Fun game: Count how many times I say the word "process"... because it's a lot of times. What is your go-to advice for someone's first tech? Let me know! *PLUS* free shipping now available on all domestic orders at www.KentJamesCollins.com/store
Most important takeaway from my first tech process? That’s gotta be when I was a sound operator for my school’s play festival. I was pretty new to the technical side of theatre at the time and didn’t really understand how all the roles worked together. I was trying to “improve” (read: make changes to) my show file well after all the cues had been frozen and the SM recorded them in the prompt book. When someone saw what I was doing, I got told off for something I didn’t know was wrong. Now, when I’m stage manager I always make sure to explain to the tech crew (especially the newer folks) the importance of not changing the cues after everything is in my book, or if they absolutely have to change it, to then show and explain to me the change so I can write everything down. Great series, Kent! Thanks :)
Ohhhh my word Kent what a proper breakdown… soooo clear, so spot on, just what I was looking for!!! When you mentioned “Dry tech” I was like yeeeessss!!! That’s what me and my team needs to do tonight. I’m directing a production for my church, for our women’s conference and we are pressed for time and sort of are trying to work out everything close together, and I had been thinking of a best possible way to conduct today’s rehearsal with the tech team included and this video just covered everything I needed 🙌🏽♥️!! God bless you… I have subscribed on the channel 🤗.
Of course everyone's techs end up different, but some responses: -Boy I miss Paper Techs. They're very, very rare through these days. I'm lucky if I get a cue list in advance. Otherwise, it's helpful as SM to at least have talked through as much as possible with the director and the ASM so that there's a plan A--even if there hasn't been a chance to discuss with a designer. -Great point about cue-to-cues inevitably missing something. A cue-to-cue is another thing I haven't done in years due to that reason. -I've been in way, way more techs in full costume than out. The one summer stock where we teched out of costume we did do a QC rehearsal which was running from the end of one scene, through another, and into a third to check all the difficult changes, as determined by the Wardrobe Supervisor. Every other change was done in time, for the first time at the dress rehearsal that followed immediately after. I'm always in awe of wardrobe and our actors' capability to quick change.
Hi Kent hope you're doing well. I just left a comment about your segment on tracking props. Perhaps I shouldn't have said where I was or what show I was on, but all of them was such a great crew and in a very good mood for the whole week. It is a great show that people loved and sold out every show while they were here.
Thanks, Kent! I've been a board op with my company for almost 2 years and the managing & tech directors entrusted me as the Sound Designer for our current production. So I'm heading into my first tech period starting tomorrow as a full production team member...yikes! Your video really helped calm and center me (as has our TD, who's 100% cool), so I wanted you to know I appreciate your videos a great deal.😄
Not specifically, because to me it’s everything we’ve talked about so far! Having a preliminary run sheet, learning and understanding the show as much as possible, clear communication with departments, etc!
@@Sunrek In my experience, paper tech is not a time for a stage manager to receive cues, but they should have already received them in advance of this meeting and lead the designers and director through the cuing sequences so that everybody understands the storytelling that the cues are doing. There is, of course, opportunity for modification. But I strongly believe that it is not a time that a stage manager should be placing cues. It also is something I've never encountered outside of an academic setting... mostly due to cost (like Kent mentioned).
Fascinating! Thank you for this! When do you talk through complex sequences/transitions? Earlier production meetings? I find I need to understand the goal/storytelling element before the nitty-gritty of the actual cues and placement (ex a lighting designer saying “the light arrives as she rides the turntable” vs “call this on the second beat of the fifth measure”)
@@HalfHourCall Big transitions certainly come up in paper tech, but usually a lot of the stuff is explained in cue sheets I receive... followed by me calling the LD, for example, and saying, "Hey, can we talk about this before tech/paper tech?"
@@MrSonicMAJ @Half Hour Call I agree that Paper tech is not when you get cues. No one has time to sit and "place" cues for the stage manager. Their job is to understand the vision of the show and not have to be told where to place cues. Paper tech is a time to discuss that vision. However, I do tell student stage managers that they should "sketch in" information in their script while they are discussing it - if they have the luxury of a Paper tech discussion. So that when they get the lighting designer's script with criptic notes that they translate into cues, they understand the vision. (I've also NEVER received a cue list prior to tech. I've only ever photocopied the designers notes/script and figured out what they mean). But paper tech is also a luxury that rarely happens outside of Academia. And the idea that the designers have to take time out of their work to place cues with the SM is a bit of a ridiculous notion that should not be perpetuated. (I don't believe that Kent is suggesting this. But I've heard this a few times. Where is it coming from??)
