Never go inside the theater. Well, at least not before the house opens. What you will see inside is enough activity to make you sick with anxiety—electricians replacing lamps, sound engineers checking the last microphone, and dressers frantically checking their station. Sure enough, the last few moments before the house opens are stressful in any theater.
Ask just about any entertainment professional—especially those working with smaller budgets and reduced staff—every production, event, or broadcast is a race against the clock. With no room for error and an audience ranging from several hundred to several million, everything that a production staff member does must be executed perfectly.
It is this need for perfection that makes the last few minutes of any call so stressful. Whether it is loading a show in, taking a show out, or anything in between, even the best laid plans often devolve into a fierce battle against time. These wars for precious minutes often result in angry crew chiefs, grumpy producers, and frantic directors, all of which should be avoided at all costs.
Managing time, however, is far from easy. That’s why I have written this post today—to try to share some of my experiences in theater so that others can avoid the sticky situations that I have found myself in over the years. While none of the advice below is revolutionary, so many of the theaters, studios, and broadcast rooms that I have worked in could run much more efficiently by employing a few tricks. By doing just the simplest things, a production can save time, have less stress, and be a better experience for all involved.
A few things to do to help manage time are:
Always have a clock on set. As simple as this sounds, an action as innocuous as placing a clock on the wall reminds all production staff that they are working on a schedule. There is a reason that almost all Broadway professionals wear a watch—it keeps the entire production on track.
Always have plenty of bottled water within easy reach. By providing water to your crew, not only are people happier, but it also wastes less time. By keeping everyone in the same general area on breaks—allowing them to stay close to get a drink—saves valuable time. Instead of having crew walk back and forth to a vending machine, just consolidate that process. Not only will the crew be thankful that they do not have to spend money for water, but the production process will be smoother.
Be nice. While good manners are always a plus, asking someone to do something instead of ordering them to do it generally allows for a much more pleasant work environment, a place where people want to stay. If people want to stay, they work harder, do better work, and it is a better experience for all involved. Oh-and always say thank you for a job well done.
Do everything you can to create a fun work environment. If at all possible, play music during load-ins and load outs (even if you have to bribe the sound engineer), joke around, and stay positive. Even if a call is going badly, there is no time for screaming matches, confrontations, or all of the drama associated with our industry. We’ve all seen violent screaming “throw-downs”, angry directors, and uptight producers (guilty as charged…) but everything possible should be done to alleviate these situations before they arise.
That’s it, really. The simplest fixes transform a production experience. A combination of time management, elbow grease, and some good ole’ charm help avoid nightmare calls. So whether you are working on Broadway, cruise ships, production studios, or anywhere else, these tips will help your calls can be the best they can be.
Even though you still might not want to observe the last minute flutters before any event, hopefully much of the stress, drama, and off-stage theatrics will be gone, letting an incredibly skilled group of people do what they do best.
**About the Writer **
Declan Kunkel is an American Producer, Designer, and Consultant. Having held nearly every title in entertainment, from “box pusher number 2” to producer, and from taking I.A. calls to making bank withdrawals, Mr. Kunkel’s experiences in entertainment have brought productions to millions of people around the world. Through his experiences in production, Mr. Kunkel has had the ability to work with an absolutely incredible group of performers, artists, and industry professionals, and for that, he is incredibly grateful.
Follow him on Twitter at @declankunkel for the latest inside scoop, updates, and more!
*All images courtesy of Google. *
