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« on: Dec 06, 2004, 01:00 am »
OK, I'm going through a strange (or maybe not so strange) problem. I have two sound board ops who are sharing the run of an extremely sound critical show. They each have a different terrible reaction when things go wrong. One of them will immediately rip off his headset and try desperately to fix the problem, of course not able to listen to me instruct him on what I want to do next, nor tell me the status of the problem; the other starts talking nonstop about what is going on and what he is doing, so that I have to shut him up to call other cues or try to tell him what I want him to do. Each of these ops (good ops, on every other show I've had them on) has caused what could have been a well-managed hiccup to turn into a show-damaging disaster on this run. I have spoken rationally to them, I have tried humor to ease their pressure while reminding them of the need for perfect sound on this show, I have asked them if they'd rather be replaced if this show is too stressful for them, I have tried fining them for these habits, nothing has worked. The smallest thing doesn't go as planned and they instinctively cut themselves off from me. And I'm not even scary! Does anyone have any other suggestions, stories?