1756
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM thesis advice for senior undergrad
« on: Jul 20, 2008, 08:38 am »
more productions.
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1757
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Graduate School: how soon to apply
« on: Jul 19, 2008, 11:18 pm »
To be honest, it depends on the program. A lot of people I know have gone straight from undergrad to grad school.
I think it's best, and it's desirable to get some experience under your belt before returning to grad school, just so you know what you need and what you need to get out of the grad school experience.
Very few people already have their Equity card when going to grad school.
Stop listening to other people, and take the time to start contacting the grad schools think you want to attend and talk to the admissions staff there. Get the info straight from the source.
I think it's best, and it's desirable to get some experience under your belt before returning to grad school, just so you know what you need and what you need to get out of the grad school experience.
Very few people already have their Equity card when going to grad school.
Stop listening to other people, and take the time to start contacting the grad schools think you want to attend and talk to the admissions staff there. Get the info straight from the source.
1758
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« on: Jul 19, 2008, 04:40 pm »
I think you last post is very clear.
I just don't see THAT comment, to myself, as being abusive. Without the text of the 15 minute barrage - I don't know if it was abusive. Like I said, if I thought it was personal, and if I thought someone was abusive to me or just being inappropriate, I would make my position clear, walk away and give a report to the producer.
I think it may be where people draw the line. I don't think I have ever gotten to a point beyond about 2 minutes of an actor yelling at/towards me before I sort of began to diffuse the situation and solve it.
I just don't see THAT comment, to myself, as being abusive. Without the text of the 15 minute barrage - I don't know if it was abusive. Like I said, if I thought it was personal, and if I thought someone was abusive to me or just being inappropriate, I would make my position clear, walk away and give a report to the producer.
I think it may be where people draw the line. I don't think I have ever gotten to a point beyond about 2 minutes of an actor yelling at/towards me before I sort of began to diffuse the situation and solve it.
1759
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing La Nouba
« on: Jul 19, 2008, 04:33 pm »
I shadowed on a bunch of Cirque shows in Las Vegas. Contact the SM through the Admin office. You might want to budget a day to do so, since I shadowed training during the day, shadowed a show being called and shadowed backstage. I gave myself about 3 months to set everything up.
1760
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Graduate School: how soon to apply
« on: Jul 19, 2008, 08:52 am »
I think that 2-4 years after undergrad is an ideal time to return. The longer you wait, the harder it is t get back into the swing of school.
1761
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« on: Jul 18, 2008, 03:47 pm »Quote
Yelling without reason to yell is ridiculous.
yes, and we work in ridiculous business. i know directors, top tier, huge name directors, who can only yell a note during tech.
what am i going to do, say no to working with them.
hardly.
AGAIN . . . all bringing it back to style . . . you either put up with it or walk away from it. It's your choice.
1762
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« on: Jul 18, 2008, 03:22 pm »
but what if there is a reason?
Maybe I am very old school about about this, but i do see it as part of my job. I get paid a lot of money, more then anyone else in the room for my job. If people can blow off some steam at me, someone who is used to it - rather then 1) blow up at other actors, 2)blow up at the director, 3)quit (because replacing an actor is much worse then being yelled at). I am not talking about abuse here, this is the sort of the typical blows up that happen. Even when people yell at me, I never think it's out of lack of respect it is out of desperation - and like I said, I am finding more and more that when they yell - it's towards me not at me (and when it's at me - I'll be the first to admit it's my fault).
I don't look like at my job as a power play, at the end of the day I am middle management - my job is to move things up or down the ladder. I can't hire nor can I fire. No matter what I say about an actor, they get rehired because they are good on stage, it doesn't matter they can be a problem back stage. So, I don't see it as a lack of respect.
NOW - if it was personal, abusive, and not work related - then by all means, it is me, them and the producer.
I never thought the yelling was for inappropriate reasons - I don't think anything we have been talking about is inappropriate. It might be overly dramatic response - but they are very verse in dramatic. It might be myopic in nature, but that is the cast with most people in a management group. Oddly, in my 15+ professional year, I don't think I have ever been yelled in such a way that I would consider abusive or out of line. I may have been used a bit as a punching bag, but lord knows I have punched back - at the appropriate times.
And again, I think being "reamed for no reason at all" is very, very, very rare. You sometimes have to listen to the rant, and figure out the reason they are yelling. (I often find a actor yelling at me is really yelling at the producer or the director, but I have to weather the storm, and then help direct the anger correctly.)
At the end of the day, my job is TO AVOID THE YELLING - but if the yelling happens, then I feel like I am strong and secure enough in who I am that can I weather any storm.
Maybe I am very old school about about this, but i do see it as part of my job. I get paid a lot of money, more then anyone else in the room for my job. If people can blow off some steam at me, someone who is used to it - rather then 1) blow up at other actors, 2)blow up at the director, 3)quit (because replacing an actor is much worse then being yelled at). I am not talking about abuse here, this is the sort of the typical blows up that happen. Even when people yell at me, I never think it's out of lack of respect it is out of desperation - and like I said, I am finding more and more that when they yell - it's towards me not at me (and when it's at me - I'll be the first to admit it's my fault).
I don't look like at my job as a power play, at the end of the day I am middle management - my job is to move things up or down the ladder. I can't hire nor can I fire. No matter what I say about an actor, they get rehired because they are good on stage, it doesn't matter they can be a problem back stage. So, I don't see it as a lack of respect.
NOW - if it was personal, abusive, and not work related - then by all means, it is me, them and the producer.
I never thought the yelling was for inappropriate reasons - I don't think anything we have been talking about is inappropriate. It might be overly dramatic response - but they are very verse in dramatic. It might be myopic in nature, but that is the cast with most people in a management group. Oddly, in my 15+ professional year, I don't think I have ever been yelled in such a way that I would consider abusive or out of line. I may have been used a bit as a punching bag, but lord knows I have punched back - at the appropriate times.
And again, I think being "reamed for no reason at all" is very, very, very rare. You sometimes have to listen to the rant, and figure out the reason they are yelling. (I often find a actor yelling at me is really yelling at the producer or the director, but I have to weather the storm, and then help direct the anger correctly.)
At the end of the day, my job is TO AVOID THE YELLING - but if the yelling happens, then I feel like I am strong and secure enough in who I am that can I weather any storm.
1763
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« on: Jul 18, 2008, 01:20 pm »
There is also something to be said by learning from an actor's rant.
I pretty much think I am a good Stage Manager, and I make a lot of decisions in how to run my shows. But, as shows get bigger and more complex, and more and more things come up, I often make decisions based on what is best for the show, and sometimes forget about the people.
I once had an actor out of the blue complain to Equity because the call changed during the day (What I did was legal, just not very nice. An actor called in sick 15 minutes before rehearsal, and I scrambled to fix the day - no one's span of day was effected, but some people came in and had a 2 hour break.) This actor called equity and then laid into me for a long time - at the end of it I realized that I wasn't take in account his long commute, and even though he had a two hour break, he couldn't very well just run home. I realized, at this point, I had a group of actors, who commute was longer then other people - due to housing issues - and I never factored that into my scheduling. So, in his eyes, I wasn't managing some people very well. I immediately learned from my mistake and was able to correct the behavior.
The question of someone being abusive is a little odd to me - since my job is take abuse. (Sorry, hate to break to all the young ones out there - part of my job is to be yelled at - I was actually accused of allowing someone's show to be F***KED UP THE A** - the end of 15 minute tirade - because an actor's wife, who just had a child, was having complications, and the actor would be about a total of 72 hours. Part of being a good stage manager is taking that "abuse". The key is to learn about either knowing if you are being yelled at or being yelled towards.
If I am being yelled towards - thank god - I can just back in the loud sounds of yelling. (Yelling towards is when I am yelled at because an actor is taking too long in the wig room or a piece of automation breaks - or better yet - an actor is sick).
Being yelled at . . . that is something different. If an actor, director or designer is yelling at me - than I have done something wrong - since my job is to give them what they need within the confines of my job. (Now, if example, director want's a live pony in the show, and I forget to ask for it - then he call yell at me. If I ask and the producer says no, and he still yells at me, that's yelling towards.)
I wish, god I wish, we live in a happy, happy world, where everyone got along.
But we don't,
I pretty much think I am a good Stage Manager, and I make a lot of decisions in how to run my shows. But, as shows get bigger and more complex, and more and more things come up, I often make decisions based on what is best for the show, and sometimes forget about the people.
I once had an actor out of the blue complain to Equity because the call changed during the day (What I did was legal, just not very nice. An actor called in sick 15 minutes before rehearsal, and I scrambled to fix the day - no one's span of day was effected, but some people came in and had a 2 hour break.) This actor called equity and then laid into me for a long time - at the end of it I realized that I wasn't take in account his long commute, and even though he had a two hour break, he couldn't very well just run home. I realized, at this point, I had a group of actors, who commute was longer then other people - due to housing issues - and I never factored that into my scheduling. So, in his eyes, I wasn't managing some people very well. I immediately learned from my mistake and was able to correct the behavior.
The question of someone being abusive is a little odd to me - since my job is take abuse. (Sorry, hate to break to all the young ones out there - part of my job is to be yelled at - I was actually accused of allowing someone's show to be F***KED UP THE A** - the end of 15 minute tirade - because an actor's wife, who just had a child, was having complications, and the actor would be about a total of 72 hours. Part of being a good stage manager is taking that "abuse". The key is to learn about either knowing if you are being yelled at or being yelled towards.
If I am being yelled towards - thank god - I can just back in the loud sounds of yelling. (Yelling towards is when I am yelled at because an actor is taking too long in the wig room or a piece of automation breaks - or better yet - an actor is sick).
Being yelled at . . . that is something different. If an actor, director or designer is yelling at me - than I have done something wrong - since my job is to give them what they need within the confines of my job. (Now, if example, director want's a live pony in the show, and I forget to ask for it - then he call yell at me. If I ask and the producer says no, and he still yells at me, that's yelling towards.)
I wish, god I wish, we live in a happy, happy world, where everyone got along.
But we don't,
1764
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« on: Jul 17, 2008, 10:29 am »
It sounds like things are "tense" at work to stay the least - and pulling back away from the specific event for RB - which I think is a symptom and not another problem. Things like the rehearsal by the composer/producer who hates unions has probably been a constant frustration from day one - and then the show extends which most often means more money for the producers/less money for the performers. So, tension that existed may have blown up. There already seems to be a lack of respect for the performers - when the composer/producer going over on rehearsal - that's a sign there is not really a respect for the people performing his work, he is just focused on the work and himself.
So, now flash forward a couple of minutes to the RB event - that seems to be her way of lashing out because of the general disrespect for performers (especially as a non-equity performer who seems to be carrying her weight + Some) - she can really take it on the composer/producer, so she is going to lash out at the stage manager.
HELLO - doesn't make a lot of sense, but how often I am yelled at for issues with directors, designers, producers? All the time. Actors often have a sense they are not in control - which in the long is quite true - they are told what to say, how to say it, what clothes to wear, what light to stand in, and do it around this sound cue for this little amount of money - I am surprised they find any creativity in the job at all. So, there is a little steam built up, and then they blow up over the smallest things. (My water bottle was moved, I am not coming in for a vocal call, I hate my shoes.) Often the blow up about the minor thing needs to be allowed to happen, and then one needs to get to the bottom of the real issue. And that maybe hard since you came in mid-run.
I actually think it's healthy to let actors let out steam, especially non-equity actors who DON'T have the union protection. And this one seems particularly important to the production.
Regarding RB's lateness and absence, you need to document this and move up the management chain, but I firmly believe lateness and absence is symptom as well. (If an actor is really excited about the project and loves the job, they are rarely late.)
Best of luck.
So, now flash forward a couple of minutes to the RB event - that seems to be her way of lashing out because of the general disrespect for performers (especially as a non-equity performer who seems to be carrying her weight + Some) - she can really take it on the composer/producer, so she is going to lash out at the stage manager.
HELLO - doesn't make a lot of sense, but how often I am yelled at for issues with directors, designers, producers? All the time. Actors often have a sense they are not in control - which in the long is quite true - they are told what to say, how to say it, what clothes to wear, what light to stand in, and do it around this sound cue for this little amount of money - I am surprised they find any creativity in the job at all. So, there is a little steam built up, and then they blow up over the smallest things. (My water bottle was moved, I am not coming in for a vocal call, I hate my shoes.) Often the blow up about the minor thing needs to be allowed to happen, and then one needs to get to the bottom of the real issue. And that maybe hard since you came in mid-run.
I actually think it's healthy to let actors let out steam, especially non-equity actors who DON'T have the union protection. And this one seems particularly important to the production.
Regarding RB's lateness and absence, you need to document this and move up the management chain, but I firmly believe lateness and absence is symptom as well. (If an actor is really excited about the project and loves the job, they are rarely late.)
Best of luck.
1765
SMNetwork Archives / Re: Aging in stage management (those late 20's)
« on: Jul 14, 2008, 08:03 pm »You might think you are the best SM since post-its were invented and confused why no one else can see that, but you still have to do the job you have. While you are in that Production Assistant position make the best darn coffee ever, sharpen the pencils before they need it, keep the water pitcher full. Eventually when They see you can handle the smaller repsonsibilities They will offer you bigger ones. I would.
i love this part of your post.
1766
SMNetwork Archives / Re: Aging in stage management (those late 20's)
« on: Jul 12, 2008, 10:25 am »
Remember that going back to school is an investment in yourself - I think it was the the thing to get me up and out the "small time" I felt stuck in.
1767
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: calling cues? (warning vs standby)
« on: Jul 11, 2008, 11:25 pm »
I give a warning for deck,fly, automation or odd sequences.
5 seconds before a cue sequence, I give a standby - time for the board ops to move hand from book to go button.
Call the "GO" where we tech it.
5 seconds before a cue sequence, I give a standby - time for the board ops to move hand from book to go button.
Call the "GO" where we tech it.
1768
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: THE PILLOWMAN- Some special effects help?
« on: Jul 09, 2008, 10:38 am »
make sure to come up with more then one option to take to you fire marshall for approval by the fire department for your fire department.
some of the suggestions here would not fly with our local fire marshall.
some of the suggestions here would not fly with our local fire marshall.
1769
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Timing question
« on: Jul 08, 2008, 07:51 am »
but do be careful who you give this information out to. A director maybe VERY concerned about the run time of the piece, and may not want the box office, market, etc, to know what the run time is.
1770
Employment / Re: Webpage Resume
« on: Jul 08, 2008, 07:50 am »
As an employer, I have never looked at at web page for a resume, although I have gone to a web page listed on a resume to look around and get to know a candidate better. (Pretty much if you are applying for a job with me, and you list a web page, I have looked at.) Hopefully, it gives me a better idea of who the person is applying.