Author Topic: Calling attention  (Read 11576 times)

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LisaEllis

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #15 on: Oct 29, 2007, 12:40 pm »
Although I seem to have good voice projection and people can hear me, I find that longer sentences help focus everyone's attention.  I walk to the middle of the room (open space), raise my hand above my head, and say:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, the time is 2 o'clock.  If I can have everyone's attention, please?

By the time I'm done talking, they've stopped, and I only have to pause for a few seconds while everyone turns to look.  Then I can hand it over to the director, conductor, call places for the scene, etc.

Also, for those who couldn't hear what I was actually saying, they get the idea with me in the middle of the room and my hand up.  It's a good visual clue.

ReyYaySM

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #16 on: Oct 29, 2007, 04:46 pm »
I second what Scott says about taking a voice class in college.  My voice teacher was so pleased to have an SM taking the class.  I was once SMing a show where she was the vocal coach, and she took a few minutes to help me support from the right places so that I could project and not strain my voice.  I've used what she taught me ever since and have had no trouble commanding the attention of a large group of people. 

However, in your situation, I would suggest having the director reiterate that you are in a position of authority as the SM and that when you speak it is important that they listen.  You could also work with him/her to come up with some sort of clap that you do and every one else responds with (I'm thinking back to something I did in camp).  If that's the established sign to be quiet, even a few people seeing you do it and then responding with clapping or snapping or making funny noises or whatever routine you come up with will bring the focus to you. 

Good luck!!  Be sure to let us know what ends up working for you. 

lauria

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #17 on: Oct 29, 2007, 06:04 pm »
Wow, lots of anti-whistle comments! Just wanted to clarify what I was thinking of in particular when I mentioned it. I recently did a show that had a massive fight scene that included people banging metal on metal as hard as they possibly could as well as yelling (cast size: 24) and there was a point in tech where I had to call hold for a safety reason. It took me projecting very forcibly three times INTO A GOD MIC before people began to stop as well as numerous people onstage calling hold as well. This is one time where a whistle would have been much more effective to use. But perhaps for just normal pandamonium it might be a bit much. :)

I really like Mac Calder's suggestions of having the cast decide on a noisemaker.

McShell

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #18 on: Oct 29, 2007, 08:10 pm »
This might be left over from my house management days, but I've been known to ring a bell to get a room's attention, or flicker the lights real quick a couple of times, depending on the building.

deletedoldnotanymore

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #19 on: Oct 29, 2007, 10:53 pm »
Usually, I stand up very tall, and shout out "South High Theater, If you can hear me clap once.  If you can hear me clap twice."  I never have to get to that third time.

Quingawaga

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #20 on: Oct 30, 2007, 01:15 pm »
One theatre group I work with regularly (a cast of between 50-75, made up of non-theatre-major university students...not much different than high school, really) has a traditional way of getting the attention of the group, and it's explained to people at the read-through...the person yells "quiet please" and the group responds with "THANK YOU" (as loudly as they possibly can). The idea is that you say the "thank you" and then stop talking and pay attention to the person who shouted the "quiet please". The other idea is that if not everyone hears the "quiet please", everyone will definitely hear the "thank you" and know something is going on. It works remarkably well, for us, anyway.

pilya29

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #21 on: Oct 30, 2007, 01:39 pm »
Hi :) been long since i logged in. well as for me, when i had a musical with a cast of 150students (highschool and elementary students) i have my whistle, bell and megaphone. I told them during briefing that i use the whistle to cut a rehearsal or to tell something urgent. bell is used to tell them that it's break time. i ring the bell again to tell them break time is over. and megaphone is for telling them important announcement. they were very helpful to me esp. with a large cast and kids :)

EDIT - Removed illegible pink text. - PSMK
« Last Edit: Oct 30, 2007, 02:41 pm by PSMKay »
tuff woman :)

Lucyinthesky

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #22 on: Oct 30, 2007, 06:38 pm »
Those are all really good ideas and I’ll consider them.  The director does the ‘clap if you can hear me’ thing sometimes, so I might do that in regular rehearsals, but not like 70 times a day for auditions which is my main concern at the moment.  I like the idea of using a mic for auditions, though.  Last time I just went to the middle of the room or where most people were congregated and called out, “Who’s Jeremy?” or whatever the next name on my list was.  Most of the time it worked but I feel like I could do something better, especially since there’ll be more people this time.  As of now, I’ll see about the mic for audition and callback days. 

I’ll probably have 2 or 3 assistants like I had last time, and last time we just spoke loudly to get their attention, but I kinda wanted to try something different since they really don’t like listening, to anyone. 

They also seem to have problems getting up for warm-ups when it’s time.  Whoever said something about saying what time it was gave me an idea.  I think I’ll get an alarm set for 4 o’ clock so that when it goes off I’ll try saying something like, “Hey, Alley Cats, guess what time it is?” and even without me saying that they should know that the alarm means warm-ups.

Rhynn

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Re: Calling attention
« Reply #23 on: Nov 11, 2007, 09:50 pm »
I had a really rowdy cast last fall.  A volunteer suggested the director or SM clap in a certain pattern and then have the cast respond with two claps and saying "Respect" in time to the claps.  (We used "Shave and a Haircut--Two Bits")  It worked when they could hear me clap to begin with. 

Othertimes I would just sit there looking at them until a few realized I wanted their attention and I would get their neighbors to quiet down.

Lastly, if they won't behave, they run laps around the rehearsal hall--not enough to tire them out but just enough to let them know they are wasting time when they don't focus.
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