Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - RuthNY

Pages: 1 ... 31 32 [33]
481
The Hardline / Another "Under What Circumstances Would You...?"
« on: May 25, 2006, 06:26 pm »
As I love taking statements from previous threads and formulating a new topic to disuss, I'll do it here and now.


In a previous post, MattShiner says

"It's always sticky to turn to a director and go, no, i am not going to deal with this on my day off. I have never said that, but I do know it's in my right."

So, AEA SM'S:

Under what circumstances and for what reasons would you agree to work on your day off?

Under what circumstances and for what reasons would you refuse to work on your day off, and have you ever made such a refusal?  


Discuss!

482
The Hardline / AEA LORT SM's--What would you do if:
« on: May 22, 2006, 11:42 am »
To All LORT AEA SM's,

What would you do IF:

At the end of the last day of the rehearsal week, on Sunday night, the director turned to you and said he would e-mail the schedule for Tuesday's rehearsal to you on Monday, your only day off. (He does not say when he'll send it, just "when it is ready," meaning one would have to wait around for receipt of said schedule, on the theatre's e-mail system, on the day off.)

AND the theatre requires e-mailed schedules to go out to the artistic team and office staff, hard copy schedules to be posted in several locations around the theatre, hard copy schedules in several "high-level" staff mailboxes (they don't want e-mails), and a "Hotline" voice mail, of course, recorded for the cast who is supposed to have at least 12 hour notice of the next rehearsal call.  

When the director is adamant that he will not be pressured, when you've just finished your 52 hour tech. week and need the entire day off, and when the cast needs to know the schedule by Monday night,

What would YOU do?

(By the way, this is a resolved situation, so I don't need immdiate assistance. I'm just interested in your takes on the matter)

483
The Hardline / Concession Question
« on: Apr 17, 2006, 01:10 pm »
As far as I know, the theatre is responsible for posting all concessions on the callboard.

484
SMNetwork Archives / Number Line
« on: Apr 08, 2006, 11:14 pm »
I've never seen one pre-manufactured, but I made one recently out of 2" black webbing and a paint pen.  It rolls up quickly and easily into a very compact package! Make it longer than you think you might need and just fold the ends under and tape it down in a few strategic places!

485
The Hardline / Should I start EMC?
« on: Mar 18, 2006, 01:12 pm »
If your ultimate goal is to be an AEA Stage Manager, by all means, join the EMC program.  Weeks go fast when you're working, learning, and having fun all at the same time!

But....be skeptical of the above advice.  Here's why.  In the past two years, theatres at which I was the AEA PSM have received phone calls in reference to EMC Registered PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS working in the SM Department.  In each case the candidate was going to complete their 50 weeks prior to the end of the theatre's season and prior to the end of their negotiated agreement with the theatre.  AEA was inquiring as to the producer's plans to either put these candidates on an AEA contract at the end of their 50 weeks (which would not have happened in either case as there were already two AEA members on contract--me and my ASM) or let them go once they were no longer eligble to work as an EMC.  In each case the candidate was allowed to stay on for the remainder of the season, but ONLY because the producer agreed to make them AEA the last two weeks of the season.  Otherwise it would have been the producer's choice of AEA contract at the 51rst week or no job.

So you see, AEA does have their finger on the pulse of how many weeks you have earned.  It also seems to me that they define working in the SM department, regardless of your title (PA, Intern Apprentice, etc.) to be work that you cannot do without a contract after 50 weeks.  No, they cannot keep you from a job in the Box Office, Scene Shop, Admin., etc. but working as an actor or a stage manager (again, regardless of title) after 50 weeks will be a no-no unless the producer can find a compromise position as above.

(Vernon, do you have any wisdom to add here?)

Just my personal view and experience.  I do not speak for AEA.

Ruth

486
If you come into my office and talk to me privately, after you voice your concern or problem, I'd like you to let me know whether you just needed to "get it out" and "talk about it" or whether you actually want me to address the issue.  (So many times I find actors just want to get something off their chests, and are perfectly happy after they've voiced their concern.  They don't actually need you to DO anything except listen.)

487
Students and Novice Stage Managers / prompt books
« on: Mar 14, 2006, 12:17 am »
I'm with Matt.  I never keep anything anymore.  When the show closes I pack the book and all documents up for the theatre's archives. Sure, I have electronic versions of all my plots and paperwork in my computer, but I don't keep hard copies or blocking/calling scripts.

No room in the NYC studio apartment anyway, even if I wanted to keep books after closing night!

488
I've worked for years with an IATSE light board op. and and IATSE sound engineer who regularly spend the entire show sufing the internet, talking on the phone, listening to Steeler football (you should have been with me this past weekend...) and in the case of the board op, writing a very intense political blog.  It took me a long time to get used to it, especially the phones ringing during the show (we are all in separate, but connecting booths with the doors left open) but the bottom line is, are they ready for the "go" and once they hit the button and do they pay attention long enough to make sure the correct cue is running and that it is running correctly?

If your ops are screwing up, yes, it is an issue.  If not, and you are still uncomfortable because of a complicated calling sequence, let them know that once or twice during the show you will need their undivided attention.  Let them know where, let them know why.  Betch'a they'lll be happy to comply!

489
Employment / Under what circumstance is it right to...?
« on: Jan 17, 2006, 02:12 pm »
I thought I'd begin a new thread expanding on a topic Matt brought up in the Full Time Employment thread.  

Matt states, "I was, for awhile, able to keep myself booked a year in advance. (Now, I missed some wonderful, high profile opportunities, including two broadway shows, because I was booked long in advance.) "

So here's the question open for discussion:  Under what circumstances do YOU feel it is right to give notice to a job "booked long in advance?"  For a "better" job, for more money, for something more creative, or in a city you'd prefer to work in? Or other reasons.

I've never gone back on my word on a job that I was committed to, even for the above reasons (including one offer that was A LOT MORE money.)  And sometimes I wish I could....  I'd love to know what you all think!

Ruth

Pittsburgh Public Theater

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Jan. 19-Feb. 19 2006

490
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Your book Left or right?
« on: Oct 27, 2005, 12:11 pm »
Hmmm..  

Personally, my blocking book has text on the left hand side page and mini-ground plans and blocking on the right hand page (because I am right handed.)

But, I make a second script for calling, with the text on the right and a big margin on the right of the page for the cues.  I've used a separate calling script for years and have never found it a requirement or even a convenience to have blocking and calling in the same script.

491
The Hardline / A STRAIGHT SEVEN
« on: Oct 09, 2005, 10:26 am »
A very interesting discussion!  Just when I thought there was nothing new I could learn about this contract, I find I am dead wrong.
 
I always thought that tag-teaming stage managers on long or staggered rehearsal days was BUSINESS AS USUAL/STANDARD PROCEDURE.  I' d never noticed that rule about producers not being able to require SM's to leave a rehearsal or performance.  Gee, isn't that kind of creative scheduling (to avoid overtime and invasion of meals) what we are supposed to do?  I'm going to have to check some other rule books to see if the same rule exists on other contracts where staggered/long rehearsal days are the norm!  If the director/choreographer has the energy, it's done all the time.  

I'll be very curious as what the LORT desk says to you.  And not just about your seven hour scenario, but about tag-teaming in general.

Ruth

492
The Hardline / Weekly Hours for Consecutive Productions
« on: May 11, 2005, 07:59 pm »
Amy,

Call the Developing Theatre Business Rep. in your region's AEA office.  Answering questions such as this is exactly what they get paid to do!

Ruth

493
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Runsheets
« on: Feb 27, 2005, 01:04 am »
Does the theatre require that you hand out clean and updated running sheets to the crew at each rehearsal?  Many of the stagehands I've worked with get very attached to their highlighting and handwritten notes, and I can't pry the old sheets out of their hands until we actually stop making changes.  They don't want new sheets each day--that just means they have to mark them up all over again.

This gives the ASM a touch of flexibility.  You get the information from the crew, either in a meeting following the rehearsal, or actually during the rehearsal if there is time to talk.  The other way is to collect the sheets, photocopy them, give each person back their own sheets and do the clean update without such time pressure. (As the ASM, of course, whether there are updated sheets or not, you must have notated each crew member's current track for your own reference.)

If you must update, publish, and distribute at the next call, and you really have 2 hours of work, do an hour after rehearsal and an hour prior to the next call.  'Cause if that's theatre policy (and I just can't quite picture that,) that's why we AEA SM's get paid the bump-up in a LORT Tech. Week!  No counting SM hours in Tech Week.  (No comfort there, just the facts.)  Or perhaps you can split the job to update SR and SL on alternating days or split the work with a knowledgeable PA.  Creative solutions like that can help too.

I'd like to know more about your theatre's policies or "traditions."  Sometimes they are worth changing!

Good Luck,
RuthNY

494
The Hardline / TYA Per Diem Rules
« on: Feb 11, 2005, 10:00 pm »
VSM is correct.  The actor or SM in the single room should save all receipts and turn in copies of these receipts to the producer or his representative after the number of weeks mentioned in the rule book.

If the producer disputes the payment, call the AEA Rep. and have copies of the receipts ready to send to her.

It will all get worked out eventually, and the actor of stage manager WILL get their re-imbursement!

Ruth (on the TYA Committee at AEA--I don't speak for the Commmittee, I speak from my own experience.)

Pages: 1 ... 31 32 [33]
riotous