#production manager

[blondebrainpowered]

In 2022 footage was unearthed in Minnesota’s WCCO film library of Prince at age 11 being interviewed during a Minneapolis teachers strike, in 1970.

While digging around in old news film in the basement of the WCCO TV station for footage of the 1970 Minneapolis teachers strike, production manager Matt Liddy found footage of what proved to be Prince at 11 years old, being interviewed by a reporter, outside his former junior high school Lincoln Junior High School.

"I think they should get a better education too cause, um, and I think they should get some more money cause they work, they be working extra hours for us and all that stuff."

[whatislifebesidesrehearsal]

Production Manager: and they're like 'goddamn it I gotta go find my eagle'

[listenthreetimes]

How much the show last week wore me out 😴 I have the weekend off and I slept 12 hours both Friday and Saturday nights. Exhausted. I have one slow week before another big one like this. I shouldn’t complain though, because the money is insane, and I secured a client that wants to take me internationally next year to multiple places I’ve never been. So worth busting my ass for free flights and five star hotels in Madrid, Paris, London, Sydney, and who knows where else in the US.

[thankyoufive]

tldr - i miss you if you also miss me come hang out on instagram where i’m going to bring the pprwrk and mgmt party you know and love.

I miss you, tumblr.

And I know I know: it’s been about 10 weeks, time for Tiffany to hop on tumblr and talk about how she misses it it and then ghost tf outta there. 

But as all of the world was transitioning to working virtually, I found myself using skills I forgot about. 

Putting to work and testing things I had wanted to use but didn’t have time before to just click around figure it out. Confirming that ideas I had would work as long as everyone bought into them and played along. Making documents, emails, and postings about how to use certain settings in an Excel sheet or navigate software... and I realized that this is a new phase of being, working, thinking, and creating for ALL of us but that I’d be fooling myself if this was any sort of reinvention. It was coming back to the things that really bring me joy... the mundane things. Excel formulas, nice headings in Word, the satisfaction of checking things off on a list and the deeper knowledge that clicking

It is also not lost on me that I have the privilege to have tangible work now and in the future (while things remain the way they are of course I ain’t out here jinxing things y’all). Things will be rescheduled, and things will look different, but we have not yet cancelled any productions for the rest of 2020. And then there are still virtual services every week. There will be advent. There will continue to be ways to use and grow the skills I have in ways I have not even realized... and honestly, this way of learning *new* skills? Of being sent a manual or a link or a tutorial video and hoping for the best? THAT HAPPENS TO BE HOW I LEARN BEST SO BUCKLE UP I’M UNSTOPPABLE RIGHT NOW *^.

So I’m not super sure what I’m trying to say, other than I’m just ready to return to sharing the things that have always brought me joy and created some really important connections and interactions. I have grown since neglecting you, SMblr, but I am the same nerd who wants to talk about stage management and paperwork and life and NBC comedy and nature documentaries with you.

That said: I want it to happen seamlessly... And right now, where I’m gravitating is instagram (thankyoufive there as well)~. That will be where you’ll find most of my shenanigans... I’ll start posting more about my paperwork, templates, and management experiences. There will inevitably come a time when something requires a longer post. And I, me being the *expert linguist* I am, will opt to write 1000 words about it rather than put a video together. And I’ll come running back to your weird, arms made of the industry standard 4″ of meat. 

I hope you’re safe. I hope you’re well. Let’s get back to business. <3

FOOTNOTES:

*... there is a contrarian part of me that wants to NOT do it right now on principle because EVERYONE is going online and I already DID THAT and blahblahblah shut UP inner critic you are v boring and insufferable. I’m going to do it anyway.

^ ...there is another very boring part of my brain telling me that this is not the time to do it and it doesn’t matter and there are so many other stage managers who have started doing this so who in their right mind wants to hear from me. shut up brain. 0/10 boring and insufferable. I’m going to do it anyway. 

 ~ If you’re asking yourself “How did she snag thankyoufive on both tumblr and instagram?”, the answer is that I am an ancient horror and have been screaming on the internet about stage management, paperwork, documents, and word processing programs for longer than I care to acknowledge. I’m going to continue to do it anyway. 

[shouldvehadatveit]

I cant even begin to describe how devastating it is to be working so hard to try and find a career you feel you're good at; only to end up feeling like a complete and utter failure thanks to the attitudes of those teaching you. Like, I 10000% know what I need to improve on. I also 100000% know what I'm good at. Yet I constantly get the feeling from my instructors like I'm doing everything wrong and really the only people who acknowledge what I'm good at are fellow students. Its absolutely crushing leaving every night feeling like you need to give up on your career goals and start over

[thoughts-of-a-stagemanager]

The importance of staying calm

I want to tell you all a story of the importance of staying calm:

Two weeks before rehearsals were to start for a show I am currently working. I bumped into one of my ASM’s while heading out to lunch who told me she had to drop from the show due to reasons beyond her control (and they were very valid reasons).

Cue why emailing skills are so important:

First things first I had my ASM email the production manager while I drafted up another email to also tell the production manager I was looking for a new ASM. 

While all this was happening, context for you all:

The week before we had four actors drop from the show, followed by the morning of the day my ASM told me she was dropping, the lead actor in the show emailed me and told me she was dropping from the show for yet again, a very valid reason and it seemed the director and I were the only people who knew.

This I knew was going to cause a ton of emotional distress on our already emotional distressed director (because we now had 5 people drop the show including our lead).

I immediately went up to the costume shop with my other ASM in tow and told the costume designer, costume shop supervisor and costume head to brace for impact when they meet with the director that evening to go over drawings because our lead had just dropped the show.

So here is where the catch 22 came in…is ignorance bliss? Do I not tell the director who is already emotionally distraught because our lead had just dropped the show the same day that we also just lost our ASM?

I send my email to the production manager telling her what just happened, we both agree to wait to tell the director at the production meeting the following week to give us a little time to find another ASM.

Then I start quietly searching for someone who could fill our spot. I email people, send a few people Facebook Messages and send a few texts. Those who are interested cannot fit the show into their schedule due to other shows they are working. A little frustrating but I have not lost hope yet, there are still plenty of people I am asking.

I know I still have my other ASM so I know if we do not have another ASM by the time rehearsals start we will be okay for the time being. A few days before our next production meeting I get an email from our Production Manager. We have someone interested in being an ASM.

Our production meeting comes around. At the end of the meeting I bring up that we have lost our ASM but we have a solid lead on a new one.

The director simply said “Oh no! I’m glad you didn’t tell me the day our lead dropped. That would have been too much. But I’m glad it sounds like we have another ASM.”

Our potential ASM showed up to the first rehearsal about five hours after getting hired. We had an ASM.

Tech week(s) is in two weeks and our ASM is thriving, getting along with the whole Stage Management crew, actors and directors and has become a good friend. :)

Stay calm. Take a minute to breathe. Use your brain and not your emotions to evaluate the situation. It is a life saver. 

I too find myself a little frazzled and worked up from time to time but thank the world everyday for one of my ASM’s who helps me put things into perspective when needed. I don’t know what I would do without her for the current show I am working. <3 :)

[seungminnietea]

Introduction

Thought I would give some background info on me:

Going into second (sophomore) year of university

Studying performance production

Interested in SM, PM, TD, lighting

Proud Chinese Canadian 🇨🇳🇨🇦

Currently studying French and Mandarin

Love travelling and hope to do so while working!

If you have any other questions feel free to ask me 💕