Messages

661

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: resumes

« on: Jul 29, 2006, 12:05 pm »

PDF is considered the standard for distribution of documents - whilst Word is very common, different set ups can make documents render differently. PDF files display the same no matter what computer they are displayed upon. Any document that is being sent to be edited, sure, distribute in word, but for things like resumes which are static, PDF is (at least in the business world) considered to be the polite method of distribution. Especially as there are now quite a few excelent PDF printer applications out there for public use.

662

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Skills needed for career SM

« on: Jul 28, 2006, 08:05 pm »

There are plety of SM's who don't know too much about the technical side of theatre. However it does help. You do not need to know how to focus lights, patch and program desks, tune radio mics etc to be an SM. However it does help if you can talk the lingo, run the boards if an op is ill, and give general instructions to the workers etc.

Just a quick note about the last line of your first paragraph - you should not be working on a high ladder anyway (I don't know about the US, but in the rest of the world, a ladder is considered the last resort and is not considered to be an acceptable platform to work upon). It is pieces of knowledge like that (correct safety procedures for undertaking certain tasks) which are far more useful than knowing how to focus lights.

Set building - often you may be required to help with it, but if you are not comfortable with the tools, chances are you will have someone there who is.

Heavy lifting is occasionally a part of the job, however with correct lifting practices etc and through delegation, you should be fine.

All in all, I would say not being willing to work in the techncical areas of theatre will not stop you from being an SM, however it would certainly be a good idea to learn the basics of every aspect.

663

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Extra Info In Script

« on: Jul 26, 2006, 12:01 am »

I like to keep my typed up scripts verbatum at the onset so that I am on the same page as the actors basically.

As I move through the rehearsals, I constantly update the script with key events and remove the 'garbage'. Then, when I am making my calling script, I print out the updated copy. So during the rehearsal process, I would have the passage you mentioned, my calling script would have

(Door opens)
ENTER: Ken Gorman

664

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Newbie at ASMing - would love some advice

« on: Jul 25, 2006, 10:38 am »

I have never ASM'ed, so I cannot give you "ASM'ing from an ASM's point of view" - however I can give you "What I expect from my ASM's from a SM's point of view" - and I have experiance with lots of shows with little to no rehearsal (or planning) time.

What is expected of an ASM depends a lot on the structure of the cast and the SM. Basically, the ASM does the jobs that the SM either cannot, due to logistics, do, or tasks which the SM wishes to delegate. For example, one prime duty for ASM's is props. More often than not, the ASM will be responsible for presetting the props on stage, ensuring the props are all on the props table when not in use and basically that everything is in order.

When thinking of the stage manager, I find it best to look at them as the center of communications. During rehearsals, they keep notes on blocking, script changes, incorrectly spoken lines, directors notes yadda yadda yadda. Then they distribute them as required. They also provide a center-point for the production team. They are also responsible for a lot of the 'grunt' work. They make sure the actors are happy, the directors are happy, the designers and crew are happy. They make sure things run to time, from the overall production schedule to the timing during a show.

It is a rather involved job, and the role changes from company to company, cast to cast, show to show.

From my reading of the excerpts, you will basically be 'cheif deckhand and props master', however the SM really has not defined the duties - ie do you have to create the deck sheets and prop sheets, or will they be provided?

It sounds like a good type of 'thrown into the deep end' type show, if you pick things up quickly, then it is a great show for you. However if you are worried, I would suggest working on a show with a decent rehearsal period so that you can learn where you fit in.

Shows with little to no rehearsals are really fun if you enjoy presure, however you need to pay really close attention to how things run. Going for a drink or to the toilet during the rehearsal is definantly a no go, so make sure you have everything you could possibly use with you. Because there is no time to repeate things. Take concise notes, work out some form of short hand after you know what your job will entail if that will help. And if you don't get something, get clarrification, because the extra 2 minutes of clarfication may save 10 minutes of repeating the same sequence to get things down pat.

665

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling sound cues

« on: Jul 22, 2006, 03:42 am »

That is the wonder of live arts... the most unpredictable link in the chain (read actors) ensure that you cannot really time sound cues.

For example, Sound Designing a new australian work, scene 1 had background atmosphere. The scene had a lot of LONG pauses. Well the average time was 3 minutes for that scene during rehearsals. So I played it safe, 6 minutes of atmosphere. Once, the opening scene took 9 minutes - unfortunatly the first 15 or so seconds of that track were quite distinctive so replaying it was impossible. So the last three minutes was mainly silence. Thankfully the SM ripped the 2 actors a new orofice and the longest time that scene took after that was 4:30.

As a sound designer (not my favorite position) it is a real pain in the rear. There are some shows where I often want to use quite defined lengths - ie where a piece of music I am using goes out of context when played beyond a boundary. It also effects licensing sometimes. But if you try and say to an actor (or a director) "That dance sequence CANNOT EXCEED 45 seconds", their back gets out of joint and I get told to make the track longer - anyone who has ever done sound design will know how hard it is to seamlessly extend music.

666

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling sound cues

« on: Jul 20, 2006, 06:31 pm »

I would get together with your operator and ask what they prefer, however the norm over here in Australia seems to be numbered, each action is a separate cue.

As Tigerrr said, the rationale is that cues are an action and not related in any way to what actually happens. Just like lighting, as a general rule I do not call "LX to Black... Go"  or "LX1 go", "LX1A go" when houselights go up and down, it is my personal opinion you should treat sound the same. LX0 is houselights up, LX1 is houselights down, SD0 is preshow up, SD1 is preshow down.

There is also the fact that on some shows a sound cue may start multiple special effects, and then you may have to cue each one off at different times etc.

Most sound ops I have seen (and I know I do) create a running sheet which contains certain information for each playback device they have - the sheets can get pretty big (I have one from a show I sound opped that was 8 playback devices, 4 A4 sheets wide, landscape, and 8 pages down) - and the easiest way to work a running sheet is to number straight through. For example, I am stood by for SD3, I look at #3 in my running sheet, I have playback 1 @ -10, full left cued to track 4, I have playback 2 @ 0, center cued to track 6 and I have playback 3 @ 0, center cued to track 1. SD3 goes I play all three decks. Stood by for SD4, I look at #4, I have a slow fade down on both playbacks 2 and 3. etc. If I was to do it with a letter relating to a track, I would be stood by for SD C,D,E, then D1,E1 etc...

However the way you cue should be compremise between you and your board opperator.

667

Tools of the Trade / Re: Two-way radios

« on: Jul 20, 2006, 02:57 am »

I cannot remember the brand name, but I was at a sound and lighting expo a few months ago and there was a 4 person system that cost AU$800. There were 4 belt packs, 4 basic headsets and a 'base station' and 4 20 metre long cables - it's major drawback is that you could not daisy chain like you can with canford/techpro and you could not just add 'one more beltpack', instead you had to increase in groups of 8.  The whole thing was in a roadcase and would be perfect for schools - I wish I had the info on it - the closest I can find online is the PortaCom from Anchor Audio - which is just over US$1.5k

If budget is an issue, a system like that may be worth looking into.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Actor's Packets

« on: Jul 17, 2006, 07:51 pm »

When I put together actors packets, appart from all of the above, I also like to include some history of both the play, and the era and location it is set in. I don't like to swamp them in information - maybe 2 pages of text and a few pictures.

I usually have a 'welcome to rehearsals' type packet - given out on day one, it contains all of the stuff mentioned in this thread, however it does not have any THEATRE related information in it, only REHEARSAL ROOM related info. Then, a day or two before we move into the theatre, I hand out a 'Welcome to the theatre' packet - this includes the same sort of things, only it contains theatre policies, theatre evac plans, final production schedule etc. instead of rehearsal room information. That said, if I am rehearsing in the same place, the 'Welcome to the theatre' packet is rather minimal. The first time I put all the information in the one packet, I ended having to redistribute all of the theatre related information because it had been lost.

669

Stage Management: Other / Re: Odd venue, close quarters and blind op's

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 06:20 pm »

It was an extreamly strong veto - I even suggested using a "Spy" camera, integrated into the narators costume and they vetoed it. I have NO idea why. I am planning on micing rooms to a certain extent - I own 8 SM57's which I plan on hiding around the space.

The main reason is there is no hire budget I think, because we are being sponsored by a lighting company and have beg, borrowed and stolen the rest of the equiptment we are currently going to use (maybe not stolen)

It does look like fun though... I cannot wait!

670

Stage Management: Other / Re: Odd venue, close quarters and blind op's

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 02:37 am »

The problem is this has an AWFUL lot of SFX and LX. We only have one LX board (and 30 touring pack dimmers, so one per rooms or so + some movers) and sound is mainly SFX, also only one board, so 2 ops sitting at desks, cuing for many rooms, which means it does need complete cueing. I am planning on memorising every single cue so that I can move alot faster (no book to lug arround). I was just throwing arround ideas with a few other members of the team through IM, and currently we are thinking of putting holes in the wall in different places so that I can use peep holes, or putting large window type holes in the wall then hangining painting over them - and using painted gauze for the paintings instead of canvas.

The show is like a tour, there is a 'narator' who leads everyone through the house, so I am guaranteed to have complete run of the house whilst they are in a particular room, which is good.

671

Stage Management: Other / Odd venue, close quarters and blind op's

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 01:40 am »

Whilst this is technically theatre (hence a resident of the other forum), it is so obscure that I think it belongs here rather than in the other forum. However feel free to move it mods ;-)

I have a show, opening in 4 months - so a while away, but there are a few technical challenges I need a bit of help with, and need to get sorted out ASAP.

The venue for this show is an abandoned.... I am hesitant to use the word mansion, so "Big House". It is four stories high. 8 bedrooms etc. When I was approached for this job they said "We know that you like technical challenges, and the fringe, well we think we have a challenge for you".

The show is basically a ghost story, the audience moving through the house the show is based on the theory of "Each room tells a story" and "Each person who lives in a house leaves an imprint upon it".

The problem is, I have 1 LX op, 1 Sound Op, and quite a large number of technical elements - hence I cannot do what I did the last time I was doing a house show (2 sets of ops doing alternate rooms) - I have instead dedicated one of the cloak rooms as 'the booth'. My origional thoughts were to cue things through actions - either actors doing things that trip switches, or me in the adience tripping switches, however that was vetoed. Next thought was to install cameras in each room - just cheap IR ones. Again, that was vetoed. I have access to wireless cans, which is a good thing, however I cannot be in the same room as the audience, as some of the rooms are quite small. The entire show is 1 hour long, and we will be doing 4 shows a night most nights.

As the house is abandoned and scheduled to be demolished 2 weeks after we close, I have permision to modify the house extensively, which is why I am asking so far in advance.

So my question, after all of that is basically - "How on earth would you deal with this sort of show? And how would you call it when you cannot be in the room, your ops are blind and you have no cameras?"

672

Employment / Re: What questions should I ask in an interview?

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 12:01 am »

Ooohh That mobile phone one is a question I must write down - I have always just taken it out of my budget and not a word has been said, it never occured to me that I may be able to get them to give me an allowance for phone calls etc.....

*Pulls out pad an pen and appends it to the question list*

673

Employment / Re: What questions should I ask in an interview?

« on: Jul 11, 2006, 10:43 pm »

A I don't like to ask too many specific questions during a job interview, however a few that I do like asking:

Will I be working with a team that has been working together for a long period (ie company crew and SMs)?
What is the policy on appearance fees - if any?
What contract will I be under?
What is the pay period (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, lump sum) - and if the later, run as fast as you can unless they pay in advance (fat chance)... I have done fringe jobs, lump sum at the end of the run... These sorts of companies are often the sort that don't end up paying.

As you are an emerging (A)SM - program credits. Will you receive them (some companies don't credit run crew, flymen, ASM's and operators, only crediting SM's (sometimes), designers (this includes directors) and actors).

674

Tools of the Trade / Re: Condom reference??

« on: Jul 09, 2006, 11:09 pm »

Kids and condoms - such fun.

Picture the scene - School performance. Skeleton crew - me as SM and Sound, along with a bubble boy and a child rangler (aka ASM in charge of getting kids on stage at the right times). Child comes up to me.

Child: "Do you have a thread and needle please?"
Me: "Sure, in the second draw (of my monster road case) there is a small box of sewing gear"
Child: "Thankyou"

15 seconds later
Child: "Mum, what are these?"

And then a small warning light flashes in front of my very eyes. Inside that same compartmented box, I was storing 4 doz. unlubed condoms in 8 individual compartments labled "Monday Night", "Tuesday Afternoon" etc, each with a date on them, and of course the "Emergency" compartment was there as well. Well that was fun to explain to the red faced Mum...

675

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Giving line notes - a real novice question

« on: Jul 07, 2006, 12:23 am »

Line notes can be a touchy subject with some actors (usually the ones that need them most) - so I usually write up a 'progress report' for every actor - thost that don't need notes, I give a big smilie face and a "Stellar Work!!!". I usually print them off before every rehearsal, half a page of what's happening, what they need to do, when their next call is etc, and the bottom half is "Line Notes:"

You can DL it from here