Messages

496

Employment / Re: Taxes for independent contractors...

« on: Mar 27, 2011, 12:28 pm »

The actual tax forms are fairly straightforward (for ICs or otherwise).  Turbotax, HR Block, etc.. are all pretty adept at handling any income form (W2, 1099, 1099-MISC, 1099-DIV, 1099-INT, etc...).  As Kay mentioned the trickiest part of being an IC is the deductions and getting your AGI as low as possible.  There is a lot of gray area as to what you can legally deduct on your Schedule C or Schedule C-EZ, and this is where a human being is going to be the most helpful.  Stage Managers aren't accountants, pretending to be can either have you paying far more tax than you should or on the business end of an IRS audit.  Think of what would happen if your accountant tried to call a show, yikes!

497

The Green Room / Re: Too big for our breeches: Server update and poll

« on: Mar 15, 2011, 11:50 pm »

I think google text ads are the best option to keep the site a free community.  Any required membership fee would certainly push membership numbers down, and a voluntary donation drive would likely wind up soliciting the same dedicated members over and over. 

498

Tools of the Trade / Re: DVD player for video projection/disable display of "play" "pause"

« on: Feb 22, 2011, 08:30 am »

The answer, as Mac has previously stated, is to use a commercial grade player.  For our systems we typically specify a Tascam DV-D01U when a DVD player is required.  What model player are you using?  Consumer level stuff usually does not have many options, especially if it's the low end consumer stuff that you pick up for $15-$20 at Wal-Mart.

499

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: 'Billy Elliot' musical sued for $4 million

« on: Feb 16, 2011, 03:37 pm »

Yes, but the plaintiff still receives all or some of the sum of the punitive damages.  In this case $2m each.  Define it however you wish, it still doesn't pass the smell test.

500

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: 'Billy Elliot' musical sued for $4 million

« on: Feb 16, 2011, 02:11 pm »

Having worked on Billy Elliot, I'm spooling thru the show in my head, and I'm guessing that they were hit by nerf balls that shoot out of a cannon...  (That's the ONLY think I can think of that gets anywhere NEAR the audience).  But still, being hit by a nerf ball = 2 mil$???  Unless on of the Billy's dropped the chair and it fell into the house?   I'd be curious to hear more.

Both of the audience members had to go to the hospital, one required stitches to close a bleeding gash on her forehead, the other had a concussion with possible brain damage. This is a little more serious than nerf balls.

This incident occured 15 months ago.  If the plaintifs were wronged to the tune of $4 million this lawsuit would have come long ago.  This one doesn't pass the smell test and in my view is another testament to why we are in desperate need of tort reform in this country.

501

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fire Retardant Costumes

« on: Feb 10, 2011, 03:19 pm »

we are only using the costumes for one performance and don't want to spend a lot of money and effort flame proofing our costumes (especially since we already have the costumes).

Don't want to spend a lot of money or effort?  How much is someone's life, health or career worth?  What is the dollar amount you put on that?  If you use the "home brew" flame retardent, do you just cross your fingers and hope nobody is injured? 

This is wreckless and if you are in the US criminally negligent.

I would highly advise to have this professionally done.

502

Stage Management: Other / Re: Hundreds evacuated in fire at NW Indiana theater

« on: Feb 10, 2011, 02:07 pm »

Aaanddd this is why it's important to maintain equipment!  Thankfully nobody was hurt in this one.

503

Homework Help / Re: Deadline February 1, 2011: Stage Mangement

« on: Jan 23, 2011, 11:14 pm »

For professional development for any career I highly recommend anything by Malcolm Gladwell, however if you're going to ask me to pick one I'd go with "Blink".  It's particularly relevant to the fast paced world of live theatre.

504

Tools of the Trade / Re: Useful applications for Blackberry

« on: Dec 18, 2010, 12:13 am »

So I just stumbled across this app called "Trapster".  It is available for Blackberry, Android, iPhone, and even some automobile GPS units.  It uses your phone's GPS feature to alert you of upcoming speed traps, photo enforced stop light cameras, etc...

REALLY happy to have found this since those cameras are popping up everywhere in Miami lately.

Be careful with that app, it uses a tonne of data!

Actually I noticed that today because it drained my battery like nothing I have ever seen.  I have a BB Bold 9700 and my battery is usually good for 3 days on a charge, it was half gone by noon today after a full charge last night.  I have unlimited data anywhere in the world so I am not concerned about that, but definitely a good observation and you are absolutely correct.

505

Tools of the Trade / Re: Useful applications for Blackberry

« on: Dec 16, 2010, 10:22 pm »

So I just stumbled across this app called "Trapster".  It is available for Blackberry, Android, iPhone, and even some automobile GPS units.  It uses your phone's GPS feature to alert you of upcoming speed traps, photo enforced stop light cameras, etc...

REALLY happy to have found this since those cameras are popping up everywhere in Miami lately.

506

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Dec 16, 2010, 07:30 pm »

Like a lot of you, I suppose, I love office supplies, especially clipboards, and I am known among my theatre/non-theatre friends for using a clipboard for everything.  Always having a clipboard means that I've used them as frisbees or baseball bases in the summer and, in the winter....as a shield in a snowball fight.  Which led to one of my friends sending me this: http://www.ballisticsystemsco.com/products, a bulletproof clipboard.


...if I had $30 to kill, I'd buy that as a joke for one of my SM friends, but alas, I do not...

Wow, that is awesome!  I would love to buy that for an old TD/Automation friend of mine, that guy went through clipboards like SMs go through cough drops.

507

Tools of the Trade / Re: Lightweight Headsets - Telex PH-150?

« on: Dec 07, 2010, 11:52 am »

It should be compatible with clearcom, just make sure you order the headset with an A4F connector (4-pin XLR Female) as Clearcom beltpacks use an A4M connector for the headset (4-pin XLR Male). 
Post Merge: Dec 07, 2010, 11:55 am

It should be compatible with Clearcom, just make sure you order the headset with an A4F connector (4-pin XLR Female) as Clearcom beltpacks use an A4M connector for the headset (4-pin XLR Male).

508

The Green Room / Re: Just a random what if....

« on: Nov 08, 2010, 08:59 pm »

You're in high school, it's not a professional environment.  Go for it, have fun, no regrets.

509

Tools of the Trade / Re: BITE LIGHTS!

« on: Nov 03, 2010, 07:04 pm »

I'd add a second for the head lamp, most even have a red LED setting so you won't blow everything up backstage with light!

510

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: What to do when you're sick?

« on: Oct 21, 2010, 09:29 am »

In terms of preparation beyond the prompt book, I think a pre-show check list is important.  I’ve met SMs who keep this in their heads, but a fill-in really needs a step by step list on everything they need to do and when they should do it, from turning on the heat to adjusting their booth set-up.

I agree with this as well.  Even if there is not a lot to do there should still be a preshow run sheet that leads you into calling your first cue for the show.  Take the guess work out of it for your potential replacement, they will already be stressed enough having to step in and call the show!