Paperless World

[grasshoppr84]

        Over the past few years I have found this technical revolution to be both incredibly useful and incredibly frustrating... it's great to have multiple forms of communication and distribution options, but how to filter it down into something more manageable?
       I've been searching around and have seen a couple useful threads regarding the ever changing world of technology, but what I'm currently working on is a project that is combination of all things "distribition and communication" where I would love some outside input.

      In my first year with this company I have been given the task of modifying the communication system. All parties are encouraging a paperless route and these are the road blocks we've been hitting this past season.


 
    We're currently using google documents and everyone in the company is diligently uploading files and sharing them with all necessary parties. This is working well enough... but every file needs to be shared individually and it is time consuming. And since most of the people needing this information are not "in house"; the usual inter-networking filing system (multiple computers all in one building that have shared filling) won't work for us. Any suggestions similar to google docs but less tedious? Does anyone have experience with Google Wave?

     The ideal plan is to establish an internal network where our production team can access all designs, notes, research ect.  Though many of our directors and designers have worked with us for years, many are not local... so an online file system where they can access any information they would need from anywhere would be incredibly useful.


   The other key component of this project is the elimination of the paper callboard. We have a staff website that I've been modifying to be used as an electronic callboard essentially, but the problem with this is that anyone who does not have a company email account can't access it.  So all the guest actors and guest designers are hit and miss with this site. Though all scheduling information is emailed daily, it would be nice to have a place for things to be "posted" as well.
    I've thought about creating an actual website that can be viewed by anyone, but then we lose the sense of company privacy found in the callboard. Any suggestions? Also, even with constant reminders, how can I ensure that people are checking these things, as well as their email?

A basic list of everything I'm trying to incorporate into this new system is this:
              File sharing, schedules/call times, announcements, archives, calendar/events, contact information.

            With that, the three basic groups needing access are the Company/Staff, the Production Team, and the Actors.

Thanks all,
~Becky

[iamchristuffin]

Hi Becky,

How about a different take on Google Docs - a website that requires a username/password that you would assign to everyone, and on this website is essentially a server where Word/Excel/whatever documents are downloaded and uploaded by anyone? You could then give different groups of people different permissions - i.e. actors can view call times but can't upload a new one, etc.

Just a quick thought I had

HTH,

Chris

[planetmike]

You might check out using DropBox  (or referral link as a referral link from me) for your "file server." Dropbox automatically syncs files between multiple computers. I'm not sure how well it would scale with many people involved.

For shows I stage manage, I use a home-grown system combining WordPress and WebCalendar, and Mailman for announcement/discussion lists. WordPress lets people subscribe to new articles via RSS, or by using a plugin, updates can be emailed out automatically. I password protect the site so that the world can't see the info. I usually use one password for everyone. If I need to, I could set up individual usernames and passwords, but so far never have.

[brandiwb]

Check out this post:

http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,3141.msg19267.html#msg19267

It's about Virtual Callboard - I am currently in the 30 day trial period and am really loving it so far.  It might be helpful for you.

Brandi

[grasshoppr84]

Thanks so much guys!

 

I'll start with these ideas and keep you posted!

[Scott]

       
   The other key component of this project is the elimination of the paper callboard.

What a terrible idea!

[KMC]

       
   The other key component of this project is the elimination of the paper callboard.

What a terrible idea!

Scott - can you please elaborate here?  Slamming the idea as terrible without offering the reasoning for your opinion does not contribute much to the discussion! 

[babens]

Eliminating a physical callboard is a bad idea, especially when you have out of town actors, directors, or designers.  Believe it or not, there are still some people who don't travel with a laptop, and even some who don't use a computer at all. 

Let's say you do eliminate the callboard and go entirely virtual?  How do you ensure that all information is seen by the cast?  With a physical callboard that they have to walk past when entering the theatre and/or rehearsal space yes they may still not catch something, but then the fault is entirely on them.  With a virtual callboard the excuses that take the blame off of them easily add up.  And without the physical callboard where do you post any last minute notices?  You can't expect an actor, or anybody for that matter, to be logging into a website every ten minutes to see what has been posted.

[dallas10086]

I'm not 100% sure it could handle all of your needs, but Google Sites was very helpful in cutting down printed paperwork for me, and since it's Google you can integrate Calendar into it (I didn't try integrating Docs but I don't see why it wouldn't work). Designers uploaded their plans and lists, stage management did the same, and the actors had their own section for line notes, scripts, etc. You could make a separate site per production, or organize the pages somehow for each type of paperwork (page for scenic plots, page for light plots, etc.). If you would like to take a tour of the site we made for A Streetcar Named Desire PM me and I'll send you an invite...same for anyone else
We also made a virtual callboard for actors on the site, but we still kept a paper callboard as backup.

[PSMKay]

Taking a callboard to a virtual set-up seems to introduce too many routes of potential failure, not to mention requiring a lot of accessories that complicate an otherwise simple process.

Let's look at it point by point:
Setup: Callboard - find a wall, stick callboard on wall.  Add papers as necessary.
Virtual - find web space (usually requiring payment), write web code or configure existing code, send out log-in information (easily lost or forgotten), train all parties to use web space, find electric and web access in all locations in the theatre where site will need to be accessed, 90+ day learning curve to get people in the habit of checking something new.

Mobility: Callboard - take down call board, move to new location.  Explain new location to company.  Information cannot be accessed if people are not in the theatre.
Virtual - can be accessed anywhere, provided that people have either laptop, ipod, cell phone, etc. - not guaranteed.

Security: Callboard - if mounted in a room that can be locked, security is pretty much ensured.
Virtual - if it is online, there is NEVER a guarantee that other people will not see the data.  Your data is housed on a remote server somewhere in the world, maintained by strangers and subject to many outside forces.

Dependencies: Callboard - needs wall, mounting method, pushpins, pen.
Virtual: needs computer access, electricity, internet access.

Legality: Callboard - certain labor and union mandatory documents MUST be posted in an area visible by all employees, i.e. workman's comp and AEA contact information.  Callboard counts.  Virtual callboard - I don't think there is any precedent for this.

Other uses for call board that may not translate well to the web: Signing in for call times, rehearsals, etc.  Checking what's next on the rehearsal schedule *during* rehearsal. 

The web is a tool.  It is a wonderful and versatile tool, but it does have its limits. 

[MatthewShiner]

Just imagine the one night you don't have access to the web, and have to figure out an entirely new way to distribute information.  Or the night the actor's web enable phone dies because he left the charger in the rehearsal room.  Or, or, or.

Or, just think of loosing a hub of communication backstage that is the call board.  There is something in the historical and traditional sense that will be lost . . . I would personally hate to see the call board go the way of the dinosaur.

I think there is something to say about low tech solutions that are pretty much fool proof.

[ericjames]

I have to agree with Matthew and Kay and others about the Virtual Callboard (or at least only using a virtual callboard).  However, for sharing other information, I have recently started using Dropbox (see Planetmike's post).   Its great because it stores the file on the server and everyone just accesses it.  You don't actually download the file or anything, it updates online.     Oh.. and its free!

[grasshoppr84]

I'm not saying I'm completely for the elimination of the physical callboard, but I can’t say it is a terrible idea. One of the major things I’ve noticed with the iPhone/smart phone phenomenon is that it is definitely a faster form of communication than waiting for 15 actors to walk by the call board on any given day.

As for the point of out of towners who did not travel with a computer, that is not an issue for us. We have 3 to 5 resident company members for the season and then hire all the rest of cast locally. All of these actors have access to a computer and internet daily. Those who for some reason do not have access or prefer to not use the internet have had no issue with our current callboard set up and we make extra effort to keep them up to speed with hard copies and phone calls. Though I still post/print hard copies of everything, the vast majority of the cast and designers are constantly checking their emails/sites more often than they have ever checked a callboard. I have found that if something is sent out/posted online, 14 of the 15 actors know about it and have responded within 30 minutes of the change.


Another factor is the cost. We are a small theatre and the cost of a single hard copy is 8 cents. 15 cents for color. Looking at it from that perspective, to maintain and update a physical callboard it is costing the company daily. So if everyone in the company is pushing for a paperless option and is willing to shift their focus from the physical board to the online board, where is the harm?

That being said, the main focus of the project is not for the actors, it is for the production team. As I mentioned, most of our directors and designers are not local. We have many production meetings with conference calls and an online distribution center would make file sharing and callboard updates (that they wouldn’t see) incredibly useful. If we can utilize this program to also keep the actors more informed, I think it’s a step in the right direction.

This whole transition is a very strange one for me as all my background is with companies who still stand by the callboard and it’s physical presence… unfortunately, a physical callboard is not something that this company has found to be useful for them and their needs. I am trying to adapt with them and with the times. Though I don’t necessarily think the elimination is completely necessary, I do think that the virtual callboard may be a solution many companies will be leaning towards in the coming years.

[Sarah]

I agree with 99% of what a lot of folks have posted and am just playing the devil's advocate in this post.

The web is a tool.  It is a wonderful and versatile tool, but it does have its limits. 

(Truth!! But so does the physical callboard, although I am a big fan of its presence.)

Security: Callboard - if mounted in a room that can be locked, security is pretty much ensured.

You can't expect an actor, or anybody for that matter, to be logging into a website every ten minutes to see what has been posted.

What happens when actors do not have access to a physical callboard behind locked doors? Often, the schedule at my theatre is posted long after rehearsal ends. What actor is going to try and visit the theatre after they've been cut at 8:30P and rehearsal ends at 11:00P?  Actors would then be required to come to the building the next day before rehearsal to find out the call, and lo and behold, they are not called for the entire day and have gotten p.o.'d that they had to come to the building to find out the schedule. "I could've scheduled a massage!" "I wanted to go sightseeing!" "I had to pay three bucks for parking to find out the schedule!" In this digital age, we can't also expect an actor/someone-who-needs-to-know to check a physical callboard every ten minutes, either.

Or the night the actor's web enable phone dies because he left the charger in the rehearsal room.  Or, or, or.

So the actor can't call the hotline OR visit the building. What does he/she do then, in our age of immediacy?

As much as paper and pencil have been the pulp to print solution of our profession for so long, we need to embrace innovative technologies as sustainable options compatible with the communication pathways of Edison and Morse. We cannot ignore the Digital Revolution. Once upon a time, train tracks were thought amazing and now, outside of New England, how many people frequently travel by train?

[KMC]

We have gotten away from the original poster's initial question, but I think this is certainly a valuable discussion.  In my opinion the role of the digital callboard and "paperless world" lies somewhere between the two extremes.  Those that argue that a traditional paper callboard is outdated are ignoring restrictions that can be present in a rehearsal room or on productions.  Those that argue that a digital callboard has no place in theatre are ignoring the realities of technology.

Valid points have been raised on both sides of this argument and I have experienced both extremes.  In a University setting where everyone has internet access 2, 3, 4 times a day (yet may not go near the rehearsal room where the paper callboard is located) I found a digital callboard to be remarkably effective for communicating changes to schedule and posting resources for designers to use.  When I was SMing professionally on ships where about 5-6 people in a department of 60 had regular computer access a digital callboard would have been pretty silly to attempt; paper was clearly the most effective solution. 

The purpose of a callboard (paper, digital, whatever) is to communicate information.  Communication involves a sender, a receiver and a message.  Your job as the sender is to ensure the message is received and understood by the receiver.  Selecting the right media to use for your specific situation or production requires some flexibility, but as always the best managers are those who employ a flexible management style that can change and adapt to the needs of a situation.

Thre are advantages and disadvantages to both.  Kay and Matthew have both highlited some of the potential stumbling blocks of an entirely digital setup while Grasshoppr84's company seems to have found a solution that not only works but presents an opportunity for cost savings.

At the end of the day it's about evaluating the needs of the company and choosing the right tool for the job.