Assistant SM

[nate]

My assistant SM is a very friendly person. She does a great job. I sometimes lose control and motivation (as I was discussing in one of my former topics). She always keeps me on track and doesn't let me or other peolpe get off track. She has a tough job but does it great. My question is : DO you have someone on your crew that is this important and special to the shows and getting things done?

-nate

[soundman]

TD, he hs the keys

[megf]

I've never had an amazing ASM... the first assistant I had had never done theater before and didn't speak fluent English. She was a great person to work with - but wasn't able to pick up the slack without plenty of direction.

As a rule, my light board op and I have the best working relationship - seeing as the majority of the booths I work in are tiny cramped little spaces, so I am practically sitting on top of him/her, which makes it hard to stay unfriendly...

Also, and this may just be me, I find that light operators usually have a fantastic sense of humor, which makes tech way easier on everyone. 8)

Megf

[Pocado]

Well my sound apprentice guy is AMAZING. He is the most awsome person and has saved my a** so many times!!!! Plus a recent SM was just awsome!

Pocado

[SMTashi]

The SM is the most important member of the crew here. They're the ones who've usually worked everything (high school : sound, lights, spot, backstage running crew, TD, ASM). I'm biased tho! :wink:

[plug_in_baby]

at my college me and the TD get on best together, he's also the lighting op, so he's useful to know but as i am the SM and he's the TD we usually work great together as we've both done everything many times over so we know what to ask of our crew, which is an important factor, never give a job to anyone if you can't do it yoursel, and especially don't punish for not doing it properly cant do it or havent shown them how. As ASM goes mines terrible he's always moaning, harldy ever does any work but somehow has a reputation for being an expert but i can't figure out where this came from.

[megf]

Speaking as an ASM...

I find it can be very helpful to sit down with the SM a few days before rehearsals begin and go over what my job title entails. Every SM has a different definition of what an ASM does - from being on book, to taking all the blocking, to getting coffee on every break. It's good to clarify what you can before there are any surprises.

As an SM...

I would love to have an assistant who didn't require direction. Not someone who reads minds, just a person who can take initiative.

[avkid]

the designer and I are the important ones.

[redddhead32]

At the beginning of this year I was ASM'ing for this sophomore and at first he and I did not get along at all. We fought everyday, but after one day of spending hours with him on the scafolding stapling a curtain to a wobbly wodden board, while standing on top of wooden boards with cracks in them, we never fought again. Something about being in life threatening danger with someone that makes them standable. (thats not a word)
As and SM this winter I had an amazing ASM he had never done theatre before and even with very little knowledge of what he was supposed to do he just went ahead and did everything he knew how to do. It was little stuff, stuff that did not have to be done, like mopping the floor before every rehearsal, carrying my stuff in for me, organizing and cleaning the shop and prop room during breaks, all that stuff that he just went ahead and did, it was amazing.