Tech Tips Sites

G'donya Don!

There is a lot of good ideas worth thinking about, although a lot I use anyway, there are some I never thought about?

Maybe you could start your own list of tips, on this forum &/or so the any of the other techies here, could add some of their trade secrets as well? 

Great site Don - Thanks!

Here is something that SM's could use, when they don't have a stopwatch handy, but they have a cell phone.

While it is primarily suggested for electricians  work sheets & doing their job times, {Gemcell EMag] it could be applied equally to productions.

When the show starts dial 1111

hang up after a few second or so.

Ist Act finale ends dial 2222 hang up again

2nd Act starts dial 3333 hang up again

Show ends dial 4444 hang up again

Then check your call list for all the call show times.

However it would probably be still cheaper to buy a stop watch in the long run.

What if you have a stop-watch feature on your phone? Or even a clock?

Sorry, just being cheeky. ;-)

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

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Finding an Age

bewdy Jeff!

I normally have a problem even understanding how to switch a cell phone on, in the first place.

{I didn't realise they have stop watches on phones these days?}

But for those that have not - I thought it may help SM's who are generally flat out, to even check or take note of the show times, at the start & finish of each acts. This way they can recall the info, without much thought or writing it down any where &/or trying to remember the time it started or whatever! 

Much the same as with working sparkies on Service calls.

As you would know, most SM's start the show & Acts religiously by the clock anyway.

However to be able to advise that the Act took this amount of time or that, as a production guide. Can be another story all together. Especially if it is the type of show, where the SM is hard pressed to get time for caffeine or a smokeo, during interval or even right after the show.

Much the same with electrical service calls, where one can be too knackered to remember the exact time anything took & resort to guestimations when filling out the job card or  invoicing later.

Of course systems are place normally within the service industry, but from experience even in the best organisation depending on work load, they are left to memory & empirical knowledge of the time it normally should take to perform the task.

Much the same with theatre, except in comeatre, where the timing of the performance & completing show reports. Are something that most SM's never indulge in & no one takes much heed of anyway. Which is more the pity, as the vast majority are doing it, as the pseudo prompter. Or given the job because they missed out on a part on stage &/or there is no one else to give the cues. Thus not working or held in the esteem of their position & also receiving constant interference from the director or others, who should have evaporated at the dress rehearsal. 

Spot on Jeff!

This is how it should work, but they are an elusive breed. Invariably the SM is a complete after thought, in much the same fashion as that of sets, lighting & the general Mise en scene.

Besides the initial choice of the show & some one to Direct it, the SM should be an integral part of all productions teams. In fact they should head up the logistics and operation of it, to the satisfaction of the director. [in most comeatre productions]

When ever you come across one, hang on to them, they are one of the best reusable production resource, along with techies.