Author Topic: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?  (Read 21589 times)

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XanderQCall

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #15 on: Apr 16, 2014, 11:29 am »
I had quick question to follow-up on a post I made previously. The consensus seems that stage management does not post contact sheets on the callboard. However, as far as distribution do you include a hard copy of the contact sheet in actor packets? I have worked with a stage manager who never distributes hard copies of the contact sheet and only e-mails it to the people who need it. Thoughts?

loebtmc

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #16 on: Apr 16, 2014, 03:14 pm »
I work w a lot of folks who either aren't computer facile or who don't want to print their own stuff. I always have a couple of hard copies for those folks. Otherwise, I carry it in my script and expect my ASM to do the same, but never, ever post on the callboard cuz everyone who walks by has access to that info.

MatthewShiner

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #17 on: Apr 17, 2014, 05:06 am »
there may also come a time when, for security reasons, you don't even post a daily call or calendar . . .

oh the stories I can tell
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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

On_Headset

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #18 on: Apr 17, 2014, 01:55 pm »
I had quick question to follow-up on a post I made previously. The consensus seems that stage management does not post contact sheets on the callboard. However, as far as distribution do you include a hard copy of the contact sheet in actor packets? I have worked with a stage manager who never distributes hard copies of the contact sheet and only e-mails it to the people who need it. Thoughts?
The information on the contact sheet is confidential. Thus, two important questions:

- Can be I sure that this person will keep this information confidential during the run?
- Can I be sure that this person will ensure this sheet is destroyed or archived at the end of the run?

With someone like a producer, a director, a box office manager, a company payroll manager, or whatever else, you can be pretty sure of both things.

With an actor? No. Not even if they promise they will.

This is, of course, a spectrum. If there are only 3 actors in the cast, whatever, hand out the contact sheets. But when you've got six pages of phone numbers and other personally-identifying information for your cast of 80, you need to keep that under lock and key.

dallas10086

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #19 on: Apr 17, 2014, 02:57 pm »
there may also come a time when, for security reasons, you don't even post a daily call or calendar . . .

oh the stories I can tell

Sounds like bar conversation to me!  ;D

VilleSM

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #20 on: Apr 17, 2014, 05:03 pm »
I always e-mail the contact list to the people who need it (actors, designers, directors) and print hard copies for my staff and my director. Occasionally an actor will ask for a hard copy and I'll give it to them. This only has their phone number and e-mail address on it - and only IF the actors/designers/etc agree that it's okay to share that information. And I (along with directors and producers) am the only person to have immediate access to physical addresses.

The SM I am currently working for distributes hard copies of phone numbers and e-mail addresses on the first day of rehearsal to absolutely everyone associated with the show - from the Artistic Director through the lowest intern. On this past show, that was nearly 40 contact sheets, including the sheet of all of our work extensions...
On closing day, she distributes another contact sheet updated with physical addresses (or next addresses for the ones who go straight into another show). This only includes the actors, directors, and people who were in the process of the run of the show (including run crew). It seems a bit much.
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RuthNY

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #21 on: Apr 17, 2014, 06:16 pm »
A bit much? Hmm, I think this is what a lot of us do!

<snip>

The SM I am currently working for distributes hard copies of phone numbers and e-mail addresses on the first day of rehearsal to absolutely everyone associated with the show - from the Artistic Director through the lowest intern. On this past show, that was nearly 40 contact sheets, including the sheet of all of our work extensions...
On closing day, she distributes another contact sheet updated with physical addresses (or next addresses for the ones who go straight into another show). This only includes the actors, directors, and people who were in the process of the run of the show (including run crew). It seems a bit much.
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loebtmc

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #22 on: Apr 17, 2014, 07:10 pm »
I was taught to prepare two types of contact sheets - one for use during a run, whether a single sheet with everyone's contact or separate sheets for cast and production, and a final contact which includes everyone who worked the show which includes addresses. So if we swap wardrobe mistresses (for example) midshow, both are on the final, even if both are not on my current run contact sheet.

With the initial emergency contact sheet, I ask everyone to list the address and contact info they want on that final contact and use that. 

MatthewShiner

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #23 on: Apr 17, 2014, 07:23 pm »
I do the same thing . . .

I have a contact sheet with everyone . . .

Creative Team
SM Team
Cast
US
Orchestra

And the the theater staff . . .

From Artistic Director to run crew

You need to get to know everyone to do a show

Often a 6-10 page document at times.

And then my staff prepares a final contact sheet with physical address.


Post Merge: Apr 17, 2014, 07:26 pm
As far as confidential information . . . no confidential information is ever put on any contact sheet that I hand out that is not approved by the person who's information it is.

This is why doing a contact sheet in word using hidden text is great.

There is a SM copy, where I print the hidden text, and a every other version with confidential information is not.

(but that way I am only maintaining and updating one piece of paperwork)
« Last Edit: Apr 17, 2014, 07:26 pm by MatthewShiner »
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omaira17

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #24 on: Jun 11, 2014, 11:10 am »
I'm a huge fan of NOT giving out anyone's personal contact information. I get requests from cast members whenever we start a new show for the cast contact sheet. I always hand out the production contact information (which is always discussed with the production staff prior to this point). If they all want to swap contact info, they are welcome to do so on their own but I do not make that information public at all.
Our Production Staff has copies of the cast contact sheets if they need them and the SM always has a copy in her bag or book and all the info on their phone, laptop, or tablet.

The reason I personally feel so strongly about this is due to privacy issues. My niece is a child actress who for 18 months was a very publicly recognized celebrity. After her contract was over she went to work in a local theatre for a show and immediately the SM handing out the cast contact sheet. Within days the amount of texts, phone calls, and emails she received from all of the other kids in the cast was crazy! They all kept asking for autographs, or for her to say her signature line in the character's voice, etc. Some would just call her to impress friends that yes it was really her number. Since then, I firmly believe that if an actor wants their information given out they are free to do so, but I would not do that for them.



MatthewShiner

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #25 on: Jun 11, 2014, 02:26 pm »
I think a good rule of thumb in creating a contact sheet is to ask EVERYONE their permission to give anything other then an office number

I send out an email with the following:

Below is the information that will be published on the in-house contact list and distributed in-house and to others on the contact list. 

The following is the information we have for you.  Please confirm that it is correct

Matthew Shiner
Production Stage Manager
Email
Phone Number

Home Address.

Your home address will never be given out, but if you would like your email and/or phone numbers taken off the contact list, and thus only be made available to stage management - please let me know.

It seems to work, and most people, even some celebrities, don't mind the cast have their number or email  . . .

But again, I would never post it anywhere.



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loebtmc

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #26 on: Jun 11, 2014, 07:01 pm »
omaira17, I think perhaps the difference is the level of theater. Meaning no offense, and while there is always the occasional someone who abuses the system, in professional theater the cast gets a contact list - for many reasons! And, similar to Matt, when I collect the emergency contact forms, I always make sure they've checked which info they approve showing up on the Final Contact, which everyone gets. That is the master form of everyone who dealt w the show, including all contact info.

Having worked w many actors at all levels who have been stalked or have rabid fans (or as just a little too over themselves), I am very careful about who gets info, but it certainly helps locally with things like carpools and car trouble, and it allows those who wish to get together on their own time to review, rehearse or just go to dinner. And out of town, it allows them to connect to their companion to the museum or movie or wherever, too.

But no, never ever posted -

SMeustace

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Posting contact sheets on the call board?
« Reply #27 on: Jul 22, 2014, 10:21 am »
The only contact info I have on the callboard, is that of myself, and the rest of the stage management.

With permission, I provide the cast/crew with a sheet contact info of the costume designer/costume, costume shop, scene shop, director's office phone and email, theater office phone, box office phone-if necessary. I don't post this sheet on the callboard. 

In a school setting, I give them the phone numbers for campus security (if one exists).
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