Messages

841

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First time S.M. for fall play..

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 06:37 pm »

Do your best to keep your emotions in check - cool calm and collected is the way to be!

842

Tools of the Trade / Re: Glo-tape

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 01:08 pm »

I think you'd be surprised at the camera flash.  The first time somebody told me about it I was skeptical, until I tried it.

843

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 01:06 pm »

Certainly agree with you there, if you get to a point where you can't do your job without the bells and whistles then you're doing something wrong.  I have SMed shows just as successfully without a laptop sitting next to me as with one sitting next to me.  I think the biggest takeaway from this whole thread is that technology should be used as a tool and not a crutch.

You know funny you mention that micro-chip, I almost ended my previous post by saying "Let's re-visit this in 10 years when we all have microchips implanted in our bodies", but I opted out of it at the risk of sounding like a cyborg 

844

Tools of the Trade / Re: SM Computer

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 10:28 am »

A quick google search of "audacity tutorials" turned up some good results.  You should check it out, I be you'll find all the answers you're looking for!

845

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 01:13 am »

Indeed, two different schools of thought. 

I'm well aware of the artistic process and what goes on in a rehearsal hall.  I've SMed my share of shows and given that I currently manage a fleet of, among other things, 28 Stage & Production Managers I'd like to think I do it rather well. 

Will be interesting to re-visit this thread in ten years.

846

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 11, 2007, 10:26 pm »

Of course you don't have your head buried in your book, that's exactly my point.

There are effective and ineffective ways to use any tool.  If you (not anyone specifically, but the broader sense) don't have the ability to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner then I'd question if you should be stage managing professionally in the first place. 

I am not advocating technology to replace what we do, it's merely another item in our kit.  If you're allowing any tool to interfere with the dynamic of a rehearsal room then you're not using the tool correctly.  When used effectively I personally feel technology is a wonderful tool.  When used ineffectively it's just as counterproductive as other tools.

847

Tools of the Trade / Re: Glo-tape

« on: Aug 11, 2007, 01:34 am »

There's another thread going around about this as well, Rosebrand is a good bet for any of this type of stuff. 

Make sure you're storing it correctly.  Glowtape needs to be stored in the dark.  If stored in the light it won't hold a charge, I suspect that is the problem you're experiencing rather than the product BMI is selling.

For charging, try a camera flash or another magnesium flash bulb.

848

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: New to the Industry

« on: Aug 11, 2007, 01:30 am »

Would you assume the role of all three - playwright, director, and SM?  Or would it be one of the three?  It makes a big difference! 

849

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 11, 2007, 01:26 am »

There are more things to be gained if there is discipline about it.  I also think adopting the attitude that SMs shoudl be staring at laptops all day instead of at the work is a trend in the wrong direction, no matter how cool or abundant the technology is.

That's what gets lost in this discussion.  You shouldn't have your face in a laptop all day and your staff/theatre/designers shouldn't expect you to either. 

In your opinion Scoot, what's the difference between having your face in a production book and having your face in a laptop?

850

Tools of the Trade / Re: Should I become a Mac-er?

« on: Aug 10, 2007, 05:13 pm »

I have run vectorworks on both Mac and PC and haven't noticed a difference.  Though I haven't gotten into any rendering or anything like that, for that I could certainly see a Mac being superior.

851

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 09, 2007, 09:14 pm »

I figure it's silly not to make use of the technology that's available.  No it may not be the standard but standards can change.

The 'thing' is not that we don't want to change the standard, but more "is this a technology we want to make standard" - in my opinion, the answer is no.

I did a short stint in an office that used MSN to communicate between people within said office. Everyone was in a cubicle, less than 10m from everyone else, and it was such a depressing way to work. Sure, using IM to copy across a bug report was great, but "Hey all. I am going to lunch in 10 minutes, going to the fish and chip shop. Anyone want any" over an IM... It's just not cricket.

Mac, you're right, it's pointless then.  But if you work for a company with 8 or 9 different office buildings in three states, and 21 ships located anywhere from Asia to Europe to Alaska and everywhere in between it's a fabulous tool.  Not everyone is always 10meters away.

852

Tools of the Trade / Re: IM Programs in Rehearsal

« on: Aug 09, 2007, 08:50 am »

I figure it's silly not to make use of the technology that's available.  No it may not be the standard but standards can change.

Indeed.  20 years ago cell phones weren't standard, look where we are today.

853

Tools of the Trade / Re: SM Software

« on: Aug 07, 2007, 10:34 pm »

Has anybody tried using Access?  That is a relationship data base and might work for some people.  It is also compatible with Excel and Word due to the fact that it is Microsoft. You can also create forms and such with Access.  I know enough about Access to be dangerous but probably not enough to be useful, at least at this point.

This is actually one of the SM "Software Packages" I've seen.  It was basically someone selling a template for Microsoft access.  I had the chance to play with it a bit at USITT, but when I asked him if he was sending out any beta test copies at all he said no; presumably because he didn't want people to realize it was nothing more than a template in Microsoft Access. 

The were two major downfalls I noticed in my short time using it.  One, it wasn't able to be customized.  Basically, if you didn't like the way his paperwork was formatted, you were out of luck.  Also it was not a standalone software package, meaning you had to have Microsoft Access to use it. 

My conclusion is basically that with access (at least from the "software package" I saw), you'd basically be paying for someone else's paperwork format.  I'm not discounting access as a powerful tool, and I think potentially it could be great if you're doing something just for you; but knowing how picky we all are in our own little ways, especially with paperwork, I think we'll all agree that one standard form isn't going to cut it! 

854

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Dressing For The Part?

« on: Aug 07, 2007, 06:57 pm »

BDUs are great, check my post from May 7 on this thread ;-)

855

Tools of the Trade / Re: SM Software

« on: Aug 06, 2007, 07:45 pm »

I suppose it could be done with an Excel spreadsheet, but I would love a piece of software that allows me to have a list of props pieces, then pull them up from a database into which scene changes they're moved in and where they're put, and if the situations warrants it, by whom. Anyone know of anything like that out there? Must work on a Mac though btw,

I haven't heard of anything like this out there.  Seems like it'd have to be a very  powerful piece of software for an incredibly small market of people.  Not even worth developing in my opinion.

though I'm guessing/hoping anyone who seriously uses a computer for SM work is already on a Mac anyways? :-P

Kind of hope you're kidding here...  I know there are a good number who do prefer Mac, but I think you'll find the overwhelming majority are still on PC and will be for the foreseeable future, but let's not open this can of worms again.