Messages

286

The Hardline / What is the difference between working under Equity and not?

« on: Mar 20, 2006, 12:18 pm »

I've liked the relaxed attitudes of the non-equity theatres I've work for.  If there are issues, things have been talked out and dealt with without having to resort to miles of contract rules and regulations.  I know that I've been lucky - the things that I've been asked to do have not fallen into any category that I've not been willing to do.  I have worked at an Equity theatre once - which BTW denied the Equity SM overtime when working 70+ hours in a week, and was supported by Equity in doing so -.  I know that there are dozens of folks with bad non-eq histories for my good non-eq history.

I just have a hard time with all the nit-picky rules.  I've seen really simple situations turned into complex contract negotiations.  Right now I'm at a theatre which is taking a $150 dispute on a union (IATSE) bill and turning it into a multiple hundreds of dollars 'your lawyer needs to talk to our lawyer' because both sides have their own 'interpretation' of what the contract says/means.

Its definitely a situtation where you need to work around the enviroment to see if it's one that's going to suite your personality.  There's nothing wrong with union environments - but they are very, very structured and controled.  For the kinds of shows that are typically union (Broadway, huge musicals, large-scale tours, etc.) that kind of draconian control is needed.  What you need to think about is what kind of shows are you interested in?  I'm a very hands-on kind of person, and enjoy helping out whereever there is a need.  I spent years working on small-scale children's theatre because I liked the fact that if the set broke, I fixed it, if a costume tore - I sewed it.  To me the challenge of stretching my abilities in whatever direction was needed is what I enjoy, and I like the hands-on do-it-myself.   At a union theatre, there's going to be much more sitting-behind-a-desk, don't touch anything yourself, lots of rules and regulations that control every part of your day (which, when you live in that environment, do become second nature - that's part of what working in an equity environment before becoming equity gives you, that second sense of when its break time, overtime, etc.)

I could go on and on, I was never able to figure out if I wanted to try going equity full time, and took that hesitation to mean that I shouldn't pursue that path.  I'm lucky - I have a SM job now that has good health care, retirement benefits, comp vacation time that I earn when I work over 40hrs in a week.  Those are few and far between when you're not equity.

-Centaura

287

Students and Novice Stage Managers / NYC is expensive

« on: Mar 20, 2006, 11:44 am »

Yeah - its just that expensive to live in NYC.  It'll take a week or two week's worth of pay to pay your rent (in a small apartment if you live without several roommates), and then you almost need to save another week just to pay to park your car if you've got one.  That second one is a joke - but it is expensive in the City.  I remember the first time I did a show in Philadelphia - we were put up in an extended stay hotel, so I had gone to the grocery store and freaked out over how expensive cereal was - it was over twice as much as I'd pay back home in the Midwest.  Then the actors who lived in NYC came in, went to the same grocery store, and were very impressed with how cheap cereal was.

Its one of the reasons why I've never wanted to live/work in NYC.  Yeah, the pay is more but that's balanced out by the much higher cost of living - everything is twice as expensive as other areas of the country (not counting the west coast - which is as expensive).  Its just not for this mid-west girl.

-Centaura

288

College and Graduate Studies / state school

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 12:53 pm »

I went to a state university and I think I did pretty well.  They had a very good theatre program, and while they didn't have any stage management classes, I got the experience of stage managing good sized shows.  One of the things that I will never regret from my years in college is the other classes that I took.  I never declared a minor - I considered myself minoring in 'life'.  I even got a BS instead of a BA 'cause it let me have more options in the gen ed classes that I took.  I took everything from First Aid, to Self Defense for Women, to an intro to car mechanics class (where we did shop work on our own cars), to a Bussiness management class (to see a different side of management than the theatre side)  These all counted to my degree and I can say that I use a lot of what I learned in them in very practical ways.  And while I've never used my self-defense for defense, it has come in useful for some stage combat situations.

Though, I think I'm the only person who I know who can say that they have a Bachelor of Science in Theatre instead of saying that they have a Bachelor of Arts.  At the end of the day - it really boils down to you get what you put into it.  The quality of the program does have some affect, but you can still get a quality education without killing yourself with expensive conservatory student loans.

-Centaura

289

Students and Novice Stage Managers / portfolio review

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 12:37 pm »

When I was at undergrad - portfolio review was a required class for tech theatre majors.  When it was my turn to take it, they ran into the stumbling block that I had spent my 4 years stage managing, and while I had plenty of prompt books, I had not much else.  What they had me do for the class was clean up two prompt books, one musical and one non-musical, and make a third smaller binder of other things.

When I ended the class I had three matching binders, 2 large ones with the two prompt books, and a smaller 1" one sectioned off into examples of paperwork, some design things I had done and some artwork.  It seemed to be a good answer for if I was ever to be asked for a portolio.  Of course, its now ten years later and I have yet to take my three nice binders off their shelf - but I still think the idea is sound.  I just keep having phone interviews getting me jobs so haven't needed to bring things in person.

-Centaura

290

Employment / good point

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 12:12 pm »

That's a good point about the name on an email address - I hadn't really thought about it.  Though, I would wonder if I saw something offensive as someone's email.  I've never been on the hiring end, but I have worked at companies that pass around 'joke' applications.  We saw one where the person spelled their own name wrong.  (they used more than one spelling for their name in the application - so we assumed one of them had to be wrong)

I have always tried to be personal in my cover letter, referencing something from the theatre if I can.  I read quite a bit from the website of my current theatre before I applied, and was able to quote things in my interview.  Something that I did impressed them, as I have the job.  I felt good about the interview afterwards - they had liked the fact that I had read all their tech info online and could be specific (i.e. "I can program an Insight 3 - which I saw was your light board here")

-Centaura

291

The Hardline / enjoyed not being union

« on: Mar 14, 2006, 08:58 pm »

I've actually enjoyed not being union.  When I was younger, I was offered a chance to earn EMC points, but I was so divided about becoming union, that I didn't take them up.  And one of the reasons that I didn't, was that I wanted to work for a while before I made up my mind, and if I remember correctly, the EMC points expired after a while.  There have been times when a more controlled work week would have been nice, or a little more pay, but sometimes the freedom of not as many rules is nice, as well.  And now I have a very nice, non-union job, that's full time, has benefits, and compensates me for when I have to work for long hours.  So far I haven't regretted not getting those EMC points and trying to go Equity when I was younger.

But to each their own path, and their own area of the country/world.  If the only work around you is union work, then walking my path may not be right for you.

-Centaura

292

Tools of the Trade / uninitiated

« on: Mar 14, 2006, 06:12 pm »

I will throw this out to anyone who is not familiar with condom use with sound - folks use unlubricated ones.  I say that because when I was on tour, I'd get to small high schools where they didn't know that there was such a thing.  You might consider them a high-end moisture barrier for a mic pack, particularly ones worn close to the body.  I've seen sandwich baggies used to  the same effect; while they are much cheaper they don't have the tight fit that makes condoms so effective.

-Centaura

293

The Hardline / observation

« on: Mar 08, 2006, 07:57 pm »

Thanks for the words of wisdom.  So far I've been listening to both sides, and keeping my opinions to myself.  After so many years of mediating actor disputes, I almost can't form an opinion without hearing the other side.  And so far, both sides have correct points, both sides have incorrect points, and both sides have ingrained prejudices against the other which are growing beyond logic.  Anyway, no one said life would be boring, I just hope I can keep my neutrality as long as I can.

-Centaura

294

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / time management

« on: Mar 03, 2006, 07:44 pm »

I am in the middle of about a million things. As a stage manager/student I tend to over commit (but what stage manager doesn't?)

I would amend that as "what student doesn't".  But its a good learning experience - one of the things that I learned in college was where my breaking point was, and now I know how to schedule myself so that I don't hit it.  While it might seem tempting to fill every moment of every day with things, its not a schedule that you can keep up for years on end without it doing serious damage.  The fact that you're breaking down on a regular basis is telling me that you're not in a healthy situation.

I just wish there was a better way to deal. Please let me know what you do.

What folks out of college do is work on one thing at a time, until they're comfortable with being able to take on other commitments.  Right now, if you don't have at least one day a week where you're not obliged to be anywhere (for work) then you're over stretched.  Now, that being said, you're in the situation where you obviously have to work to support yourself as a student, so the only place you have give is the number of other tasks within your department that you take on.  My advice would be to drop at least one item next semester or year, and commit some of that time to just doing nothing.

-Centaura

295

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Moving from community to professsional

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 12:22 pm »

If they have any shows going on now, or anyone who is currently working for them, see if you can get in to shadow this person.  Also see if you can see old copies of prompt books, or other paperwork that their previous stage managers have done for them.  Just to give you an idea what they might be expecting from you.

-Centaura

296

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Need to convince my father that this is a good career.

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 12:20 pm »

I had a hard time with my mother when I chose to be a theatre major.  I had to leave college with, quote, "Marketable job skills".  But, one of the things I learned was that she didn't know anything about the theatre business.  And, she's right out there with the general public.  John. Q. Public thinks of theatre in terms of actors.  If I am asked one more time if I am an actor, when folks ask me what I do for a living, I think I will scream.  Whenever I tell them that I don't act, they get confused looks on their faces, as though trying to concieve of any other thing that someone would do in a theatre.

For me, I never really got approval in college, but as I've managed to stay employed, pay my bills, and even have some great experiences since then, she's finally come around.  For her, I had to convince her that the idea of the poor actor waiting tables does not apply to backstage personnel.

-Centaura

297

Students and Novice Stage Managers / What to do...

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 12:13 pm »

I will say, that by taking care of his job for him, its probably making it look like he's on top of things.  If the actors all show up to call on time, then no one higher up is going to know that you're the one giving the times out.  And, while things are basically running smoothly, there is no incentive for any change to happen.  It often takes a rehearsal where no one shows up 'cause no one got the call to draw attention to the fact that there's a problem that needs to be solved.

Does he have any voice mail or answering machine?  If he does, give out that number when folks call you.  Don't give them the call.  Its an easy habit to get into, but once you get out into the professional world, you should not be in the habit of picking up the slack of those around you.

-Centaura

298

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Full Time Employment

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 12:05 pm »

There are interviews that happen at USITT, look into getting in with them.  And a great free place to get job info is backstagejobs.com.  Just keep sending out resumes.

-Centaura

299

Students and Novice Stage Managers / talk with him

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 11:58 am »

For me, anytime that someone is doing something more than just hitting a button, or swapping a CD, I always give warning, standby and go.  For me, its 'warning' - get the body to the right lineset, 'standby' they undo the lock, 'go' they pull.

But you said it at the end of your post - talk to the person.  Have a few ideas and options in your mind, and then find out what they need.  If they're experienced and can run easliy of a cue list, then you'll call it one way.  If they're new and nervous, then you'll want to add more info to that call.  But definately sit down and talk to them - you can't know what will help them most unless they've had a chance to tell you.

-Centaura

300

Students and Novice Stage Managers / stepping back

« on: Mar 02, 2006, 11:51 am »

It can be really hard to step back and watch someone else do something, and it makes it harder if the person does not do it well.  Often college is a weeding process - to give folks the chance to try things, and if they fail, well, they've learned that that's not where their skills lay.  In my undergrad, I started as a freshman with 7 other freshman techies, and I was the only one to reach graduation.

Right now the only thing you can do is step back from the situation.  Its hard - as hard as delegating, which is something else stage managers have a hard time with.  It sound like, in your head, you've been considering this 'your show'.  Listen to your friends if they just need to vent, but if the things that they're complaining about are serious, direct them, with their complaints, to someone higher up in the department.  And keep watch, if she is brought up to SM another show, then maybe you can bring some of your observations to bear.  But if she is, then I'd sit down with someone and ask what it is that she's doing that you're not, that she's being considered.

And, if nothing else, take notes and learn some things not to do.  Sometimes just watching things go wrong can teach you a lot.  At lot of my first inspirations as a SM, was seeing someone do the job badly and me vowing that I would never work like that person if given the chance.  Start by making a list of her actions that you disagreed with, and then working out in your mind what you would do differently in the same situation.

-Centaura