Messages

61

The Hardline / Re: Showcase Code--6 Consecutive Days

« on: Jun 09, 2013, 05:36 pm »

I've never seen this rule your director is referencing in print in any Showcase.  It may have been an exception that was granted once by Equity and he is just assuming it is always allowed, or he could be remembering it from another contract he has worked under.  Definitely check with Equity on this.

62

The Hardline / Re: MEDIA: Video versus Photo

« on: May 17, 2013, 07:46 pm »

Well, first answer is call your business rep and see what they have to say, since they will ultimately have the final say anyway if somebody in your cast is unhappy with whatever decisions are made.

Then, I would probably use Rule 60-D as my basis for how to proceed, though that rule seems to be more about recording actual performance footage as opposed to interviews (which is why I say check with your business rep).

This is all based on my own experience with the URTA contract (some years ago now) and looking at the current rulebook on the Equity website, which does say it expired back in February, so you may have some slightly different language in the new contract (if they've finished finalizing it by this point).

63

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Personal reasons NOT to do a show?

« on: May 09, 2013, 12:33 am »

I'm more in line with Matthew.  I haven't come across a show that bothers me to the point where I would avoid it, but there are certainly people and companies I will not work with again.

64

The Green Room / Re: Desk/Sleeping area...for those long days

« on: May 03, 2013, 10:23 pm »

That reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George was still working for the Yankees and had a secret bed space built into his desk.  Hmm...

65

The Hardline / Re: Unions and Circus/Cirque

« on: Apr 02, 2013, 06:06 pm »

Here's what is on the AEA website concerning Cirque shows.

"Alert: Cirque du Soleil's shows (with the exception of BANANA SHPEEL, IRIS and ZARKANA) are non-union productions
Producer: Cirque du Soleil, MSG Entertainment and BASE Entertainment

AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AGMA, and AGVA members are advised that there is NOT a union contract in place for these productions, except for BANANA SHPEEL, IRIS and ZARKANA. Members of Actors' Equity as well as other entertainment Unions may NOT accept employment in these productions without an appropriate union contract.

Equity Franchised Agents are reminded that it is a violation of the Agency Regulations to submit Equity members for non-union work.

If you are approached about employment on these productions, please contact Flora Stamatiades, National Director, Organizing and Special Projects at 212.869.8530, or by email at flora@actorsequity.org."

66

The Green Room / Re: What is a General Manager? An article to answer your questions.

« on: Mar 21, 2013, 11:09 am »

Thanks for posting this, Ruth.  As always I love the font of informative links you provide 

67

Job Postings / Re: Stage Manager-Lecturer at UNCC (Charlotte, NC)

« on: Mar 20, 2013, 11:47 pm »

There is a weird thing going on with the link.  If you click it once it takes you to their posting search page, but then if you click it again it takes you to the actual posting.

68

Tools of the Trade / Re: Email Best Practices for Teams

« on: Mar 20, 2013, 02:48 pm »

There have been any number of times during a show where there will be an ongoing email discussion that drags on for days while everyone weighs in that could have been more easily solved with a quick face to face meeting.

Along those lines I have begun taking more and more to putting everyone's email address into the Bcc: field to help reduce getting caught into the dreaded "reply all" trap.  The props department doesn't need to know when there is an issue with the costume fittings that are schedule, and costumes don't need to know about contractual issues with the band, etc, etc.  Yet people seem to just instinctually hit "reply all" rather than hitting reply and adding in the names that they feel do need to get that reply if it's more than just myself they are replying to.

69

Employment / Re: Resumes - jobs in a few months

« on: Mar 20, 2013, 11:23 am »

The only problem with just putting them on the cover letter and not on the resume is what if the cover letter get separated from the resume.  If it is a strong listing, make sure it gets on the resume . . . if it suits you needs.

In my hiring, I would save the resume files but not cover letters.  When you get 40-60 resumes to go through, you tend to read the cover letter to figure out which pile the resume goes into - but don't always hold on to the cover letter.

I will have the show included on my resume, but I don't want to waste space there by having to put essentially a footnote on my resume to explain that it's upcoming or in progress.  That's the information that I will include in my cover letter, so that the person considering me at the time I submit can see what's going on and whether my schedule fits with theirs.  I would assume that if my resume gets pulled from a file for something down the line that one of the first questions they would ask is "are you available during these dates?"

70

Employment / Re: Resumes - jobs in a few months

« on: Mar 19, 2013, 03:21 pm »

I will also include information in my cover letter of shows I am either currently doing (and when the scheduled closing date is) and anything upcoming that I have a contract that I have signed (or know that I will be signing if it's with a company that I work with a lot and I know will not be pulling the rug out from under me after a verbal offer has been made).

71

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: SM Role in the automated future

« on: Feb 28, 2013, 12:20 pm »

And in some cases we are getting even more of a presence as the technology is increasing.  As I recall, Spider Man has two stage managers calling the show.  I don't remember exactly how everything was divided, but one is calling lighting cues and the other the automated flight cues.

72

The Green Room / Re: "I quit!"

« on: Feb 21, 2013, 01:55 am »

Three years ago I left a six month contract with close to six weeks left to go. I was dealing with a severe case of insomnia (some of it stress related to the job, some of it due to an emotional issue that had nothing to do with the job). It reached the point where I was sleeping maybe two hours a night if I was lucky and even the medications were not helping. Luckily the company I was with was very understanding and supportive and knew that I had to leave to take care of myself. I've since worked with this company again on multiple projects, so I know that there were no hard feelings.

But reaching that point where I finally had to admit to myself that I couldn't effectively do my job in the mental and physical state I was in was definitely a very hard thing to do.  It taught me a lot about myself and I definitely now make my health (both physical and mental) a much higher priority.

73

The Green Room / Re: Ghostlit

« on: Feb 15, 2013, 03:13 am »

I remember NonEquityDeputy, and not fondly.  It seemed to devolve into a place where the disgruntled came to drop their venom after they felt that they had been slighted in some way or another.  Some of the comments I saw on there were downright ridiculous, including one person who complained about how a company did not tell them ahead of time that they would be taking payroll taxes out of their paycheck.

74

The Green Room / Re: SNOWMAGEDDONPOCALYPSE

« on: Feb 11, 2013, 11:50 am »

I've experienced the fear of snow in Alabama.  I was on a Theatreworks tour that was headed to Montgomery a few years back.  We had a travel day on a Thursday from somewhere in Mississippi and the show was Friday morning in Montgomery.  Well, when we stopped for lunch on Thursday I got a call from the office.  There was the threat of snow for Friday so Montgomery had already closed the schools, so obviously our show was cancelled as well.  There was about half an inch of snow on the grass when I woke up Friday morning, nothing even stuck to the pavement.  Of course driving to Birmingham then later that morning was a trip and a half, because all of the Alabama natives had no idea how to drive in the "massive" snowstorm that had come overnight.

75

Employment / Re: SM looking to intern at a theatre in nyc but for event planning or PR

« on: Feb 09, 2013, 02:44 am »

I believe TheatreworksUSA is often looking for interns for both their development and marketing departments, as well as the casting department if you were interested in that area.