Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROPS: Happy Days Parasol

« on: May 11, 2015, 07:09 pm »

No problem!

BTDT (Been There, Done That) is a database listing past productions by each member of SMNetwork. It can be searched by Venue, Title, or Member, and can be found in the top right corner of this page!

Cx

47

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROPS: Happy Days Parasol

« on: May 11, 2015, 10:40 am »

My first thought (though this is NOT a cheap option, and probably would take a little time to reset!) is a metal frame, and the parasol is made from Flash Paper. The performer then has a button to spark a flint (similar to how a lighter is ignited), which would set the paper alight.

I understand this probably isn't a viable solution, but might be a starting point for someone smarter than I?

Cx

48

The Green Room / Re: Employment after a Career as a Stage Manager

« on: Apr 19, 2015, 10:47 am »

I'm afraid I would disagree with your premise. I know many people who have been in Stage Management for 30+ years, and at this point in time I plan to be one of them myself!

However, I agree that a lot of people choose to leave SMgt for a variety of reasons - hours, low pay, lack of family time, unstable income/schedule etc.

If, for whatever reason, I don't stay specifically in SMgt, I think I would hope to move either to Company Management, Events Management, or Corporate/Event Showcalling.

49

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Completely Lost. Please Send Help.

« on: Mar 25, 2015, 09:08 pm »

Others will be able to give better, longer answers, but I wanted to say that on the whole, there is no wrong way of doing something!

90% of what we do (other than the law, union contracts, etc.) is your opinion. While some methods are done by more than others, if it works for you and the show - great!

C

50

The Green Room / Re: PSA- beginning of Daylight Savings Time this Sunday

« on: Mar 07, 2015, 04:03 am »

Another PSA - this is not the same outside North America!

Clocks in Europe will change on at 1am GMT on 30th March.

51

Introductions / Re: Hi from Ireland

« on: Mar 07, 2015, 04:00 am »

Are you the Jean I think you are?!

52

Stage Management: Other / Re: Orchestra Calls

« on: Mar 07, 2015, 03:57 am »

It varies depending on the venue, how big the pit is, how big the orchestra is, and how far they have to walk - but I generally do the following (UK here as well):

7 minutes before
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Orchestra, this is your first call to the pit. Your first call please, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Orchestra."

5 minutes before (with beginners)
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Orchestra, this is your second and final call to the pit. Your second and final call. Your call please, (Conductor) - (Conductor), this is your call."

Unless it's a really short interval, I'll do the same before a restart as well.

Hope that helps!

Cx

53

Job Postings / Re: Cirque du Soleil internships - Vegas

« on: Feb 21, 2015, 06:03 pm »

Oh god I wish I was a student again....(and American, but that's not important!)

54

Introductions / Re: Old dog, new tricks

« on: Feb 12, 2015, 07:11 pm »

Microwave popcorn ALWAYS smells bad!

55

Employment / Re: Overqualified?

« on: Feb 11, 2015, 07:15 pm »

In this job market, with the size of the industry, and the ease of finding what almost any company is like to work for, I feel that if I apply for a job, it's because I want the job - regardless of whether I am overqualified or not. We all have quiet periods throughout the year, and I personally take any job over no job, whatever it is (so long as it pays a legal wage).

Having been passed over for two jobs in the past year because I'm 'overqualified', I would have thought a company would rather that than the opposite. Also, if it's a short contract, I'm not going to quit because I'm bored - I'll ride it out!


C

56

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Articulation marks in SM calling script

« on: Feb 10, 2015, 02:48 pm »

MitchieSM, do you wait until opening until putting them in? I would imagine that sticky dots are a pain to re-position...

57

Employment / Application Rejection, Replying Email

« on: Feb 04, 2015, 10:16 am »

Hi all,

The title probably doesn't make a huge amount of sense, but I wasn't sure what to put instead!

I've applied for a summer ASM gig, at a company that is definitely seen as a step up from my current contracts (though in a lower position).

I heard back yesterday that I hadn't got an interview - not wholly unsurprising, but a little disappointing. However, I'm not sure what I'm missing, compared to others I know who have had the job in the past.

Now, here's my question - should I ask why I haven't gone any further? And if so, how should I word it?

My current draft email reads;

"Dear (James)*,

Thank you for your email. Is there anything you could suggest I do to improve my application next time, or was there anything in particular I am missing?

Many thanks,

(iamchristuffin)

*Name changed to protect the innocent!

I just don't know if this will annoy them, as it's their prerogative who they invite for interview. But I don't know how else to find out what I need to do to progress (short of asking others to do some digging for me).

Any advice?

C

58

The Green Room / Re: Superbowl Half-Time Stage Set-Up

« on: Feb 03, 2015, 07:43 am »

And from a reddit thread...

Halftime Show by the numbers...
24 Cameras
5 Chapman Sideline Carts
2 Jibs
2 Steadi-Cams
1 Helicopter
90 26k Projectors
384 LED Tiles
582 Feet of Blades
765 Lighting Instruments
8 D3 Servers
10 Flame Cannons & A Lot of Pyro
25,000 amps of Power
1/2 Mile of Truss
18 Audio Field Carts w/ 108 Speakers
24 Stage Carts
1 24' Long x 12' High Lion Puppet
1 18,000 Square Foot Projection Surface
48 Golf Carts
1 Flying by Foy Rig
More than 850 Costumes
24,000 Sq Feet of Tenting
145,000 Flashlights
1,000 FM Radios
600 LED Orbs
11 12' Long x 6' Cloud Balloons
3,650 Hotel Room Nights
1,366 Pizzas
7,620 Boxed Lunches
...and most importantly
750 Cast members
480 Field Team Members
400 Staff & Crew
Without their dedication and talent there would be no Halftime Show.
A sincere thank you to everyone involved.

http://www.reddit.com/r/techtheatre/comments/2uhegm/superbowl_halftime_show_numbers/

59

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Email signature

« on: Jan 06, 2015, 06:10 am »

I keep multiple signatures stored - one for each show I am working on or booked for, and a generic one:

Many Thanks,

Chris Tuffin
Freelance Stage Management
[My email]
[My phone number]

So I use that if it's not an email for a specific show.

60

Employment / Re: WHAT NOT TO PUT ON YOUR RESUME . . .

« on: Dec 21, 2014, 07:40 pm »

My professor stated that he liked my font choice because it shows my personality off a bit.  For my senior seminar class, we had mock phone interviews (which I totally bombed) and a guest interviewer said she thought the font was childish and made me seem really young (ouch).

Any advice on fontage for resumes? 

Personally, I think anything sensible is fine. Helvetica, Garamond, Arial, Times, Calibri, or any similar font is good. Papyrus, Comic Sans, Wingdings are not!

C