Messages

511

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fog machine recommendations?

« on: Oct 18, 2010, 05:19 pm »

Okay, thanks for the additional information.

Mac's tubing solution is a good idea to get an even area of coverage.  In terms of actual products I do realize a lot of it will depend on what's available in your area rental wise and what your budget is.  A dry-ice solution is a bit clunky and you're gauranteed to always be wrestling with it to work right, but budget constraints are a reality - so if that is what you have to do, go for it.

In an ideal world I'd recommend Martin Professional's Jem Glaciator, which Mac also mentioned below.  It is a low-fog solution that does not require CO2 or dry ice, is very mobile and is ideal for both temporary and permanent installations.  There is a video on the website that I've linked to show you what the effect looks like.  I work for an a/v design and integration firm and we specify these pretty much exclusively on projects that require a low fog solution.

512

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fog machine recommendations?

« on: Oct 15, 2010, 01:45 pm »

55' x 35'

And height?  CFM is a measure of volume, need a 3rd dimension 

513

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fog machine recommendations?

« on: Oct 15, 2010, 01:38 pm »

CFM will depend on the size of the space, what are the approximate dimensions of the area you want to fill?  "Full size stage" is a relative term.

514

Employment / Re: Resumes and Cover Letters......The Nitty Gritty Part of Stage Managing

« on: Sep 08, 2010, 08:44 am »

I'm a bit stunned that nobody has mentioned proofreading/grammar.  At my former job I was in a position that required me to evaluate talent; I read more cover letters than I ever wanted to read.  If I ever received a cover letter for a Stage Management position along the lines of "I would very much like too work at you're company" it was immediately deposited into the trash.  There was some more flexibility for the technical type positions, however if your goal is to be a manager representing a company you must demonstrate that you possess competent writing and language skills.

515

Employment / Re: Picking jobs

« on: Aug 19, 2010, 02:42 pm »

So your choices are:

A) Full time, open-ended work with the possibility of advancement.

B) Short show, small stipend.

Am I missing something?  Sounds like an easy choice to me. 

Be professional, courteous and recommend a replacement and you should be good.  They should understand, and if they don't understand - probably not the company you'd want to be working or anyway.

516

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 04:38 pm »

Here's the thing . . . I would work for my weekly rate, and donate back the difference if I got the Tax Right Off - is that legal?

Sure it's legal but you're still going to come out on the losing end.  A tax write off is just deducting this amount from income at year's end so that you ideally get your AGI into a lower tax bracket, so maybe you go from paying 25% federal income tax to 15%, but it's not apples to apples, you don't just get the money you've written off back in the form of a check. 

Now doing it solely on principle to still retain your normal rate is entirely another matter, but legally - sure.  At that point it's your money, you can donate it to whoever you want.

517

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 18, 2010, 02:37 pm »

BLee and Matthew... I thought the exact same thing when I read that job posting, and strongly requesting an AEA PSM, no less...

518

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Watching 100% of the show.

« on: Aug 17, 2010, 11:29 am »

Agreed Matthew.  Directing is absolutely an essential course for a Stage Management program.  I am very thankful to have had that as a requirement of my degree.

519

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: University Personal Statements

« on: Aug 15, 2010, 12:00 pm »

I would also be sure to include why you are a good fit at the University, and additionally why the specific program is a good fit for your long term goals.

520

Employment / Re: When is it OK to work for free?

« on: Aug 13, 2010, 09:34 am »

This is a discussion that requires distinction between the art of theatre and the business of theatre.

I struggled with this immensely towards the end of my collegiate life and the beginning of my professional life.  I could not wrap my head around the idea that someone would graduate with a Bachelor's degree (and potentially a sizeable loan debt) and fight for work that paid well below the minimum wage; and worse yet that this is not only the accepted norm, but encouraged.  On a personal note I refused to work for anything below a living wage.  My advisor was incredibly supportive and encouraged this line of thinking, but there were many (students and faculty alike) that were almost offended at this attitude.  Long story short I did secure full time stage management work that paid a living wage.  I've now been out of stage management for over four years for this exact reason... I made a living wage at age 22, I had essentially hit my ceiling as a stage manager.

On a broader scale your labor is a commodity.  It is your #1 commodity.  Like any commodity it is subject to the law of supply and demand.  If there is someone willing to sell their labor for half the price you're asking, it will affect your ability to sell your labor.  My advice has always been to set your goals and pursue them relentlessly, and do not settle for anything less.

I've never had a problem with people that want to work for low wages.  If a person values their labor at $0, it is well within their right to work for $0.  I have no experience with this, but I'd imagine as long as people see that person X is willing to work for $0, it will be very difficult for person X to be taken seriously for the jobs that do pay a living wage.

I think it is so prevelant in the performing arts because there is such an incredible surplus of labor.  Again it goes back to supply and demand.  There is not a large demand for theatre as an art - i.e. people willing to pay top dollar to see live shows.  Naturally this creates a low demand for labor.  Conversely we have hundreds upon hundreds of undergraduate programs churning out theatre students on an annual basis.  The labor pool is growing while the demand for that labor is sinking.  Until there is parity between the labor pool and demand for labor, there will be people working for $0.

Am I on an island here?  Interested in thoughts from everyone on this...  Additionally I would be particularly interested to hear from others with similar circumstances (those who wear the "Former SM" badge under their username  ).

521

The Green Room / Re: What did you learn today?

« on: Aug 12, 2010, 08:41 am »

I learned that though I haven't SMed a show in four years, ugly paperwork still drives me up the wall.

522

Employment / Re: Websites

« on: Aug 10, 2010, 08:24 am »

I just did a major overhaul of my site and would love some feedback.

http://www.cheriebtay.com/

Thanks!

I like the layout and color scheme.  The grey is a nice neutral color that draws attention to the items you post on the website (photos, paperwork, etc..).  Having your own RSS feed is certainly an interesting idea - let us know if anyone subscribes to that as it may be a tool others are interested in if you have success with it.  The one thing that caught my eye is the "counter" at the bottom of the main page.  That aspect screams late 90s to me, but beyond that I love it. 

523

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Watching 100% of the show.

« on: Aug 05, 2010, 01:42 pm »

But, here is the thing . . . if a sequence is getting too difficult during tech, you might need to cry foul.
...we sort of need to figure out how we are going to do it during tech and NOT let the sequences get out of control.   

--This is one of the things I'm trying to implement for next season and make things easier. Thank heavens for Qlab. I'm trying to get the theatre to go MIDI so that I can just press one button for lights, sound and any other device QLab will allow to be used with it. Especially on some shows next season that are projection heavy. This will be especially useful since 98% of the time during the season I don't call a show, I execute cues on my own. I've only called two shows this season.

My two cents if you are going to make the investment to upgrade to any type of automated show control, do it the right way and go straight to a TCP/IP based system.  MIDI is a 30 year old archaic technology that was never intended for many of the things it's used for.  The first two letters of the acronym are "Musical Instrument" after all...

524

Tools of the Trade / Re: OneNote

« on: Jul 28, 2010, 12:27 pm »

I used the program briefly for a show I stage managed while in college.  I had a hybrid tablet PC and thought this would be an excellent program, however I found the program very clunky and difficult to use effectively.  I was spending more time on making the program fit my needs than it was worth and I quickly abandoned my attempt to use it for Stage Management...

Now, this was the earliest version of One Note (back in 2005 or so), so the program could quite possibly be a much better solution now, however my experience with the program was not terribly productive for Stage Management.

525

The Green Room / Re: Any other crafters out there?

« on: Jul 28, 2010, 10:47 am »

What a great idea!  How cool that would be in my apartment.  All I'd need to do is stain the outside wood to match my furniture and add legs.  Got an extra hockey table?