Saturday 20 December 2014

A Day In The Life Of A Production Manager

A day in the life of... A PRODUCTION MANAGER:
Load in day.
6am – check that extra copies of plans and schedules have been made, and that you have all paperwork, petty cash, and tools required to get you through the day (including food as it is unlikely you will get any meal breaks).
7am – Drive 3 tonne truck to theatre – truck is filled with set, props, costumes, programs, and technical equipment required for the show.
8am – check that all crew have arrived and gather them for venue safety induction.
8:15 am – Ensure that venue heads of departments are able to start work as per your production schedule (final draft after 10 amended drafts have been published, consulted on, and then reworked).  If crew are missing or deliveries haven’t arrived, follow up immediately and develop a strategy to absorb the impact of the deficit within the schedule.  Ensure that venue OHS requirements are being complied with including the use of PPE, management of space use, and restricted access.
8:30 – Supervise unloading of truck and dispersal of contents.
9:30 – Check items that have been unloaded for damage and/or appropriate certifications.  Consult with Venue technician to arrange testing and tagging of portable electrical appliances.  Consult with head mechanist to arrange any set repairs and any specific installation requirements and safety issues.  Consult with stage management about the supply and set up of dressing rooms and props.
10:30 – Manage the rotation of coffee breaks for crews, and specialised use of space to maximise use of time.  Liaise with the heads of departments about progress, impediments, and any required adjustments to schedules.
11:30 – Supervise the rigging of stage elements such as masking, flown scenery, and anything that requires specialist rigging skills and equipment.
1pm – Manage the rotation of lunch breaks for crew, and specialist use of time on stage to maximise efficiency.  Assess crewing requirements for the rest of the day in liaison with heads of departments and with an eye to budget allocations.  Action as appropriate and/or amend schedule and budget as required.  Liaise with Venue manager and General Manager on impact of changes.
2pm – Negotiate use of stage for the afternoon with Heads of Departments with regard to the production schedule, safety, and information that has been gained over the course of the morning.  Make adjustments as required and reallocate priorities where necessary.  Advise all crew that from this point they will be working in low light conditions.  Inspect the stage to ensure safety and organise tidying and sign posting where required.  Check with Stage Management that they have set up their office and are prepared for the week ahead.  Help problem solve any advised concerns.  Ensure a first aid station is established.  Ensure all security arrangements are in place i.e. a lock up for fire arms if required, space for children if required, facilities for animals if required, etc.
2:30 – Run errands such as shopping for extra lighting or rigging equipment or picking up items that could not be delivered.  Report to General Manager and/or Artistic Director regarding the progress of the load in and check that media appointments have been attended.
4:30 – Return to theatre and check with department heads that things are progressing and that no new difficulties have arisen.  Assist in problem solving and schedule adjustments as required.  Ensure that crew have taken their break.  If not, supervise breaks.
5pm – Liaise with stage management and front of house management about venue procedures, dissemination of programs, and opening night function arrangements.  Ensure that all signage is in place.
6pm – Manage the rotation of dinner break for crews and specialist use of time on stage.  Discuss crewing requirements for the rest of the day and the likely requirements for the next morning with heads of departments.  Action as appropriate.  Meet with the director and discuss progress, issues, delays and schedule changes.
7pm – Inspect stage area for safety before the next work sessions begin.  Supervise stage management in organising the back stage areas.  Liaise with department heads regarding what can be done during the next work session without interrupting the prioritised activity for the evening. At this point the lighting plot will most likely begin so this will usually mean working in low light and quiet conditions with frequent stoppages due to unexpected black outs, and no calling out or making loud noises permitted.
10:30pm – Call a halt to all work and supervise cleaning of the work space and powering down of all equipment.

11pm – Clear the building and drive truck home so that you can return it to the hire place the next morning before returning to the theatre.

Thursday 18 December 2014

A Day In The Life Of A Stage Manager

A day in the life of...A STAGE MANAGER:
Rehearsals

6am – Check that you have all props or costumes that you took home to make or repair ready to go. Finish anything that still needs to be done. Organise food because you probably won’t get a meal break.
7am – Go into company office to photocopy scripts and print out signage.  Buy coffee/tea items and any consumable props on the way.
8am – Go to rehearsal space.  Unlock everything, turn on heating and put up signage as required.  Update notice boards, sweep floor, check coffee/tea supplies and empty bins.  Set up costumes and props as required for the morning rehearsal and ensure that the rehearsal space is safe.  Turn on computer and check emails and deal with the most urgent.
9am – Liaise with Director regarding the intentions for the morning session.  Ensure cast sign in and follow up on anyone who is late.  Distribute schedules, contact lists, and scripts as required.  Check that the information disseminated is accurate and make updates if necessary.  Make any changes to the rehearsal space requested by the Director for the intended activities.
9:30 – Observe, record, and support rehearsal activities.  This may include operating sound cues, reading out lines for actors, moving props or set pieces around, making or receiving phone calls from the Production Manager or marketing and publicity manager or administrator. 
11am – Ensure that a tea break is taken.  Liaise with the Director about any requirements for the upcoming session.  Set up the rehearsal space for the next session. Liaise with performers regarding their requirements or upcoming absences.  Update the rehearsals schedule as required and update rehearsal notes.
11:15 – Support rehearsal activities as before.  May need to make phone calls to source props or costumes.
1pm – Organise lunch break for the cast.  Go to shops for any requirements that have emerged during the rehearsal (new props for example).  Liaise with designers (set, costume, lighting, sound, av) regarding their attendance in the rehearsal space and requirements they may have including work space, access to power, equipment set up.  Liaise with Production Manager regarding pick ups and deliveries.  Liaise with Marketing Manager regarding media calls.  Check emails and action as appropriate.  Reset rehearsals space for next session and tidy coffee/tea facilities.
2pm – Support rehearsal activities as before.
3:30 – Organise tea break.  Schedule media calls with Director and performers.  Discuss design requirements with designers.  Update rehearsal report.
5pm – Call an end to rehearsals.  Liaise with Director about following day’s activities.  Remind cast of rehearsal calls and costume fittings for the following day.  Complete rehearsal report which includes information regarding – rehearsal activities, attendance, OHS issues, upcoming meetings (production meetings, costume fittings, media calls, site visits, filming schedules, etc), rehearsal and design requirements, repairs and maintenance of set/props/costumes, and intentions for following day.  Disseminate report to Director, designers, Production Manager, Marketing Manager, General Manager, Artistic Director and Administrator to action as appropriate.  Organise petty cash receipts.  Tidy up show file (prompt script) and update props and costume lists. Tidy rehearsal space and wash dishes.  Inspect props and costumes for repairs and maintenance.  Power down all electrical items and heating and lock up the space.
6:30pm – Go home and have dinner.

7:30pm – make props or do repairs as required. 

Thursday 4 December 2014

Preparing for interviews

So, as you can see by my posts over the last couple of months, I have been doing some journalism for Melbourne.Arts.Fashion.  It began with theatre reviewing which is moderately comfortable ground for me.  I then expanded into sub-editing - again it is kind of a slightly more complex form of cutting and pasting, so not a huge stretch.  Most recently though, my editor has been sending me out to do interviews.

This freaked me out!  It feels like there is quite a lot of responsibility in reporting interviews.  First of all there is the research.  You have to research for reviews too, though, so that part was easy.  The difference is that you have to try and sift through the research to discover the questions you want to ask.

It is not that I want to be earth-shatteringly original, but I do kind of want to ask questions that are meaningful and will give the reader an insight to the artist or the work or the project.  I keep thinking about what people say about Oprah Winfrey and why she was so successful.  Almost without variation the commentary asserts that Oprah asks questions that people want to know the answer too.  That is what I want to do.

My first interview was with Jade Lillie.  I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and was petrified.  Luckily I did assume that would be the case and carefully prepared and wrote down my questions so I didn't really have to think.  I had also recently downloaded a recording app to my phone, so even though I took notes I didn't have to rely on them.

The other scary thing was that I had to take the photo to accompany the article.  I have never been into photography - even casual, personal photography.  It would not be an exaggeration to say that I went for at least 5 years without taking any photos.  Then all of a sudden I had to take some publicity shots for shows, and then take production photos because photographers didn't turn up.  Now my photos are being published with my articles.  I should point out that this is not any endorsement on my skills or 'eye', and my apparatus is a Sony Xperia phone.  It is probably more of a commentary on my journalistic status.

My second interview was a phone interview with Ash Grunwald.  I know nothing about music and even less about how to record whilst using a telephone.  I had two pieces of luck going for me with that one though.  Firstly, I have a Microsoft Surface tablet, so I could use that to record the interview.  All I had to do was put my phone in speaker mode.  Secondly, it was a phone interview so no photography was required.  I got really good feedback on that interview.

Suddenly things change though.  Tomorrow I have an interview with the creative team for the new Circus Oz show and guess what?  A photographer (a real one with equipment and everything!) is coming with me.

So, no pressure!  Today as I sit here researching and trying to come up with questions I realise that the content of the interview will have to be as exciting as the photographs which will accompany the piece. Aaargghhhhh.  The big question will be how much of their souls can I get them to bear in a piddly little half hour slot?  I guess we will know the answer to that question tomorrow...