I've had this issue before;
I'm the Lighting Director at our facility. I design the lighting for events that don't have one and play head electrician all the time. I run the console usually and especially for one-off's that I'm scheduled for, or have (assistant) console operators.
We also have a house SM, with similar type functions, calls cues and moves for shows that are one-off's, or no SM, acts as crew chief (at all times) and house liaison for events that have an actual SM.
In one situation needing clarifying, our Managing Director goes out to say Hi to the audience at top of show, says don't take flash photo's, etc.... and recently does a little thing where he tugs a 20ft. paper "chain" representing fund raising goals out onto the apron. He told our SM he doesn't want a follow spot to P/U until he's ready to actually begin talking, so instead we throw on some overhead N/C wash at 50% (SM's request and solution) to get a view that he's out there.
Today, the MD didn't actually walk under the N/C so I called the follow spot on to pick him up as it looked awful without it.
The SM wants to ream me a new one as she say's it's her call and that that's what the MD wants.
My opinion is I'm the designer and it looks bad and it's my job to make it look right, in my role as designer. At no time have I had an opportunity to explain to the MD that he looks lost and needs the spot to focus the audiences attention to him so they can see what he's doing as he drags this chain out on the apron. The overhead N/C doesn't do it.
This is not the first time this bit of conflict with the SM (or someone in a similar role) and my console op's have similar issues with the SM over a bit of micro-managing when they are told to do something they don't agree with, as they attempt to play LD on similar one-off type events.
Not sure where I stand here, so any advise is helpful
I'm the Lighting Director at our facility. I design the lighting for events that don't have one and play head electrician all the time. I run the console usually and especially for one-off's that I'm scheduled for, or have (assistant) console operators.
We also have a house SM, with similar type functions, calls cues and moves for shows that are one-off's, or no SM, acts as crew chief (at all times) and house liaison for events that have an actual SM.
In one situation needing clarifying, our Managing Director goes out to say Hi to the audience at top of show, says don't take flash photo's, etc.... and recently does a little thing where he tugs a 20ft. paper "chain" representing fund raising goals out onto the apron. He told our SM he doesn't want a follow spot to P/U until he's ready to actually begin talking, so instead we throw on some overhead N/C wash at 50% (SM's request and solution) to get a view that he's out there.
Today, the MD didn't actually walk under the N/C so I called the follow spot on to pick him up as it looked awful without it.
The SM wants to ream me a new one as she say's it's her call and that that's what the MD wants.
My opinion is I'm the designer and it looks bad and it's my job to make it look right, in my role as designer. At no time have I had an opportunity to explain to the MD that he looks lost and needs the spot to focus the audiences attention to him so they can see what he's doing as he drags this chain out on the apron. The overhead N/C doesn't do it.
This is not the first time this bit of conflict with the SM (or someone in a similar role) and my console op's have similar issues with the SM over a bit of micro-managing when they are told to do something they don't agree with, as they attempt to play LD on similar one-off type events.
Not sure where I stand here, so any advise is helpful