Working Through It

[photoatdv]

Why is it that in this industry people are expected to work through anything-- be it injury, illness, family death? I mean I certainly understand possibly refunding 6 or 7 figures because someone has a runny nose is absurd as well. However I've watched friends and colleagues over and over push themselves to the limit and beyond. And I'm sick and tired of watching my friends hurt themselves because the stakes are too high to call in sick. I have a friend that has a permanent injury because they got hurt right before a major show and felt (whether true or not) that it would've seriously hurt their career to miss the show.

And yes, this is somewhat of a rant because I've seen this way too much lately.

So what can we do about this? Am I the only one seeing this/ seeing it as a problem? I'm not talking about the silly stuff where you take a couple of motrins because you're sore or fix a cut finger with gaff tape and superglue, but real injuries/illnesses (I've seen people work through broken bones amongst other things).

 

[Footer]

Those people are idiots who won't last long in this world. Saying no in this industry is just as important as saying yes. I know you have pushed yourself to the same extremes and have been called out here for it. What can we do about it... macho people will be macho people. There is nothing that is going to stop it.

However, there is one thing we call can do. Pop our overblown egos and huge heads. There is ALWAYS someone else that can do you job as well as you if not better. There is ALWAYS someone who is better then you in what you do. You are not the most important person on the show. Without you the show can still go on. If you are doing a show and you are the only person who can do something, time to train someone else to do it. This is the reason why an SM's book should never leave the theatre and run sheets should be made for ever position. Blocking should be taken by the SM for every actor. Swings should be put in place for shows that have to possibility of actor injury or where it would be financial suicide to lose a cast member. Dance captains should be in place to train replacements. If you cover yourself, this type of thing should never happen.

 

[photoatdv]

Those people are idiots who won't last long in this world. Saying no in this industry is just as important as saying yes. I know you have pushed yourself to the same extremes and have been called out here for it. What can we do about it... macho people will be macho people. There is nothing that is going to stop it.

Footer, I'm talking about the pressure from bosses/clients/unions. If I choose to work a ridiculously long show that is my choice. Also I said its gone too far-- I see no problem choosing to down a few energy drinks to get through the show or working through a bit of pain-- thats just the industry. The issue is when people are forced to work through ANYTHING. I know one guy that was basically told by his employer that if he started missing work for a medical condition he would be replaced. I know another freelance guy that went to a show instead of the hospital because he knew if he bailed he would not get called again. This is what is way too far.

 

[ruinexplorer]

I think that it really depends on the person. Certainly every position needs to be able to be covered, but I know personally in your market that you can be replaced because of a medical need and not be replaced permanently. I have stepped in to cover for an injured technician on a Broadway show and ended up getting the rest of the run, but he had torn a rotator cuff and wouldn't have been able to return due to the length of recovery. On the other hand, I showed up to a 2 day call sick as a dog, thinking I could muddle through it. I called my TD at the end of the first day and said that I'd need to be replaced on the second day. I had no black list to my name for doing that. Sure it was a pain in the butt both times for the person who needed to find the replacement technician, but it worked out both times.

The biggest problem that I see is that many stagehands, including myself, live paycheck to paycheck and need to work. We will work through sickness and injury, to the possible detriment of our fellow stagehands and the quality of the show because we are afraid of not having work. Granted, I now have more of a luxury by being on a permanent show and having people who can run my cue-track should I need to call in sick. Even with that luxury, there are times where we are told not to call in unless absolutely necessary because finding a replacement will be difficult. Even in those rare cases, we could still call in if necessary, and should.

I think that if the one person has a medical condition that may cause him to potentially need to miss calls on a semi-regular basis, he might want to consider using his talents in a different manner. I work with someone who has MS, and he has had to take a leave of absence on a couple of occasions to get his health back up. He is looking at a different line of work before he is completely unable to do this work and unable to pay his medical. My daughter has had cronic kidney problems since she was a todler. Needless to say, she won't be following in my footsteps, even though she has grown up in this industry. Instead, I am taking her love for this and helping her to find a career path that she can physically do.

Unfortunately, life isn't fair. As Footer said, we all need to get over our egos. If you can't be replaced, then you know that you will never be able to succeed either, because you can't advance. If your friend with the medical condition needs some guidance finding his place in the industry, I might be able to offer suggestions if he doesn't feel comfortable sharing it on an open forum.

 

[wolf825]

Hard to give an exact reason...but the nature of our industry can be so that when you learn a track or a show or have certain responsibilities and people depending on your skills and experiences--it can often make you the indespensible person in the employers eyes..and many employers will judge you based on this and your performance. In as way we're judged more harshly then actors or talent on stage is sometimes... Venues and managers want people they can rely upon and depend upon who show up every time..without what they may see as a bs excuse... In my early career I had never missed a show call or show responsibility or load-in;/out I had taken for over 17 years til I took a gig for a resident show in a mouse-eared theme park...and when I showed up to work at 8am with a 103fever, sweating and pale as a ghost to mix my show, and was told to go home by the SM--that they had swings who could cover me no problem--it was like a brand new experience I had never seen or had before. I said--rather shocked--really? I can actually BE sick--and NOT be on the call? WOW....it had me dumbfounded for days after that as I layed in bed with the flu.. I had never been told I could be replaced--I was always told--we can't do this without you and the show is more important then any personal issue..and that is always how I ran my life and things. Until that time--I had never missed a call...never bailed on a show EVER..even when I had my car totaled I took a cab to get to the gig on time..even when I broke my ankle...and even when I trashed my knee on a gig--I toughed it out and went to the ER later when I had some time to go....when I needed stitches after a bad wound and just gaffed it up and went on.. It was and is the nature of the beast--if you called out then it was seen as you don't take your career or job seriously and put other things before the success of the event....if you get hurt and have to go--then its a sign of weakness as seen by some...and for me it was also a personal thing--I gave my word to work a show and be there..and I don't break my word. That is just how it was...

Not defending that insane mentality and methodology--just saying to answer the question to why it is like this in many places...and why a lot of us may be the way we are... We give our words--we make our reputations and even careers known to folks all over by our word...and our skill and on-time arrivals and promises we keep and good jobs we do as backing up those words.. In a hectic pressure cauldron as live entertainment can be--the last thing managers want to deal with is 'unreliable people'... Yet--it is a costly thing...it costs us our health & ages our joints...it costs us our friends who crash and die falling asleep at the wheel after working 57hrs straight over 2 tour shows... Its insane..and its an often insane job we do..and all I can say is that as things get more automated and more optioned in methods and manners of doing shows--the view of the 'indespensible person' on a gig is fading from many areas of this industry...and I'm glad to see it..I've lost too many friends on those 57hr gigs.. I have also had the nice benefit of actually being able to call out since that first time...but I have only been 'sick' enough to have to call out 4 or 5 times in the past 10 years since that first experience...

I believe that "experience is what you get when you do not get what you wanted or asked for..."..and our experiences teaches us what is inevitably more important in life and all sorts of other things whether we want it to or not--and its not the show or call that is king in life...but for everyone--whether its a boss or its the stagehand--each person has to learn that aspect and value to weigh what is more important in their own...and let it sink in and have meaning as to why...or it is just another meaningless 'rule' we don't want to hear about... Nowadays on my shows if you get a scratch or stub a fingernail and whine about your owweeee--I'll put you on sissy duty...but if you break an arm or show up with a fever--I'll drive you to the ER myself...


-w

 

[nd925a]

Being in a small community theatre I've had to work through a few illness's that should have had me in bed instead of running wires off of the catwalk (literally, I was walking around dizzy on the ceiling structure rails where if i stepped on the ceiling it was a 30 some odd foot drop). The one time my parents wouldn't let me do a show i got blacklisted for at least a year from all "pro" shows, I was left with the high school musical and assemblies

 

[ruinexplorer]

Being in a small community theatre I've had to work through a few illness's that should have had me in bed instead of running wires off of the catwalk (literally, I was walking around dizzy on the ceiling structure rails where if i stepped on the ceiling it was a 30 some odd foot drop). The one time my parents wouldn't let me do a show i got blacklisted for at least a year from all "pro" shows, I was left with the high school musical and assemblies

If they blacklist you just for attempting to be safe, then that may not be the best organization to work for. That means that they probably don't recognize other safety procedures. If they blacklisted you due to no call/no show, or some other means of not giving proper notification for not being able to keep your call, then that falls into other realms.

Even working in a venue with a permanent show, with others trained in my cue track, I am required to give at least a four hour notice if I am unable to make a call. It becomes even more difficult for an employer who only uses on-call help. They may not have someone else whom they can quickly replace you. When I was on-call, I would be responsible for finding my own replacement, or at least aid in that matter. Even if not required, that would be a professional consideration towards the employer.

 

[nd925a]

It wasn't a no call no show, they asked me to do a show and I told them I couldn't.
They generally have several people that they can call to do a show. Here the Tech's are called sometime before the run of the show so that they can make tech week available for the show, then we show up on tech sunday ready to roll

 

[stagehand1983]

I just got done working for community theater in a blizzard yesterday. Of course it was indoors but let's just say backstage was no sauna. It was probably 68 degrees inside and we were stranded at the venue between the matinee and the night show. I had to walk around a little because I was stiff. By the time we were all done, my shoulders were bricks aka, sore. Did I complain? No. Did I do what I was told? Yes.

I have worked through only 5 hours of sleep one time, bad colds, heights, late hours, and have still gotten the job done. I got taken off a list for kind of a dumb reason but I am determined to get back on it.