07, 2007, 01:05 pm »

Where are you? And what show?

Feel free to call your AEA reps - and how many AEA cast members are there? With 3 or more, the SM is supposed to be AEA unless they requested and rec'd a concession -

also your AEA deputy should be helpful -

Good for you for reading the contract - which (I agree) doesn't tell you a whole lot. Do you have specific qqs or just not sure how to make sure the actors stay within their allowed hours with costume fittings, tech etc, get their breaks, and so forth?

1133

The Hardline / Re: Equity "half-hour"

« on: Aug 05, 2007, 05:48 pm »

Matthew, please rest assured that checking the specific contract and knowing the time comes out of the rest of the week's hours was mentioned - altho it may have been in passing, and saying it again, and again, and again doesn't hurt - my running joke is that in theater we have to say everything three times in order to be heard once....

however, I second, as always, calling the AEA reps, cuz they know all the details and the wobbly places and what you can and cannot do, all a whole lot faster than searching for the right category in the contracts.

regarding that one-page "ettiquette" document being passed: it something I can see using is case by case, for specific casts - because some groups are more professional than others (and it doesn't always have to do w being paid) - for example, I just worked with a group of HS kids, and something like this (with a few adjustments) would be perfect for these young folks who are learning what it means to be a professional actor (esides remembering your lines and, hopefully, your blocking - and I have also worked w pros who in fact needed to learn that, for example, showing up on time and actually sticking w the director's artistic vision was a part of their job. Depends on where they got trained and if they actually had ever worked in theater before their current jobs.

1134

Tools of the Trade / Re: Spike Tape on Marley Floors

« on: Aug 03, 2007, 11:52 pm »

there is a whole discussion under another topic hedder - I think it's called "keeping spike tape down" - you shd look there for suggestions  -

1135

The Hardline / Re: Equity "half-hour"

« on: Aug 03, 2007, 11:50 pm »

Go to the AEA website and look under documents - most contracts are there -

1136

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling a warning for a cue

« on: Aug 03, 2007, 01:28 pm »

(ahh, age....)

Warns are indeed leftovers from days when it took longer to set up the cue - so if you are in a theater where they still use a non-computerized, 2-scene cross-fade manual board, you need to give warns. That's when the board op sets up the cue - the S/B is hands on faders ready to switch.

We do still use them for long and complex sequences as noted (warn LQ 16-25, S F-H and fly 23-26, for ex) - and your s/b still is close on the cue, sorta "hands on the button" as it were - OR where there are pages and pages between cues and you need to refocus the board ops/fly crew/carps - eg in Streetcar scene 7 (or, act 2 scene 2 I think - there are actually two acting versions of the play) - anyway, for the birthday party, it is pretty much a 20+ minute scene with basically one light cue at each end. So when we got to a page or so before the cue, I woke up the sound op and refocused my board op w a warn, then did the s/b about a line ahead of the cue.

Make sense? Does that help?

1137

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Bows

« on: Jul 27, 2007, 03:30 am »

I am wondering if it is an outgrowth of the weird practice of applauding the audience - where the focus is thrown straight out front - perhaps that is what evolved into a booth call. Curious, since people seem to have been trained either that it was either rude, or essential, to applaud/thank the audience. So maybe this weird new thing grew out of that?

1138

The Hardline / Re: Equity "half-hour"

« on: Jul 16, 2007, 11:10 pm »

"half-hour"is to the top of the show; in a big house, no actor will normally be allowed on stage at half hour, since most larger houses open then. It becomes "stage ready/let the audience in now" mark when, other than last-minute things, the tech side is ready to go. Smaller houses or places which open at more like 15 will allow sometimes actors on stage at 30 minutes but only for a finite time unless they are part of the preset for a soft house-open.

1139

Tools of the Trade / Re: Painting on marley floor

« on: Jul 16, 2007, 11:03 pm »

CHALK! 

I have been in a couple of places where I couldn't tape the floor due to multiple use or set swapping or it not being a theater space or whatever...and while I did have to rechalk a lot, I had no trouble getting it down or off (and my ASMs always helped w the re-chalking) -

sidewalk chalk in particular, being made for kids, comes off nicely, and the many colors let me color-code stuff too

1140

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Sexist Scenic Designer... HELP!

« on: Jul 15, 2007, 09:28 pm »

McShell is right - I assumed you had already asked him face to face - if not, that is certainly the first line of defense. But if you HAVE already tried - nicely - to talk w him, then move on to the other methods mentioned -