Author Topic: Job Titles: USA Vs UK  (Read 5252 times)

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iamchristuffin

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Job Titles: USA Vs UK
« on: Aug 30, 2010, 02:56 pm »
Hi everyone,

I was having a wander through the forums, and I suddenly realised that I have no idea about the different roles over the pond. So I was hoping some very kind people would be able to explain what the different roles of PSM, SM and ASM in the USA entail?

Thanks!  :)

Chris

On_Headset

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Re: Job Titles: USA Vs UK
« Reply #1 on: Aug 30, 2010, 06:50 pm »
Different companies have different structures, but the basic format is that PSMs supervise SMs who supervise ASMs. (In a smaller company, either PSMs or SMs may be omitted.) The structure does not necessarily dictate who will prepare the promptbook or who will call the show, just who has administrative responsibility to supervise and coordinate the remainder of the staff: on an extremely large production, the PSM might have no major production duties at all and exist entirely to take care of scheduling, staff and resource coordination, reconciling notes and information from their subordinates, and so on.

missliz

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Re: Job Titles: USA Vs UK
« Reply #2 on: Aug 30, 2010, 07:56 pm »
I posted this on another post about PSMs, but I think this article lays it out really well:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/141648-ASK-PLAYBILLCOM-Actors-Salaries-The-Levels-of-Stage-Management/pg2
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

MatthewShiner

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Re: Job Titles: USA Vs UK
« Reply #3 on: Aug 31, 2010, 12:55 pm »
I would be interested to hear a description of the UK SM's and I could try to connect them to the US counterparts.

I did a show the RSC . . . and was very confused by who did what normally - as we were all American, we did it the US system.
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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.

iamchristuffin

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Re: Job Titles: USA Vs UK
« Reply #4 on: Aug 31, 2010, 04:14 pm »
OK, so!

SM - Head of the team, liaises with Creatives, technical departments and FOH, scheduling, sometimes looking after the Company

DSM - Manages rehearsals, calls the show, writes Rehearsal/ Show Reports, scheduling,

ASM - Propping, looking after props during performances.

I found a great page that explains the roles in a deeper way - http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.anders/

Thanks

Chris