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SMNetwork Archives / Re: Hi i'm jess from australia
« on: Dec 11, 2006, 10:48 am »
Hi Jess, Welcome to SM Network and the wonderful world of stage management. 
I have earned a living as a freelance stage manager in Australia for over ten years. I have worked mostly in Perth and Melbourne(where are you based?), but have also toured extensively both at home and overseas (there can be a lot of travel involved in this career -be warned if you like being home and having a social/family life!)
I have a BA in English (which I did when I left school) and a Diploma of Performing Arts (Stage Management) from the WA Academy of Performing Arts attached to Edith Cowan University(another 3 year course). The combination of life experience, broad education, and specialised training has been a major factor in my staying in satisfying paid work as I have always been able to talk to directors, designers, general managers and so on at their level. That said, there have been two periods of extended unemployment during my career - essentially both times I suddenly did not recieve contracts from companies who had been employing me for a good part of my year on a series of short contracts, and I hadn't had warning in time to build up relationships with other likely employers. Both times I eventually got back into work...arts companies are not necessarily sane/ethical/logical employers...
Many jobs (for stage managers it tends to be entry level opportunities/co-op/and stage management emergency positions) are advertised through the Arts Hub job listings - you have to be a member to read the listings (www.artshub.com.au)but they have student rates, and its a great resource for keeping up with what's going on in the industry generally(now also available in the UK and the US I believe).
However it is true that 90% of my work comes from a) people who who know me/have worked with me in the past
b)Other stage managers who have to turn down a job offer suggesting me to the employer c) people who have had me recommended by someone I have worked with in the past.
Before I went to WAPPA I had no connections to the industry. I got my first job after graduation through being recommended by my lecturer to the opera company when they phoned up desperate for a stage manager.So I highly recommend doing training, if only for the contacts. If you are finding it hard to get into a course due to your lack of experience (though experience is what you have coming out not going in necessarily) then I would suggest volunteering in the amateur/fringe world for a year whilst working at something else/maybe doing some related TAFE courses in tech theatre/volunteering on festivals, and reapplying in a year.
The current federal award rate for an assistant stage manager is A$599.05 and for Stage Manager is A$701.35 (based on a 38hr week or thereabouts -you should get overtime but OFTEN this is an issue in stage manager contracts in Australia). There are some more details of the Award terms and conditions in the attached document. You should be aware though that rates of pay will vary wildly and the devil is always in the fine print -learn to be a good negotiator! A contract for a mid level company doing a straight play might average 8-10 weeks.
I know very few stage managers in Australia who have stayed in the role longer than 10-15 years. And lots who last only 5/6 years. It's a career with a high burn out rate for many very good reasons. However there are options for other places to take your hard earned skills and knowledge within the arts industry when you are ready to move on.
I have had some incredible experiences and worked with some extraordinary people, so I don't really regret the boring/highly stressful/long hours/underpaid/etc bits!
Please email or PM me if you would like any more info, and good luck with your decisons.
I have earned a living as a freelance stage manager in Australia for over ten years. I have worked mostly in Perth and Melbourne(where are you based?), but have also toured extensively both at home and overseas (there can be a lot of travel involved in this career -be warned if you like being home and having a social/family life!)
I have a BA in English (which I did when I left school) and a Diploma of Performing Arts (Stage Management) from the WA Academy of Performing Arts attached to Edith Cowan University(another 3 year course). The combination of life experience, broad education, and specialised training has been a major factor in my staying in satisfying paid work as I have always been able to talk to directors, designers, general managers and so on at their level. That said, there have been two periods of extended unemployment during my career - essentially both times I suddenly did not recieve contracts from companies who had been employing me for a good part of my year on a series of short contracts, and I hadn't had warning in time to build up relationships with other likely employers. Both times I eventually got back into work...arts companies are not necessarily sane/ethical/logical employers...
Many jobs (for stage managers it tends to be entry level opportunities/co-op/and stage management emergency positions) are advertised through the Arts Hub job listings - you have to be a member to read the listings (www.artshub.com.au)but they have student rates, and its a great resource for keeping up with what's going on in the industry generally(now also available in the UK and the US I believe).
However it is true that 90% of my work comes from a) people who who know me/have worked with me in the past
b)Other stage managers who have to turn down a job offer suggesting me to the employer c) people who have had me recommended by someone I have worked with in the past.
Before I went to WAPPA I had no connections to the industry. I got my first job after graduation through being recommended by my lecturer to the opera company when they phoned up desperate for a stage manager.So I highly recommend doing training, if only for the contacts. If you are finding it hard to get into a course due to your lack of experience (though experience is what you have coming out not going in necessarily) then I would suggest volunteering in the amateur/fringe world for a year whilst working at something else/maybe doing some related TAFE courses in tech theatre/volunteering on festivals, and reapplying in a year.
The current federal award rate for an assistant stage manager is A$599.05 and for Stage Manager is A$701.35 (based on a 38hr week or thereabouts -you should get overtime but OFTEN this is an issue in stage manager contracts in Australia). There are some more details of the Award terms and conditions in the attached document. You should be aware though that rates of pay will vary wildly and the devil is always in the fine print -learn to be a good negotiator! A contract for a mid level company doing a straight play might average 8-10 weeks.
I know very few stage managers in Australia who have stayed in the role longer than 10-15 years. And lots who last only 5/6 years. It's a career with a high burn out rate for many very good reasons. However there are options for other places to take your hard earned skills and knowledge within the arts industry when you are ready to move on.
I have had some incredible experiences and worked with some extraordinary people, so I don't really regret the boring/highly stressful/long hours/underpaid/etc bits!
Please email or PM me if you would like any more info, and good luck with your decisons.