Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Production Meetings?

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whitebat
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Topic: Production Meetings?
Posted: 3/12/08 at 7:46pm

Do you have production meetings in your Community Theatre? I would like to have a meeting before auditions at which the director would tell us (lighting and set designers, costume designer, etc.) his/her vision of the show. Does anyone have suggestions of how I can explain to our directors that a production meeting is important and worthwhile? Right now, the directors are trying to do it all, including designing lights and sound when they don't know the equipment we have to work with. Also, do you have production meetings during the rehearsal period?

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JoeMc
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Posted: 3/12/08 at 9:35pm

Yes & Yes!

5 p's] Product planning action is what it & we should be about!

I feel I'm one of those yoyo's who tend do everything, except I can't do the window cleaning - not allowed to climb ladders anymore!

But i still insist on production meetings. Not for the sake of them but a need to communicate - wot's in my head, even though it is sometimes just two sticks to stir 'it with. Or for the sake of just having them, as in 'Meetings Bloody Meetings' [John clease]

Also by not having production meeting I find it tends to alianate those I need, by robbing them of the chance for them to input & be an owner of the show.

Besides all that waffle, the director becomes like a monk in a single bunk!

Even i9f they have the know how to do most jobs, they have a closed mind, so how on earth can they ever acept an artistic accident?

Those directors usualy end up pushing *it up hill with thier nose!

Further I have found that even after planting the odd seed in a production meeting, as many valuable ideas come out, during a coffee or nicotene afterwards.

[

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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B-M-D
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Posted: 3/23/08 at 11:46am

Joe's got it 110% right!

Many times new ideas or variations of what I have in mind will happen. And even better: a designer will come up with a completely different and better idea than I originally had. What really bothers me the most is "designers" that just want to give me what I want.

One of the best sound designs was for a show called Rounding Third. My sound designer took it to the extreme of immersion by even having our pre-show announcement as though we were at baseball game. That bit even I hadn't thought of at the time and he improved on several ideas that I had. Maybe even more importantly he was willing to discourage and kill a couple of other ideas that I had. Now that takes confidence and courage in a designer to tell that to a director. I wish there were more like him. I've collaborated with him three times for lights & sound and I'm disapointed when I have to work with anyone else.

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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Carol
Walk-On
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Posted: 3/23/08 at 9:48pm

Do it!!

You'll save miscommuniction, rework, stress and get better results in the end, with a happier, healthier atmosphere!!

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Kathy S
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Posted: 4/08/08 at 2:05am

So what do you think is the best time frame for holding the first production meeting? And how do you get everyone on board? How do you get everyone to participate fully (for example: even just reading the script before the meeting is held?)

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JoeMc
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Posted: 4/08/08 at 3:04am

Welcome back Kathy!

Hope you have been well!

With me they officially start, straight away after the decision is made to do the production.

Initially when choosing the production team, I make available the script, ask them to read it & sound out ideas or reasons it can't be done &/or if not, how it could be done. Before putting it to the that powers that be.

So in fact there are a number of preproduction moots that take place before the go ahead.

In fact I normally after reading the script a number of times & allowing it to incubate. Put down my ideas for the Mise en scene & work out a 'NET' sheet [WWW Sheet - Who, where, when] on an exel data form, so other info & cues can be added or changed later. Also it forms the basis for a 'Running, set, costume & cue sheets later.

As ideas & input are gleaned & accepted they become an addendum to the show bible during rehearsals.

My main prerequisite in members of the production team coming on board, is they have digested the script fully.

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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Linda S
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Posted: 4/08/08 at 8:16am

I like to have 3 big production meetings before we audtion and I will set up times to meet with each designer seperately before. Like the others have said I love it when a designer takes my concept and comes up with something that blows me away. I love it when it is better then the picture I have in my head.

I always bring coffee and treats. It goes along way.

Linda

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spikesgirl
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Joined: 3/30/08
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Posted: 4/08/08 at 9:20am

Depending upon the show, there is one or two production meetings prior to rehearsal and then formal biweekly ones along the way. We will usually meet for a few minutes every day or so to chat on how things are coming. We have a rather small number of designers and directors at our theater and we tend to see each other every day anyhow.

For example:

We just did our first audtion for FULL MONTY last night and we had our first production meeting back in February, with additional meeting the middle of March and one last week.

I wouldn't know how to put a show together with getting everyone to sit down and judt talk about the next show and the expectations. Communication is key to keep for getting all messed up further down the road.

Charlie

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Lights and Sound
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Lights and Sound

Author	Message
whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Topic: Production Meetings? Posted: 3/12/08 at 7:46pm
	Do you have production meetings in your Community Theatre? I would like to have a meeting before auditions at which the director would tell us (lighting and set designers, costume designer, etc.) his/her vision of the show. Does anyone have suggestions of how I can explain to our directors that a production meeting is important and worthwhile? Right now, the directors are trying to do it all, including designing lights and sound when they don't know the equipment we have to work with. Also, do you have production meetings during the rehearsal period?

	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 3/12/08 at 9:35pm
	Yes & Yes! 5 p's] Product planning action is what it & we should be about! I feel I'm one of those yoyo's who tend do everything, except I can't do the window cleaning - not allowed to climb ladders anymore! But i still insist on production meetings. Not for the sake of them but a need to communicate - wot's in my head, even though it is sometimes just two sticks to stir 'it with. Or for the sake of just having them, as in 'Meetings Bloody Meetings' [John clease] Also by not having production meeting I find it tends to alianate those I need, by robbing them of the chance for them to input & be an owner of the show. Besides all that waffle, the director becomes like a monk in a single bunk! Even i9f they have the know how to do most jobs, they have a closed mind, so how on earth can they ever acept an artistic accident? Those directors usualy end up pushing *it up hill with thier nose! Further I have found that even after planting the odd seed in a production meeting, as many valuable ideas come out, during a coffee or nicotene afterwards. [
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

B-M-D Celebrity Joined: 11/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 346	Posted: 3/23/08 at 11:46am
	Joe's got it 110% right! Many times new ideas or variations of what I have in mind will happen. And even better: a designer will come up with a completely different and better idea than I originally had. What really bothers me the most is "designers" that just want to give me what I want. One of the best sound designs was for a show called Rounding Third. My sound designer took it to the extreme of immersion by even having our pre-show announcement as though we were at baseball game. That bit even I hadn't thought of at the time and he improved on several ideas that I had. Maybe even more importantly he was willing to discourage and kill a couple of other ideas that I had. Now that takes confidence and courage in a designer to tell that to a director. I wish there were more like him. I've collaborated with him three times for lights & sound and I'm disapointed when I have to work with anyone else.
	BD "Dying is easy, comedy is hard."
	IP Logged

Carol Walk-On Joined: 11/13/07 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 3/23/08 at 9:48pm
	Do it!! You'll save miscommuniction, rework, stress and get better results in the end, with a happier, healthier atmosphere!!
	IP Logged

Kathy S Celebrity Joined: 8/21/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 303	Posted: 4/08/08 at 2:05am
	So what do you think is the best time frame for holding the first production meeting? And how do you get everyone on board? How do you get everyone to participate fully (for example: even just reading the script before the meeting is held?)
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 4/08/08 at 3:04am
	Welcome back Kathy! Hope you have been well! With me they officially start, straight away after the decision is made to do the production. Initially when choosing the production team, I make available the script, ask them to read it & sound out ideas or reasons it can't be done &/or if not, how it could be done. Before putting it to the that powers that be. So in fact there are a number of preproduction moots that take place before the go ahead. In fact I normally after reading the script a number of times & allowing it to incubate. Put down my ideas for the Mise en scene & work out a 'NET' sheet [WWW Sheet - Who, where, when] on an exel data form, so other info & cues can be added or changed later. Also it forms the basis for a 'Running, set, costume & cue sheets later. As ideas & input are gleaned & accepted they become an addendum to the show bible during rehearsals. My main prerequisite in members of the production team coming on board, is they have digested the script fully.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 4/08/08 at 8:16am
	I like to have 3 big production meetings before we audtion and I will set up times to meet with each designer seperately before. Like the others have said I love it when a designer takes my concept and comes up with something that blows me away. I love it when it is better then the picture I have in my head. I always bring coffee and treats. It goes along way. Linda
	IP Logged

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 4/08/08 at 9:20am
	Depending upon the show, there is one or two production meetings prior to rehearsal and then formal biweekly ones along the way. We will usually meet for a few minutes every day or so to chat on how things are coming. We have a rather small number of designers and directors at our theater and we tend to see each other every day anyhow. For example: We just did our first audtion for FULL MONTY last night and we had our first production meeting back in February, with additional meeting the middle of March and one last week. I wouldn't know how to put a show together with getting everyone to sit down and judt talk about the next show and the expectations. Communication is key to keep for getting all messed up further down the road. Charlie
	IP Logged

Topic: Production Meetings?( Topic Closed)