Messages

886

Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Wave - SMNetwork Sandbox

« on: Aug 04, 2010, 06:43 pm »

Google has announced that they are killing off Wave due to lack of interest.  (See Wall St Journal article here.)

I think, therefore, that it's time to put this thread to bed.

Thanks very much, all!

887

The Green Room / Re: "Seasoned" - yikes

« on: Aug 04, 2010, 06:16 pm »

They obviously meant to say that you are just too spicy and flavorful for words!!!

*standby sizzle SQ*
*SQ go!*

888

The Green Room / Re: MIA Stage Manager - what would you do?

« on: Aug 03, 2010, 02:42 am »

I wouldn't bring it up.  Any number of issues could have come up - they may have been passed over for the same gig, they may be ill, they may be swamped with work, they may feel that in giving you the connection that they've done enough. 

Cover your bases and figure out what you need to know through other routes.  Remember the incident in your mental rolodex so you don't wind up in this spot again, but don't dwell on it, and definitely don't complain about it to others on the gig.

If the person in question brings it up, that's another story.  But I'd suggest taking the high road here regardless.

889

The Green Room / Re: Any other crafters out there?

« on: Jul 26, 2010, 03:10 pm »

Always look at the shelf before you pick stuff up at costco.  Bottle of detergent exploded on me.  On the plus side, I'm now april fresh.

890

The Green Room / Re: Being friends with other stage managers

« on: Jul 20, 2010, 10:55 pm »

I find it interesting that this has come around again, as I wrote an article about it waaaay back in 2003.  The rapidly shrinking social circle was one of the reasons I wound up getting out of SM, actually.

You can find what I had to say about it last time here: http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,1632.msg9560.html#msg9560

However, I have to say, competition tends to kill opportunities for friendship in many occupations.  I've noticed that it's even worse in the world of real estate - so many trade secrets and so many people spend their lives faking friendliness - it's difficult to separate the truth from the fiction, not to mention difficult to tell who's really out to backstab you.  There's very little difference between a room full of real estate agents and a room full of soprani.

891

The Green Room / Re: What does it take to get an answer from the site administrator?

« on: Jul 18, 2010, 03:13 am »

Mr. Pollard - it takes a private message through the board PM system, as opposed to a temper tantrum in a public forum.  I just found one single email from you, dating back to July 11, but I had to rummage through last week's spam bin to find it.  Given the prominent posting of my email address all over this site I receive close to 9,000 pieces of spam email each week.  However, I do personally respond to every single PM I receive, as well as any and all emails that come through to my inbox regarding this site - normally within 24 hrs of receiving them.

Your resume has been removed.  Due to this outburst, I have also taken the liberty of removing your account.  Individuals with your attitude are not welcome here.  Our staff, including me, are made up entirely of volunteers.  In my case, running this site is not only voluntary but expensive.  I personally do not even work in stage management anymore and have not since 2003,  Between my current job and my own new company, I am either away from my computer or working on developing websites for paying clients nearly 120 hrs per week.

The resume browser was never intended as a means of advertising your career.  It is a reference source for other stage managers looking for pointers on formatting their own resumes.  This is why all resumes in the browser are BLOCKED from search engines and why the resume browser remains password protected with access granted only to registered members.

Thank you for keeping your resume in the database as a reference for other stage managers for as long as you did.  As for the rest of your behavior, I think that leaving this post as public and very visible to search engines should serve as a decent warning to folks trying to find you by name.

892

The Green Room / What did you learn today?

« on: Jul 16, 2010, 01:31 am »

I am firmly of the belief that a day is not wasted if I learn something.  With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to share tidbits that we've all learned over the course of our various days.  It doesn't have to be theatre related, it can be anything - but just one thing.

Today I learned that squid are an endless source of comedic opportunities.  How about you?

893

Tools of the Trade / Re: Paperless World

« on: Jul 03, 2010, 06:24 pm »

Taking a callboard to a virtual set-up seems to introduce too many routes of potential failure, not to mention requiring a lot of accessories that complicate an otherwise simple process.

Let's look at it point by point:
Setup: Callboard - find a wall, stick callboard on wall.  Add papers as necessary.
Virtual - find web space (usually requiring payment), write web code or configure existing code, send out log-in information (easily lost or forgotten), train all parties to use web space, find electric and web access in all locations in the theatre where site will need to be accessed, 90+ day learning curve to get people in the habit of checking something new.

Mobility: Callboard - take down call board, move to new location.  Explain new location to company.  Information cannot be accessed if people are not in the theatre.
Virtual - can be accessed anywhere, provided that people have either laptop, ipod, cell phone, etc. - not guaranteed.

Security: Callboard - if mounted in a room that can be locked, security is pretty much ensured.
Virtual - if it is online, there is NEVER a guarantee that other people will not see the data.  Your data is housed on a remote server somewhere in the world, maintained by strangers and subject to many outside forces.

Dependencies: Callboard - needs wall, mounting method, pushpins, pen.
Virtual: needs computer access, electricity, internet access.

Legality: Callboard - certain labor and union mandatory documents MUST be posted in an area visible by all employees, i.e. workman's comp and AEA contact information.  Callboard counts.  Virtual callboard - I don't think there is any precedent for this.

Other uses for call board that may not translate well to the web: Signing in for call times, rehearsals, etc.  Checking what's next on the rehearsal schedule *during* rehearsal. 

The web is a tool.  It is a wonderful and versatile tool, but it does have its limits. 

894

Employment / Re: Invoices

« on: Jun 29, 2010, 04:46 pm »

Moved this post up here to Employment from Uploaded Forms.  It'll get more eyeballs here, and UF is for attachments only, rather than requests and discussion. 

895

Uploaded Forms / Re: Risk Assessment

« on: Jun 15, 2010, 08:21 pm »

Discussion regarding risk assessment has been split off to SM: Other.

896

The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only

« on: Jun 11, 2010, 08:13 pm »

My catch twenty-two:
How to scold late actress who
Sleeps with producer?

How to earn true scorn?
Make the big burly stage crew
Wear little booties.

Booth windows are glass.
This means they are transparent.
Please, put some clothes on.

Thursday matinee
Understudy program slips
Flutter like petals

After performance
Scattered clothing covers the
dressing room like moss

That crash was quite loud
considering it happened
at climax of show.

Breeze through crossover
Makes pretty billows in cyc
As interns run past

897

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: How Many times have you stage managed?

« on: May 22, 2010, 03:02 am »

Including PSM, ASM and SM internships, I did 36 professional and at least 5 college shows over the course of about 10 years.

898

SMNetwork Archives / Student project and posting changes effective May 22, 2010

« on: May 22, 2010, 02:13 am »

Effective May 22, 2010, based on input from the community and discussion among the moderation team, the following changes have been made:

Changes to student homework assistance policies:
1. A new board for student homework posts has been created, entitled "Homework Help".  It can be found down by the Green Room on the main page of the forums.

2. Students no longer need to ask a moderator for permission before posting requests for help to the "Homework Help" board.  However, members must contributed at least 5 posts elsewhere before they will be able to create new topics on that particular board.

3. A full set of new rules for homework assignments can be read here and can also be found in the "SMNet for Students" section of the Site Rules.

Changes to general posting policies:
1. If you have made fewer than 5 posts, any new topics you create will need to be approved by a moderator before becoming publicly visible on the following boards:

• SM: Plays & Musicals
• Tools of the Trade

Moderators may request that you post to a different board or clean it up your post so that it is proper for a professional community.  They will also make sure that your content adheres to our community standards.

2. If you have made fewer than 5 posts, moderator approval is also required for posting attachments to Plays & Musicals and to Tools of the Trade.

3. Moderator approval is NOT required in order to reply to existing topics, nor is it required when creating new topics on boards outside of the two mentioned above.

4. Members who have contributed more than 5 posts will not be subject to any posting restrictions.

899

The Green Room / Lawrence Stern requests your support for a fellow SM in need

« on: May 19, 2010, 11:52 pm »

I would not normally post this type of request as it goes against our community standards.  However, given the source of the request, I am making an exception.

Lawrence Stern has emailed me requesting your support for a fellow stage manager who is suffering from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.

Daryn worked as a stage manager in NYC before being struck with Reflex  Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). 
 
Daryn wrote: 
 
"You were my introduction to the wonderful world of stage management. In  high school I was asked to stage manage a show the beginning of my  junior year. I, of course, had no idea what that was. My drama teacher  handed me your book which became my bible, teaching me the fundamentals  of stage management. By the time I was going to college I was certain I  would be a professional stage manager. It is something I feel is still  very much a part of my life and who I am." 
 
I went to http://www.firstgiving.com/darynbrown and made a contribution. 
 
Any way you can put that URL and something about Daryn on your web site? 
 
Thanks, as always, for your help. 

900

Homework Help / Re: (Homework [Help) Me!]

« on: May 18, 2010, 08:51 pm »

BuggieBee, please tell your teacher that he writes awesome questions!  Glad we could be of help.