Messages

31

The Hardline / Re: AEA Meal Break Query

« on: Jul 04, 2014, 04:01 pm »

Thanks folks!  That's my thought as well but this is the first time I've been questioned on it.  Will definitely be double checking with the rep though  to make sure I'm on solid ground.

32

The Hardline / AEA Meal Break Query

« on: Jul 04, 2014, 08:02 am »

Hello all,
I intend to call my rep to clarify, but given they're closed for the holiday weekend I thought I'd ask for some opinions.  I've never run into this before and, honestly, haven't given it much thought until now.

I am currently working a LOA contract based on the LORT.  I have not had much experience with the LORT contract and have found it to be incredibly vague.  On the first day of rehearsal the Equity company voted to have the hour meal break.  My director/artistic director prefers the hour and a half break as it gives him more time to eat and clear his head before returning to rehearsal.  The company also frequently schedules staff and production meetings during the meal breaks, necessitating a longer break on those days to accommodate breaks for stage management and the director.  I notified the cast of these potential longer days when we met the first day.

When I mentioned that we needed to schedule an hour break for one of the days, my director told me that the Equity vote is so we have the option of an hour break but that it's not required.  I've never heard it put that way, so I looked it up in the rulebook.  In the LORT contract, Rule 51 (E)(1) states that:

"If the Theatre has no objection, the Deputy(ies) may reduce this break to one hour. This Deputy prerogative shall be exercised solely for the convenience and at the request of the company by a 2/3rds majority secret ballot vote of the Equity members of the company."

The phrase that I find interesting is "If the Theatre has no objection".  I can see how this can be interpreted the way my director has, that the Theatre can object to having an hour meal break and take the longer one instead on a per day basis. 

Given this interpretation, the fact that we are in a somewhat remote area, and the few cast members so far required to stay have expressed happiness with the longer break (there are a number of lovely areas outside the rehearsal building where people can sit and enjoy the day, walking paths, and a wonderful farmers' market not too far away) I have been leaning towards agreeing with the director.  Particularly on days when trying to maximize our time working around actor conflicts and the choreographer's limited availability.  However, one of the actors emailed me last night expressing concern about the call today as he was hoping we would be ending the day sooner (I believe this is because it's a holiday and the first day since the beginning that he has to be there for the full day).  But it raised the question in me of if this interpretation is correct or if I need to have a talk with my director about our scheduling.

So my question to you all is, how should this rule be understood?  Does the Theatre only have the right to object before the Equity vote and then the hour is required no matter what?  Or is it as my director believes, where the hour meal break is an option depending on the Theatre's needs day to day?

33

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSAL CONDITIONS: That summer smell

« on: May 31, 2013, 09:05 am »

Something a number of wardrobe folks I know will do is spray the air with vodka water.  Also, I don't know if it will help with smells, but frequently when I've rehearsed in a basement we've left a dehumidifier running over night.  It really helps with the damp, muggy feeling.

34

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: COMMUNICATION: Communication with the production team/what do they need from us?

« on: May 09, 2013, 03:16 pm »

I tend to follow the philosophy of the more info the better, as long as it is clear and understandable.  Most of the folks from other departments that I've spoken with have always really appreciated having as much detail about things as possible.  It gives them a better idea of exactly what you need that prop/set piece/costume to do.  For example, if I have a cast member who has been blocked to crawl around on the floor I like to let Costumes know that so they will design/build a costume that the cast member can crawl in (or let me know that the costume won't allow for that movement so I can let the director know.)  Another thing that is important to include is priority levels.  "Hey, we really need the couch in rehearsal by Friday but don't need the dresser until Tuesday"  will get better results than "hey, can we get the couch and dresser in rehearsal."

35

Tools of the Trade / Re: Email Best Practices for Teams

« on: Mar 20, 2013, 01:23 pm »

I still use complete sentences as well and always proofread.  I will reply to things on my phone if it's a short and easy reply.  Otherwise I like to wait until I can use my computer.  One thing I liked in that article was the idea of checking to see if email is the appropriate forum.  There have been any number of times during a show where there will be an ongoing email discussion that drags on for days while everyone weighs in that could have been more easily solved with a quick face to face meeting.

36

Employment / Re: Resumes - jobs in a few months

« on: Mar 19, 2013, 08:44 pm »

I usually put my current and upcoming productions in my cover letter.  I like to save the room on my resume for other credits (once I add something new something else gets bumped off.)  Also, it's a great opportunity to put in more detail about what you're currently or soon to be doing that can catch someone's eye or be a conversation starter in an interview.  But only list things that you have a confirmed contract for.

37

Employment / Re: Dear Abby: How do I arrange my resume after joining AEA?

« on: Mar 19, 2013, 08:38 pm »

There are probably many different ways of doing it.  When I made the transition I organised mine by position,  AEA SM, AEA ASM, SM, ASM, then PA.  I also put when I joined Equity (month/year) in my special skills section for a while.  I felt that it helped explain why I had my shows separated the way I did.  It really comes down to what works for your credits.  Put it together in a way that makes sense to you and then have someone look it over.  Good luck and welcome to the Union!

38

Employment / Re: Day jobs that are related, but also work with SM scheduling

« on: Mar 16, 2013, 12:03 am »

I agree that the ultimate goal is to work only in stage management.  However, I currently have a part-time retail job mainly for the gaps between shows.  The gaps have been getting shorter and if all goes well in the next few months I may no longer need it. 

The difficulty in finding a second job that allows you to do theatre is not so much the job itself (frankly, I feel that a lot of the skills we use as stage managers are applicable in many other positions) but in finding a manager who is willing to work with you.  At my store I had an awesome manager who understood that part-time employees who are paid a little more than minimum wage have to have multiple jobs.  Also, many of my co-workers are students or have children.  She was really amazing at making a schedule that worked for everyone.  I would sit down with the calendar for my upcoming shows, figure out what days/times I was available, and then give her a list.  Sometimes I would give her a couple months at a time so she had plenty of time to figure things out.  She recently moved to another state for family reasons, so I am currently determining if I can develop the same relationship with the new manager.  There are also some jobs out there where you can determine your own hours to a certain extent.  I know another stage manager who does a lot of transcription work on the side.  However, because she is a self-contractor she has to be really careful about how jobs she accepts.

The main thing I keep in mind is that working at the store is a job while stage management is my career.  I've had a few other second jobs that I quit because they weren't willing to be flexible about my schedule.  If you take another job you have to be prepared to walk away at any time.

The other thing to consider is whether or not you can handle the work load without it being detrimental to your work as an SM.  This last Christmas season, between the store and my holiday show, I didn't have a full day off for about 8 weeks in a row.  However, I knew ahead of time that it was likely to happen and made sure I scheduled in down time for myself and planned some days down to the minute.  For example, I made sure that I had the overnight shift on Black Friday, went directly to the theatre after my shift, slept in the greenroom, showered in the dressing room, and was ready to go for tech later that morning.  I was a little more tired then usual by the end of the night but my PSM, who knew my plan, told me that she didn't notice any difference in the quality of my work.  I often feel that juggling two jobs requires me to stage manage my life.  So be honest with yourself about how much you can handle. 

All in all, if you have to get a non-theatre job for a while make you sure you don't lose focus on your real goal.  The moment your second job starts to interfere with stage management it's time to either leave that job or give up a career in stage management.

Good luck and happy hunting!

39

The Green Room / Re: Regrets

« on: Mar 14, 2013, 02:03 pm »

I don't really have regrets.  Sometimes I wonder about the road not taken and where it would have led me but overall I'm happy with my choices.  Hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy to say "oh, if only I'd known x I would have done something differently".  My sister once pointed out to me that if you went back to that exact moment in time, with the exact same information that you had and being the person you were at that time, you would still make the exact same decision.  So what's the point in dwelling on it?

Overall, I believe a little bit in fate.  If I do my best to get a position but end up not being chosen, then I wasn't meant to get it.  And often when I've not gotten something, something else that's been even better has come along.

40

The Green Room / Re: LEGAL ISSUES IN STAGE MANAGEMENT: Discussion - no answers or legal advice here

« on: Mar 14, 2013, 01:48 pm »

I once worked with a children's theatre company that had a policy where a single adult and a single child could not be alone together.  There always had to be another child or adult around.  Not only was this done for the safety of the children, it was to protect the adults as well from any misunderstandings that might occur (ie. a child tells their parent something that sounds terrible out of context and the angry parent comes after the adult.  There is a witness who can explain what happened.)  Ever since then I've been hyper aware when working with kids and how situations can be misconstrued when taken out of context.  While that company's policy might sound like overkill, in a world where many teachers and other child care professionals are frequently accused/convicted of sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior, it actually is a necessary precaution.

One of my first jobs out of college was with a company where it turned out they hadn't had a fire inspection in over a decade.  There was a huge list of violations that we had to correct in a very short period of time.  The fire marshal was not happy with the company even after all the corrections were made and would make surprise visits for the rest of the season.  I got out of there as fast as I could.

41

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Is It Even Worth It?? (Conflict resolution)

« on: Feb 23, 2013, 12:23 am »

I agree with what everyone else has said but I did want to mention one thing.  If this other person has acted in a threatening manner or has been harassing you in any way please make sure that someone in an authority position is made aware of the situation.  Protect yourself and be safe.

42

Stage Management: Other / Re: Special Skill: Basic Rigging and Automation

« on: Jan 01, 2013, 04:02 am »

I think it really depends on the show and how it's used.  I've been in some spaces where it is a necessity.  North Shore Music Theatre for example.  The stage is in the round and the aisles are too narrow for most set pieces to travel safely.  They have a center lift and a vom that bring set pieces to the stage.  However, the folks there know how to put these to best use, so it looks good and is well integrated.  Audiences there are also fairly accustomed to seeing it.  I'm sure there are other similar theatres.

I would argue against using automation for 2 reasons.  If it is something that is more easily achieved in other ways, it seems better to put the time and money into something else.  Secondly, if there isn't someone trained on hand to run, maintain, and fix it.

As for putting it on a resume.  I would like to know if there are any standards for that.  Normally, if someone puts something on their resume I assume they are fairly knowledgeable about it.  I'm interested to see how this develops in the next few years.

43

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: ASMing: How to ASM

« on: Jan 01, 2013, 03:32 am »

I've spent the last few years working primarily as an ASM and there are very drastic differences between it and being the PSM.  Many stage managers are able to do both jobs very well, but I have noticed that there are those who are really great at one but may struggle with the other.  There is a very different mentality you have to have to be the ASM.  There are a few main things that I adhere to.

1. Communicate.  Communicate.  Communicate.  Talk to the PSM about how they want to run things.  Many other people have mentioned this and it is, perhaps, the most important thing.  Every PSM is different, every SM team is different, every production is different, every company is different.  Ask questions and observe how your PSM works.  Keep the communication channels open even in the rehearsal hall.  Never be where they can't text, IM, call, whisper in your ear, or gesture to you.

2.  Be adaptable.  Most stage managers are fairly adaptable because of the career we are in but ASMs have to be even more so.  Every stage manager has certain ways they like to do things and it is your job as the ASM to adjust to the PSM's working style, even if it's completely different from your own.  The pro side of this is that it's a great way to pick up new techniques and ideas, the con being that you may have to do something in a way you don't like.  Sometimes, you can offer an idea or suggest a different way of doing something but ultimately it is the PSM's decision.

3.  Anticipate.  Most of the PSM's I've worked with really hate having to take time away from writing blocking, talking to the director/actors, or any of the hundred other things they are doing to tell me what to do all the time.  Checking that actors are there, cleaning the room, printing and making copes, pre-setting props/costumes/set pieces, etc.  If you notice a potential problem, bring it to their awareness.  Get things done without having to be told or asked.  If they ask you to do something once, add that to the list of things you always do.

4.  Be confident and "in the know".  While you don't need to know every detail about every discussion or problem that has occurred, you should do your best to know what the final decision on matters are.  It's helpful to know what's going on and how it may affect what you are doing.  There have been times in my career when the PSM has been stuck elsewhere or not feeling well and it has fallen on me to run rehearsal.  Musicals and other large shows may even have split rehearsals and you may running one room while the PSM is in the other.  Showing confidence lets the director and performers know that they are still in good hands.  (I also should note here that if the PSM is not present it is best not to give definite answers to certain questions.  When in doubt, "I'll find out" is usually the best response.  Communication between you and the PSM is essential when you are not in the same room.)

5.  Take care of your PSM.  I know this may sound silly but I consider it an important part of my job as the ASM.  If the PSM is being mobbed by actors with questions after rehearsal, I try to see if I can help answer some of them.  If a certain part of the show is pretty complicated, I'll help take down blocking.  I'll take over tasks if they have something else they need to be doing.  Offer to get rehearsal started after a 10 while they run to the bathroom.  Make sure they got a chance to eat during the meal break (offer to pick up food, order food, even heat up what they brought if they haven't had time.)  Check in to see what kind of day they are having.  Anything you can do that will help them.

6.  This is the one that I hate the most but should be mentioned because it is important.  If you are ever in a situation where the PSM is routinely ignoring safety, abusing crew/performers, or anything else completely wrong it is your job to help correct it.  The solution may be as simple as discussing it with the PSM or as complicated as you reporting it to a higher up.  At all times use your best judgement.  If there is something you are concerned about, talk to someone about it before it becomes a problem (this forum is one place to go if you're not sure and you can post anonymously.)  One thing to keep in mind if you are having trouble with your PSM, whether minor or major, is to be careful who you talk to about it.  Venting your frustrations to a crew or cast member is not very professional and it WILL get back to the PSM.  Take care of any conflicts in an appropriate and professional manner.

44

Tools of the Trade / Re: Help with a sweaty actor

« on: Nov 02, 2012, 07:43 pm »

Could the mic be moved to a different area of his body that doesn't get as sweaty?  Some actors I've known have worn them with the band around their chest so that the pack is between their shoulder blades.  It still can get sweaty there but not as bad as the small of the back.

45

Employment / Re: ARTICLE: How to stand out in an interview . .

« on: Oct 24, 2012, 12:05 pm »

I liked the case study about the phone interview.  I have had more interviews that were either completely by phone or the first part was by phone then interviews in person.  I'd love to see more info geared towards those situations.