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Messages - Celeste_SM

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1
The Green Room / Re: Wedding Present for my Stage Manager?
« on: Jan 07, 2013, 07:20 pm »
They're kind of expensive but CineBag makes great bags that work well for some stage managers.
http://www.cinebags.com/

My brother got me one as a gift, and I thought it was too big at first, and then fell in love with it.

2
Employment / Re: Freelance, Non-AEA - need insurance?
« on: Dec 17, 2012, 08:00 pm »
Thanks guys! (Sorry the thanks is so belated. Darn baby gets in the way of my internet time!)

If I go back to stage managing more frequently, I think I'll look into it. In the meantime, I'm just letting folks who want to hire me know that I do not carry my own insurance. They can decide how to handle that accordingly.

3
Tools of the Trade / Re: Assisted listening device
« on: Dec 17, 2012, 07:57 pm »
We've done this as well, just for specific cues that couldn't be heard well or called accurately otherwise. But only for specific portions of the show.  Later our house sound guy installed a SM specific monitor that we had independent control on volume and could get the mix customized, which was really great on certain shows.

4
I did a production of Annie where she was blindfolded on a platform that spun as she shot at the ballons on the heads of other actors that were circling the platform in the opposite direction.

5
Employment / Freelance, Non-AEA - need insurance?
« on: Oct 12, 2012, 07:44 pm »
I've been a freelance stage manager for about 15 years. Sometimes I work for a company, sometimes I work for a building/venue, usually as a non-employee contractor. 

Oddly, until this year, nobody has asked me whether I carry liability insurance. This year it came up twice  - once for me, and once for my husband who is a freelance master electrician.

So what do other stage managers do? I'm working very infrequently due to having a new baby, but prior to having the child I did about 8 shows/year working for community theater companies, dance schools, regular schools, community opera, and ballet companies. Should I have had insurance all these years?

6
Employment / Re: Need advise dealing with new job
« on: Jan 19, 2012, 10:25 pm »
Is this an Equity production? I'm going to assume not.

It is normal for the deck manager to come in right before deck week. It's not normal for the stage manager to do so, although some smaller community theaters do it this way to save money.

Pay is hard to say, since it really varies. You should make around what the ASM makes, if you know what that is.

7
The Hardline / Re: AEA MAternity Leave
« on: Aug 25, 2011, 01:33 am »
Many paid jobs don't have maternity leave either. 

I'm not AEA. I stage manage because I enjoy it but I have a full time job in a non-theater industry. I get 6 weeks of state short term disability (8 weeks if I have a c-section) paid at approximately 55% of salary, and my job is held for those six weeks. Because I'm in California, I get another 6 weeks of Paid Family Leave, also at 55% of salary. These are benefits from the state, not my employer. My employer has less than 50 employees so no obligation under FMLA to hold my job during that time.  I think an AEA stage manager would also get all these benefits. So, it seems to me an AEA member has the same minimum amount of benefits as many women in the regular workforce. Many unions/employers offer more, and I think that's great. But I don't think the union is behind the rest of the country in supporting maternity.  Is there any short term disability policy available through the union? If so, then that is a benefit that would apply due to pregnancy related disability. 

I can only believe that maternity benefits are not a priority to the AEA membership.

8
The Jewish Theater of San Francisco is closing:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F08%2F11%2FDDBG1KKTS5.DTL

and Ballet San Jose is postponing their season (no ballet before the Nutcracker this year):
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_18618060

9
The Green Room / Re: Missing AEA Actor
« on: Jul 13, 2011, 11:35 am »
I've seen links to the articles posted on Facebook by quite a few actor-friends now, so the word is spreading. I hope he is ok.

10
Tools of the Trade / Re: Covering Tattoos
« on: Jun 14, 2011, 12:13 am »
Dermablend coverup plus powder.
http://www.dermablend.com/skinconditions/tattoos.aspx

But it will rub off with friction. It doesn't sweat off, but if clothing rubs on it, it will get on the clothing.

11
Employment / Re: lighting design?
« on: Jun 12, 2011, 10:57 am »
I am not a lighting designer, and I always make that clear, but I also frequently stage manage for dance companies and dance schools who don't have the time/budget/inclination to hire a lighting designer. The venue provides an adquate house hang, and I work with their board op to set levels and cue the show, as well provide requests for any specials, gobos, or cyc light colors. I always warn them that I'm not a lighting designer, so by using me to 'design' their show, they get what they get, and in cases where they've moved to venues that do not provide a house lighting plot, I decline to take on any aspect of the lighting design.

12
The Green Room / Re: Who are we, anyway...?
« on: May 24, 2011, 05:23 pm »
Thanks for the info! 

I think you are right on to address the issue with them, and I hope your message is heard on the other end.

13
The Green Room / Re: Who are we, anyway...?
« on: May 23, 2011, 11:22 pm »
After that Kentucky nurses travesty, there were a slew of meetings about how to make sure stage managers were NOT considered management.

I don't know about this story. Can you fill me in, if it isn't too far off topic?

I agree with your definition. I think it's interesting to observe that being called an "administrator" gets my back up, even though I have great respect for administrators. I just think there's more to stage managing than that.

14
Employment / Re: How much to charge for LX design
« on: Apr 20, 2011, 07:47 pm »
I'd ask her what her budget is for a lighting designer, and see if that amount is worth it to you to do the job. Alternately, determine what you wish to be paid, and request that.  Lighting designer pay in children's and community theater in my area ranges from $300-$5000, all with about a one week tech commitment (give or take).  Many of the designers I work with do it for the love of theater, so a fair wage isn't really their objective, but at the same time they want to be paid something to emphasise that their work does have value. 

15
Typically I provide the sound op with a mic plot, but it's up to him to take the cues to turn mics on and off on his own.

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