Messages

286

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Lights? Electrics? Elex? What do you say?

« on: Jun 22, 2006, 03:02 pm »

I write LX/elex but say "lights."
Hm... but I never realized that before reading this thread.

287

Employment / Welcome to the Employment Forum!

« on: Jun 22, 2006, 12:27 pm »

Welcome to the Employment Forum!

What this forum is
This is the place to discuss all aspects of theatrical employment. Want tips on your resume, cover letters, or contract negotiations? Looking for advice about dealing with your boss or coworkers? Need help finding gigs or general advice on your SM career path? You’ll find it all here. This is also the place to announce job postings on the Employment Forum Child Board - "Job Postings." (I also recommend posting your job announcement with the SMA as well!) Please take a look around the forum before posting to be sure you’re posting in the right place. Please join existing forums when appropriate before starting your own thread.

What this forum isn’t
While this forum is the place to find advice on dealing with sticky workplace situations, please do try to keep general griping to a minimum. Let’s maintain a pro-active attitude towards our workplace conflicts! Inappropriate and identifying comments about theatres and individuals will be edited out from posts. As usual, no bad language and no cheap gossip.

And anyone who checks out this forum should definitely visit the resume browser on the SMNetwork homepage.  The browser is accessible to all registered members.  Username, password and a link can be found in the File Cabinet section of the call board.

A little bit about me
I am a freelance stage manager and arts administrator (read: theatre office worker of many varieties) currently based in Washington, DC. I have SM’d plays, musicals, concerts, events, and work mostly in opera these days. Though I am a non-union SM, I’m familiar with AEA, AGMA, IATSE, LORT, and AFofM employment contracts. I’ve worked a variety of shows – large and small, community and professional, big-budget and no-budget. Every gig I’ve had has been different, and I think I’ve learned a lot about dealing with a wild variety of people, venues, and circumstances. I have also spent several years as a PM and hirer, so I’ve seen hundreds of resumes and cover letters, and I’ve been the interviewer on the other side of the desk. If you have questions or concerns about this forum, feel free to PM me anytime.

Looking forward to seeing you around the site!
-ljh007

288

Employment / Re: how long do you wait for a response?

« on: Jun 17, 2006, 12:35 am »

I've been on both sides of this - an applicant and a hirer.

Anymore, when I apply for a position, I just don't expect to hear back. I know that I'll have to be present & persistent if I really want the job. Getting a prompt response is a welcome surprise. (Yes, I am sad that I have accepted these lowered expectations...)

As a hirer, I wrote short, lovely letters to every applicant who replied to a position posting. I tried to mention something at least a little specific in each response so they know I reviewed their materials and gave them honest consideration. It did take a long time. However, when people sent resumes at random, I really tried my best to at least write the one-line email "Thank you but we are not seeking applicants for that position right now." But sometimes (like around graduation time!) you just get bombarded with scores of unsolicited resumes, and it's extremely hard to respond to everyone. Sometimes people apply for a position that doesn't even exist (or might not be appropriate) - like applying to be a stitcher with a company that uses the local IATSE wardrobe, or applying to be a SM with a company that has a happily employed resident SM. When people applied in this way, they usually wouldn't get a response from me.

Do your research, learn whether the company is even hiring. I recommend calling first, just to ask if they're searching and asking if you can send in your resume for their reference. If a resume was particularly impressive, I might even forward it on to someone searching to fill a position, or I might call the applicant to encourage them to seek employment in more promising avenues. Nonetheless, I ALWAYS kept every resume I received on file.

289

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Emergency Forms

« on: Jun 17, 2006, 12:16 am »

I also like to ask for local address info in these forms. If artists/crew are from out of town, it is essential to know what hotel they're staying at. If necessary, you can send medics (or interns) to their room to get any important medicine/supplies. I also ask for permanent address, for reference.

290

Tools of the Trade / Re: Kit Container

« on: Jun 17, 2006, 12:11 am »

I just carry all my stuff in a 3-level tackle box. It's simple, it's not too darn heavy, and it has lovely little compartments for everything. Nothing fancy, but it works for me! (I usually use company-provided bins/cases to hold larger things like spike/gaff tape, tools and hardware, paper towels, etc etc. My kit is just all the nice stuff I like to have with me.)

291

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Resume Formatting -What stands out?

« on: Jun 10, 2006, 10:55 am »

My preferences for resume formats:
- No tiny fonts (usually no smaller than 10)
- No handwriting fonts. They look childish, not casual
- No script fonts. They're illegible, not elegant
- No graphics, icons, or anything other than dot/arrow bullets
- Stick to one font. Use a second font if you want you name and/or headers to be different
- Margins must be at least 1" all around your page
- Leave a bit of white space between categories; the eye needs to rest
- List a one-line objective or candidate summary at the top - something to summarize your goals in submitting this particular resume
- Always list appropriate special skills (playing an instrument, speaking a language, stitching experience, etc.). These extras can really make the hiring manager pick YOU instead of someone else
- Don't list hobbies/interests unless you're desperate to take up space on the page. You're applying for a job, not applying for a new social club
- Try to avoid all caps anywhere on your resume. It draws the eye away from other content
- I personally choose bold or italics for special text before I choose underline. Underlining looks too busy on the page for me. Bold/italics are more subtle

If you're applying for a show-specific SM position, I believe in one-page resumes. If you have more experience than fits on one page, cut your resume down. Don't adjust the margins or line spacing too much. Just cut your content. We don't need to see every show you've ever done. Your vast experience will be evident by showing the quality shows you've done, not the quantity of shows. If you're applying for an administrative or salaried position, I think a longer resume could be appropriate. In general, I support submitting references on a separate page, not on the same page as the resume.

And this isn't formatting, but as with all discussion of resumes - spell check! spell check! spell check! PLUS - have a friend look over the resume for errors that spell check wouldn't catch ("shoe" instead of "show") and grammatical errors. I see spelling and grammar errors frequently in resumes, and it's an instant turn-off. There is no excuse not to get this stuff right. If you don't have perfect grammar skills, find someone who does and have them take a look at your resume.

292

Employment / hiring negotiations

« on: Jun 10, 2006, 10:31 am »

Negotiation strategy varies so much by situation, it's hard to give blanket advice. A few things come to mind:
- Be honest and forthright. Let them know what you need, and how flexible you can be. The company will, in turn, be honest and direct with you about their abilities (financial and otherwise) and perforamnce expectations.
- Go into any negotiation with your ideals in mind. Know how much you MUST get paid in order to pay rent; Know how much they are likely to want to pay you. You can meet in the middle from there.
- Be ready to fight for respect. You have a right to information, like a schedule a week in advance (even if you're not union, you still have a life), etc. By pushing for information, you are protecting yourself and ultimately helping the production along by plannig ahead. It's not always easy to do, though. Remember - you're not being pushy, you're being professional.
- Trust your instincts. If the hiring manager seems really nasty, overly demanding, inconsiderate, or disrespectful, you should seriously consider whether this is a company you want to work for. While it's good to remain optimistic, sometimes you need to be realistic about what you might be getting yourself into. If it feels bad, it might not be worth spending the next month+ of your life in misery.

I would also recommend reading any general business book about salary negotiations (like "The Smart Woman's Guide to Interviewing and Salary Negotiation" or "Get Paid What You're Worth"). While they're mostly about interviewing for office jobs, the advice about how to handle your across-the-desk negotiation certainly applies to any job!

293

Students and Novice Stage Managers / early start

« on: Jun 04, 2006, 11:55 pm »

I usually start about two weeks before a show. I might start a bit earlier if I have my materials (script, groundplans, contacts). But I try not to work on the show very much if I'm deep into another show at the time - issues can get confused in my head and that's not good for either show! I wait until one show is on solid ground and then begin prep for the next. Prep work for a standard show might take 25 hours . A larger show might take 60. It varies widely by show.

One word of advice - try to keep on the pace of the rest of the production staff. Even though you're ready for wardrobe breakdowns and quick-change strategies, if the costume department hasn't finished building the costumes, your prep can't be useful for a while. And you can't push the director to make final choices on props until he/she's ready (ok, maybe around dress rehearsals you can start heavily campaigning for finalizied lists and a ban on additions). Take a minute to figure out your priorities and go from there. Know that many changes, updates, and redrafts will be necessary. But the earlier you start really getting to know the show, the more smoothly everything will go for you througout the production process. Good luck!

294

Students and Novice Stage Managers / ASMing for the first time

« on: Jun 04, 2006, 11:46 pm »

Absolutely, ask the SM what they will expect of you. Get to know their style, find out what they love doing and what they don't like doing (so maybe you can schedule all the costume fittings because they hate making phone calls - that's me!). You might even ask to see an old book of theirs to see what their paperwork style is. Ask if the SM has worked with the company before - if not, you'll both be trying to get into the "feel" of how that particular company likes things done. Ask the SM to describe the best ASM that they worked with in the past. Their answer will tell you a lot about the SM's priorities.

I would also recommend getting a bit of info from the production manager (or from the company in general). Maybe it would be more appropriate to ask your SM, but they may not always know. It's important to be aware of who does what (and who has more than one "official" job), what unions/professions are involved, how formally the company handles chorus/extras, video releases, stage safety (while everyone strives to be safe, some people have rigorous guidelines and others, well, just don't). Find out who orders supplies (like spike tape) and if you can be reimbursed for expenses. Find out what you're NOT allowed to do - like talk to the director/maestro/prima ballerina, or pick up props in an IA house, or swear at all in a children's theatre. Learn about the stage space so you can anticipate traffic jams and strategize scene changes. Your SM will champion most of these solutions, but you must be fully aware of the issues at hand.

I usually assign the ASM to nearly fully handle a particular area of tech, often giving them a choice between wardrobe or props. They will then generate all running sheets, check with department heads on production development, pass along rehearsal notes, etc. Turning over a department gives the ASM a sense of real ownership in part of the show, and also lets them spread their wings a little and really show what they can do when they do it "their" way instead of just following the SM like a duckling.

Like TechGal said, there are no dumb questions! Most SMs will appreciate that you're thinking ahead and being considerate enough to ask about everything from their headset etiquette to their preferred font/file type. You don't have to become a clone of your SM, but you deserve to have a solid idea of what people will expect of you. From there, just keep your eyes and ears open, and always be ready to hurry up and wait.

295

Students and Novice Stage Managers / prep paperwork

« on: Jun 04, 2006, 11:26 pm »

As soon as I begin a show, I draft preliminary documents:
- A props list
- A scene breakdown
- A who-what-where (an early sketch)
- A summary of special light, sound, rail, or effects ques
- I try to get my hands on a ground plan ASAP
- I learn about the wardrobe designs and draft a wardrobe breakdown (who wears what in which scene) and an inventory (what costume pieces exist and how are they grouped together in outfits)
- A master contact sheet
- First entrances (early guesses)
- Of course, all my standard paperwork and forms (sign-ins, next calls, rehearsal report forms, call board signage)

All this paperwork is completely preliminary and goes through several drafts. Some documents are important to get in final version early (the schedule and contact sheet), others might not be finished until the show opens (the who-what-where and all running sheets). Sometimes welcoming changes to these documents is difficult (when they've been formatted so nicely...!), but updates are inevitable and necessary as the show evolves. I am a paperwork-heavy SM, and in order to have all the charts and summaries I want, I need to start early.

296

Tools of the Trade / kit

« on: May 31, 2006, 09:20 am »

I do still bring my little tackle box of supplies with me. The larger theatres I work with these days supply everything - including SM road crates to haul it around. But, inevitably, my little kit will save the day at least once throughout a show. It's stocked with all the little things that you might not think of when placing an order for spike tape. When an actress simply can't focus because she wants her hair tied back, I can provide a hair band; When I am issued keys, I have my own little rubber sleeves to make them identifiable; I carry a deck of cards - great for a prop in a pinch, or for quiet entertainment during a dinner break; Unflavored dental floss is amazingly useful for pseudo-string, but also of course for removing lunch from your teeth (guess what - you can slice a cake with it, too! So when an actor brings a cake treat but forgets a knife, bust out a big piece of floss and save the day!). My kit also has your basic stuff: pens, pencils, markers, pre-cut glow tape (in a film canister), a hex wrench set, post-its, and much much more (including a mini sewing kit and first aid kit in leftover altoid tins). But it's my little extras that have made more than one person say that I simply have everything you could ever need, whenever you might need it, in that thoughtful little kit of mine.

297

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Hispanic Theatre and Stage Managers

« on: May 25, 2006, 11:08 am »

I have heard from several international opera PSMs that things work quite differently in Europe, especially in Italy and Spain. The casual Mediterranean lifestyle affects all areas of life, and tech rehearsals are not exempt. The stern "be-on-time-or-perish" SM philosophy will be lost on most crew, musicians, performers - pretty much everyone. They will arrive nearly on time and they will do a great job. But there's not a Spanish translation for "hustle." I've heard over and over again that you will start tech week in your own private panic because nothing seems to be getting done and no one seems terribly concerned about that. But these people live and breathe art, and it's almost magical how a gorgeous show will pull together seemingly by accident at the final hour. Advice I received from one SM - "give into their lifestyle, accept that you will live with less organization and timeliness than you are used to, just enjoy your art and the opportunity to create it." Sounds like great advice that applies on any continent.

298

Employment / Opinions on Producers

« on: May 25, 2006, 10:58 am »

I've got to say that a scathing email post-show will only be destructive. That is not a professional way to resolve your disputes with producers/theatres. It will only leave the theatre with an extra-sour feeling about you as an SM and make them more enthusiastic to spread the word about your "bad" SMing to other people. Just let this go. Get it out of your life. It's over. If you're ever asked, you can certainly be very frank about your terrible experience. Actively try to keep your friends from working there, just to save their own sanity. You might take the opposite approach and send personal emails to any show folks whom you got along with telling them that you really enjoyed the production, were sad you had to leave (in the case of a dismissal like this), and that you'd love to work together again. Work on maintaining the positive relationships you developed on each show, and let the bad ones go. You can't save a theatre from bad practices, you can only try to keep yourself away from such mismanagement. Behaving professionally will keep your reputation intact, and other people will see that the theatre really lost out when they mistreated a fab SM like you.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / hispanic SMs

« on: May 22, 2006, 04:31 pm »

I am hispanic and a semi-fluent (used to be fully fluent, alas!) speaker. I have worked a latino concert event (non-union SMs, IATSE crew) where all the acts speak Spanish only. They do not seek to hire bilingual SMs, so my fluency was a big bonus. It's funny to see the English-only SMs work with the acts to get the concert onstage. It works, but it's like a sitcom. Everyone has lots of fun. I love working that concert, and it's the highlight of my year when I can take it.

300

SMNetwork Archives / they actually said this...

« on: May 22, 2006, 04:16 pm »

I was taking costume measurements pre-production for a young girl who was about to join our production of "Aida" (the Verdi opera, not the Elton John musical). I was describing her Egyptian costume, making conversation as I took the measurements. Her mother was very confused and asked - "Why are they wearing Egyptian clothes when they're in Argentina?" Turns out she was thinking of 'Evita.' Yeah, different show.