Messages

31

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Blocking using a score

« on: Feb 22, 2010, 11:13 pm »

I always call musicals from score I find it far easier to be accurate in calling than with the count system - but then I've read music for as long as I can remember.  However for blocking, I do just use a script with lyrics as otherwise you're turning pages much too often.   This does mean having separate blocking and calling scripts but it works for me!

I just started rehearsals for Sweeney Todd and this is exactly how I'm doing it.  I started school in a B.Mus program and have played in semi-pro and pro symphony orchestras, so reading a complex score isn't an issue for me.

32

Tools of the Trade / Re: Do you prefer Word or Excel?

« on: Feb 20, 2010, 10:19 pm »

I use Excel more than Word, but I do spend a lot of time with both.  I think I'm going to be investing in FileMaker Pro in fairly short order.

33

Tools of the Trade / Re: Glow-in-the-dark Glow tape

« on: Feb 20, 2010, 10:17 pm »

Other than seeing it on the Rosebrand website, I have no experience with the stuff.  Please let us know what you think of it!

34

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Contact Info?

« on: Feb 01, 2010, 01:53 pm »

If you want to see an arena load-in up close and personal, why not contact the crewing company for the venue and get hired to work the call?

35

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ESCRIPTS Archive June 09-Dec. 10

« on: Jan 20, 2010, 11:21 pm »

Sweeney Todd and The Sound of Music would be absolutely champion!

Thanks in advance.

Ted

36

The Green Room / Re: Best reason from an actor for being late

« on: Jan 14, 2010, 11:39 pm »

"I'm in Houston." The show was in Charlotte, NC. Yeah, I guess you are going to be late...

Pssst ... look up two posts ... 

37

Tools of the Trade / Re: EDITING: Progam to edit sound effects?

« on: Jan 11, 2010, 12:13 am »

I'll second the vote for Garage Band.  Used it a couple of times for work applications.  Depending on your experience with other editors, you may find it a little clunky, but it gets the job done and is very intuitive. 

38

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Stage Manager's Prayer

« on: Jan 01, 2010, 08:16 pm »

It is cute (and on my own facebook page).  I think the original is very applicable to what we all do.

Lord give me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I cannot accept, and the wisdom to be able to tell the difference between the two.

39

The Green Room / An eye for details?

« on: Dec 29, 2009, 02:40 pm »

We're all supposed to have a keen eye for the details ... lets see how you do ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNF9QNEQLA

40

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Studying SM in the US or Canada as an international student.

« on: Dec 20, 2009, 01:55 pm »

I'm from Australia, but I know there's a place in Canada called The Banff Centre that focuses on the arts.
Here's a link:

http://www.banffcentre.ca/

That's all I can tell you though, I don't really know anything about the place. Hope that helps.

I have no idea if Banff takes international students (don't know why they wouldn't), but it is a great place to develop as an SM in Canada.  I know a few people who have gone through their programs (both SM and Design) and they have nothing but great things to say (it has helped their careers too).  It is somewhere I endeavour to go in the next year or two.

41

The Green Room / Re: "How to get a job as a stage manager"

« on: Dec 17, 2009, 12:21 pm »

Who knew it was so easy!

42

Employment / Re: Defining Work.

« on: Nov 06, 2009, 01:01 pm »

Defintely under professional. Just because you didn't get paid doesn't mean it wasn't professional work.

Agreed.

43

Stage Management: Other / Re: Technical Riders

« on: Nov 06, 2009, 01:00 pm »

I always get a chuckle out of the christian band riders, since they play a lot of churches and other non-traditional venues.  They'll actually have two crew lists - one for professional crews, and one if the crews are volunteers.  The volunteer crew list typically has twice the number of hands listed, and goes into very specific details about age, dress, etc. etc.  But their riders are written for the types of venues that they'll play, and the situation that they come across at those venues, so its appropriate.

Ditto.

We had a Christian Rock group in a little while back.  We were the last stop on their tour that had been exclusively at churches.  Their rider laid out that the load out usually takes 2.5-3 hours.  With 4 techs instead of a group of church volunteers (no slight against volunteers intended), we had them packed and out the door in 45 minutes flat.

44

Stage Management: Other / Re: Technical Riders

« on: Nov 04, 2009, 03:01 pm »

I work in a road house and deal with 5 riders per week.  Some are 10-15 pages long while others are summed up in "1 W/L microphone (handheld), 1 DS special, general lighting."

If you'd like, you can email/pm me your rider and I'll see if there is anything that should be clarified.

As a general rule, I'd rather get way too much information than have surprises during load-in.

45

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Plotting out scene shifts

« on: Nov 01, 2009, 03:37 pm »

I agree with the others about this.

Though I will say I got into an interesting conversation like you did once. I was told that the Assistant Director would be "choreographing" the scene shifts - because "what else is she going to do?"  We quickly got that straightened out and the SM team took over. Though I have found that with working with some directors, they do want scene shifts literally choreographed. In my early days of being a PA - I did a whole show based on dancing scene shifts in costume.  And yes, I was the oddest looking "male" soldier.

I've never had to do it personally, but I have a friend who had five costume changes in a show as the ASM for the shifts.