Bobbsy Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Over the last few months I've noticed a number of posts from schools basically saying the same thing: "the production people don't tell us what they want so the lighting/sound was a last minute bodge". I'm paraphrasing here but that's the gist of it. The thing is, one of the good parts of working in a theatre environment should be the collaborative effort of working together with the actors, director, set designer, etc. to get the best product. Since this is a technical forum I'd love to be able to take the posts I mention at face value and blame the production people--but, in reality, I wonder to the "technical teams" are setting themselves apart and simply not getting involved. To be honest, I can't think of the last time I did a show without a reasonable degree of planning beforehand. USUALLY this is through meetings scheduled specifically by the production people but, if this doesn't appear to be happening, I've never--ever--had somebody say "no" if I make the first approach and ask for a get together to discuss sound requirements. Similarly, getting nearer the time, I've never been turned down when I've asked to come along to rehearsals and run-throughs so I can get a good idea of the staging and start to mark my script. Where sound effects are complex and need careful timing, I'll even lug along a basic playback rig and try things out at the run throughs. I've yet to meet a director who wasn't actually pleased to have this going on--it's one thing to tell an actor his cue will be the "crack of thunder" or whatever--it's another for him to suddenly hear it. So...the question is: if you're not getting the information you need, are you actively trying to get involved with the rehearsal process and become one of the team? If you're not, why not? And if you do try but get rebuffed, then what's wrong with schools? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 A few years ago we went into the rehearsal rooms for Panto, and a chap arrived and introduced himself as the sound man. I'd never had any technical staff ever at these things. As we went through, he chipped in frequently, played all the tracks and effects and overnight remade some to suit the Directors needs. Really handy having him there and well worth the extra costs as by the time we moved to the venue we had marked up scripts including all the changes, fully edited sfx and he had heard all the voices and worked out his mic placement. The Director really appreciated this, and it became 'the norm' for a couple of years. Last year, a venue with a different op, but he too was contracted from rehearsal week. This was really a happy accident, but proved to be so useful it is something the company try to do wherever they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcog Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I would just like to add that it isnt all schools that have this problem. At our school there is always very close discussion about what needs to happen on the technical side from the director and production team. Pretty much everything is planned well ahead of time and because of this, almost nothing is bodged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 Paul, that sounds much like the system used at the panto I worked for a number of years before leaving those chilly shores. I'd be contracted to attend a production meeting some weeks early to learn of any sound effects beyond the ones in "every" panto (and paid for some prep time for the specials) then I'd attend several of the runs in the final week before the bump in to test the effects and play with the "bumps, bangs and boings" and their timings. During the week there'd also be time to huddle with the MD about sound requirements for the orchestra and I'd be working out the RF plan for the actors/singers. Lighting and pyro would have also attended productions meetings and would be there for at least one full run just to watch. As a system it works well and, what it costs them extra in bringing in lighting and sound early is more than saved by a shorter, more efficient tech period in the theatre. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I suppose this is a tricky one. I know when I was in school we never had our own kit so a technical company who were always good to the school were hired in and we could learn bits and bats with them if we wanted. In our school we only had teachers from the music department who ran the musicals and not really people of an acting/dance background with any knowledge of Directing/Choreography... therefore the technicians just came in and did what they thought suited best with minimum effort I should imagine. I always saw it as the school production allowed anyone to do get involved but no-one was ever interested. At college though now we have meetings for everything and are encouraged to do so for efficiency purposes and the use of the team. It allows us as students to set deadlines for each other and time plot, also allows stage management to keep on top of things and report back to the team. As a group though we don't let the director sit in on our meetings unless its our tutor as we believe the Director should know what they want and just be able to give stage management there requirements who then gives it to us. I'de say production meetings are the most effective way for any school, just a shame you usualy end up getting on the end of someone on a power trip Jerome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I am in the position at my school where I try to arrange meetings or just try to come to a couple of rehearsals. Unfortunately this hardly ever works in the last dance show I did lighting for, I hadn't even heard the songs or seen any of the dances till 2 days before the show as the teacher thought it was a waste of her time talking about technical stuff before the week of the show. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_s Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Generally I would attend rehearsals from an early stage to allow me to get the feel for the show and (more importantly) how it's being directed, and to help me understand what the director wants the show to look like and what she wants/may want from the lighting. I'd discuss my ideas and what I've picked up on with her, and clarify any specific requirements she has (eg 'for the drug deal scene, Carmen must be followspotted on from DL across to the drug dealer DR, and I want it to look very dark and shadowy'). I'd continue to attend rehearsals, and regularly discuss issues or ideas that present themselves during the rehearsals. I think I may have an advantage over others though as I'm no longer a student at the school, but left three years ago. I can work quite closely with the entire production team without the 'I'm the teacher and what I say goes' problem that I imagine some must have. The shows also tend to happen once I'm free for the summer, so I have the ability to attend rehearsals frequently (for their last production of Fame I attended almost all of their rehearsals from May onwards - twice weekly minimum). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Langfeld Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Unfortunately this hardly ever works in the last dance show I did lighting for, I hadn't even heard the songs or seen any of the dances till 2 days before the show as the teacher thought it was a waste of her time talking about technical stuff before the week of the show. In these situations the best response, in my opinion, is to boycott the show on the basis of it being a waste of your time ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I would if it wasn't for the fact that it was the head teacher who asked me to do it. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamchristuffin Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I would if it wasn't for the fact that it was the head teacher who asked me to do it. Josh So? It's not like he can suspend or expel you for refusing to do some voluntary work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bleasdale Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Well I know what you mean bobbsy. Almost every school show I have done has been last minute! People just do not want to comunicate, and I have learned that comunication is an essential requirment within this industry. I enjoy the planning stages, if there where any, we have Grease in decmber and I have already prepered my patch, groups, memories, chases etc. All because I want to be organised. Martin have even shown me their support and are hopefully sending me some of thier demo stock! I think the bottom line is that people in schools are helping with performances hoping to get the idea of what it is like in the industry it's self and arn't. But hey! we cant do squat about it unfortunuly! I have said my piece, joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokm Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 So? It's not like he can suspend or expel you for refusing to do some voluntary work.No they can't do anything as serious as suspend/expel you, but if you end up leaving them in the s**t at the last minute, their likely to just not ask you again/kick you off the school tech crew. In the 'real world', something like that is probably up there ash one of the most un-professional things you can do.. So while you might not be being paid (i.e. be a professional) for working on the show as a member of you school tech crew, you should still try to act with some professionalism.. From back when I was a student I found the reality of it all is, in school scenario's where your a student tech, when things like music doesn't get given to you, running orders get changed and you don't get told & so on, all you an do is live with it and tell that that next time it needs to be different. Due to the obvious ways schools work, you don't really have much power other than to suggest things to teachers ;). T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaize110 Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Unfortunately this hardly ever works in the last dance show I did lighting for, I hadn't even heard the songs or seen any of the dances till 2 days before the show as the teacher thought it was a waste of her time talking about technical stuff before the week of the show. Josh Thats the similar attitute that many people at my school take. Because the crew have the ability to do something at the last minute it is presumed thats this is how things work. This is something that we are currently fighting a loosing battle against with talking to people and giving out information packs on "how to make the ideal cue sheet and technical script" about a month before hand... We tried intoducing a "1 week notice for large events and 24 hours notice for an assembly" policy but when it is teachers asking for it, as tokm said, its hard to say "screw you" and walk out on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I would if it wasn't for the fact that it was the head teacher who asked me to do it. Josh So? It's not like he can suspend or expel you for refusing to do some voluntary work.No but she can make my school life a lot harder. As my predecessor found out. His final advice to me before he left for Uni was to never get on the principals bad side. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve h Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I think it also has to come down partly to the prioritiy the person in charge of the event (whether it be an assambly or full blown show) puts on the technical side of things. As in many schools tech isnt something that is always there, they learn to do without, and so when they can have it it is often left to the last minute. I know myself at the start I found myself running around doing my best to find out what was wanted, but when they saw the results they started to talk to me more in advance and so things improved. I did get asked once at an assembly by a teacher "how come you have done this for x's assembly and not mine", to which I simply replied "I was asked to do this, if you ask me I will gladly do yours as well" - and next time it was their assembly they did! A very tired,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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