Messages

511

December Madness I: 2012 / Re: December Madness!

« on: Dec 29, 2012, 01:33 am »

Well folks, the semifinals are over and the finals have begun. As nmno called it, we've wound up with what may be the most epic battle that could have come out of the entire bracket, as well it should be.

The final scores for the semifinals:
Laptop 32 (W) vs Binder 10
Paper 24 (W) vs Headset 19

For the IDMC,
PSMKay

512

December Madness I: 2012 / December Madness Finals: Paper vs Laptop

« on: Dec 29, 2012, 01:28 am »

Ladies and gentlemen, children of ages 13 and up, welcome for the last time to Gadget Stadium. We have here competing tonight two triumphant teams who have fought long and hard to reach this crowning moment. Other matches have been exciting - some even exhilarating. We've seen some true tests of skill and versatility on the way to the arena tonight. However, this... is... the FINALS!

This week our two remaining teams will battle to find out who takes it all home. These devices are coming onstage from their lives behind the scenes and hitting their marks perfectly at center court. This is not only a match that will end December Madness, but it may settle a longstanding debate in the stage management community. Without further ado, allow me to introduce....

*lights dim* *soft drum roll*

Hailing from the forests of the Pacific Northwest is a team that was written off at the start of this match, but one which has spent most of its existence being written on. Raised by its parents from saplings, it developed from a blank page through beating itself to a pulp. Now fully grown, weighing in at 20 lb and 97 brightness, this troupe brings reams of experience to the playing field. While it may have been accused of folding under pressure and recycling its strategies, it's still a winner and we're proud to have it with us in the stadium tonight. Cheered on by the hot and bothersome Confetti Girls (fresh from the three hole punch...) taking the floor for the very last time, let's have a hand for....

PAPER!!!!!

*cheery organ music!* *lights up* *Team Paper, with cheerleaders, enters stage right!* *3 min music vamp for cheering!*
*lights back down.* *drum roll resumes*

Opposing, we've got a team that couldn't have had a more different upbringing. Created in Silicon Valley by expert handlers who had practiced on prior season MVP the desktop, this group strives to prove that better stage management through science is not only possible, but the best way to charge forward. This team knows the keys to success - all 80 of them. Although some fans have scorned the team for bringing in Japanese ringers, one cannot deny that this relative newcomer has honed its skills and broadened its technique so that it can cash in all of its chips here for you tonight. Does it have the touch(pad) to make it through this battle? Has it honed its operating system enough to rise to the challenge? Will its fans bother to look up long enough to pay attention to the game? We certainly hope so, for it has fought a long battle to get here tonight.

Cheered on by the lovely and talented Flash Drives, it's....

LAPTOP!!!!

*more organ music!* *lights up!* *Team Laptop enters with cheerleaders!* *Music vamp as both teams shake ... hands?... and take their starting positions.*

Paper. Laptop. You each have a week to prove your worth. Keep the play fair and clean. Rally your fans and bring everything you've got. The winner here takes the trophy, the title, and the trip to Disneyland.

Stage managers, you've also got one week to settle this dilemma (although probably not for the last time. Sigh.). This is the finals so we'll be running twice as long to make sure everyone gets a chance to vote. Voting will run through Friday at midnight CST.

*blows whistle* GAME ON!

513

Employment / Re: Pictures

« on: Dec 25, 2012, 01:31 pm »

Then one stormy matinee, the PM came to say: "Matthew with your nose so bright, won't you cue the rail tonight?"
Then how the deckhands loved him, as they whispered quietly, "Matthew the red-nosed SM, standing by for rail cue D!"

514

December Madness I: 2012 / Sugar Bowl, Round 8: Laptop vs Binder

« on: Dec 25, 2012, 01:28 pm »

An interesting match up here at the Salad Bowl: an old-school classic team going up against the device that many have heralded as its direct successor. Both are frames for large amounts of information contained within. Both fold shut to hide away the world when the workday is finished.

The Laptop requires recharging and is pretty darned fragile, but has the added bonuses of games, wifi and backlighting. It's more shiny and flashy, but one must remember how it struggled in its prior match to squeeze out a 3 point margin against the humble Pencil. If it hasn't learned its lesson quickly, it may be in for another drubbing from an old-school opponent. And what an opponent! The Binder is a tried and true favorite, doubling as a clipboard, preserving scripts intact in archival format, successfully keeping the entire prompt book in one accessible location.

Valiant competitors. Both have beat three other opponents to get this far but only one will move on to the finals. Who will it be?

You decide. Preferably before Friday at midnight, CST.

515

December Madness I: 2012 / Soup Bowl, Round 8: Paper vs Headset

« on: Dec 25, 2012, 01:27 pm »

We're down to the semifinals, y'all!

In the Soup Bowl we've got Paper vs Headset. These two teams are useless without your input, but incredibly powerful in the right hands. Oddly enough, they're also two of the few items that the stage manager is rarely expected to provide for themselves.

Paper's many forms and uses were on display in the quarterfinals as its "thousand cuts" offense brought Gaff Tape to its knees. Flexible, inexpensive, organic and ever the symbol for both frustration and inspiration, Paper has been our unexpected little wood-pulp that could throughout the tournament. However, the stage managers who dislike being seen as paper pushers may be put off by its ongoing popularity and throw their support behind its new competitor.

Headsets were proven two rounds back to base their strength in their ability to save lives. The power switch posse will undoubtedly be out in force to support the electronic team here. With its rock star image it's easy to support. A vote for Headset is a vote for the communicative aspect of the stage manager's job. However, in the wrong hands headsets can destroy a career. From missed cues and overheard gossip to from short leashes to hot plugs, the headset is not without its perils.

Both can be subtle and vicious depending on the situation. Neither is fully irreplaceable, but one could, under duress, get through a show without them. The question, though, is which one is better?

The match runs through midnight CST on Friday.

516

December Madness I: 2012 / Re: December Madness!

« on: Dec 25, 2012, 01:18 pm »

It is December the 25th here at Gadget Stadium and the quarterfinals are finished! The Whos in Whoville may be singing "Welcome Christmas" but oh, my stage manager friends, there is no joy in Mudville today. This was never going to be an easy fight for any of the elite 8 teams. We saw low fan turnout this week due to the Christmas holiday, and those lost 10 votes could well have turned the tide in some of these matches. Even so, the backstage world must pause today and doff its caps, for the mighty Gaff Tape has struck out.

That's right, folks, number one seed Gaff Tape has been dethroned. Once pegged as the odds-on favorite to go all the way, it's now out of the running. A diverse offensive from paper, showing its versatility, came from out of nowhere to take the Community Division pennant by 13 points. Meanwhile, the Regional Division Cup has gone to Headset, which knocked out the heavyweight Photocopier in a fairly unbalanced match. Above all this is a win for stage managers who like to value communication over paperwork - this decisive victory clearly shows how we interpret our own jobs, even if the outside may not see it that way.

Meanwhile, the old school/new school debate in the Commercial Division has given the championship to the new school - Laptop wins over Pencil by an extremely narrow three point margin. This means we're spared the agony of a Pencil/Paper final but it does mean that both of our semi-final matches will involve an electronic item up against a paper item.

And of course, that remaining paper item is closing out the University Division final with the three ring Binder trouncing the Stopwatch by an 11 point lead. This means that while we won't see Pencil/Paper, a Paper/Binder final is definitely possible.

The final scores for the quarterfinals:
Gaff Tape 11 vs Paper 24 (W)
Photocopier 9 vs Headset 26 (W)
Pencil 17 vs Laptop 20 (W)
Binder 23 (W) vs Stopwatch 12

Only two matches will run for the next three and a half days - the semifinals. Following that, the final vote will run for a full week from Saturday the 29th to Friday the 4th.

517

December Madness I: 2012 / Re: University, Round 7: Binder vs Stopwatch

« on: Dec 23, 2012, 06:02 pm »

*Puts a binder in your binder so you can binder while you binder.*

518

December Madness I: 2012 / University, Round 7: Binder vs Stopwatch

« on: Dec 22, 2012, 01:23 am »

With Headset facing its own massive battle in the Regional division, the other two hallmarks of the stage manager's heraldry are battling it out here in the University league.

Our home team this weekend is has got three rings, but it's no elven king, nor a circus. To its credit this year, it's already brought a major politician as well as laying the smackdown against the Digital light board. It most recently showed the scale rule how a real team measures up full size.

Visiting is the ever classic but rarely silent stopwatch. Petite and long-lasting, it knows how to pace itself and has a fancy ghost defense that somehow makes it feel present even when it isn't there. Stopwatch has had an easy time of it so far, clobbering the Call button and knocking out the Tape measure while hardly breaking a sweat.

We'll know by midday on Christmas which of these two major stage management icons will be able to stand proud as winner of the University Division. May the best tool win!

519

December Madness I: 2012 / Commercial, Round 7: Pencil vs Laptop

« on: Dec 22, 2012, 01:15 am »

The Pen(cil) is mightier than many things, according to the old saying. But can it beat the master of the digital tech table.. the Laptop? Both are entering the quarterfinals of the Commercial Division with the biggest victory margins out of the entire elite 8. Both are truly epic players, although if used properly these teams have the power to completely cancel each other out.

Make sure to keep good notes on what happens here... using whichever of the two teams you prefer!

Game ends at noon CST on Tuesday. Good luck to all.

520

December Madness I: 2012 / Regional, Round 7: Photocopier vs Headset

« on: Dec 22, 2012, 01:09 am »

After seeing the bloodbath that resulted in both of these teams' prior matches, I'm almost afraid to announced the start of this Regional division elite 8 game. On the Home team we've got Big Copy, the Machine with the Most, it isn't the NBA but it definitely does Jam, it's the Photocopier!

Filling up the Away lockers tonight we've got the stage manager's best friend, the device that has made and broken many a stage manager (and their eardrums), fresh from a narrow 3 point win over the mighty cell phone... it's the Headset!

Let's give it up for both of these teams. They've had a rough battle to get this far and no matter which side wins this is bound to be an excellent game. We've got paramedics standing by, but if you see a toner cartridge heading your way... duck?

Game ends Tuesday at noon CST. Play nice, y'all.

521

December Madness I: 2012 / Community, Round 7: Gaff Tape vs Paper

« on: Dec 22, 2012, 01:05 am »

Ladies and gentlemen! We have a special match for you this Christmas weekend. December Madness will be living up to its title as we enter the quarterfinals. The first two teams of the Elite 8 are the mighty Gaff Tape, heralded in song and legend as the stuff that binds the world together. Opposing, the team that came from seemingly out of nowhere to show us that Paper tigers may be quite dangerous indeed.

Whoever comes out of this match alive will take the Community League title and go on to the semifinals. You've got until noon CST on Tuesday to decide. Game on!

522

December Madness I: 2012 / Re: December Madness!

« on: Dec 22, 2012, 12:59 am »

After a week of vicious battles, the sweet sixteen is over. We're headed towards the quarterfinals. This week saw some excellent fan support for many of our teams. Alliances were forged and broken. Accusations of socialism and an underhanded attempt by the professionals to undermine the amateurs showed us why these groups normally play in separate tournaments in the sporting world.

As predicted, Headset vs Cell Phone was the one to watch this time, with two excellent combatants (and their fans) trading places in the lead for the entire match. Despite Nick pressing his case against On_Headset over the Headset coach's decision to leave God Mic on the bench, On_Headset prevailed and battled through to a narrow three point victory for his namesake team. Headset survives to fight against the mighty Photocopier this weekend. With Cell Phone out of the running, that leaves only Laptop, which won its match against Highlighter without breaking a sweat, to carry the torch for the digital teams into the Elite Eight. Can Laptop survive against Pencil? Nobody knows for sure but paramedics are standing by.

Over in the Community league we saw a complete about face from the Regional Wrangling. While actor safety lost out to organization in Headset v Cell phone, the actors took a backseat to tasty, tasty organization in Flashlight vs Paper. Despite the unholy alliance of Matt and Nick in favor of the flashlight, upstart Paper rallied its fans with reminders that if you don't vote for paper, the terrorists win. This is a second surprise victory for Paper, which has pretty much come from nowhere to deliver the smackdown twice in a row. Paper will take on Gaff Tape in the next round though. We've proven that Paper can beat Stone, and it's outlasted Multitool which means it's essentially beaten Scissors too. It's proven twice now that it can beat Light. Can it hold out against the mighty Gaff?

Amid chants of "Power Switches All the Way" the humble Stopwatch rallied in the 2nd half of its match against Tape Measure to finish with a 10 point lead.  The PSM's tools are soundly thrashing the ASM's tools in this tournament.

Here are the final scores.

Flashlight 14 vs Paper 30 (W)
Headset 25 (W) vs Cell Phone 22
Laptop 38 (W) vs Highlighter 3
Tape Measure 14 vs Stopwatch 24 (W)

The quarterfinals will all run in one group over the next 3 1/2 days. The match will end at noon CST on Christmas Day. As our teams are now pretty evenly matched, there will be the chance of a tie. In this case the matches will go into sudden death overtime, with the first vote to break the tie ending the match.

523

College and Graduate Studies / Re: New York University: Tisch - Does it offer a stage management program?

« on: Dec 21, 2012, 04:17 pm »

We've discussed NCSA before. They send us a lot of folks so the recent reactions have been quite positive, but also see this relatively neutral discussion from 5 years ago before NCSA students started coming through en masse.

524

December Madness I: 2012 / Re: December Madness!

« on: Dec 21, 2012, 11:12 am »

14 hours remain in the sweet sixteen of December Madness. The votes are currently very uneven, with some matches seeing only 35 votes and others seeing close to 45. If you haven't voted in all four matches, make sure you do so by midnight CST tonight, when the quarterfinals will begin.

The IDMC would like to remind you that this is about the gadgets and tools in question, not about the people who support them. Some items will be more popular among the college and community theatre crowd, others will be the province of the professionals. This does not invalidate them, nor the people who use them. Trash talk is OK, but make sure it remains focused on the gadgets themselves and not on the lifestyle and career choices of the individuals who choose to use them.

For the IDMC,
PSMKay

525

The Green Room / Dealing with Divas

« on: Dec 20, 2012, 03:05 am »

Out of curiosity, how do you guys handle the room when someone chooses to have a diva fit? What techniques do you use to bring the room back into focus, defuse the situation, and move on? Do you prefer to placate? Ignore? Acknowledge it with humor? Do you handle it differently if La Diva is one of your crew or the design team instead of a cast member?