Messages

181

Employment / Re: Forced to be stuck in a rut. Please help.

« on: Jun 30, 2009, 05:05 pm »

Good advice from all, particularly if your current job is assisting the stage manager in some direct way.  But I'm not sure from your original post if it is.  Since you say you want to "get on the stage management team" for a musical, is the job you're currently on something like an office assistant?  Are you in rehearsal at all, or are you in the artistic office?  I guess my question is, who is forcing you to do this job you don't like? 

If you don't like the job you're in, apply for the job you want - whether it's at this particular company or a completely different company.  But the employer obviously isn't obligated to hire you for a different position, and you obviously aren't obligated to keep the 'paperwork' job if you don't want it. 

In any interview, you're ultimately on your own.  Know before you go in what you want and what you'll accept, and be prepared to walk away from an offer if it doesn't meet your needs.

182

The Hardline / Re: New SPT Agreement

« on: Jun 29, 2009, 02:14 pm »

I'm bringing this topic back up to the top because I'd also like an answer to SMJorge's question. Was the SPT a promulgated agreement, or was it negotiated?  Is it still in use?

My main question is, how is an individual producer's category determined? I don't see any rules about that in the SPT.

183

Tools of the Trade / Re: Stage Manager Books/Manuals

« on: Jun 28, 2009, 02:01 pm »

I started out on-the-job training, and reading Kelly and Stern; both of which I did find immensely helpful during my first ten or so shows.  However, no textbook can cover every situation.  I feel Stern is geared towards the neophyte working up from community theatre; Kelly starts from Broadway and expands down.  In the middle is a big grey mass of "this is how we have always done it here" at each theatre.

Ultimately, each individual stage manager will find her or his own process.  Those of us who have been working steadily for about five years could probably write our own textbooks, with all of the knowledge and process we've gained. 

Finally, this very network is the place I go to most often for answers.  A community of working stage managers is really the best place to learn, and to find yourself within the community.  Textbooks are overrated, once you've done enough shows that you don't have to refer to them every production.

184

The Hardline / LORT Ratification

« on: Jun 25, 2009, 12:13 pm »

I of course voted "yes" to ratify the new LORT contract.  I've read both the summary of changes that came with my ballot, and the committee's report from the producers as well.  Overall, I'm very happy with the changes - I didn't really expect any wage increase, and I'm pleased that AEA held the line on health costs - but I did run across a couple of unclear rules.

I don't have the summary in front of me, so I can't quote exactly.  Could someone explain the 401(k) contributions with regards to the use of reproductions?  If the producer has to contribute to my 401(k), does that mean that I have to set one up?  Do I have to do a weekly contribution myself in order to maintain one?  Or is it like the health fund - if I don't have one set up, LORT has to put in to the 401(k) anyway and that helps out everyone else who does take part?

And does the 401(k) kick in every time there's a recording of a rehearsal or show?  The wonderful new allowances for use by stage management, choreographers, sign interpreters and the like - if we do those but only those, does the producer still have to contribute?

Separate questions about the practicality of the videotaping - It seems like each recording must be tagged for a separate use - I can't record a rehearsal and use it to clean up my blocking, then send that recording to the dance captain to drill moves, then send the same recording to the lighting designer in lieu of a rehearsal hall run-through, then keep the same recording on hand for the sign language interpreter to review.  The way I read the rule, that's four different recordings that can't be copied and must be destroyed or surrendered to AEA after their use.  Are we going to have three or four cameras going during the first run-through?  Relatedly, is there a reasoning behind whether the recording is destroyed or surrendered in each case?

For the actors - we now must announce the recording of a performance the day before, AND at half-hour.  Does this now mean that we can't post a "hidden" announcement for the benefit of actors who don't want to know which performance is videotaped?  (It's been my practice to post an "If you want to know the date of the videotaping, please lift this flap" signs on the callboard.)

And finally, a confirmation - the first few rules about producer's use of material include specifications about which rehearsals can be recorded and for how long.  I understand all those.  Then, in the section about production use (tapes for SMs, Choreogs, Designers, etc.) it says "there are no time limitations" for those recordings.  So I'm understanding that to mean that recordings for our purposes are unlimited and could be concurrent with production recordings - if I wanted to, I could set up a webcam that recorded all of every rehearsal to a hard drive so I could review any tricky sections of rehearsal after it was over.  Am I mistaken about that?

Thanks for your thoughts.

185

The Hardline / Re: Overtime

« on: Jun 24, 2009, 11:05 am »

which of course leads to the question - it's a national union, why can't we get the same answers across the nation?

Really, exactly my point.  I'm applying to be on some AEA committees and would like to bring this up at the appropriate time.  Maybe business reps should check with the contract committees for rule interpretations - there is only one committee for each contract, right? But I think that would take far too long.  Maybe we should just be better about building "case law" and "setting precedents" for lack of a better term.

Or, more likely, I'm just completely out to sea about how the union operates.

186

The Hardline / Re: Overtime

« on: Jun 23, 2009, 08:47 pm »

(If fight call can be 30 minutes long - the answer is yes by the way)

Always call your business rep.  I think (I could very well be wrong on this) that in the Western Region, fight calls over 15 minutes come out of rehearsal time.

If someone knows better than me on this, please let me know.

187

The Hardline / Re: Cancelling a performance

« on: Jun 18, 2009, 10:05 pm »

The producer is the only person who can cancel a performance.  If an outdoor show gets rained out, the producer could move us all indoors to do a reading of the play with stools if they want to give that audience a show of some kind.

In this situation, there should be a policy set by the producer regarding ticket sales - if the box office for a particular performance is only two tickets, I would think a smart producer would cancel the show, thereby saving the pay of any hourly workers such as house manager, board op, wardrobe crew, etc. 

Also, AEA usually has to agree to hold actors accountable for things like lateness, or not fulfilling their responsibilities - see "Duties of the Actor" in the LORT book for the kind of thing I'm talking about.

188

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROPS: firearm maintenance

« on: Jun 05, 2009, 07:08 pm »

Thanks to all for the safety information in this thread:
http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,392.0.html

regarding firearm safety.

Does anyone have information about cleaning and maintaining pistols?  We're firing quarter-round crimps in a stage gun and in an offstage starter pistol for WHAT THE BUTLER SAW.

189

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Requests for Electronic Scripts -- Post 'em here!

« on: May 09, 2009, 04:08 pm »

damjamkato, did you get my message?

190

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Stage Managers, Stage manager.

« on: Apr 28, 2009, 12:09 pm »

Linda A. Hill, of the Harvard Business School, wrote "Becoming a Manager" (Penguin Books, 1993) in which she describes the process of moving from worker to leader.  It's fascinating reading as the process is almost universal, and really resonated with my own experience starting out as a stage manager way back when.

People are promoted to management because they do well at working - but are not given any management training.  So most new managers start by trying to do what they know, by taking over from the labor they are managing (perceived as "micromanaging" by those workers).  After completing one "business cycle" - in our world, one production - they "began to accept their agenda-setting and network-building responsibilities and to behave, think, and value more like managers." (p.77)

But during that first production, your new director is uncertain about how to bring order out of chaos and so falls back on what has worked for him in the past; not completely understanding that those responsibilities have devolved to someone else and there's a whole raft of duties that he is responsible for that he just can't see yet because he hasn't gone through it all.

Hope this helps,

191

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Long Run Conundrum

« on: Apr 13, 2009, 04:42 pm »

I have never been in anything like your situation, so please excuse my ignorance.  I don't understand how the playwright is doing re-writes six months into your run.  At some point, don't you need to call a halt to rehearsals with the main cast so you can get understudies up to speed?  Wouldn't many actors get frustrated with all the changes after opening for an audience?  (Have you actually opened the show yet?)  Shouldn't the playwright save their notes for the next production, rather than tweaking this one? 

What is the actual reason you're having trouble - is it just overwork?  How many hours a week are you working?   I assume it isn't an AEA contract - what does your contract say about rehearsal after opening?  What are you doing on your off days to recharge?  What does your support network think about the situation?

192

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Quick Question

« on: Apr 03, 2009, 12:03 am »

The lineset schedule is the description of the pieces hung on the fly rail; each rope is a "lineset".  It usually lists # of lineset, distance from proscenium, and description of the piece, i.e., Wall Drop, Electric #2, Border, Hanging Legs, etc.

I can't help you specifically with "track type - unibeam".  I suspect it has something to do with the material "unibeam" that the hanging pieces are attached to - are they sliding masking flats???

193

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Acting Class?

« on: Feb 20, 2009, 03:38 pm »

Please please please take the class.  You use the same language in giving acting notes that you learn in the first acting class you take.  No matter how long you're in the business, that vocabulary will hold you in good stead.

194

Employment / Re: Being new during tough times...

« on: Feb 08, 2009, 11:04 pm »

It's hard to realize that theatre isn't a one-way job progression.  Everyone takes side trips.  You've been very lucky so far - even in the best economy of the late nineties/early 2000's few people could say that they'd been working consistently since school.

Don't tie your self-esteem to any one company.  What does this circumstance open up for you?  Have you ever considered re-locating?  Want to try to design, or direct, at a smaller theatre?  Want to mount a production yourself?

Who have you networked with, outside of your home theatre?  Are there any past directors who have moved to other theatres and know of stage management openings?

It's always been true, but especially in today's economy, you can't just wait for theatre jobs to be offered to you.  You have to go out and get them, or as a last resort, create them.

Good luck.

195

The Hardline / Re: Hardline Meal Break Expansion Thread

« on: Jan 06, 2009, 08:34 pm »

Early in my career I had a Deputy say delaying the start of the meal break was not okay; he acted as if it were outlandish anyone would suggest such a thing; he gave the "twelve-hours' notice" as support for his position.  Since he was also the star of the show with the best resume, and since it really wasn't a hardship for anybody, we came back after the hour break and worked on the scene again.  Knowing what I know now, I probably would have not given him an opportunity to object in the first place (I think I said something like "Would anybody have a problem if we..." to introduce the idea).

Nowadays, if I think the lunch might shift a few minutes or if I have an actor-lawyer in the cast, I asterisk the meal break on the schedule announcement with a "Time approximate" note.