Messages

496

Employment / What are you looking for in the next job>

« on: Apr 28, 2013, 02:29 am »

So, for the first time in my professional career, I am assisting.  [I love a lot about assisting, especially on my current gig where I am part of a large team, working on a project that it quite a bit different then my norm.]  But at the end of the day, assisting may not tick off all the boxes I need for job fulfillment, and this company may not give me everything I need.

So, I have been thinking about what I want out of an ideal job.

My list is as follows . . .

Living Wage
Benefits (Insurance, etc)
A Positive, Upbeat Company/Producer/GM
The ability to be challenged / learn new things
The ability for forward career advancement (this is a hard one) – either within the company, or, in general, does taking this job move me to the next logical step in my career.
The feeling I am respected / valued in the team
Quality of Life Issues – what is my life going to be like if I work this job
Personal satisfaction – am I going to be satisfied if I take this job.
Good Creative Team (director, choreographer, designers) – good as in talented, followed by positive, upbeat personalities
Good Technical Team (other SMs, technicians, department heads)
Good Project / Quality of the Project / Artistic Merit of the Project
The ability to find success in the position given the resources available
Working on a high profile project  (this is my vanity - but also, will I be proud to say I am working on this project)

It's odd when I type them out, I realize how lucky I have been throughout my career.


What are things you aim to have in the next job you want to take?

497

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing Etiquette

« on: Apr 27, 2013, 06:52 am »

On the flip side, most of the time you shadow on a big show, you will be backstage - something you are probably not going to see during tech.  It sort of depends on what you want out of the experience.

The reason some stage managers may not want you to be at tech, is tech can be a very stressful moment - designers are doing their work, actors are not performing, etc.  I have directors being very clear that tech is for the team only, and no guests should be there. 

It all depends on the project and those involved.

498

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing Etiquette

« on: Apr 27, 2013, 03:24 am »

I think e-mailing would be the preferred point of communication now - if you can get their email.  Otherwise, a letter with your email address mentioned would work. 

I think coming up with questions are fine - - - just be prepared for time for questions to be limited, depending on the show.

No, I have observers during tech all the time, and I have observed tech.  It just sort of depends on the temperature of the room.

499

Employment / Re: Tricky Interview

« on: Apr 15, 2013, 06:51 pm »

Maybe it was the tone in which the interviewer responded, but that statement just seems like a reinforcement of the fact, NYC is expensive.

I have a hunch this person has received many complaints from previous people who might have held this position or other positions at this pay grade, and want to underline the fact it will be a challenge to live in NYC on such a salary.  They want to be able to say when you come back into their office to complain about the pay during the course of the job, they can remind you they warned you.  I think that perhaps young, starry-eyed stage managers are so eager to land in NYC with a job, they want to protect themselves.

But I may biased, mostly because “Yes, but saying you can live in New York and doing it are two entirely different things.” Seems like an understatement to me.

I think you handled it the best way you know how.  And remember, part of a good interviewer's job is to try to throw you off balance, get you off your rehearsed speech, and get to know you.  This may have been a curve ball.

500

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Helping with SM Homework

« on: Apr 13, 2013, 12:35 pm »

I also agree with this . . . it does seem very close to writing it for them.

I think they are trying to be considerate of our time, but in reality, typing it all out often times takes longer.

501

Introductions / Re: New to the SMNetwork!

« on: Apr 09, 2013, 03:14 pm »

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

502

Introductions / Re: My Introduction

« on: Apr 08, 2013, 08:36 am »

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome

503

Introductions / Re: Hello! Glad to be apart of a great forum!

« on: Apr 08, 2013, 08:34 am »

Welcome, welcome, welcome

504

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?

« on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:43 am »

Stage Management can often be described as  hours of boredom, punctuated by moments of stark terror.  If everything is going smooth, then everything is going smooth.  YAY!  Count your blessings.  We are there for those times.  But we are also there to problem solve when things go wrong.

And remember, there will be times when the sort of luxury of what you have now isn't there - the director won't be there, the show will be tech heavy, the actors will not be word perfect, and there will be understudies (and swings and standbys, and replacements).

Enjoy this time.

505

The Hardline / Re: Unions and Circus/Cirque

« on: Apr 04, 2013, 06:33 pm »

I do agree that there is no national wide consensus on these issues.  And the issues are changing over time.

506

Introductions / Re: Hi All

« on: Apr 04, 2013, 05:20 pm »

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

507

Employment / Re: Telephone Interviews

« on: Apr 03, 2013, 11:19 pm »

Or who did I do that to??  (Evil grin).

I won't tell people's interview secrets.

508

Employment / Re: Telephone Interviews

« on: Apr 03, 2013, 10:22 pm »

and there is the story of the stage manager who hangs up in the middle of the a phone interview or skype interview to see how the applicant handles the unexpected - do they call back?  do they sit there and wait?  how do they solve the problem?

509

Introductions / Re: New Kid on the Block

« on: Apr 03, 2013, 01:20 pm »

Isn't Webster a cut program as well?

(And a cut program is not a bad thing - having gone to a program that didn't cut, it sort of devalues the degree I received given some of the people who graduated from the same program....)

510

The Hardline / Re: Unions and Circus/Cirque

« on: Apr 03, 2013, 08:57 am »

RuthNY, that is my understanding as well . . . and yes, I threw the film in there to be a bit of a jerk.

So, the reason there is a not-work notice for Cirque is to assume that AEA wants to organize Cirque?

(And I don't have to loose sleep over my non-union Opera work I did after I got my card?)