Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Assistant Director

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Bets
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 2/02/04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Topic: Assistant Director
Posted: 3/20/04 at 9:19pm

I have never worked with an assistant director before. I thought it would be great having one, but am finding it difficult to work with her. I value her advice, but I believe that, as the director, I have the ultimate responsibility and can take or leave her suggestions (which are usually made to the actors, not to me.)

Perhaps I am a "control freak," but the tension between us is making my job much harder. Any suggestions on how to deal with this? Thanks, Confused

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Gaafa
Celebrity

Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 3/21/04 at 3:54am

There is only one way to handle IT Bets - Direct!
Get your whole production team together & give a brief of what you expect of each, as a member of the team, their positions & responsibilities.
Allow & except their input - but let them all know & understand-
that always the final decision is in your domain.
An assistant Director is really serving an apprenticeship & if she has to be a general dogsbody - Anyhow IT is good for her soul!

Chookas

Joe

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Gary in Boise
Guest
Guest

Posted: 4/08/04 at 7:38pm

Bets,

I guess that the first thing that you would have to decide is this person an Assistant Director or an Assistant to the Director. We tend to use the latter. It needs to be made clear from the very beginning what their responsibility is. Ours leads warm-ups, makes contact sheets and rehearsal schedules, writes down the blocking, and follows book. As far as having "ultimate responsibillity", I think that the producers would grin at that!

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Mike Polo
Admin Group

Community Theater Green Room

Joined: 2/01/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 286

Posted: 4/09/04 at 8:16am

Gary, it depends on the organization... that's the way we run a show, with the producer answerable to the Director... been doing it that way for 50 years and it works for us.

Bets, if you're uncomfortable with the AD working directly with the actors, have them work through you. I work with my ADs this way until I'm sure that we're on the same page. Remember, it's your show, your vision. We use the AD slot to train and evaluate new directors and the best way to do that is to communicate with them. Talk over their notes and make sure they're in keeping with what you want, explain why or why not, then let the AD deliver the notes you agree with to the cast.

Mike Polo
Community Theater Green Room
http://www.communitytheater.org

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Author	Message
Bets Walk-On Joined: 2/02/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Assistant Director Posted: 3/20/04 at 9:19pm
	I have never worked with an assistant director before. I thought it would be great having one, but am finding it difficult to work with her. I value her advice, but I believe that, as the director, I have the ultimate responsibility and can take or leave her suggestions (which are usually made to the actors, not to me.) Perhaps I am a "control freak," but the tension between us is making my job much harder. Any suggestions on how to deal with this? Thanks,

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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 3/21/04 at 3:54am
	There is only one way to handle IT Bets - Direct! Get your whole production team together & give a brief of what you expect of each, as a member of the team, their positions & responsibilities. Allow & except their input - but let them all know & understand- that always the final decision is in your domain. An assistant Director is really serving an apprenticeship & if she has to be a general dogsbody - Anyhow IT is good for her soul! Chookas Joe
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
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Gary in Boise Guest	Posted: 4/08/04 at 7:38pm
	Bets, I guess that the first thing that you would have to decide is this person an Assistant Director or an Assistant to the Director. We tend to use the latter. It needs to be made clear from the very beginning what their responsibility is. Ours leads warm-ups, makes contact sheets and rehearsal schedules, writes down the blocking, and follows book. As far as having "ultimate responsibillity", I think that the producers would grin at that!
	IP Logged

Mike Polo Admin Group Community Theater Green Room Joined: 2/01/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 286	Posted: 4/09/04 at 8:16am
	Gary, it depends on the organization... that's the way we run a show, with the producer answerable to the Director... been doing it that way for 50 years and it works for us. Bets, if you're uncomfortable with the AD working directly with the actors, have them work through you. I work with my ADs this way until I'm sure that we're on the same page. Remember, it's your show, your vision. We use the AD slot to train and evaluate new directors and the best way to do that is to communicate with them. Talk over their notes and make sure they're in keeping with what you want, explain why or why not, then let the AD deliver the notes you agree with to the cast.
	Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room http://www.communitytheater.org
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Topic: Assistant Director( Topic Closed)