Messages

751

The Green Room / thank you notes

« on: Apr 12, 2006, 02:16 am »

As an SM, I like to thank casts and crew. Usually, I do a fairly general cast thankyou, as the director usually gets nice and cudly with them, however I really like to say a few words to the crew - as they tend to be overlooked quite a bit.

There truely is no standard. It all depends on what you think you need to do.

Some casts and crews, I don't say a thankyou to, because I honestly think they have abused my position (I am not your personal masseus! I may be pretty good at massaging shoulders, but I don't get paid enough to do it!) others I thank profeusly and invite arround for dinner a couple of times.

752

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Creating a call script

« on: Apr 10, 2006, 01:09 am »

There is a lot to be said for the old way of making a prompt book. I would not rule out using pen and paper yet.

Unfortunatly, there is no accepted format for the distribution of scripts electronically, which basically means that there is no dedicated stage management tool. The needs of a SM also vary between shows, which means that 9/10 stage managers that choose to use computerised scripts, also end up using a run of the mill word processor (like MSWord). I played arround with using PDF files and text edits, it works okay if you have a pc with a touch screen, in fact I would say it is damn nice if you have a touch screen, because you end up with a little blue ^ at every thing that needs calling, and you just touch it to see what it is (ie SB LX1).

All in all though, I like my paper prompt books because they end up exactly how I want them.

753

SMNetwork Archives / Number Line

« on: Apr 09, 2006, 03:20 am »

What sized numberline are you looking for - I have four rigid ones mades out of foot long, 1/2" pieces of wood that folds out to a number line up to about 5 meters long. I have no idea what you want to use your for, I use mine for spiking sets, focusing LX etc. (fold it out to the desired length and use it as a cartesian plane).

754

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Calling a HUGE Show... HELP!!!!!

« on: Apr 08, 2006, 11:37 am »

Q-lights are not a complete replacement for cans. In the fly galley, you REALLY need someone on cans. BIG time! If something happens, you need instant contact, or if that fails, you need a number of big red lights with a big red button with STOP written on it at your desk. Because flys are damn dangerous.
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755

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Calling a HUGE Show... HELP!!!!!

« on: Apr 07, 2006, 10:31 pm »

Here is "MC's 10 simple steps to streamlined calling"

1) Drop the warning. It is unnecessary. Most ops hardly need the Standby, a warning just gets ignored.

2) Create groups. ie "Standby LX 1-5, Sound 3-5" It makes things a lot faster.

3) Create sequences. ie "Standby LX, Sound, flys, Sequence 1." "Sequence one, count 10, go...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" The way these work takes a bit of planning. Say you have a part that over 20 seconds has many different cues for lighting, flys and sound. Before the show, you hand out a sequence sheet, and under sequence 1, there may be something like this:

Code: [Select]

Sequence 1:
01: LX13
      SD8
      FY10
02: LX14
03: LX15
04: SD9
05: FY11
06: LX16
07: SD10
08: LX17
09: LX18
10: SD11
      FY12


I use them with complex sections, and they work.

4) Ensure that there is NO CANS CHATTER.

5) Don't leave long pauses. 2 seconds between the end of LX 15 and Go when you are going a cue is about the max.

6) Never false call (ie "LX 15.. G.... LX 15... Go!") Ops will anticipate the go. If you false call, you will have screw ups

7) Never stand by a cue more than 30 seconds in advance if you can avoid it. If you are going into a long sequence, say 2 minutes with no room to standby (for example) a fly cue, THEN you "Warn Flys 15"

Make sure your ops know your calling syntax. Things like the warning above, let them know that that means it is coming up but you wont have time to stand then by.

9) Practice.

10) Practice More!  The cues NEED to roll off your tongue. Spluttering can throw off a sequence and can lead to major stuffups.

Some other things you may want to consider. Softdrinks and juices can play havolk with your vocal chords - avoid them pre show, only drink water.

Gargling salt water is also meant to be good for your throat.

Ensure you have decent light.

I don't like dots - in fact I HATE dots, I think they make life harder. Especially if you dont write department prefixes on them (which a lot  of people don't). The setup of your book really does impact on how you call. The format I have found works best is this:


But as I said above, practice!

756

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Need help with writting SM resume

« on: Apr 04, 2006, 12:15 pm »

It also depends on what the people ask for - sometimes you end up using crappy "We ask the questions in an online form, then allow you to attatch a resume and coverletter" web interfaces to apply for jobs (God I HATE online recruitment agencies) in cases like that, some of them ask for references to be provided in a separate page, separate file or what ever. As a general rule, the references form a part of the CV, and as such, should not be separated as an attatchment.

757

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Saving an actor's neck

« on: Apr 03, 2006, 06:59 pm »

Actors, and people in general, seem to de-value the word thank-you. Manners are high on my list of things I appreciate, and I think as SMs we tend to go well beyond the call of duty and frankly, we are under-appreciated. In fact it seems that almost everyone who does not appear on stage is basically underappreciated. Whilst I know most of us accept this, it is certainly nice when actors realise it.

I think almost every SM has had a show where it seems everyone but you and your crew are thanked for "All the work they put into the show" and you sit there and think "Why on earth do I bother". It is the moments where actors realise that if it was not for your work they would have screwed up, that makes me realise that I really am needed. Situations like that warm your heart a bit and stop you from being a cold hearted, mean spirited person.

Good work OP!

758

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Stardom

« on: Apr 03, 2006, 06:51 pm »

Basically, you need to realise that they are just people doing their jobs.

Being a Jack of All Theatrical Trades (instead of being dedicated to a single role), I have had occasion to work outside of the theatre business, on concerts etc and have worked on a couple of tours. Some times there are some really big stars, and you know what I learnt? In general, they are either just like us, or they are arogant pigs which disgust me.

As an interesting side note - I find as far as stars go, males are a hell of a lot easier to deal with. IN GENERAL. There are some great women stars and some shocking men, but out of those I have met... males are much easier to deal with and down to earth, which makes dealing with them a lot better.

That said, I tend to not get starstruck.

And just a note, call me a cynical a$$, but the higher you put them on a pedestal, the further they will eventually fall. So instead of idolising them due to their public persona, just treat them as real people, and if they impress you, great, congratulations, and if they are little prissy divas, you will not be inclined to take their sh!te.

759

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Excitement

« on: Mar 31, 2006, 07:07 am »

I usually talk to a few people from the audience after the show if I can when I am feeling low about it. I usually schedule 10-15 minutes directly after the show so that I can get vibes from them - actors often like to hear what the audience thinks as well. It certainly keeps me enthusiastic for the show - things like what we can change, who was great etc.

I had a really bum show. Our sole audience was basically cast members families and friends because frankly, we had no budget for promotion, and the subject matter was quite deep and serious. It was hard to keep going with it, because I really believed in the message - it was about AID's and acting responsibly to stem it's spread. I had a very close friend recently diagnosed after she was raped and was doing the show for jack all money (during a tight time in my lifet), and I felt that this message that was close to my heart should be shouted from the rooftops, and it was so discouraging that hardly anyone showed up. In the end I approached management and asked for 10 tickets at a reduced price and gave them to random people on the street on the condition that they came to the show and talked to me afterwards. When they appreciated it, I got the strength to keep doing the show. Obviously, I would only do that on a show that I was really passionate about - mainstream shows don't fall into that category.

Just listen to the audience. Sometimes it backfires and you hear "Well that was the biggest load of crap I have ever seen", but usually you hear some nice things.

760

Employment / Interviews with Theatres for Apprenticeships

« on: Mar 30, 2006, 12:49 am »

You have to remember, these places may get 100's of applications. Try and get as much work as you can under your belt is probably the best advice I can give.

761

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Cardstock pros and cons

« on: Mar 29, 2006, 05:42 pm »

I am also in the slightly weighted category.

Normal paper is 80 GSM.

I use 100 GSM.

Cardstock is over 200 GSM.

Price wise, 100 GSM does not cost that much more than 80, but 200 costs about 4 times the price.

762

College and Graduate Studies / grad schools

« on: Mar 27, 2006, 03:24 am »

Okay, I dont know US schools, nor the selection process. So these are just some general tips:

Name means a lot when you are just getting started. In australia, for example, there are a number of places that offer courses in "Production", however there is one that will put you so far above the others it is not funny (The National Institute for Dramatic Arts). I have an uncle who is fairly high up in the University system here, and he basically told me as I grew up "Once you create a reputation for yourself, your educational roots often do not matter, however fresh out of school, it means everything. Choose a place that is recognised both nationaly and internationaly and you will have no end of work."

Some courses come with 'extras' that are damn useful. I mentioned NIDA above - their Production course comes with certified training for things like high access platforms, rigging, pyro etc and the extra certification that comes with those competencies. The course is also a hell of a lot harder than anywhere else, but for three years work, you come out able to be employed straight up, instead of needing to go and atain OH&S certification, First Aide, etc.

Look at course outlines and the background of the lecturers. Some of them are huge names that have decided to give up the gig and teach the next generation - Sometimes, if it comes down to two different places, the one with a well renouned lecturer certainly takes the cake - especially if you take the extra step and get to know them, because they just may be able to put you into contact with them, and later on in life you can do a little bit of name dropping (I hate name droppers, however if there is someone you know they have worked with before, you can 'chat about old times')

Basically, find out as much as you can about each place, and if they have open days, go and attend, they may be able to put you into contact with some past graduates and current students who will really give you an idea about the intricacies a glossy pamphlet cannot give.

Talking. That is the way things work.

763

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Has anyone read/heard about this? link to article

« on: Mar 25, 2006, 12:56 am »

Well I slogged through the entire thing (very painful) and whilst I do believe she has a case, I believe (as with all documents of the sort) that a large % (up to about half of the 'event descriptions') has been exagerated to some extent. It reeked a little too much 'pity me' for me to believe it entirely truthful and down the line.

I am not going to justify the company here, but I am going to mention a few things.

There are certain things with performing that I know that I look at when I assit in casting a show - one of them is body shape, it is impossible not to. In a job that involves the presentation of a person to a group of people as another charactor, a large percentage is physical suitability for the show - and whilst you can easily make a skiny person obese, the other way is not so easy - and in my opinion some level of assurance of those sort of things should be written into long term contracts (actually, any show I have worked on long term has used 3 or 6 month contracts with no promise of renewal, but obviously management had not thought that far ahead in this case). As a stage manager, I would probably be quite annoyed if an actor came back from injury and they told me they needed a costume refitting. She says she told them on many a time, but I do wonder about how much she said - I have had to have costumes alter actresses busts before, and there is quite a bit of work involved if it is anything more than a slight change - the way it was done the day before makes it seem to me that she used wording like 'slight change in breast size' - that would certainly count for a lot of the anger.

That is one 'issue' - the next that I can certainly relate to is the delaying of return by an extra week and her complaining about the fact another actress may need to be trained for the lead - well I am sorry, but in the world of deadlines, a week is a long time. I have never SM'ed a ballet, but I have come in to do lighting and sound for a few, and I know that they often need all the rehearsal they can get.  I can certainly understand where some of the anger at the request for an extra week comes from.

I am not going to excuse stage managements (and the company in general's) behaviour, as (if she is not exagerating) it is appalling and I would never condone treating of staff like that. That said, some of the stresses she placed on the SM were quite major and I could understand the SM never wanting to work with her again.


And I still maintain 100,000,000 is FAR too much. Half a million + costs maybe, but 100M - bull.

764

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Has anyone read/heard about this? link to article

« on: Mar 24, 2006, 09:57 pm »

Totally agree with centaura. There is no where near enough evidence to draw a half decent conclusion from the article. My mum was an OH&S nurse, and was responsible for the investigation of work cover claims, that included things like hiring a PI if it is a suspicious case etc. It really was sad how many people would fake injuries to get out of a contract, or to get extra cash, and then go and play hockey or football the next day.

As for the heckling - we all know how sensitive actresses can get, there is a chance that this 'heckling' was nothing more than the SM making an offhanded comment like "We need to make you an appointment to see costume, because I think your costumes are becoming a bit tight arround the bust". That said, there is of course the chance that the SM was 'heckling' her....

Will be interesting to see how it pans out, but it certainly is not worth $100M - if I was a judge and I saw that ammount, I would laugh it out of the courtroom, and tell her to go and file another complaint when she has worked out how much it was really worth. Hell, I would probably laugh it out at $1M.

765

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Be quiet!

« on: Mar 24, 2006, 03:11 pm »

when the above-described method was suggested to me, i, too, rejected it. thought it was "beneath me" and all that....

what i've learned, however, is that a rant does nothing but harm your voice, raise your blood pressure, and destroy the respect your cast had for you.

I find so long as you rant in private to the people in the wrong, things work fine. It is when you grand stand that respect lessens. A whisper can be just as good as a yell, and in many times a lot more effective.

any production can afford to lose one rehearsal when it means that the remaining ones will run smoothly. think about it - would you rather lose part or all of one rehearsal and make a huge point or would you rather be nickled and dimed to death, losing 5 and 10 minutes over and over and over again.

Personally, I would rather my cast behaved, and god help them if they don't. I have never seen the silence thing work properly with teens between 12 and 16, that is my personal experiance, and hence why I am loath to try it. That said, if it works for you, great. Maybe it is just the places I work and have attended, or it could be something about aussies... whatever works for you.

the other major lesson i learned from him is that rehearsal or class starts on time, no matter what. even if there are only two people in the room - work begins at the appointed time, and nothing is repeated. if someone asked, he would answer (very matter-of-factly) "i'm sorry, but i won't be able to do that".

when i started using these two techniques, suddenly people were on time, prepared and focused on a much more regular basis. also - my blood pressure dropped, general mood elevated, and i haven't had laryngitis even once since.

The never late thing I do use. I have a rule - My mobile is on until 15 minutes before rehearsal. If you are going to be late, you call me before 15 minutes to. My whole cast was late one winter because they decided to go to coffee before the rehearsal and something made them 15 minutes late, I don't know what. I had the director, 1 chorus member, a pianist and an ASM with me, so we started rehearsal right on time, and you know what - my cast was early from then on (they also decided to tell me when they were going out to coffee pre-rehearsal so that I could get them to grab me one whilst they were at it, but that is another story).