Messages

91

Employment / Re: From the other side of the resume (low key rant - personal advice)

« on: Oct 06, 2007, 04:21 pm »

Again, all of this is simply my opinion and preference.  Others may have different views, but here's mine. 

If it were me, I would list crew work that only relates to stage management on a Stage Management resume.  These could include PAing (as you mentioned), props crew, stage hand, etc.  I would not include rigger, electrician, carpenter as credits. I would, however, list them under a Special Skills section, where you could say "experience in lighting, rigging and carpentry" and then also list your other special skills as well.  It goes back to something I mentioned earlier.  When listing those as actual credits, it could make the applicant seem unfocused.  I received this advice from a friend whom I trust when I left school, and I still hold to what she said today. If you're applying for a job at a theatre as a stage manager, they need to know that you want to be a stage manager and not an electrician.

In regards to your second question--On my resume (and again, this is just my preference from messing with it for years) I list my SM credits (Show/Position/Director/Theatre, Location) under the section STAGE MANAGEMENT.  Then, under the section RELATED EXPERIENCE, I list my production management credit in the following way (Position/dates/Theatre, Location). Granted, it's not the same format as the SM credits, but it seems to work and the resume still looks clean and easy to read.

I hope that answers your questions. (at least, my opinion of the answer!)

92

Employment / Re: From the other side of the resume (low key rant - personal advice)

« on: Sep 24, 2007, 07:08 pm »

I should have been more clear in my original posting. If it relates to SM work, by all means, it should be on the SM resume (I've Production Managed for a company, and that's on the resume). I think things like run crew, production management, and company management are fair game.  However- as a reader of resumes, it is much easier to read the resume if those "related" credits are under a separate catagory, as you suggested.  It's the actual mixing in of the credits that gets confusing to read. 

Example of the mixing in:

Jesus Christ Superstar .......  SM........ Theatre Playhouse
A Midsummer Night's Dream... Props Master.... The Theater Theater
Oedipus Rex....................... ASM ..............Classical theatre center
Christmas Carol...................SM ................Christmas Theater Co.
Aladdin..............................Run Crew.........Children's Play Co.

With this format, it's very confusing to read.  Where did they SM, where did they do run crew.  Your eye really has to study the resume...and if you want to know how many SM credits are actually on the resume, you have to count.

Example of how it's MUCH easier to understand:

STAGE MANAGEMENT
Jesus Christ Superstar .......  SM........ Theatre Playhouse
Oedipus Rex....................... ASM ..............Classical theatre center
Christmas Carol...................SM ................Christmas Theater Co.

RELATED EXPERIENCE
A Midsummer Night's Dream... Props Master.... The Theater Theater
Aladdin..............................Run Crew.........Children's Play Co.


I hope this is clear.  I just think that mixing it in causes the reader to have to search quite a bit for the SM credits, whereas separating them makes it clear that they have a lot of SM credits but also can do other things if necessary.  And the SM credits should definitely out-weigh the Related credits. It wouldn't be a very good sign if most of the credits weren't SM.

Also, I think that mixing also sometimes gives the signal that the SM doesn't have much experience, and has to add other things in as "filler" on the resume. Novice SM's will have the problem of not having enough credits, but that's a battle that we all go through and could be an entirely different Posting.

A final note on this is that it sometimes seems that credits on the resume other than stage management can make the applicant look undecided on a career path. (I even wonder about this with my Production Management credit from time to time!)  Especially acting credits and directing credits (not including AD credits in the opera world)--those can be scary, mostly because it gives the signal that the person wants to direct or act as well, and as a stage manager, those duties are not what we're supposed to be focused on.  I'm sure it's happened a million times out there, where a SM wants (in their heart) to act or direct, but stage manages instead, and somewhere in the process they get muddled and start having the urges to talk to actors about character or give suggestions for direction. This can lead to trouble.

Anyway, long post for a short clarification, but there you go!

93

Employment / Re: From the other side of the resume (low key rant - personal advice)

« on: Sep 23, 2007, 07:26 pm »

What a great discussion. Thanks for starting this Matthew.

As I send out a lot of cover letters and resumes myself recently, I went into reading the post thinking, "Oh God, which one of these is me!" BUT---I found that the other great thing about the post is that, for some of us, we can read this and realize that we aren't necessarily doing things wrong!  It was reassuring to read it and be able to check the "NO" box for each of the resume/cover letter "concerns".

I was recently a PSM for a company and receiving cover letters quite often. I would stress again the following points and add a few new ones:

1) YES! PROOFREAD! My goodness, it's the first thing that turned me off to a cover letter, and I never gave them a second glance.

2) Don't include acting credits on the resume.  If you have experience as an actor, list it in special skills if you must, but including it on the resume makes you seem unfocused.

3) Do not include a headshot. There's no need. I don't think I know of any SMs who hire based on appearance!

4) The resume should be clear and easy to understand. There are plenty of examples on this website. It's another thing that immediately turned me off to applicants. I wanted to be able to look at the resume and immediately know what the person has done.  Don't mix in stagehand work, assistant directing work, etc.  If you feel you must include that, put it in a separate column. I would warn that undergrad professors may not always suggest the best format for a stage manager resume. Do your own research and find what seems best.  When I was in undergrad, my resume was very different, and when I entered the world, I found that it was actually very wrong!

5) And finally, cheers to having an email address that is professional and easy to type/remember!

94

Employment / Unemployment

« on: Sep 03, 2007, 10:36 am »

I have a question about unemployment benefits.  I know that if you resign or quit a position, you are not entitled to benefits.  That said, my current situation is as follows:

I am a resident PSM for a small company that I am deeply unhappy with. There are a lot of internal problems and I know it's my time to go. The last show was in March, I did some hourly stuff over the summer for them, and then next show I work on will be November.  I am seriously considering resigning this position. Since March I have had 4 other freelance gigs from different theatres, the final one of which I am working on now until the end of October. 

SO the question is this: If my resignation with the resident company is effective before my current gig ends, will I be eligible to collect UI benefits?  If I'm not mistaken, it's all based on the last job that you had when applying.  As long as I'm not going directly from the resignation to unemployment benefits, I should be able to claim them, right?

95

The Hardline / Re: Guest Artist Agreements

« on: Sep 03, 2007, 10:16 am »

I've been stage managing for a company that uses two AEA Guest Artist contracts on every show.  I'm a non-AEA stage manager.  They don't go to three Equity, because the third contract is supposed to be the stage manager.   

Actually, they can hire up to three actors and then an AEA SM as well. But once the producer hires 3 AEA actors, they must hire an AEA SM as well. As long as there are just 1 or 2 AEA actors, the SM can be non-union

96

Employment / Re: Touring Shows question

« on: Sep 01, 2007, 09:29 am »

Yes, I'm Equity.

97

Employment / Re: Touring Shows question

« on: Aug 31, 2007, 06:32 pm »

Anyone have any experience with good AEA tours?  I've never really toured, and would like to give it a try. I'm open to short and long tours.  Any thoughts on who to check out?

98

Tools of the Trade / Creating a prompt book in word...using comments for cues

« on: Sep 16, 2005, 09:50 am »

I messed with it a bit last night, adn the only problem is that when you add a comment, the comment box starts out with "COMMENT" in in, and I can't figure out a way to remove that.

If you're willing to overlook taht, it may work.

Justin

99

Tools of the Trade / [FAQ] Electronic Prompt Copies

« on: Sep 16, 2005, 12:09 am »

I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it will work or not. I'd love to hear some feedback on it.  I'm wondering if it would be possible to use the COMMENT function in word to create a prompt book, or for that matter, a rehearsal blocking script?  The comment function would enter the comment wherever you wanted in the script, and then would put the comment you wanted off to the side, therefore you could do things as such:

A x L to couch  (for a blocking script)

OR

Standby LQ 17 (for a prompt script)

Has anyone ever tried this?  What was the outcome!?!?!

Thanks
Justin