Messages

436

Employment / Non-AEA Resume Semantics: Dishonesty or Acceptable?

« on: Mar 28, 2008, 05:38 pm »

I have just moved this out of the Resume Chat thread, as I would actually like to see it discussed here, rather than in Chat.

Here's the topic for discussion, brought about by the fact that I've been examining a lot of resumes myself lately:

Making a Non-AEA Resume look better than it really is.  Is it ethical/acceptable to disguise or pad credits on your resume?

For example, Non-AEA SM's who function as Production Assistants or Apprentices or Interns, to Stage Managers in AEA theatres, and then put "Stage Manager" on their resumes to represent this work.

I find it misleading, personally. If you represent yourself as having been a "Stage Manager" at an AEA theatre, I am going to assume you have your card and were the AEA SM/ASM.  I'd much rather see your credits reading SM
Apprentice (or Production Assistant or Intern) so I have a better understanding of your background. AND, I'm only interested in working with people who have represented their work histories truthfully.

So, is this dishonesty, or acceptable?

Discuss!

437

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM's problem with techies...

« on: Mar 22, 2008, 11:42 am »

Heck, Matt, I refer to us as "stage manglers" all the time.  Sometimes I even answer the office phone "Stage Manglement."  EVeryone gets a kick out of it!

When we start calling people "techies" we end up getting called "stage manglers"

438

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Directorial relations crisis

« on: Mar 04, 2008, 10:15 am »

Real world alert!  Although a director might very well have a plan in mind for each rehearsal week or, indeed, the entire rehearsal process, it IS common practice for the next days schedule to be generated once the current day of rehearsal has ended. (OK, sometimes, no-rarely, I have gotten the schedule for the next day during the lunch break.)  This is reality!

snip...
I once worked with a director who liked to plan rehearsal schedules one week at a time. (Okay, he wanted to do it at the end of each rehearsal for the next one, but I got the producer involved because that was definitely not going to happen.)

439

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Meeting Minutes

« on: Feb 20, 2008, 08:18 pm »

For artistic/creative meetings?  If, indeed, I even attend them, I take notes only on what I need to remember to do my own job, or on something I've been specifically asked to communicate to others.  Mostly, I'm there to listen and play "catch-up," as usually the director and designers have been on the project a lot earlier than my pre-production week. (I'm not interested in what shade of "Blue" is being used.  Invite me to the meeting that discusses at what point I say "Blue...GO.")

For Production Meetings during the rehearsal process, I generally add any pertinent information to the Rehearsal Notes for that day. I do not generate or distribute comprehensive minutes unless instructed to.

snip...

So the conversation starter: How intense are you about meeting minutes?

440

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Taking Notes

« on: Feb 08, 2008, 02:34 am »

This thread has become like a game of telephone.  The original post asked for a discussion on how YOU go about taking notes while calling a very busy show, and has somehow morphed into advice for me, where none was requested.

Kudos to those of your who actually answered the OP question which assumed one was A) constantly calling cues AND B) needed ones hands for cue lights throughout the majority of the show.

Now, once again, how do YOU do it?

If you're not in a position where someone can take notes for you, what about a tape recorder or digital voice recorder?

441

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / CALLING: Taking Notes (during a run)

« on: Feb 02, 2008, 11:08 am »

How do you keep track of notes, for the Performance Report, for the Cast, and for the Crew, when:

You are doing a big show where you call non-stop and can't take your eyes from the stage or the page,

and your hands are needed, pretty much full-time on the cue light switches.

Discuss!

442

The Hardline / Re: Do you agree with Equity representing Stage Managers

« on: Jan 27, 2008, 11:39 pm »

I have to agree completely with everything Vernon and Matt have already said, I am quite comfortable with SM's being part of AEA.  Like Vernon, I am able to witness and participate in the process of government first-hand, and have never had any reason to think SM's should pull out of the Union.  Our views are heard and respected.

And let me just say this, if you think that SM's are "are sometimes taken advantage of by the contracts used" then get thee to a committee meeting and become part of the process yourself!

Ruth

Eastern Region Stage Manager Councilor

"Some on this side have said SMs are overshadowed by the actors in Actor's Equity and are sometimes taken advantage of by the contracts used."


As a Stage Manager Councilor for the Western Region of Actors Equity Association, I feel we are very well represented on the Council of our Union. Ask a Councilor; Stage Manager, Principal or Chorus and they will tell you the word equity is quite appropriate when it comes to the decisions made. These are the people who take the time out of their day and career to represent you, the Equity member. And we do it for free.

I agree with Matthew that AEA is the best place for us to have the collective bargaining power available to us. We work and live with the actors in all our productions and a different Union or set of work rules would simply not serve the purpose of creating the best work we can. Together.

Yes.
I think that Equity should represent Stage Managers.

443

Tools of the Trade / Business Cards

« on: Jan 26, 2008, 11:49 am »

What do yours look like? 

What format?

Picture/Pattern?

What  information do you prefer to include or leave out?

Discuss!

444

The Hardline / Archival Video Taping Vote

« on: Jan 24, 2008, 02:46 pm »

What is the norm where you usually work:

Does Management ask you to take the Archival Video vote at First Rehearsal or later in the process?

If at First Rehearsal, has anyone ever experienced actors asking to hold the vote later in the process, wanting to base their vote on how they are treated and how the production turns out?? If so, what did you do?

445

The Hardline / Doing It Alone

« on: Jan 01, 2008, 08:56 pm »

From another thread:

"(When having that discussion with them, can you talk with them about the importance of having an ASM or at least a PA on EVERY show, so that the SM is not doing everything by themselves?)"

OK, let's discuss. Those of you who work contracts without an ASM or even a PA, how do you do it?

How do you prioritize what really needs to get accomplished?

How do you keep the outside hours of work to a bare minimum, and still get everything done?

How do you function in rehearsals when there is a book to watch, sound cues to run and props and furniture to attend to?

Who supervises backstage during the performances?

Begin...

446

The Hardline / Re: Cleaning the greenroom

« on: Jan 01, 2008, 08:47 pm »

And how do we get them to understand that running props is technically not the AEA ASM's job (in performance) either?

NOW here's the real question, how did I get management to understand it's not an AEA ASM's job to move scenery backstage?

Posted on: January 01, 2008, 05:46:54 PMIt's always tricky, trying to tell management why you won't do something. Approach it carefully.  Tell them, perhaps, about everything you do that would prevent you from taking on this job as well, and present 2 or 3 alternate, well thought out, solutions to the problem. Keep the rule book out of it as long as you can.  Use it only as a last resort.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

<snip> 
Cleaning the greenroom as a daily duty, including doing their dishes, however, is not an emergency. I've made my decision that I can't give in and do this because of other sacrifices I'm making.  How I deal with actually discussing this with management I have yet to determine, though they're easy going so I'm not terribly nervous, and luckily I have a rulebook behind me to trump everything if necessary.

447

The Hardline / Re: Cleaning the greenroom

« on: Jan 01, 2008, 01:21 am »

Ruth's example is an emergency situation - that's one thing.  But making it part of our daily job?   If Ruth was asked to deal with all plumbing issues at the theatre, it seems like that is really odd - and I am pretty sure Ruth would say no to that.

Agreed.  That would be a huge "No!"

NOW here's the real question, how did I get management to understand it's not an AEA ASM's job to move scenery backstage?

If you figure out how to do that, will you call me right away?

448

The Hardline / Re: Cleaning the greenroom

« on: Dec 31, 2007, 06:31 pm »

I clean my green room and coffee area because I like it clean, even though there is a building cleaning staff that comes in early the next morning.  However, cast, crew, and staff alike all know they are supposed to wash their own dishes, without fail.

OK, now let's see a show of hands over this scenario:

A commode overflows in the only backstage Ladies Room at about ten minute call. The Ladies Room floor is flooded with (clean) water. No facilities cleaning staff is present in the building and I have no "interns." House Management is a little busy at the time...

So, who would pick up a mop and just take care of the problem? Who would insist this falls under "janitorial duties," stick to the strict letter of their contract, and not go near it?

For the sake of argument, please assume that asking the particular ladies of this cast to use the Men's Room or holding the curtain are NOT options, and that you would never ask your assistant to do something you won't do yourself.

Feel free to be as "hard-line" as you wish, as long as you are honest about what you would actually DO to solve the problem, when your cast, in costume, needs to use this facility right away

(For the record, I mopped up the water, put a sign on the broken commode, called the building engineers to come fix the problem, called "five," and went up to the booth.)

Hands Up, please!

(An addendum for clarity:  No one asked me to mop, or told me I had to mop.)

<snip>
ALL Justin's employment at that theatre, and janitorial/custodial work is prohibited.  Period. 
<snip>
Under LORT "63(H)(7) The following activities are prohibited and a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager shall not accept responsibility for the following:...(d) Doing building maintenance, janitorial, custodial or house management work."

449

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Props Question....

« on: Dec 31, 2007, 04:56 pm »

Yes, you should know which department is ultimately responsible.  If, as you say below, both of the two departments were "assuming the other was taking care of it..." then there is a lack of professionalism in those departments.  Where was the theatre's leadership in all this?

Yes, but I still want to know who is ultimately responsible for it...  only because I've been burnt in the past, give the note about an item, telling props and costumes to coordinate and then they didn't, both assuming the other was taking care of it and deciding they didn't really need to offer any input from their department.

450

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Props Question....

« on: Dec 31, 2007, 11:06 am »

The fun twenty minutes sounds like a union stagehand situation to me.  If it was not a union crew, someone could have shortened that discussion by about 18 minutes.

I find it interesting that tech. departments argue over jurisdiction, trying to get another department to take on the project/ work.  In the LORT theatre I spend most of my time working in, the Artistic Director would simply not tolerate that kind of argument. Everyone has too much work on their plates...that's a given!  I give the "grey area" notes to both departments and ask them to "co-ordinate" with each other.  They work it out between themselves.  I've heard them discuss "grey area" items and come to a decision.  I've never heard one department (all IATSE departments, mind you) refuse to take the project try to put it on another.  Heads would roll, mark my words...

I do find it amusing that each department was arguing that the drum should be their department - my experience has these things going where everyone argues it should be any department BUT theirs...

Grey area it is.  I would give it to the department who has the most time to do it.  I recently got into an argument over a snare drum.  I had my head of props claiming that a drum, being played during a musical number to keep the beat, was a prop.  My sound guy argued that it was his jurisdiction and my carpenter said that only carpenters should move instruments.  It was a fun twenty minutes.