Design Documentation Question

[KGustafson]

I am the tech director at the high school I work in. I find working with the director in regards to set and lighting needs to be quite challenging as he never remembers what he asked for and changes things even a day or two before opening night. Can anyone share any ideas or documents that they use when working with the director so that there is physical documentation in regards to wants and needs? I am sure I forget things as often if not more often as he.

Thanks,

Karn

 

[JChenault]

I am the tech director at the high school I work in. I find working with the director in regards to set and lighting needs to be quite challenging as he never remembers what he asked for and changes things even a day or two before opening night. Can anyone share any ideas or documents that they use when working with the director so that there is physical documentation in regards to wants and needs? I am sure I forget things as often if not more often as he.

Thanks,

Karn

I would suggest that what you first want to do is to get the director to think about what he wants well in advance of the production so that the likelihood of things changing is less.

I find the best way to achieve this is with production meetings where the designer sum tech director, and director can sit down and talk about the piece.

The scene designer can produce ground plans, sketches, etc. this makes the director think about things and makes them more concrete. Lighting is harder, but some kind of concept statement about what you plan to have it look like can be helpful. I don't think the form of the meeting or documentation is as important as that you meet and think about the project, and capture the thoughts in writing.

 

[jglodeklights]

If you aren't going to be in rehearsals, meetings, as per John's suggestion, will help. Even better will be training a student in the ways of stage management. The high school I work with always has a lead stage manager and at least one or two assistant stage managers in rehearsal to track blocking, transitions, take line notes, etc. My goal next year (I was not there this year) is to have the PSMs e-mail rehearsal and performance reports at the end of each day, just as a professional stage manager will do. They will also document and report on production meetings. Trying to get the people who are actually talking to document the changes it next to impossible (yup, even when we are aware we are saying something we need to document). Using some observant and tenacious students who are keen on details will help you significantly.

 

[LightingMike]

I am also a high TD, and we have our student stage managers take rehearsal and performance reports, full of notes. They are emailed to all of the directors, cast and crew, we also post a copy of the call board, as well as in the stage managers binder. This helps a lot.

I also take production meeting reports and email those out, we normal do not have our stage managers at our pre-production meetings. The director I work with is great, we talk over designs and go over plots and we can very share ideas between ourselves.

 

[Theresa]

I follow up every meeting with the directors with an email that outlines the decisions made during the meeting, which helps down the road when points have been forgotten. I also make a scale 3d model of the set for the directors/choreographer to refer to during the rehearsal process.

 

[MPowers]

.................... I find working with the director in regards to set and lighting needs to be quite challenging as he never remembers what he asked for and changes things even a day or two before opening night..............

I have worked with this man before, several times. Well not the same human being, but the same man (woman in one case). It is highly frustrating. The problem is these people are what I call "concept" orientated but not visually adept. You tell them the "stair case is stage right" but even though they hear it, they don't "see" it. I have found trying to get this type of director to commit early tends to simply give them more time to change their minds, multiple times. At least with scenery a rehearsal door or stock step unit can help to solidify the image in their mind. Even then they will ask for changes until the set is built. If you work in film where money isno issue and deadlines are made to be set back they will change their mind even after the set is built.

When working with lighting it is even harder to get them to "see" what they are asking for and because the "thing" you provide is not a wood and steel "object" they don't understand the problems with change at the last minute. You just punch a couple buttons on the console and it's all better, "Right?" Costumes often have the same problem, "well can you do that in blue instead?...Tomorrow night?" Fabric is not brick and morter and so must be simple to change or replace.

These "concept" people are often very creative and can be very good directors, so don't bristle too much , just learn to deal in a way that puts the least amount of stress on you, your crews and the budget. What I have done in the past is document, document, document. Don't reject their changes in a knee-jerk reaction (very hard at times, I know!!!), try to look at them as you might have if it had been the first idea instead of the most recent. Judge the change on its own merits and how will it will fit the production. Tthen weigh the costs of the change in terms of materials, labor (cost and time) stress on everyone, time available then respond to the change. If the person knows you are giving each idea a chance, they will better understand when you don't always want to make the change.

Anyway hope this helps a little.