First Production Meeting

[thehoneymooners]

We are currently taking a course in Stage Managing at the University of Windsor, and as a part of a class assignment, we are to talk to stage managers about something about stage managing that is of interest to us. We were wondering about the first production meetings between a stage manager and the rest of the crew. Who should be there? What should the format be? What are important things to discuss during this meeting? How do you prepare for this meeting? How is it different/same from the other production meeting that you will have through out the process? Is it common to only have one or two production meetings per show? Thoughts? Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[JChenault]

I see no one has posted to this - since you have been clear that this is a class, I will be happy to do my best. I'm not a SM - but I do a lot of lighting design and have worked with a number of Stage Managers.

I am assuming by production meeting you mean planning meetings between the artistic and technical staff, stage manager, etc - not any later formal meetings between the SM and running crew.

In my experience, the first ( and usually subsequent ) production meetings are not called or organized by the SM - but by the producer. So from the point of the SM:
Who should be there - whoever the producer invites.
What should the format be - whatever the producer wants.

That said - at the first meeting the purpose is usually to.

• Introduce everyone to everyone else if they do not know each other.
• Handle any outstanding bureaucratic paperwork. Release forms, tax information, purchasing procedures, etc.
• Clear up all of the mechanics of the production that you can. Contact lists, run dates, load in period, rough schedules, date of first read thru, etc.
• Give out copies of the script (if there is one, and if they are not already distributed).
• If appropriate get the directors vision of the show. ( Starting to move into a design meeting here - but sometimes it is useful to fold some aspects of that into the production meeting). If there have already been some design meetings - this may is a good time to share them with the group.
• Give everyone a chance to discuss concerns, questions, etc.
• Set a format that will usually be followed in future meetings. IE do you go around the table and each group talks about questions and concerns or use some other way of getting info on the table.

As to how many - again it depends on the venue, producer, and group. Some venues like meetings and have a production meeting every couple of weeks. One place I work has almost no production meetings. The frequency also varies as you get close to a show. IE if the show is six months away, you might see an initial meeting. A second meeting in 6 to 8 weeks, one in 4 weeks, then one every 2 to 4 weeks until you get close to tech rehearsals.

Good luck with your course.

John

[Van]

I hae to second a lot of what John said in the above post. Here at ART we have a production meeting weekly. Since we typically have two shows in rehearsal at any given time that usually means 4:30 - 6:00 every Wedneday and Thursday I'm sitting in a meeting with the designers, SM,PM,Director and PA's. As John stated above the SM is not usually the one calling the Production Meeting, it is usually the Technical Director or Production Manager.
I think he nailed the list of Initials as well. Getting the "Directors Vision" public is a good part of it, as this is usually the first time all of the designers < or their representatives> will have sat down together this is a good time for everyone to get on the same page, as it were.

[jessamarie6]

Though in many situations it is the producer who call the meetings, I find that it is often the stage manager who is expected to run them (especially in a theatre that has no production manager). It is the stage manager's job to effectively translate from one department or subject to another. It is very easy for conversations to drift, it is your job to make sure each department has a chance to ask all of their questions. It is also your job to make sure time is not wasted ("this seems like it is an extensive discussion between set and lights, could we arrange to have a separate meeting at a different time?") and to translate and repeat, making sure everyone is on the same page ("what I'm hearing is that the set crew is going to set up the rig, but then lights is in charge of getting all the practical lights wired and props is going to do all the finishing work, is that correct?").
Many of the first production meeting I've been too are the longest and most complicated because none of the questions in any of the departments has been addressed yet. As stage manager you should plan for that and be even more aware of the need to guide the conversation and set-up other meetings to discuss problems.

[Sayen]

John summarized my meetings nicely. I also cover expectations for anyone who is invited, and review calendar deadlines. At the high school we meet weekly during leading up to the production of a show, professional shows tend to vary by demand. I don't like to hold meetings unless necessary, so simple shows meet less frequently than major productions. For high school students I also don't let them bring up any business that isn't in writing (their own notes and planning for the meeting) to keep meetings short and to encourage them to plan ahead. For both school and professional productions I like to meet once after the show is up to review the process and look for problems that can be solved in the future - less formal, with food and drink, but just as important as planning meetings.