Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Before Show Pep Talks - Cast and Crew

« on: Dec 20, 2007, 11:38 pm »

I actually try to have dinner with my crew every night.  We have a dining room at work that we all eat at and it is the time of day where we are all equals.  Often times we run through the shows and make sure that everyone is on the same page.  If we are having any problems it normaly gets mentioned around the table and everyone voices in on how to resolve it.  It's a great way of using a manditory break to conduct business. 

47

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Vegas - Dec 4-7

« on: Dec 01, 2007, 12:04 am »

I should have a few hours to spare on the 7th.  I do have a thing at 6:30 pm but PM me and we can figure something out.

48

Tools of the Trade / Re: What Type Of Drill Is Best?

« on: Nov 29, 2007, 02:45 am »

Makita, I've been using it since I framed houses in High School.  Although I'm not on the original batteries.

Whatever you do just buy a spare battery or two and keep them charged at all times. Put everyone in the shop through a training session on how to use and not break the new equipment.  I found that giving names to expensive equipment helps people not destroy it.  For example our Genie lift is called Charlie Chong.  It likes to elevate it's height. 

49

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Onstage Hangings

« on: Nov 21, 2007, 02:12 am »

Use a black out and a trap door sound effect.  This way the audience still gets the idea that someone was hung but no one gets hurt. including your budget.  Whatever you do do no put a secured noose around an actors neck.  There is always the chance that they could fall off the platform and hang themselves. 

50

The Hardline / Re: AEA supporting IATSE?

« on: Nov 19, 2007, 05:53 pm »

This would not be a lockout.  No agreement has been made between the two parties and no future chats have been scheduled for this week. As of yet that is.  This is just the producers covering themselves and trying to accommodate the ticket buyers.  Of course it is a power play by the producers.  By stating that they are in no hurry to make a deal and making the point that they are willing to give up the lucrative Thanksgiving revenue they put themselves in a better bargaining position.  Then again that does sound like a lock out.  But in this situation it is viewed as being realistic and not hostile.  I really don't see this coming to an end any time soon.  Although now that I put that in print it will probably end tomorrow.

This whole debate as I understand it is fairly tense.  If Local 1 gives at all it will set a president across the nation and many other theatres and venues will be able to renegotiate their contracts in accordance with what happens on Broadway.  So there is a lot at stake in this one. 

51

The Hardline / Re: Stagehand Wages

« on: Nov 15, 2007, 08:46 pm »

During busy times it is also possible to be able to subcontract labor that is not part of your local.  A little trick I learned.  When there is a huge gig or convention in town figure out the load in calls.  Then call the hall last minute and request people with specific skills.  When they can't provide the labor you can go elsewhere.  In some contracts.  Useful if you need to do some maintenance. 

52

The Hardline / Re: Stagehand Wages

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 02:16 am »

looking at both.  i do realize that there is a large discrepency between union and non union.

53

The Hardline / Stagehand Wages

« on: Oct 22, 2007, 07:59 pm »

Hello all,

I was trying to put together a report on what stagehands make around the country.  So far I have heard everything from $7.00 per hour (MT) to $60.00 per hour (NV).  So if you wouldn't mind giving me a ballpark of what stagehands are making in your neck of the woods I would greatly appriciate it. 

54

The Hardline / Re: Las Vegas and unions

« on: Oct 20, 2007, 01:32 am »

Cirque was doing a lot of staffing I hear and they even brought in some new people.  I hear there will be a build in Febuary and an opening in spring but that is just in the rumor mill. 

55

The Hardline / Re: Las Vegas and unions

« on: Oct 19, 2007, 11:31 pm »

debos,

Well, where to start?  I only know about the union situations in Las Vegas and primarally the casino world so everything following is pertaining to shows and union situations in casinos.  There are many wonderful smaller theatres around but not to many large shows happen in them.  I also can't go into a lot of detail but i'll give you the gist of things and should be able to answer your question.  I'm going to go into a little bit of history here.  As far as speculation goes, Las Vegas was founded by the mafia.  Just watch "Casino" sometime.  Unions were also supposedly influenced by the mafia.  So Las Vegas has become a town heavily influenced by the Unions.  IATSE has a fairly large presence but does not have a monopoly on the stagehand gigs around town.  I would say that IATSE accounts for about 30 percent of the stagehand and theatrical work done around town.  As far as AEA goes, there is minimal presence.  There are many properties who use independant or in house stagehands.  I believe that the Blue Man Group is currently in litigation over them refusing to use union labor. 

When working with IATSE there is extreemely low turn over when it comes to being a perminate employee on a specific property.  Some places have the same crew doing the same show for over five years.  However once you are part of the union you can always go out on the bounce and pick up random work almost daily.  One recomendation that I can make is that if you do join IATSE take as many training classes through the union as possible.  They only cost you your time and will allow you to work more gigs and possibly at a higher rate of pay.  Basically when you first join you will be out on the bounce until a new show comes into town and the property steward decides to put you on it.  Being on the bounce means that you are filling in positions here and there and doing a lot of load ins for conventions and touring shows.  But you will be making fairly good money.  The Local 720 allows its members to work outside of the union as well so you can always pick up other gigs on the side as long as you are paying your dues. 

If you are just moving to town or just starting out I would recomend joining the union to get to know the ropes and get some credibility around town.  You get into a great social network and start to find out about job openings here and there.  After a while you may decide to leave the union or you might stay with them. 

As far as stage manager positions go, they are almost impossible to get.  The possition of SM is not a union possition and it really depends on the house and the produciton as to who's employee they are.  Your best chance of getting a traditional SM position is to get on board with a produciton that is comming to Vegas and hasn't found a home yet.  I get about five pitches a day so I know that they are out there.  In that case you would be the SM for the production and paid by the producer.  You would work with the venue's stage manager or entertainment director who would give direction to the stagehands and anything you needed done to the theatre.  As far as Casino or venue SM's go, well there is extreemely low turn over and to tell you the truth I have no idea how to go about getting a job like that.  It seems that this entire town is based on relationships so start at the bottom and pay your dues.  Even if you have to do it all over again.  But keep an eye out for job postings and something will pop up.  I'll keep an eye out for positions and post them if they pop up but i havn't seen anyting in a while.  I really don't know if I have answered your question but I made it look like I wrote a lot so hopefully people will think that there is alot of prudent information in the above paragraphs.  And I know that I have been fairly vauge and topical so let me know what other information I can give you. 

peace,

chops

56

The Hardline / Re: Las Vegas and unions

« on: Oct 06, 2007, 11:21 pm »

So what exactly do you want to know about unions?  I am currently in the middle of negotiating an IATSE contract. 

57

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Injured during tech?

« on: Oct 02, 2007, 11:29 pm »

I once had a two ton motor mount swing into my kidneys and break a rib.  I really didn't like that lighting person after that.  And there have been far to many minor injuries to count.

Take the down time as a test of your ability to manage the crew.  Of course you won't be able to do all of the jobs yourself but you are still going to have to instruct people on how to perform thier jobs.  You may feel useless and frustrated but you can still call the show, set schedules, be a therepist, and everything else.  If you think that you are useless when you are injured just wait until you walk into a union house.  You had better know how to manage people and give direction without touching anything. 

58

Employment / Re: What program do people prefer for typing up resumes?

« on: Sep 04, 2007, 08:36 pm »

On Word you can download resume templates online.  Just type resume template into google and a bunch of free templates will pop up.  They don't have ones specific for stage management but it is fairly easy to change around some margins. 

59

Employment / Re: Resume paper

« on: Sep 04, 2007, 08:30 pm »

Go with a white or off white heavy weight paper.  I always just go to Kinkos and look at their sample book under resume paper.  I tend not to buy a lot of resume paper because I always get creases or folds in it after storing it for a year or two.  But Kinkos is about five to seven cents per copy on heavy weight paper.  And if you use the recycled paper that has a small watermark on the bottom stating that it is made of post consumer goods it shows employers that you care about conservation.  Both of the environment and their budget, or so i am told by the director of HR where I work. 

60

Employment / Re: How do you get into touring shows?

« on: Sep 03, 2007, 10:18 pm »

One thing you might want to think about if you are going to be touring for a while is getting a union card.  I can't remember how many times I have walked into houses and not been able to carry my own gear.  However if you can get in with IATSE and get a touring card it looks good on your resume for any gigs you might want to go on tour with.