Messages

781

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Production, or no Production. That is the question.

« on: Mar 21, 2006, 09:40 am »

As a general rule, Centura has hit the nail on the head. In smaller shows, occasionally the "Production Manager" is called the PSM too, just because it can be.

For example, one company I worked with had this structure:
CSM is the head honcho of Stage Management for the company, PSM is in charge of the production, and works from pre-casting to just before tech then DSM calls the show from tech onwards.

Another, the PSM is the head honcho, CSM is a stage manger employed by the company on a contract for a long period (ie 12 months/4 shows) and the CSM takes a show from begining to end.

A lot of companies use the various prefixtual terms interchangably.

782

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Be quiet!

« on: Mar 21, 2006, 09:33 am »

It depends on how vital they are. Chorus members, I have been known to kick out if they don't listen after the first warning. If there is a group that is talking, I split them up. That said, "Quiet!" usually works, followed by a lecture along the lines of "Are you so demanding of attention that you cannot keep your mouth shut whilst vital information is being distributed. Have you recently suffered amnesia, or did you never learn common curtisy and basic manners. If you were speaking, you would expect everyone to listen to you, so is it so inconcievable that other people would ask the same courtisy. Next time, before you open your mouth, look around at all the people here giving up their free time to put this show, and ask yourself, 'Is it fair that I am ruining this for them?'."

783

Students and Novice Stage Managers / broadway

« on: Mar 20, 2006, 06:29 pm »

From what I have heard of working broadway, you are best off getting yourself an agent (yes, agents are not just for actors). There are some which deal with stage managers (and other positions), and it takes a lot of the stress out of the job. I am not talking your "hollywood star" type one on one agent, but rather one of the ones where you meet them a few times, give them your resume then 2 weeks later out of the blue get a call "Be at x and y at 2:30 for an interview to work on ______". I temped in one between shows for 2 months and a lot of unadvertised positions were made available at the agency, some companies for example, worked exclusively through them.

However, that said, before you jump in the deep end, do you have a good professional grounding? By many, broadway is considered the pinacle of positions to hold - even some AU SM's aspire to work on broadway in the US or UK.

784

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling for Lines

« on: Mar 20, 2006, 06:24 pm »

Line prompting should always be discussed with the director. Some absolutely HATE when "LINE!" is called, and will get REALLY pee'd off if an actor "Disrupts their creative process" by calling "line". I had one director that wanted the cast to do a loud(ish) tap of their left foot if they needed prompting. It worked,  although I could not usually tell if it was their left foot, any time I heard a loud tap, I would look up, confirm they were stalling and prompt.

The one thing I do hate. People who click or whistle to get your attention, either for a line or for other reasons.

785

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / TECH WEEK

« on: Mar 20, 2006, 01:32 am »

I know it sounds a bit 'wanky', but calming down actors is often dead easy - lead them in some relaxation exercises. I find calming the crew a lot harder. Personally, I use caffine. It is a well known fact that tired people are (in general) pains in the rear end. As long as you keep a tight reign on everything and manage to keep the arguing to a minimum you should be okay.

786

Employment / One of the things I hate about the biz...

« on: Mar 19, 2006, 05:13 am »

Usually you are fairly right if you use first.last@______ and they look mildly professional. Here is the worst one I have seen i__a_m__j_o_h_n__s_m_i_t_h@hotmail.com The damn thing had double _'s between words and the resume was printed, so the email bounced because I did not realise that. I only found it out when I got an email from him a week later asking about whether he got the position.

787

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Open Call Auditions in NEW YORK!!?!?!

« on: Mar 18, 2006, 07:16 pm »

There are a few things I would check before the actual auditions too:

Does the director require a photograph of each applicant  (Some do, some don't, more often they fall in the later). If they do, you need to advertise that fact, and you need to have a camera on hand to take them if people have forgotten.

You need a nice big table for people to fill in forms on, and you need a nice big table for the pannel.

If it is a musical, you need a pianist and a tape/cd player

Have plenty of water lying arround - both in the waiting room and in the audition room.

Schedule breaks. Even if more people turn up than you expect, make sure that the pannel of selectors get a break, and that you yourself take one.

Find out if they want the whole thing taped. It is a royal pain in the rear when they do, but sometimes it makes life easier down the road. Usually I would not suggest taping at an open audition, but on callbacks, certainly.

Find out if the pannel will be conducting callbacks today, or later on, and if they wish to advise the auditionees of their callback immediatly, or if they wish to go through a short listing process and for you to call them later.

--Outline of an average (non union) open audition for me--
Auditions open at 9am. I arrive at 7:30/8am
I ensure I have the following:
Lots of pens
Stapler
Paper
Black markers
Cups and water jugs
Cd player
Spike tape (mainly if recording)
Audition registration forms
Audition evaluation forms
2 tressel tables
Chairs
2 outbox/inbox type trays

The waiting room: Tressel table along one wall, with a sign on it saying "REGISTRATION". I will usually make a few copies of the script, or at least excerpts of the script available, as well as placing a pile of pens and audition registration forms there. I usually like to have someone behind the table to accept registrations and place them in a pile, ordered by who submitted first. I also make sure that there is access to plenty of water - I have a small water cooler (about 4 litres) which I bring, and a stack of plastic cups.

The audition room: Tressel set up at the back of the room with chairs for yourself and members of the panel. At each place (Maybe your own, maybe not, ask the director) put a pen, and an audition evaluation form. At your place, put the stapler and the two 'outbox/inbox type' trays. Place a couple of jugs of water on the table and cups at each location. Spike a 'space' out for them - either an X or a space, and place a chair. Place a sign on the door "Knock and wait for admitance"

How the day runs: Doors open, people register, person behind the desk calls out the first name, hands them their form and they walk into the audition room, handing the form to you. The audition is run, you gather the forms and staple them behind the registration form, and each member of the panel gives a yay or nay. Now depending on what you agree on before hand, often if it is the majority are nay, they go into one tray, otherwise they go into the other, sometimes it would only be if all are nay. Sometimes, they dont want them sorted out. Anyway, whilst this is happening, outside, the 'registra' has told the second person to go through, and you can call for them to enter, and the thing repeats. ALL DAY. with a break for lunch of course.

788

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / What do you want to tell Actors???

« on: Mar 18, 2006, 02:45 am »

Mine would be "Don't be subtle. Whilst I understand subtlty, and am a master in using it, if you want something, say it. Don't try and get me to offer something to you, because I hate manipulation."

789

SMNetwork Archives / on the other end of the headset spectrum

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 07:12 pm »

Even if you cut the cans out of the equation, a blanket off policy ensures that the temptation to answer phones is no longer there. And just as a BTW: the way we tested was to place a phone about 2 meters from one of the cans cables, and we still received interferance from it. If the cans cables were balanced audio, it would not matter in the slightest.

790

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Resumes

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 12:39 am »

Use a standard file format like .doc or .pdf, anything else can get mangled on the other person's end.  Not everyone uses the same computer, if they can't open your resume you might loose the job right there.

NO! Don't use doc. doc is EVIL. PDF, Plain Text (.txt) or properly written HTML. Maybe Rich Text (.rtf) could be pushed too...

There are a hundred or so pdf creation programs out there (This is a good one), all you need to do is install it, then in the program of your choice, press print, choose the PDF printer and it will ask you where to save it.

When you write your cover letters please try and mention something specific to the company you are applying to.  We know what form letters look like.  We can tell.  I don't even read them anymore.

Here here. If you get "Dear Sir/Madame." and the only mention of the specific job is "<job title> advertised in <medium> on <date>" it flys towards the bin fairly quickly.

791

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Web Site

« on: Mar 17, 2006, 12:20 am »

I don't know if you have any friends that do web design but I think on-line portfolios will be the way to go if you can.  That way you can send the link to anyone and you don't have to pay any printing costs.  Look into it.  If it looks pro, they'll think you're pro too.

A web portfolio is great - I agree. HOWEVER you also need a hard copy portfolio. As a general rule, when someone submits an application via email, all attatchments should be sent in PDF format (this makes sure it looks the same on every system it is opened in) and the portfolio hosted online, however at the interview, a much more polished portfolio should be presented, bound in a nice folder, printed on good quality paper etc. I know when I have applicant that I am interviewing, whilst I print out the CV and coverletter, I NEVER print the portfolio, however I do take notes of questions to ask. No portfolio with you at the interview, means I am most annoyed, and could mean no job.

792

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Applications and acceptances HELP!

« on: Mar 15, 2006, 09:58 pm »

It is most definatly a rock/hard place situation.

I suppose it somewhat depends on how confident you feel in getting one of the others. They may accept 'tentative acceptance' to buy you some extra time.

About a month ago I was put in your position, although on a smaller scale. I attended the second interview after the offer for my first position, and I basically said at the end "Can I just ask, what do you think my chances are, because I have an offer for another position and if I have a decent chance at this position, I will need to know soon, so that I can turn down the other offer." I got a call later that day from them, telling me that I should go ahead and decline the other offer if I wanted a position there.

793

Tools of the Trade / Condom reference??

« on: Mar 14, 2006, 09:48 pm »

There is a company over here that buys the expired stock from pharmacies and the manufacturers and sells them at about a 10th of the normal price.

794

Tools of the Trade / Condom reference??

« on: Mar 14, 2006, 09:06 am »

ROFLMAO.

Too true.

795

Tools of the Trade / Condom reference??

« on: Mar 13, 2006, 09:58 pm »

A lot has to do with where the pack is stored. Often it is close to skin, due to lack of pockets. Sweat is corrosive, so the condom protects the beltpack.  The other reason is weather protection with outdoor performances.