Messages

1321

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First time with Equity

« on: Aug 20, 2010, 01:12 pm »

You will give lines notes for the rest of your career - it's fully expected in the professional world.

Take a look at the rule book you are operating under, and follow the rules regarding breaks - remember, everyone should know these rules and expect the breaks to happen as outlines.

You should be fine.

1322

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: HOUSE MANAGEMENT: Do you spill the beans about your famous audience members?

« on: Aug 20, 2010, 12:39 am »

Here's the issue

If one person in the cast doesn't want to know of VIPS/REVIEWERS/ETC in the house at any given time, then I can't tell any of the cast - so I tend to keep it to myself, and let people know post-show.

1323

The Green Room / Re: Being friends with other stage managers

« on: Aug 19, 2010, 05:51 pm »

Finally, it's certainly a given that nasty gatherings of stage managers help nobody, except maybe alpha dogs in the proverbial pack.  So, knowing this, how can SMs foster a more positive sort of connection with other folks in the trade?  What have been the main factors that make a positive gathering vs a negative one? BayAreaSM is having some luck with 5 employed SMs at the same company, but had a dreadful time several years ago at someone's house.  Is there a comfort zone or safe space required? How do you get the competition to be healthy without turning into a bloody backstabbing mess, when we're talking about theatre here?

I think, oddly, this site is a really positive way to make connections over a face to face gathering. 

First off, there is a huge geographical distribution.  We aren't all competing for the same jobs.  For example, me and Heath, both are pretty similar places in our careers, aren't going up for the same jobs - we move in different circles, so it's very easy to slip each other advice . . . and feel like it's trust-able advice  (not something that will kick me the read end)

Second, there is a certain level of anonymity - well, not for me - not every one uses their real name on the board, so there is something to hide behind.

Thirdly, I think the board is heavy with younger or earlier career stage managers, that maybe more open to the interaction with other stage managers - maybe it's because it was an atmosphere fostered in school?  Maybe it's because the competition has become over riding yet, or maybe not bitterness and jadedness has taken everyone over.  Everyone is excited about the work and the craft and eager to share.  (Also, when you are young, you are more open to hearing other people's points of view.)

Secondly, while the comments here have shown that being friends with other SMs can make life more pleasant, is it really a necessity or more of a luxury?  Is it something we should strive for, or just accept as it comes?

I think it's a luxury, and we should just accept it as it comes.  Again, you are not always going to be friends with people you work with, especially people you work with on a project basis.  As I get older, I am also very comfortable with just being someone's acquaintance or friend of a friend, and using professional methods of maintaining that relationship without carving out a friendship and all that goes with that.

PSMKay is right, we are often thrown together and form very quick and tight bonds while working on the show - this leads to all sorts of issues - show romances that go awry, quick friendships that dissolve the moment a show closes, that post-show blues.  If you get a friend out a show, great for you, but as you quickly log up shows, it becomes harder and harder to form a long, lasting friendship . . . if I had a strong close friend from every show I did, I wouldn't have much time for anything else.

1324

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 07:54 pm »

people keep producing showcases though because they continue to be able to staff the productions. It's a never ending cycle...

until people turn down the job, or AEA stops the showcase contract.

1325

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 07:38 pm »

Not that I'm defending the job at all - because I don't think it's right - but isn't the reasoning behind the showcase stipend that a showcase is really just volunteer work? According to Equity that is. This is why companies can 'legally' get away with paying $200/500 or in many case absolutely no money for a full-time SM.

The abuse of the "Showcase" code in NYC is rampant - when I was first in NYC - I worked on a Showcase show that employed just show case actors, but had money for a sound board mixer, musicians, a automated show control system, and lit the show with 20 Veri-Lights.  There was money in the show, but it was not being spent on the talent or stage management - which was extremely frustrating.

and KMC307, regarding

Now doing it solely on principle to still retain your normal rate is entirely another matter, but legally - sure.  At that point it's your money, you can donate it to whoever you want.

Yes, it would be doing it on principle. 

1326

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 02:56 pm »

Here's the thing . . . I would work for my weekly rate, and donate back the difference if I got the Tax Right Off - is that legal? 

1327

College and Graduate Studies / Re: BA vs BS

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 02:06 pm »

What is the difference between a BFA in Stage Management and a MFA in Stage Management? 

Well, it sort of depends on the quality of the program - both are degrees that work towards a terminal degree in stage management.  A MFA is an advanced/master level work that requires a undergraduate degree - so there is the implicit argument that it is more advance work and training, and, depending on the program, has a higher requirement level to enter.  There is also sort of the universities' level of internal hoops to jump through to get your MFA versus MA (research, publish, defend, etc . . .).  Also, usually a BFA will have SOME general education requirements, where as a MFA is almost always exclusive degree related coursework.

The big difference is the degree that you have in hand at the end - most universities or jobs that are affiliated with universities will most likely require a MFA (or Master's) level degree - or having to go through the process of proving you have equivalent professional experience - which is often a big pain.

 

1328

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 01:58 pm »

Exactly, $200.00 a month at 40 hours per week works out to $1.25 an hour.  How is the legal?  Why is the right?  Why do you do this?  (And home may weeks are only 40 hours . . . ?)

1329

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CAST: Practical jokes on final performance?

« on: Aug 17, 2010, 10:28 pm »

Nope - in professional settings like that, the audience that is seeing the performance is seeing it for the first time - and paying a lot.  I do not expect my cast to do pranks at any time - and have gone as far to speak to Agents about behavior that is less then professional.

Now, there are a layer of pranks that the audience never knows about - and that, I am fine with.

1330

College and Graduate Studies / Re: BA vs BS

« on: Aug 17, 2010, 10:26 pm »

However the BFA is not a terminal degree, currently the MFA is because it is the Master of Fine Arts which is believed that you have studied with a master in that field.

Both the BFA and MFA are considered terminal degrees . . . it would be hard to go on to to get a MA or PHD with a BFA as your undergraduate degree.  Like getting a MFA does not prepared me for a PHD program like a MA.

Some schools are VERY picking about this.

1331

College and Graduate Studies / Re: BA vs BS

« on: Aug 17, 2010, 01:40 am »

I think we need to be careful, because there are some people who - depending on the job might put more weight in BFA versus a BA/BS or the other way around - depending on the job.

Remember, one is considered a terminal degree, maybe more specialized and have less unrelated academic work.

For example, my personal experience is all things being equal, I will lean towards a BA/BA degree over a BFA, since it maybe a more well rounded education as a whole.  (But to be honest, those coming out with BFA's sometimes have much stronger resumes . . . so it's often the cast not all things are equal.)

 

1332

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Watching 100% of the show.

« on: Aug 16, 2010, 11:55 pm »

It does seem as if there is two distinct camps here . . . people who are thinking we are talking about watching the show for fun or pleasure, and people who understand that need to watch the show for our responsibilities we have post-opening.

I find it interesting that a lot of young stage managers and a lot of stage management programs do not have directing as a course requirement.  (I was a directing area emphasis in undergrad).  I find that of all my classes I took - including the hours of electrics, costumes, scenery and props - what I do 80% of my time after a show is open is all directing based; especially when we are given the responsibility of training understudies.  I find I learn a lot from working with directors over time, but it was really nice to have the base training to build off - especially a vocabulary to talk to actors with artistic terms rather then just technical.  For example, how do you tell two actors their scene is now 5 seconds to long other then pointing to the stopwatch?

Next month, I have a new understudy who enters the production - that was never part of the origional production or rehearsal process.  Granted, I am lucky in that I have a lot of helpers to get my understudies up to speed, but ultimately it is my responsibility to make sure they can not only pull off the show artistically but technically.  At the end of the day, if an understudy is not ready to go on it's my responsibility (or my responsibility for not telling management the understudy is not ready . . . for what ever reason). 

Again, just underlines an area of stage management that is often just talked about in universities settings but rarely experienced.

1333

College and Graduate Studies / Re: BA vs BS

« on: Aug 16, 2010, 07:12 pm »

I am not sure there is much difference from a BA to a BS . ..  it's more about the non-terminal to terminal degree.  (A BFA being a terminal degree)

1334

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 15, 2010, 01:41 pm »

Hehehehehe.

This time period will be an interesting chapter in my life.

I mean, I am coming to New York for the second time in my career, but with so much more experience . . . I have to say it's interesting.

But I digress.

Another thing to watch out for working for little or no pay is if your resume gets filled with the shows, then people think that's your "rate".  You have to come to a point where you you need to starting holding out for better pay.

1335

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 15, 2010, 12:44 am »

Yes, Heath . . . I do think we are on the same page . . . but it comes out a very passionate feeling that I have that too many college and universities are flooding the market with stage managers that are, for example in NYC, actually making it possible for some very high profile projects to get by with paying stage managers around 300.00 to 600.00  a week.  Which is a lot for some contracts, but in New York, after taxes, this is nothing.  And I am talking about shows with Oscar winning actors, shows charging quite a bit of money.  Even worse, the abuse of the showcase contract.

And in New York, they can get buy with paying minimum for a contract because there are 20 other stage managers who would do it for 10% under minimum.   Coming to New York was the first time I have ever worked for minimum for my contract every in my career . . . I have never worked for less then 10% over minimum in my career. 

By the flooding the market with cheap labor, we do a terrible disservice to the industry.  (Not to even go into the fact that we might be flooding the market with people who don't have the skill set to make it past a certain point in the career arc.)

New York is it's own world . . . and one I am getting to know pretty quickly.  It's rough, it's abusive at times, it's frustrating, but at the same time has some amazing opportunities to work with the best in the art and the best in the commercial world.  Let's see how I sing this tune after a year or more.