Generally, I tend to respect the law... I don't speed much... I don't cheat on my taxes... I do tend to park where I shouldn't, but that's mainly because there is no parking left in my town... However, on the whole, I tend to stay inside the law... I even respect most cops in my town since, this is a crappy town, and I sure wouldn't be a cop here... However, I see this all the time here, and it really sets me off against the guilty cops... Seemingly all day, the cops around here have decided that they don't ahve to wait for the red lights... They pause, and if its safe, they turn on their strobes, and run through, and then the strobes are off right away after they're clear... If they were headed someplace in a hurry, to nail some criminal, then go ahead... But honestly, as often as I see it, that just can't be the case (we'd be crime free by now, and we sure as hell aren't)... Its times like these that it doesn't bother me when they're refered to as "pigs"...
So today was a beutifull day here in central Jersey... Weather was spring-like in fact... I managed to finish the little project for Monday pretty early, so I figured I'd get out and get some things done I've been trying to find time for... First and formost was to replace my cell phone, sinc eI haven't liked the one I had sine I got it a year and a half ago... So off I go to the cell phone place, which I have always found to be staffed by annoying people, but hey, the cell service is better than the compitition around here... I went in there, knowing exactly what I wanted... I had done my research on what they offered online, to save myself as much as possible from the oh-so-helpfull sales people... As expected, I was intercepted before I could get more than 5 feet inside the door... This idiot started right in on the hard sell why I should switch to their network... So I let him ramble for a moment before interupting to mention I was already on their network... That seemed to disappoint him massively, and he skulked back to his ambush point... I did manage to make it back to the actual phone display before the next leach struck... What I really wanted to do was play with the phone I had in mind, to make sure it was what I thought it would be... But alas, it was not to be, as there was no battery in the unit on display, so I was stuck having to communicate to the "expert"... I explained that I wanted a new phone, but somehow he heard "new plan"... So I tried again, and this time I explained in small words that I just wanted a new phone, no other changes are needed, nor are they desired... He too looked depressed, but I guess it was his misfortune to have to handle people like me... So over to his desk we go, where I am asked my phone number 3 times... (doesn't this guy deal with phone numbers all day?... can't he remember 10 digits for more than 5 seconds?) At which point he tells me I really should wait untill October to do this, when I will have been a client long enough to get a $100 credit toward a new phone... Hello? October? Its Febuary last I checked... If I was in the store in Febuary, why would he think I would want to wait untill October... So I told him, I'd survive paying for the phone, at which point I felt I was now on the right track... It was not yet to be... He then goes on about how I should wait untill March 8 so I can take advantage of all my minutes in this billing cycle... Honestly, if I took advantage of all the minutes I have, I'd have microwaved my brain into a steaming pile of mush... So I told him to just go ahead and make the change today... He asks if I'm concerned about the time I'm looseing, and I answer yet again, NO! Sell me the damn phone, or get me someone who will without further "help"!.. After sitting back down in the chair he had somewhat jumped out of, I told him I wanted a car instalation kit as well... Answers he "It comes with one". Retorts I "No, it comes with a car charger, and an earphone/mic deal, not a hands free car instalation kit that I just asked you for". At this point the glazed look comes over his eyes... He stammers that no such thing exists for this phone... So I gave up at that point, I know I can get it direct from Nokia, and I proceeded with just getting the phone... Almost 45 minutes after going in the door, I finally got out, and I was in just a wonderfull mood... Perfect time to go shopping for games for my X-Box...
In to a major chain electronics superstore I go... Again, I know what I want, and usually this is a breeze since the games are actually on display instead of locked up... So I am standing there with 3 FPS games in my hand. (First Person Shooter) When I feel a presence next to me. "Can I help you with anything?" Comes drifting down from the sales guy... Ok, no biggie, that's the guy's job, so I said no thanks, and assumed that'd be the end of our conversation... It was not to be... He then goes on with "I guess you like the FPS games" I answer yea somewhat distantly, at which point he goes into the hard sell on a new controller style. So it was then that the irritation of the cell phone guy caught up with me... I stood up and asked the guy what part of "No Thanks" did he not understand? Did I use to mant syllables?... Should I simply have grunted No?... Or perhaps I should have taken a rolled up newspaper and smacked him on the nose after the no to condition him to what no meant?.." Well he too skulked away back to hastle someone else... I payed and got out of there...
I swear, I must look like someone that will put up with these idiots stupidity...
Last night, I was out at my usual pub... After the people I was sitting with headed home for the evening, I was sitting there, just enjoying my Guinness, surrounded by the usual noise of a night bar crowd... The people speaking, plus the jukebox, plus a game of foosball, all blends together into a basicly unintelligible white noise... (white noise is the presence of all frequencies within the scope of our hearing... think of the static you get when you TV signal goes down... not to be confused with pink noise, which is processed white noise that sound guys use to tweak their sound systems... but there I go digressing again...) The odd thing was that as I sat there awash in the cacophony, I managed to pick up on two words from a conversation three tables away... "Freelance Carpentry" Now, I suppose that I hear those two words put together quite often, just due to working in the production side of the arts... How in the world I filtered out just those two words though, I can't imagine... I even tried evesdropping on the rest of their conversation to see if they were talking about arts carpentry, or construction carps, or something else, but I couldn't make out a single word after that... Someone tell me how that works...
A question came up in the comments about just how much stuff to hang on to from shows you may work on... I started answering there, but it got a tad larger than I expected... So here's the diatribe...
Ahhh... The question of how much stuff to store... Naturally anything you actually create in terms of paperwork and notes is good. Always try to get a few good pictures of the set under the stage lighting with some actors. (rather than just the work lights that are on when the show isn't running) After a while all the shows will blend together, and the picture will bring it all back together mentally. As an stage manager, your binder of stuff would probably already have miniature groundplans, but if there is a full size one available that is nice to hang on to as well since the miniature ones will loose some of their meaning over time. If you have done costumes, then photos naturally, perhaps the designer's rendering if you can get it... Beyond that I'm not sure what a costumer might save... Scenic people (set carps, and scenic artists) photos of the build process, as well as the finished product. Prints, notes, renderings, whatever you used to get the job done. For scenic designers, naturally all the paperwork and drawings, plus renderings, and sometimes the model that they almost always make... Lighting designers keep their renderings, the light plot and paperwork, and usually take the best photos since they are having to archive something intangible... Electricians keep the plot and paperwork, plus whatever rental info they end up with... I've no idea what directors and actors keep (apart from a high opinion of themselves).
What we keep here (since we're a company, rather than an individual) is all the CAD files we develop, the origional designer drawings, paint samples, invoices and quotes, and after each show I do a post-show set of notes. The post show helps us because we often do the same show the next year, but they are good for anything to help you remember what problems you ran across, and their solutions. We also keep a lot of notes on whatever room, or theatre, or arena we are working in since odds are we will be back there at some point.
When you are just starting out, the simplest solution is to keep everything you can. If you are trying to get into a college for theatre, they may ask for your portfolio, which few HS students really have... At that point you can ask them what they would like to see in the portfolio and then throw whatever you have together to meet their desires...
Also, collecting references is almost more important than collecting stuff. (well once you are out of the educational, jump through this hoop type of setting) If you go into production, most of the time you will not get asked for a portfolio. They will want your resume, and references. Designers have to keep their portfolio up to date, and yet be able to customize it to the people, and situation they are interviewing for. (once you build up enough stuff to have a surplus that is)
For some reason, I still have my portfolio from college. The last time I used it was my first job interview for a position at a university. After that, it has sat in my apartment, getting carefully shipped from place to place as I moved, and I expect it will rot apart befor eI ever use it again. (anyone need a portfolio?... I recall paying a pretty penny for that thing, and I hate seeing it not being used)
I came in early today, yet again, to wait on the material I mentioned yesterday... You would think that after two scathing phone conversations yesterday, they might, just might, get my stuff to me this morning. You'd be wrong... Wait though, it keeps getting better...
It's now 11:38... The woman I have been dealing with at their office calls my office phone and announces that the truck is outside, and why won't I answer the door?... So I think to myself, how strange, my door is open... I leaned over to the window, and noted that was still the case, but to make sure, I put her on hold and headed downstairs to look around the parking lot. Finding no truck full of metal, I returned to my cozy chair, and picked up the phone. She was not amused at haveing been kept on hold, the poor thing... So I mentioned that there was no truck outside, and that I had even looked around the back of the building, at which point she starts telling me that the truck is sitting right in front of my roll door on such and such road. Funny I thought, my roll door isn't on a road, nor is my street address on the road she mentioned, as a matter of fact, there is no street of that name in this town. I mentioned this to her, and she asked if this was the number for another production company (which not only did I know them, but they are now out of business, under shady circumstances, 15 or 20 miles from here, but I digress), and after telling her no, she appologised and hung up before I could explain what I had already figured out. Well, before I could look up their phone number again, my cell rings (well vibrates, but that's not important right now). This time, its one of their head sales managers to tell me that the truck is out front, and I should open the door. (I love how these people seem to know that their truck is out in front of my place, without actually being here, but again, I digress) So I explained that I thought perhaps they should check the shipping address and even the billing address, since I thought there might be an issue... And it was at this point that a light must have come on over someone's head over there... So now after over a week of waiting, they are actually heading to the correct address supposedly... It should be amuseing when they get here, as I have a terrible feeling that the material they are sending me is not what I ordered, based on the fact that they said it was only 12 feet long... Tube (hollow), which is what I ordered, comes in either 20 or 24 foot lengths, while solid bar usually comes at 12'... That's not a guarentee, but the way the rest of this order has gone, I would put money on it...
Is it time to go home yet for the day?
Update: (like you actually cared...) I officially gave up... After 2:45 I called them, cancelled the order, then informed them I would not be troubleing them to actually do their jobs in the future... I hope some manager there rolls some heads over this, but it won't matter to me in the future...
I've always been a bit of a space nut... (no, I did not say spacey) It was one of those things you kinda dream about when you're a kid... Back when I was planning on going into meteorology, I thought it would be incredibly interesting to study the weather on the other planets... Yea, I know, that's a bit odd, but hey why not... Anyway, I tend to read a good bit of the space news, and some blogs that talk space frequently... So via Rocket Jones, (in some way, dunno if it was direct) I ran across this site... If you've got an intrest in space, and space exploration, and have some time (and you're not scared of some math/numbers) give it a read...
See... Random bits of linkage are the result of me haveing way too much time on my hands, and a DSL line in my office...
Some time ago I ran across Two Nervous Dogs, and found it quite good... 'course about that time, it seems to have disappeared... Now, its back (well its been back, but I've been busy as you know) and its always worth a look at... This is one blog that just take itself too seriously, as we all shouldn't! I suspect my stray cat's wouldn't approve of a dog blog on my list, but they'll survive...
So as I sit here in my office, waiting for a delivery, I thought I'd drone on a bit about inept suppliers...
The entertainment industry being what it is, creates insanely short deadlines. Those deadlines in turn mean that the suppliers that a shop uses, really needs to be on top of their game. For instance, my lumber supplier is usually pretty good about letting me know if they are out of something almost immeadiatly, without letting me find out when the delivery truck shows up. That lets me either change how I was going to build something, or put in a second order with another supplier, or wait for my main supplier to get in their next shipment. Often, I can wait, simply by working on something else, or because I keep a stock of the usual materials in house, and the order would simply replenish that stock... Some companies don't seem to work that way. For many years, I was relitively happy with my metal supplier. They did have the occasional delay they did not inform me about, but that wasn't the norm. Unfortunatly, they decided they'd had enough, and closed up shop, sold their land to a developer, and all moved to Florida to retire. Since then, I've been useing a few different options to find one I'm happy with. As of today, another one gets crossed of the list...
It was a small order, and I understand when small orders don't quite get the priority they need, but this is rediculous. We were told that the material in question would be delivered on the 13th hopefully, but they couldn't be sure, however they did assure me that it would be in on the 17th immediatly following president's day. That would have been just fine knowing my delivery schedule. Well the 17th came and went, and I honestly forgot about it... then the 18th, and on the 19th I remembered my wayward material just after the supplier closed for the day. Fortunatly, the scenic units they were for are currently on hold, so I really didn't need this stuff... So the 20th I was in Philly, meaning I couldn't call them untill the 23rd. Yesterday, I called them to find out what the story was, and they got snippy with me since apparently they sent a truck here Friday and I had the indecency to not be here, nor did I inform them of my would-be absence. Being in something of a pleasant mood yesterday, I appologised for missing them, and explained that we don't keep regular hours since we do not have any walk-in customers, that is why we always schedule deliveries... Well they told me they could send the material out on the truck today, and drop it first thing, as long as I assured them I'd be here at 8:30am... I did that grudgeingly, since we have no current projects, and I was planning on sleeping in, but I was here at 7:30am, just to be damn sure... Guess what... No material... So I called them around 1:15pm, and I was in a foul mood already from something else I imagine will end up as a post. (just not yet... need to see where the dice fall at the moment) I got the same person on the phone, and was told that she was sure it had been delivered. Naturally, I explained that it had not, and she asked if it had perhaps been signed for by someone else and misplaced... Sure, that's logical right?... My shop is 30' x 60', and I can see just about every square inch of this place from the window I sit by in my office... There are no employees here at this time to sign for anything. I assured her that that was not possible, and asked her to check the shipping manafests for the day... She then comes back with, "I don't see you anywhere here, are you sure it was for today?" It is at this point I snapped, and started yelling... I didn't need to request a manager being put on the line, it just happened suddenly... After chewing on that poor guy for a while (hey, he wasnt the one that set me off) I was told they would look into where my material was, and they'd call back. This process should take about 30 minutes... Go through all the manafests for the day, and call the driver that has the material, or find the material still on the rack in the warehouse... This isn't hard... Their warehouse isn't that big that they could loose this stuff... They only have 6 trucks... The time is now 2:42... I think I'm going to make another phone call...
So as I mentioned yesterday, I had to head to Philly today to take my continuing nightmare show out… So many thing have been so miserable with this entire production that I have found my level of shock has been raised… What I mean is that, on any other production, I would have been outraged if there was no coffee/tea/soda for the entire tech week… Since that happened on this show, it just seemed to be another minor bit of the continuing stupidity… Today was no different… Allow me to explain…
I got up today at 5am to get to the theatre, ready to break down at 8am… Naturally, I was a little early, so I wasn’t surprised that the only other people around were the two truck drivers for the semi’s… Around 7:50, the Production Manager came around, and asked if I had seen anyone, which of course I hadn’t… Well come 8:00, and there isn’t any crew, I accept that somehow the day is winding itself up to a major SNAFU… PM tells me that they had discussed striking at 9am, and perhaps they had gotten confused… Of course they had also discussed striking on Saturday, as well as Next Sunday, so that offered me little hope… Several phone calls later, I am informed that there was a breakdown someplace between company management, and the theatre management… The theatre isn’t even sure if they can release the set to us… (that translates to, they don’t know if the tour owes them any more money yet) So, I’m told, to wait while they work it out… As a side note, I’m standing in an alley at this point and the temp is around 36 degrees… As you might imagine I am not thrilled with the idea of waiting around… Some time later, about the time I was loosing feeling in my fingers and toes, I am informed that we will indeed be striking today, and they were working on getting us in the space so we can start the process while they somehow pull a crew in to do this, and load the trucks… Well we got the set down, and just started to load the truck, when I find out I am now putting scenery on the wrong truck… Apparently there is going to be some shuffling of sound and lighting equipment, so they were shipping that back on a 48’ truck as opposed to the 53’ truck we usually use… You’re thinking hey, its only 5’ right?... Let me tell you, 5’ makes a massive difference, especially since I had to haul the musical instruments on my scenery truck this time too… So we had to unload the scenery, and swap trucks… Now by the time I have the alley cleared of cars to swap trucks and start them moving, sound and lights finished up striking, and suggested they load first since their truck was there… I’m thinking, hey, that’s logical, so we put the trucks back where they were, and load sound and lights… Unfortunately, the sound and lights guys want their truck to leave immediately, which will be difficult since we’re backed into a one way alley, barely one truck wide, and the trucks are heading the wrong direction on that alley… The logical thing to do, is back sound and lights up 70’, take 40 minutes to load my scenery, and they both pull out together… Alas it was not to be as the sound and lights guys whined louder than I did, so we lost another 30 minutes to that debate and the great truck swap… So finally I got my truck in, and now everyone is tired, and cranky, and my scenery is getting tossed around… They’re bringing units on the truck so fast I could barely figure out where they go, and the pack is a massive mess… I am hoping desperately that I didn’t forget to strap anything, but I’m just not sure… I have a sinking feeling I’m going to have lots of damage (aka Road Rash) to figure out in the next venue…
The point of all this, is that somehow, while I am irritated about all of this, I’m not in the least shocked… Somehow no matter how simple something is, and strikes are pretty damn simple folks, it is almost guaranteed to go horribly wrong when working on this show… Today is also the last time I am polite and allow sound/lights to get out the door before me… They can wait ‘till hell freezes over from now on. My day went from what should have been 3 hours to 7 hours… I can’t wait until this crappy show tanks…
Well, hard as it is for me to beleave, I've now been at this for 6 months... I suppose I should have something to say about this minor milestone, but alas I don't... Thanks to those of you out there that are reading my little corner of the world on anything like a regular basis... In particular, thanks to those who make the occasional comment since it does two things... First it drowns out the sound of the crickets, letting me know someone is actually out there... Second, it often gives me a jumping off point to another post...
And now back to your regularly scheduled rambling...
A couple weeks ago, Ted asked about the qualifications forthe job when I was rambling on about not being able to find a scenic artist... A few days ago Headcount asked me a few more questions about scenic artists and the job market... What I want to know is why do people like to ask me about jobs I'm really not good at... lol... Here are my thoughts on scenics...
Qualifications: This is difficult, as many people go about scenic work in different ways... Mostly its the end result that matters most... Here's whatI look for when I'm searching for a new scenic.
Ok, that's what I look for sorta... As for Headcount's questions...
As a scenic, you tend to be the "artistic" one in a shop enviroment... The carps are just that frequently... The Technical Director, should have a bit of a clue about scenic work, but they are usually from a carpentry background... You will get the questions from the TD about what the heck the designer meant when he said it needs to be more "froofy", or my favorite of all time, more "googy" (pronounced - goo gee) or whatever other silly discriptive word tumbles out of the designer's mouth...
And here ends my thoughts on the realm of Scenic Artists...
So the silliness associated with my nightmare show continues... After Richmond, we were supposed to go to Philidelphia, then Washington DC, then back to Philly, and then back to DC... (hey, you find the logic in moving it like that, tell me, I was sure lost...) Anyway, they decided to just cancel the first DC week, and they somehow just stayed put in Philly, the theory being they would play for 3 weeks in Philly... Yea, that's going to work... But I digress... They just called me to say, hey, we're loading out at 8am tommorow... Hello?... Strikes are supposed to be on Sundays for this show... And its not supposed to strike for another week... So now they are going to have it sit in the trucks for a week, then put it in down in DC, at the same time they are makeing some major changes in production companies. (sound and lights apparently, they're stuck with me... or is that the other way around...) I swear, this thing is going to tank soon... I know they have lost a ton of money already... Playing games like they are now will only make that leak get bigger... Everybody say my new mantra with me... C.O.D... C.O.D...
I just hope they learn something from all this... Next time they may play the game correctly... That is if there is a next time...
Ok... I finally went through and updated things on the blogroll... I think I've got current addresses on everything that is in there now, plus I did a bit of shuffeling since I'm just not getting around to reading many blogs these days... (and I finally managed to remember to put TTLB on the blogroll... how'd I not do that before... geesh...) Some of the links go to blogs that may or may not be dead/on hiatus... I'm leaveing them there untill I am well and truly shure they are dead and gone... The new Reciprical catagory is there for those incoming links I get on TTLB from blogs I don't actually read (or haven't yet)... Some of them I'll be damned if I can even find where the link to my place is... I figure what the heck though, its got to be there someplace, so the least I could do is throw one back their way... (not like they'll be innundated with traffic from my little corner of the blogosphere...)
Updated: Ok... Anyone else find an incorrect address?... My apologies to Q and O, I clearly remember fixing your address, but I must have hit the wrong button in saveing it.
Ages ago, (ok, it was only back on Jan 11, but it seems like a few months to me) Mookie asked me a few questions about how to prepare for a life in technical theatre...
What type of classes to take?... Well I'll assume you're talking HS classes at the moment... Naturally anything your school offers in theatre is a good start. After that, I'd recomend anything in the arts, like painting, sculpture, graphic arts (that one is becoming more important, especially just outside "theatre" and into the commercial side of production). Also, if you have any drafting class options, particularly in one of the CAD programs, as well as computer graphics. You can also take any of the shop type classes, and get a start on being comfortable around tools. I took a whole pile of electronics classes in HS and they have served me well to this day.
After all those which seem somewhat obvious, come the less enjoyable classes. (well to most people anyway) Geometry is one that you will actually use frequently in a shop. Pay close attention to constructions, and things like areas, perimiters, the dreaded trig formulas, etc... Anything that involves shapes and things you may see in reality... All the work on proofs, and the more theoretical things are less pressing, but many of the formulas are helpfull... Think of it as learning how everything works rather than why... We don't worry about the proof of why Pathagorean's Theorem works on the shop floor, but we use it now and again.
Any of the history classes can serve you well. In college you will get slammed with tons of theatre history, and it is often helpfull to have a grasp of what was going on at the same time to drive the trends in theatre histoy...
Physics... Ugh, I hated physics... However, I'm stuck useing some of it to calculate loads and such on scenery, and rigging equipment... One year of physics will cover all the concepts you would need to understand to be able to handle what may get thrown at you in college theatre classes on technology... You would get taught the things that apply to theatre in the specific class in question, but having the background in the math and formulas helps a ton.
Literature classes... Anything will help here probably... In college you will get dumpped on with lit and playscript classes... Knowing how to get through lots of literature in a hurry and find what your teachers are looking for is a huge advantage... Plus you'll have a good start on writeing papers, and you might get lucky and cover some material you've done before to lighten your load... People will howel in protest here, but in college most teachers usually aren't excited about finding someone that thinks differently than they do... Start learning how to read your teachers to find out what they want to hear, its the easiest way to get through undergrad... Just make sure you don't start thinking that way all the time...
Now, as for what college (preferably in VA) to look at... While I was down in Richmond, I got to spend quite a bit of time driveing around picking up things to tweak the set, and help out other departments... Since the theatre is surrounded by VCU, I got to see a lot of their buildings... They obviously have a serious commitment to the arts... Not just theatre, but the arts on a whole... So I sat down with my friend from Richmond who happened to attend VCU for theatre, and picked her brain a bit... From that conversation, I feel that VCU has the act together in a big way... You get the added bonus of haveing a good arts commitment outside the theatre, so there are excellent classes on sculpture, and fine art, and art history, etc... There are also it seems a number of theatres and performing groups in town, plus the road houses like my show was in, so you can get a wider exposure to theatre. The thing to remember is that classes are great, and they can teach you many of the tools, but nothing replaces experienceing theatre live, and working on shows... When I look at a resume for someone looking for work with my company, I only glance at the school they attended. The more important thing is what have they actually done... I want to see portfolio shots, and I want to see references outside the educational system. Since many theatre department faculty went from grad school to teaching, many of them have no sence of reality and what you need to work outside educational theatre... Seeing outside experience is the best thing you can have coming out of college on your resume. After your second or third job after college, nobody is going to care where you went except as casual conversation. Very few places are going to care ever about your GPA in college unless you are going for grad school or a teaching position... (that's not to say you should be a slacker in college!)
Well I survived my week in Richmond... The set went in outstandingly well!... Yet another tribute to the guys that actually built it... It was a long week... A painfull week... A week of surviveing an overly long show that needs serious work... It was a week of almost no food... A week of too much coffee with hot cocoa mixed in it... A week of getting a local shop in Richmond to build me things that people just decided they had to have... In all, it was a mind-numbingly stupid week... I got back in town yesterday, and then I had to load the show into a theatre in Philadelphia this morning... Tommorow I am going to get to do laundry for the first time in I can't remember how long... How sad is it when you get excited about doing your laundry?... Well as the week progresses, I'll get some of the stories up from last week... I'm also going to get to those questions I've been hanging on to untill I had a breather...
More Later I suspect...