Messages

16

Tools of the Trade / Re: Vista and Microsoft 2007

« on: Jul 10, 2007, 01:47 pm »

After a long and annoying process of Best Buy Customer Service I finally got a new laptop (old one broke too many times and they had to replace it under the lemon clause of the service plan.)  Any the new laptop has Vista and really I didnt want vista this soon because of all the bugs of a new system, but oh well I have it and I find there are things I like about it.  What a lot of people dont know is that there are ways to sort of revert Vista to operate more like XP, much like XP could revert into a windows 2000 look.

While I havent used office 2007 much yet (as i think my laptop only has a trial version) I dont have much to comment on that.  As for Open Office i tried using that a little bit and while I find it can do everything MS Office can do I'm finding it a little hard to make it do what I want, maybe im just too used to MS Office.

17

Employment / advice on interviewing

« on: Jul 10, 2007, 12:57 pm »

So I recently got some feedbac from one of my references on my resume saying that my interviewing is not so great.  So I need some advice on how to improve on the interviewing part of the process.  So I was wondering for those out there who actually interview prospective SM's and ASM's what kind of questions do you like to hear asked of you in an interview?  What do you like to see from a person at the face to face interview? 

For those out there that keep going to interviews what kind of questions do you tend to ask?  How do you prepare yourself for an interview?

Thanks,

Jason

18

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Astrology for Stage Managers

« on: Feb 14, 2007, 05:52 pm »

I'm on the Pisces/Aries cusp so they tell me to look at both, and I have to say there are some of both that hit me pretty well.  Although I am usually the one suggesting a trip to the bar after rehearsal or a performance I am usually the last one to get to the bar as I still have to lock up and all the actors have taken off before I am done.

19

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How do you call your sound cues....

« on: Feb 14, 2007, 05:34 pm »

I use whatever is given to me and hope my ops are smart enough to actually listen.  On the show I am working on now i had a little dyslexic moment as I looked at my script and saw Lx7 and Sx5 both of which happen at the same point.  So I said "stand by sound 7" and my op gave me a strange look and then realized his CD deck was set to 5 already and i had to jump in "no sound 5 your right stand by."  thats the only point it was a problem as next time my light cues were in the 20's and above and all the sound cues were still under 20 as they just synced up with the cd track numbers.  So number haven't caused me any problems for the most part as most of the time sound knows that after the first act if they hear any number said above 20 its a light cue (my designers usually number every odd number or ever 5 to avoid having to add in point cues.)

20

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: marijuana and theatre

« on: Jan 30, 2007, 11:26 pm »

Some people are sensitive to Febreze and a lot of us just hate the smell of it. A secret from the costume department for you, one that I use regularly and one of the things I didn't mention that's in my SM kit, is a travel size spray bottle filled with 50/50 water and vodka. Spray it into the air, spray it lightly on upholstered furniture, on rugs, etc. It will take down the odor almost instantly, leaves no residue or secondary odor. We use it on costumes between trips to the cleaners and also when storing them.

We used the same thing in college for the dance shows.  It was the only thing the dance director would allow used on the tutu's so it was refered to "Randy's special febreeze."


As for the over topic I hold a stand that I don't want it done at the shows or immediately before the shows.  What you do after the show is your business, provided you arrive at your respective call time and can safely perform your assigned tasks.  I've had crew people who I know where huge pot heads, but they understood if they came to the show stoned I would not let them be there very long.  Same goes for drinking, what you do after the show is fine, hell ill be out drinking with you then, but limit yourself so you will be ready for the show the next day.

21

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Production Manager, Checklist

« on: Jan 30, 2007, 11:09 pm »

This is exactly the kind of advice I have been looking for lately.  I am currently the SM with a new theatre company working on their first large scale production.  Through the process I noticed several things they really need and ultimately I attributed most of it to the fact that they did not have a person who had the job of Production Manager.  I mentioned this to some of the company and they agreed with what I was saying, one even said he was thinking along the same lines explaining what he thought to me and i was like "yeah what you're saying is what a Production Manager would do." and then he went on saying he was thinking they should get me to do that.  Which having never done it before kind of freaks me out as I know somethings that a PM needs to do but ultimately I know theres so much more I don't know. 

I hope I can find a copy of this book you mentioned and give it a look over as it sounds like it would be a great help.

22

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: First and Last Names

« on: Jan 30, 2007, 11:00 pm »

I find I've done it differently depending on the show.  My last show the call sheets were all by character name as it was a large cast and when we set out the call sheet it was quicker just to read the breakdown of what characters were in the scene instead of cross referencing that back to the actors name.  The show before that my call sheets listed by actors first name (small cast of like 8 and and everyone was on a first name basis as friends before the production anyway).  For sign in sheets I always have it last, first and on dressing rooms its first last.  If im sending notes to costumes i usually list it as first last and character (often cause some actors have multiple characters).

I guess my point I play it on the scope of the production.  You can often get a sense of how formal the company works.  Personally I like being able to interact with everyone on a first name basis as the formalities tend to elevate certain people above others and we're all here to produce the same goal and should all be equally important. (ok i know thats the ideal world in my head but i try to follow it as best i can.)

23

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Well, if you can't admit it here, where can you?

« on: Jan 30, 2007, 10:45 pm »

i've had the same problem with not having extra pencils for shows before and I have SMed quite a few shows.  It happens, usually i dont have them cause the actors fail to return them.  I'm thinking for future shows im gonna start asking them to give me a $1 deposit to borrow a pencil just to train them to return what they borrow. 

Basically we're all human we all make the mistakes, as long as you learn from them and dont fall into a habit you'll be ok.

24

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Guys and Dolls

« on: Jan 30, 2007, 10:42 pm »

In college I had a similar situation that after so many music rehearsals sometimes you didnt have paper work to work on.  Often times I would sit with my ASM's in the corner and quietly go over the script looking for places props would be needed or when there may be a quick costume change.  Ultimately if i had the extra time if i was reading anything it would be reading the script again.  This is especially useful in the early rehearsals as it lets you learn the show better.

As for the turn table thing, just various colored spike tape on top of each other.  On the last show of A Christmas Carol I worked on we had like 5 different locations all taped on top of each other.  Just start with one location tape it all out then tape the next location right ontop of it in a different color.  When you get done the floor will look like an airport runway with lines going ever which direction but as long as you have clear notes as to what color is what set posted throughout the room that actors should be able to look down and be like "ok this is Havanah so im looking for the blue" or "its the sewer to watch for brown."

25

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Unprofessionalism

« on: Jan 09, 2007, 07:23 pm »

I really think why she wasnt there is imaterial.  She told her supervisor she couldnt make it because of a class.  The supervisor said that was ok.  You say the class she was taking doesnt count for anything.  Well do you intimately know the details of her degree curriculum?  Perhaps she doesnt get credit in the theatre department but the class does give her college credit she needs for financial aid.  The fact is she cleared the absense with the appropriate supervisor before hand and that supervisor oked it.  Yeah you had to to a little more work that day but thats just one more day you got to work with the SM and she didnt, one more day for you to make a good impression that she didnt.  Just do the best job that you can and don't fret on the others.  In a situation like that if she really starts dropping the ball on the work the supervisor will noticed, and they will notice you even more seeing how you pick up that ball and run with it. 

26

Employment / Re: Serving on a Board of Directors and Stage Managing for the Same Company?

« on: Jan 09, 2007, 07:06 pm »

The only issue that has come up for me when I've been involved with the Board of a company I have also gigged for is the question of payment. As a Board member, I strongly believe that it is my job to raise money and save money for the company. Not only do I participate in the administrative and artistic oversight of the company, but I actively solicit donations and scrutinize the budget. The bottom line is the bottom line. Whenever I have been involved in the Board or upper management of a small theatre like the one you are with, I have donated all my SM fees right back to the company, whether or not I paid dues as a Board member. Honestly, the SM fee was so small it was worth more to this poverty-ridden company than it was to me. For some reason, this seemed like a big deal to me and was an issue on which I just couldn't compromise. Other people might see it a different way. But it might be something to think about as you decide whether to adopt these dual roles in the company.

This brought up an interesting thought but I dont know how it woudl work.  You said you donated your SM fees back to the theatre.  So in a sense you did the work for free but on paper they paid you $X and then you donated $X to them.  In this sense if they are a not-for-profit would the funds you donated to them be able to be seen as a tax deductable donation? 

27

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SMgt project

« on: Dec 06, 2006, 04:56 pm »

Like other said "its whatever works best for you, there is no standard."  Thing to remember though is it should be kept simple enough that someone could pick up your prompt book and more or less walk the path of the actors, so that if you were hit by that big black theatre bus someone could pick up your book and understand what you are saying.  This can also be accomplished by putting a blocking key in your script stating what your shorthand symbols mean.

28

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Reports - Getting actors to read them (from Tools of the Trade)

« on: Dec 06, 2006, 04:51 pm »

You would think it would go without saying that if a note is given in the rehearsal report that would need more clarification the people would naturally call the SM to get more info. 

In college I always made a habit of wandering around to the various shops just to poke my head in usually just saying "i just want to see whats all going on."  In this sense its not like I was checking up on their progress but was just around to say hi.  Often it was a matter I had some extra time between classes to waste so i would wander the building.  The shop manager even mentioned one day thats why he liked when i stage managed the shows cause I'd wander through the shop just to look around which made it easy for him to grab me and ask any questions that he may have had.  Many days never mentioned anything about the show but in being around there was the random chit chat that helped build friendships with the various people.  My point is that if you can its nice to stop into the various area periodically throughout the rehearsal process as it just helps provide another avenue of communication.

29

Employment / Re: Hiring and references

« on: Dec 01, 2006, 07:02 pm »

On the flip side of the listing things on a resume sometimes just having the shows name and theatre listed is enough for people to connect who you worked with.  During my last internship the stage manager i was working under was telling us how sometimes he will get called asking how a certain actor was to work with since the company looking to hire knew he stage managed the show listed on the actors resume.  As others have mentioned its a small world out there (i've been seeing it more and more lately) if you are going to list a show on your resume make sure anything you put down about it is something you were happy with and you believe the people you worked for were happy with you, cause someone is always going to know someone who you worked with on that show and they might ask about you.

30

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Happy Stage Management Memories?

« on: Nov 27, 2006, 11:00 pm »

I just get a happy little thought everytime I'm calling a show and i can watch the audience so focussed on the show when they bust into laughter, moved to wet eyes and sniffly noses, or even stunned in silence.  Its those little moments that bring happy feelings, knowing that as the SM im driving this ship (the show) and all these people are all engaged in the ride, and I'm helping make the magic happen.