Author Topic: PREP: SM & Designer's Relationship  (Read 4441 times)

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SMeustace

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PREP: SM & Designer's Relationship
« on: Jul 31, 2015, 05:14 am »
At the beginning of each production I obtain groundplans and preliminary piece lists from my scenic and costume designers. If i have any questions or concerns regarding transitions, Q's, costume changes I discuss them (preferably in person) with the designers.

I am unsure what I information I should have as a SM from my other designers for my prompt book. Should I request lighting and sound plots? Instrument schedules? Preliminary plots or requirements? Discuss equipment that's planned to be on deck and/or stored backstage with them. I usually find my electrics and sound tabs to be quite thin. 

What paperwork/information should I start requesting and asking from my designers?
What usual information do you ask from your designers during prep week or during early part of rehearsal/build process?

I understand that every theater/production/company/designer differs from another, but I would really appreciate a guide or something I could work from as a basis. Thank you.

[Student stage manager @ university]

Edited to add topic tag - Maribeth
« Last Edit: Aug 21, 2015, 05:34 pm by Maribeth »
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

hbelden

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #1 on: Jul 31, 2015, 01:09 pm »
In my experience, prep week is too early to expect anything as detailed as a light plot or a cue list.  During prep week, concentrate on collecting information in two groups: infrastructure (from the theater's staff) and cross-department issues (from the designer).

Examples of infrastructure questions:
Which linesets are electrics?
Where are the house speakers hung?
Where are the followspot positions, and what's the experience level of the operators?
Are there backstage headsets? are they wireless? how many?
How likely is a power outage, and what's the procedure for dealing with it?
Will you, as the Stage Manager, have an infrared monitor and/or a conductor monitor?
On the production calendar, when does the hang/focus occur?  Does sound have quiet time?  Is there a sitzprobe?
If there are microphones, how much tech time will it require to ring out the mics?

Examples of cross-department issues:
From the lighting designer, are you expecting there to be any floor-mounted instruments, or booms in the wings?
If there's a cyc and bounce in the ground plan, is there enough room for the cyc lights to throw?
Will you be using followspots, and how many?
Does the proximity of linesets to electrics mean we should put flame retardant on any curtains?
What props are practical lights, and when does each department need to work on them?
Pyro?
Will there be body mics?
Which actors should be double-miced?
If there's tap-dancing in the show, will the tappers need a second mic?
If there's a mixer, what's the position of the sound board and what's the communication between booth and op?

In your own personal script analysis during prep week, you can also make note of specific sound cues or time-of-day indications.  Later in the process, when information comes from the designers, you can respectfully inquire about any apparent conflicts between the script's call-outs and the design intention.  The answers you get from those questions will help you more faithfully execute the design intent over the course of the run.

Hope this helps,
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Heath Belden

"I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right." - Sondheim
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SMeustace

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #2 on: Aug 02, 2015, 09:58 am »
Thank you. It was very helpful
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

loebtmc

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #3 on: Aug 02, 2015, 02:29 pm »
(I once had a young lighting designer who handed me a complete cue list before we had even had our first rehearsal - meaning sets were still being finalized, not even allowing for adjustments that come up during rehearsal, and blocking hadn't even been introduced. He didn't understand why he couldn't plot the whole play and be done until tech!)

SMeustace

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #4 on: Aug 20, 2015, 11:39 am »
Apart from cue sheets and plots from the lighting designer and sound designer are there things I should start getting into the habit of discussing with them before the 1st rehearsal? Should I meet with them about lighting, sound notes from the script and ask/see what changes to expect or would that be seen as overstepping?
 
I usually meet with scenic & costume designers about pieces, changes and whats needed for each scene. And acquire any tangible information such as piece lists and groundplans. But with the other designers I am a bit lost..

In the past I wrote rehearsal cues in my script, during rehearsals I called out what sounds were going to happen and even playback sound effects from a CD but for those shows I was in charge of sound.

When It comes to lighting, I only get cues once the designer writes/programs them during tech.
« Last Edit: Aug 20, 2015, 11:41 am by SMeustace »
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

PSMKay

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #5 on: Aug 20, 2015, 02:56 pm »
If there are major issues that electrics will be handling that will effect staging, discuss plans for implementation. If there are light switches, how will they operate? If an actor must turn on a lamp, will they actually be twisting a switch? Will it be on the lamp base or on the cord? This will help you pull rehearsal props that more closely approximate the real actions.

If there's rain, will it be over the whole stage or in a confined area? Will there be drainage troughs that could cause trip hazards backstage? How much time should you set aside in tech for rain rehearsal? What scenes will it be raining in? Does costumes know which pieces will get wet?

If there's a snow cradle, where will it be located and how will it be controlled?

If repatching is required, when in the show will the repatches occur? (This so that you can ensure that the dimmers are accessible and you have someone to do the actual cable swapping.)

For sound, ask if the designer can provide a sample of sound cues to use in the rehearsal room, especially for sounds that actors will need to cue off of, like phones ringing, gunshots, etc. If sound effects will be coming from a specific direction, find out where they think the speakers will be placed so you can inform the actors. Bear in mind that they may not know the exact locations before rehearsal starts.

I don't think individual meetings about script changes are necessary if you can sit in on the production meetings. A quick intro phone call is good. If your discussions about the director's vision have made it clear that you're diverging heavily from the script it would be good to make sure that the design team is aware, but anything beyond that would fall under the purview of the PM, TD and the director.

With both, it is also great to find out how they like to get data. Do they want just their notes or the whole enchilada? Do they want emails or Facebook messages?

Asking for cue sheets or plots before first rehearsal would definitely be overstepping. What you need to know early on is how to sideload their parts of the production design into the rehearsal room in order to smooth your road into tech, and in return how to bring the outcome of those rehearsals back outwards to inform the evolving design.

Aerial

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Re: SM & Designer's Relationship
« Reply #6 on: Aug 20, 2015, 03:46 pm »
Another thing I find important to check in with the lighting designer about is if they are planning any floor booms in the wings, or anything else that could impede movement (strip lights sometimes).  Roving units also provide logistical issues (and safety issues because they usually have a tether), especially if there's not a deck electrician. These are some of the things, in addition to what Kay noted, that I like to know about as soon as possible.