Messages

841

Employment / Under what circumstance is it right to...?

« on: Jan 17, 2006, 06:46 pm »

Under NO circumstances would I cancel a job that I have agreed to do, even if that job is a 'freebie' (ie amdram). Once you get a reputation as someone who cancels when a better offer comes along, you wont be able to loose it easily.

842

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Full Time Employment

« on: Jan 17, 2006, 10:59 am »

The only way to guarantee full time employ is to become a company SM. Personally, it is not my style - I like to pick and choose shows I work on. This of course means that I do not have employment 48 weeks in the year, instead have a far more seasonal career, filled with months of extream business, followed by months of pure nothingness. Now, I realise that that is not ideal for most people, but as I am one of those 'Jack of all trade' backstage techs who does anything and everything, I can usually fill the quiet months with a few odd lighting or sound gigs for events and bands, and failing that, do some temp type work.

The main thing you need to do is to get a good diary, a big wall planner and a good pair of marker pens if you are not going to be a company SM.

Then, as each job comes up, mark it in both. The time I did this, I coloured in the squares on the wall planner and only used black. Big mistake, as I had a second, evening gig that ran during the rehearsal period, and could not write it in or diferentiate between the two. My current way, which seems to work, is to rule a line in black for rehearsal period, red for performance period and both black and red for tech week.

I find that rehearsals are largely day time, and performances are largely night time and it is often possible to double book during the rehearsal period with performances over the top (after establishing that they did not do matines). Tech week however is not possible - so a fully booked season for me will have two lines on every day, a rehearsal and a performance, although I try and limit myself from doing that.

I suppose what I am trying to say is if you play your cards right, you can deal with periods of inactivity by sensible practices. A good habbit is to work out how much you need to live off of in a week. For me, that is AU$180 (including rent and bills that occur monthly and only covers bare essentials ie food and petrol etc). Now a standard week I may bring in (for example) AU$600 after tax (I have no idea what the actual figure is). Now what I do is take $200, and it goes into my expenses account. Next, I take another $250 and it goes into my 'dry period account'. The final $150 I put in my savings account. Now that means that I have enough after 10 weeks of work to live for just under 14 weeks without dipping into my savings. If I stick to my strict budget of $180 per week, my expenses account will also be in credit by $200, which is another week, or something nice to spoil myself. Now my period of inactivity usually contains the odd job, which also supplements. When I get a fair bit in the 'dry account' I transfer some to the savings account.

It is all a matter of how you want to live.

Mac

... PS. Another good trick, when people are booking in advance, get written, signed confirmation. Nothing worse than when they back out. Especially if you have had to knock back another job because of it. Do not make it pleasent to back out late either. I have a standard contract I get them to sign when booking me, which has a clause stating that should they cancel my services within 2 months of the job, a $120 booking fee is required, or renumeration for the money lost. Most people will understand if you explain it, although I lost three small gigs because of it. I know the person who picked up two of them though, and one of those the person cancelled on them two nights before.

843

SMNetwork Archives / fake cigarettes for under-age actors

« on: Jan 14, 2006, 09:09 pm »

Whilst there are clove (and other) cigarets arround which may be viable, you REALLY need to be careful with under aged people and cigarettes - even rolled up paper.

You will need to check that the venue will allow you to have fire on stage if you are lighting something too.

How far are the actors from the audience? If they are a reasonable distance, a rolled up piece of paper works just as well as a regular cigarette.

844

SMNetwork Archives / Does anybody know any ticket printing programs w/ numbering?

« on: Jan 14, 2006, 12:26 am »

Emailed. Sorry, was unable to access my PC to send it.

845

Employment / So...I want to go on tour

« on: Jan 09, 2006, 02:38 pm »

It is really just like getting a job with a regular company, however you find one that does touring shows as well. If you are with the show from auditions to the unloading of the trucks at the end of the tour, then you want a company that is relatively close as at least half of your time with them will be at the rehearsal venue.

Touring can be a bitch. Especially when you are organising a lot of it. For example, compiling a technical rider to send to venues can be absolute hell. It relies on the fact that your designers know the exact specifications for the rig, then you need to calculate loadings etc.

Then you have to deal with the fact that a lot of venues will say "Yeah that should be fine" after glancing at it, send you their tech specs, and you have to tailor each show because of subtle nuances in the sightlines, differences in bar locations and lack of power.

I love touring, I think it is a great way to get out of the box and to meet some great people, but new venues every week is enough to make you want to scream. I even did a school tour. Minimum of 2 schools a day. 1 hour to bump in, 1 to bump out, and 1 hour to do the show. Arive at 8, finish at 4 and be on the road that night to the next town. That was a damn busy tour.

Bottom line - if you are not prepared to give touring everything you can, and then a little more, dont bother. Then again, your a SM, so chances are you do that anyway.

846

SMNetwork Archives / on the other end of the headset spectrum

« on: Jan 09, 2006, 01:02 am »

I REALLY do not see the reason for most crew to be on wireless. There are only two people I would really think about giving wireless headsets. They are my asm's P and OP. Maybe a third if I have a dressingroom runner. Other than that, wired for everything. Wireless is often quite hit and miss - what works one minute may not the next. Especially when you have wireless mics, wireless dmx and a wireless network. And the 2.4gHz spectrum (the location of the vast majority of wireless systems) is getting rather chockers. No.

Wires where possible is my advice.

847

SMNetwork Archives / Does anybody know any ticket printing programs w/ numbering?

« on: Jan 07, 2006, 06:51 am »

I also have this software - it is free 'shareware' and works fine but takes a lot of setting up - wintix

848

SMNetwork Archives / Does anybody know any ticket printing programs w/ numbering?

« on: Jan 07, 2006, 12:04 am »

Look at using mailmerge in word. Create an excel document with one column headed 'number' then just enter all the numbers (you can use the 'fill down' tool to auto number). Save the file. Then create a mail merge document in word (I use 'catalogue style' if it asks me. Then you just create a lone ticket, and use the merge fields drop down to insert the number. I can email you an example if you wish.

mc

849

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / ASM during Tech

« on: Jan 03, 2006, 09:16 pm »

I have never ASMed before - it is not my kettle of fish - so a lot of this is sort of hypothetical.

During tech as an SM I usually spend a LOT of time writing notes.  In the end I decided it took far too much time to write everything and have started using a micro-tape recorder to record notes, which is fine except there are some notes I need done imediatly - when I have a spare ASM who is idle, I usually sit them next to me and get them to make quick changes for me in my bible whilst I am doing other things.

Other times, when I have an ASM who is not needed, I send them up to the booth as LX is almost always running late as a liason of sorts.

As I mentioned before in another thread, my prompt desk is a thing of beauty and I usually have it moved into the auditorium during tech which means I need an eye on P as well.

During tech I can always find something for an ASM to do. However it will probably get worse during dress and show.

850

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Backstage or In the Booth?

« on: Dec 29, 2005, 06:16 pm »

The theatre is definatly the biggest impact on calling location. I prefer to call from PC with a video feed from FOH.

With the wonders of technology I have the ability to monitor the stage FAR better than a booth which is often 70m from the stage. A camera on a FOH bar with zoom and pan with infrared gives me a really good view of the stage, and the ability to zoom into an upcoming event on stage (ie a visual cue) means that I dont have to whip out the binoculars (which I have had to do on many an occasion from the booth. I also get to view the forestage from right up close, and can visually communicate with my trusty ASM's who are P and OP. It also gives far more direct access to the stage controls (like the iron and fire boards).

My 'uber' prompt desk baby has three LCD monitors which get the video feeds (as well as providing a number of other monitoring services), combined with a decent control surface I am probably better informed than ever, and could call the show from the foyer if needed with minimal hassel.... or from home (if we had a decent internet connection)

851

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Need to convince my father that this is a good career.

« on: Dec 24, 2005, 11:33 pm »

Re the poor. You probably will be ;-)

But this is the argument I used when confronted with the same sort of situation: Would he rather you be unhappy and hate your life with moderate income, or be extreamly happy, love life and have a little less. Some people are not destined for 9-5 jobs. They work in places like theatres, make a reasonable living, and they enjoy it. That is what life is all about - living, not existing.

852

SMNetwork Archives / Racism - dilemma?

« on: Dec 24, 2005, 06:48 am »

This is rather general.

As an SM, your best friend becomes documentation. You NEED to document every discussion - the major points etc. Date and time them. Then, if you are at an impass, like you seem to be, look back through those notes.

You then have to decide if what has happened is impacting on the show.

If you look through the notes and it shows relationships are steadily deteriorating, you NEED to get someone in to rectify it if you cannot do so yourself.

Performing arts are highly dependant on trust.

You meantioned you are worried about confidentiality. You should be able to talk to the head of your department/whoever and just say "We are having issues between certain members and I need to arrange CONFIDENTIAL conflict resolution and mediation." If/When you are asked for more information, simply say "I am sorry, but I guaranteed confidence, and I will not break it."

Generally, schools and places of education are good with confidentiality. Trust between teachers and students is an important part, and a teacher breaking confidence can be disasterous.

The only times you should break confidence are when the issue could result in harm to the person in question, or another person.

I took a three month mediation course. A lot of it is a load of bull, but there are some good issues raised.

First, find a second person to 'assist' - this is essential. Then explain to them the process.

You sit down with the first person, whilst the second person sits out with your assistant. The assistant is to talk about the weather with the second person and keep their mind occupied, whilst you get the first persons point of view on things, and the issues. Then you swap. Neither of you mention anything that has occured with the other. Get both to come back in.

Sit them NEXT to each other or at right angles to each other, not across the table (that makes it seem like a battle zone). In silence, go over your notes.

Look to the party who feels wronged and ask if they would like to tell the 'wrong doer' how their actions have made them feel, then reverse the situation.

Basically, keep them talking in normal/low tones, and see if you can reach a comfortable compromise. Through this, your assistant is taking notes, preferably verbatum, or it is being recorded (both parties should be advised of the fact the conversations are being recorded). Suggest a compromise (ie "Person A would it be aceptable if person b made a public appology, we would not mention names of course.") if nothing else has arisen.

Finaly, write up exactly what has been agreed on (ie "person a feels that person b's comments on dd/mm/yyyy were inapropriate. person b has expressed his appologies and will make a public appology without mentioning names on dd/mm/yyyy to the entire cast") then have them both sign it.

Un-qualified mediation is only applicable in cases where there has not been a criminal report filed. The second it becomes a matter for either the police or the civil courts, the theatre MUST back off and seek their own legal advise.

I was involved (the SM) in a production where the director came onto an actor too strongly and it was reported to the police. However the company asked me to mediate. I talked to the local police before I contacted them about mediation, and was informed that my intervention could lead to the obstruction of justice as it could be seen as coersion on the theatres part to get the charges dropped so that the show could continue. I had the fun job of telling the uber-controlling producer this, and the shows lead and director were re-cast.

853

SMNetwork Archives / How does one deal with being a stage manager and a friend?

« on: Dec 21, 2005, 08:52 am »

Tip #1: Real life and stage life should be kept separate.
Tip #2: Substitute another cast member into the equation - what would you do if it was them?
Tip #3: Pretend you are not SM. What would you say to your friend then?


After all that, maybe confront the director, and mention the inapropriatness of his/her actions.

854

Students and Novice Stage Managers / broadway/off broadway and summer theatre

« on: Dec 21, 2005, 08:46 am »

Real life experience.

SMing in schools is often not very good indication of how they SM in the real world - in the real world, you do not have scheduled times when you are on the job in the real world.

I have had great experiances with interns and shite ones. It is like a barrel of apples.

The main problem, I believe, is that I do not have formal qualifications, so many of them have assumed they know more than me. Most I have quickly disabused of that notion.

I am of course going to rectify the qualification problem when NIDA takes applications for '07.

As for the 'right and wrong' ways to SM, there are effective methods, but there is no true 'wrong' way, provided the job gets done effectively and with efficiency.

855

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Backstage or In the Booth?

« on: Dec 20, 2005, 06:26 am »

I am sure this has been covered in the green room forum.