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Messages - jmenass

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My first summer at summer stock as a SM intern, I was given a semi-staged reading to stage manage with a pretty decent named TV actor from the area and for a 19 year old it was the most amazing thing ever.  The reading had a few sound cues so an older friend from my college who was the A2 was running the board and I ahd a whopping 10 cues to call.  During the first of two shows I go to call a cue and forget the word "go". Not sure how, but it totally left my vocabulary so I'm sitting next to her going "Sound.... now.Do IT.GO" She just stared at me and pressed the go button and then laughed hysterically at me for the next few minutes and told everyone as soon as the show was over.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Docs.
« on: Apr 04, 2015, 09:22 pm »
I've never used google docs/drive for shows before, but I love it personally (esp the less stringent storage issues).  How does the "download drive" feature work compared to having dropbox on your computer for working on stuff offline?

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Employment / Re: Everyone's favorite topic: Networking
« on: Apr 04, 2015, 09:18 pm »
I think you hit at some great points that were underlying my initial post.  I just finished working in a business environment for a few months and had previously never consciously worried about networking in the theater world. It's a fact that it's a small world and your friends will know people and you may go out after a show and run into people on another show and if you get along they may remember you for a job they heard of.  It was very weird to them that I was unfamiliar with networking events, conferences, etc... which starts to get to your head with "Am I missing out? Have I been doing this wrong?" Because we are in a business where its a small word where everyone knows everyone or someone who knows everyone but at the same time, at least when I was in school, it seemed like a taboo topic. So I've been really interested in hearing people in theater's view on the topic especially as you said PSMKay that Gen-X is into the hard sell. When posing this question to peers I've heard everything from email someone every 3 months to I don't worry about it.

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Employment / Re: Everyone's favorite topic: Networking
« on: Apr 02, 2015, 11:21 am »
Definitely agree with all.  It is interesting that you mentioned networking when you have a job vs networking when you need a job which is not something I had thought about.  Now that you said it, I know personally I do feel more comfortable when I'm simply trying to expand my circle and just meet new people than when I'm nervously looking for a new job. 

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing: General Q&A
« on: Mar 31, 2015, 02:35 pm »
A little out of date, but good reference that the Theatrical Index will tell you who the PSM is of Broadway, Off-Broadway and National tours as well as some regional.

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Employment / Everyone's favorite topic: Networking
« on: Mar 31, 2015, 12:17 pm »
Hello all! (Long time lurker here)

Let's talk about Networking. It's a topic that most people I know hate, but we all need to embrace. I also know personally, my college education was GREAT but never once prepared us for how to network.  I'm currently in the position that I'm looking to re-energize my networking capabilities and its daunting if not terrifying; there is always the nagging feeling of could I be doing more or I am going about this in an efficient way?  I think stage managers as a profession breed a lot of people who are used to putting others first so when it comes to being your own salesman, I know I often feel awkward and like I'm putting other people out.

The background (you can skip):So I am an AEA stage manager.  I was blessed to work pretty consistently for a couple years then last year made the move to a new market and was hit with the wall of not knowing anyone and being in a tough city for new AEA SMs.  I moved again to DC which has been better luck (I moved for an events non-theater job for the summer) but again, I'm dissatisfied with my career trajectory and haven't been SMing consistently and realized that office life is NOT for me. So I'm hoping to move back to NYC end of summer (commercial theater is my end goal) and thus the networking and reconnecting initiative that is causing me great stress.

So, What are your philosophies on networking? How often do you send out emails/calls/whatever to your network? If you are starting in a new city do you send out cold emails or letters to PSMs in the area? Do you ask people to introduce you? Do you observe teams?  We've all done them all, and some succeed more than others. So what has worked the best for you, or if you are in the position that people are trying to network with you, what are your do's or don'ts?  I think the hardest line for me personally is how to connect to someone while reaching towards your goal (presumably future employment) without making it all about me, me, me. I know personally when I meet someone it's offputting to be submitted to a verbal resume being shoved in your face; but what are the simplest ways of going from "I'm genuinely interested in what you have accomplished and can teach me" to "Please remember me in the future"

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