61
Introductions / Re: Coming clean.
« on: Mar 12, 2015, 12:07 am »
Hi Julie! I just started prep with Kerry yesterday! 
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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62
Stage Management: Other / Re: Rehearsal DVDs becoming obsolete
« on: Feb 04, 2015, 04:24 pm »
I would go for a private Youtube or Vimeo link with a password. You can always change the password periodically, if the added security is a priority. Like KMC said, what's the stop a DVD or USB drive from being copied as soon as it's plugged into someone else's computer?
63
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Email signature
« on: Jan 06, 2015, 07:03 pm »I've always had problems with this. I did have separate emails for a few shows, but I would discover that every once in a while I'd get an email in one of them from an old AD or so-and-so that worked on the show wanting to know if I was free for another gig.
Since I don't check all of them anymore, I didn't want to risk a job or contact coming through that I missed, so I stick to one email account.
I've only done this with one show, but I set up an auto-forward for any emails that come in to that address to come to my regular account, and also a vacation reminder that says basically "Hey I don't check this email anymore please contact me via my personal email at blah @gmail.com"
64
December Madness 2 / Re: APPS Division FINALS: Clock vs Text Messaging
« on: Dec 24, 2014, 05:24 pm »
I can use an analog watch, timer, or stopwatch instead of the clock app. What substitute is there for texting??
65
December Madness 2 / Re: SOFTWARE Division Finals: Excel vs Qlab
« on: Dec 22, 2014, 12:34 pm »
Ooooh Tempest... your reasoning is making me reconsider my vote... It's true, I can do nearly everything that I do in Excel in Word... a little clunkier, maybe, but the clunkiness of a Word table doesn't hold a candle to the insanity of running a show with 150+ sound cues without Qlab...
66
December Madness 2 / Re: SOCIAL Division Semis: Facebook vs Tumblr
« on: Dec 17, 2014, 12:37 pm »
I'm a tumblr user (although I am a bit older than the usual tumblr demographic), and a member of SMblr, but my vote goes to Facebook. For me personally, SMblr is a great resource but provides very little that SMNet doesn't do- a network of SMs sharing advice and experiences. The tumblr format makes everything more casual & personal than SMNet- lots more memes, microblogging, personal stories, but in terms of overall usefulness? Facebook wins.
EVERYONE has a Facebook, very few people won't "friend" their coworkers/castmates, it's easy to create a group, and it's much easier to keep in touch with actors that, for instance, I haven't worked with in a year or more but are in a show I'm going to see. When my phone decided not to receive texts a few weeks ago? Posted a status about it on Facebook and got messages on there instead of texts. When I have extra comps to my shows, I post it on Facebook.
It's a much better local tool than tumblr (in my opinion)- I think I only know one other DC-area SM on tumblr (hi @leastlikely!) but I'm friends on facebook with every SM I've worked with since I moved to DC, along with most of the actors, directors, designers, etc. That's where I'm going to go if I want to catch up with someone I haven't seen in a while- see what they're working on, oh you're down the street from my show, let's go get drinks!
EVERYONE has a Facebook, very few people won't "friend" their coworkers/castmates, it's easy to create a group, and it's much easier to keep in touch with actors that, for instance, I haven't worked with in a year or more but are in a show I'm going to see. When my phone decided not to receive texts a few weeks ago? Posted a status about it on Facebook and got messages on there instead of texts. When I have extra comps to my shows, I post it on Facebook.
It's a much better local tool than tumblr (in my opinion)- I think I only know one other DC-area SM on tumblr (hi @leastlikely!) but I'm friends on facebook with every SM I've worked with since I moved to DC, along with most of the actors, directors, designers, etc. That's where I'm going to go if I want to catch up with someone I haven't seen in a while- see what they're working on, oh you're down the street from my show, let's go get drinks!
67
December Madness 2 / Re: SOCIAL, Round 3: SMNetwork vs Pinterest
« on: Dec 09, 2014, 05:12 pm »
In terms of which website helps me be a better SM and makes it easier to do my job? SMNet HANDS DOWN!
68
The Green Room / Re: Peter Pan Live
« on: Dec 07, 2014, 02:20 pm »
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/why-allison-williamss-peter-pan-didnt-fly-on-nbc
I feel like this article really hits the nail on the head with all of the issues with both of these live broadcasts.
I'm a huge fan of the idea of this, and of bringing "live theater" to the masses, but I feel like it's just problematic.
In particular, the comments about the camera work are something that bother me about basically any recording of a live performance that involves dancing (STOP IT WITH THE CLOSE-UPS, I WANNA WATCH THE CHOREOGRAPHY DANGIT! THAT'S WHY YOU HIRED THE DANCERS IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU BIG DUMMIES!).
Also, I think that NBC should have picked a show where they could have cast one of the many HUGE stars who will bring the name recognition but also have the Broadway experience to pull off a live performance. Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Idina Menzel is a household name now thanks to Frozen, Josh Gad, Jane Krakowski, & Andrew Rannells are fabulous stage actors who might surprise people who only know them from their TV/film roles, even some of the actors on Glee like Lea Michele or Matthew Morrison. It's not like the list of Hollywood A-Listers who also have mad Broadway chops is particularly short these days, and it's pretty obvious that the standout performances from both of the live broadcasts have been the Broadway stars cast in the supporting roles (Audra McDonald and Laura Benanti in Sound of Music last year, and Christian Borle and Kelli O'Hara this year). It takes a particular set of skills to perform a musical LIVE- lots of film actors have great singing voices but don't have that Broadway chutzpah or what-have-you and I think the producers need to acknowledge that in their casting in order to be really successful.
Anyway, if you're going to do it, (and I think they should keep on doing it!) just DO IT RIGHT.
I feel like this article really hits the nail on the head with all of the issues with both of these live broadcasts.
I'm a huge fan of the idea of this, and of bringing "live theater" to the masses, but I feel like it's just problematic.
In particular, the comments about the camera work are something that bother me about basically any recording of a live performance that involves dancing (STOP IT WITH THE CLOSE-UPS, I WANNA WATCH THE CHOREOGRAPHY DANGIT! THAT'S WHY YOU HIRED THE DANCERS IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU BIG DUMMIES!).
Also, I think that NBC should have picked a show where they could have cast one of the many HUGE stars who will bring the name recognition but also have the Broadway experience to pull off a live performance. Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Idina Menzel is a household name now thanks to Frozen, Josh Gad, Jane Krakowski, & Andrew Rannells are fabulous stage actors who might surprise people who only know them from their TV/film roles, even some of the actors on Glee like Lea Michele or Matthew Morrison. It's not like the list of Hollywood A-Listers who also have mad Broadway chops is particularly short these days, and it's pretty obvious that the standout performances from both of the live broadcasts have been the Broadway stars cast in the supporting roles (Audra McDonald and Laura Benanti in Sound of Music last year, and Christian Borle and Kelli O'Hara this year). It takes a particular set of skills to perform a musical LIVE- lots of film actors have great singing voices but don't have that Broadway chutzpah or what-have-you and I think the producers need to acknowledge that in their casting in order to be really successful.
Anyway, if you're going to do it, (and I think they should keep on doing it!) just DO IT RIGHT.
69
December Madness 2 / Re: SOCIAL, Round 2: Twitter vs. Tumblr
« on: Dec 05, 2014, 01:06 am »
I voted Twitter... BUT, I feel like I need to throw in a good word for tumblr. There's a growing community of SMs (mostly young, hs/college age), and I also have worked with several dramaturges (and one playwright!) who set up tumblrs to track design inspiration, reviews, etc for the show.
70
December Madness 2 / Re: SOFTWARE: Word vs Web Browser
« on: Dec 02, 2014, 05:52 pm »
changed my vote... forgot about google docs!
71
The Green Room / Re: My stage manager brain took over....
« on: Nov 27, 2014, 01:17 pm »
I'm hosting a potluck Thanksgiving. There is a color-coded spreadsheet of what everyone is bringing.
72
Employment / Re: Social media links on website
« on: Oct 26, 2014, 12:54 am »
My opinion:
Your LinkedIn profile should definitely be included. Your Twitter or your blog should be there ONLY if you use it professionally and not personally. Your Facebook or your Instagram? Probably not.
My twitter account has a lot of articles and work or SM-related tweets. It also has a lot of random stuff, including profanity-filled tweets about the refs in the SEC (I mean really, you're calling pass interference on the offensive team?! #$*% you!) and links to political articles/opinion pieces. My twitter profile is public, I'm not trying to hide my opinions, but I'm also not linking it to any professional websites. If a potential employer really wants to find me on Twitter, sure, they can do that and see what I think about on the daily, but again- I'm not providing the link for them.
Your LinkedIn profile should definitely be included. Your Twitter or your blog should be there ONLY if you use it professionally and not personally. Your Facebook or your Instagram? Probably not.
My twitter account has a lot of articles and work or SM-related tweets. It also has a lot of random stuff, including profanity-filled tweets about the refs in the SEC (I mean really, you're calling pass interference on the offensive team?! #$*% you!) and links to political articles/opinion pieces. My twitter profile is public, I'm not trying to hide my opinions, but I'm also not linking it to any professional websites. If a potential employer really wants to find me on Twitter, sure, they can do that and see what I think about on the daily, but again- I'm not providing the link for them.
73
Tools of the Trade / Re: Useful iPhone apps?
« on: Sep 24, 2014, 04:27 pm »I'm gonna point out that Wunderlist is ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS. Haha. I've really enjoyed the fact that I can share my tasks lists with other Wunderlist account users. I use it with my SM team as well as groceries lists and other 'to-do's' that I share with my S.O.
Using Wunderlist on my current show and it's been really great having a shared to-do list/note-taking/chat app with the rest of the SM team.
74
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Freelance
« on: Sep 23, 2014, 07:34 pm »
Obviously freelance is harder than having a nice cushy resident job, but it's only as hard as you make it.
I ended my internship in May of 2012 and I haven't had more than 3 weeks between productions since then, and I'm currently booked through April of 2015. I'm also non-AEA, and holding down a day job (although granted it is a well-paying, part-time, theater-related day job with an incredibly flexible schedule- it's like Haley's comet- you find one of those once in your lifetime).
Taxes aren't that bad if you TRACK YOUR EXPENSES and expect that you're going to owe self-employment taxes at the end of the year- you probably won't be getting a refund unless you have a very well-paying day job that withholds taxes. That's not a big deal if you're expecting it, though.
There are a lot of threads about freelancing/booking work in advance, and also about taxes. Look around on the board a little for some more in-depth discussion.
I ended my internship in May of 2012 and I haven't had more than 3 weeks between productions since then, and I'm currently booked through April of 2015. I'm also non-AEA, and holding down a day job (although granted it is a well-paying, part-time, theater-related day job with an incredibly flexible schedule- it's like Haley's comet- you find one of those once in your lifetime).
Taxes aren't that bad if you TRACK YOUR EXPENSES and expect that you're going to owe self-employment taxes at the end of the year- you probably won't be getting a refund unless you have a very well-paying day job that withholds taxes. That's not a big deal if you're expecting it, though.
There are a lot of threads about freelancing/booking work in advance, and also about taxes. Look around on the board a little for some more in-depth discussion.
75
Introductions / Re: Finally!
« on: Sep 20, 2014, 12:48 pm »
I've heard of the BROS! Welcome! I was an intern at Centerstage a few years ago, now I'm based in DC but still have many friends in the theater community in the Salty Balty.