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podlingI think this will be the last show I do stage crew on for a while. The time spent on it is one thing, and it's one that is vaguely annoying though live-able (like commuting, sort of). I enjoy working together with others to create something, even something as short lived as a play in community theater. The frustration level that I've had at moments with this one is just a bit more than I'd like to deal with in my hobbies (because yes, that's what this is). For now we're ignoring the pay-for-painting gigs, because in my mind those really are separate.
Anyway, all I'm saying is that if you are a director, you should try to not antagonize the crew. An annoyed crew does not benefit anyone, least of all you. If you have a competent crew (and one would hope you do), you should recognize that and adjust your nervousness in another direction. Also, you should recognize that yes, mechanical things do actually go wrong, and no, there's nothing you or anyone else, in your mini-godhood, can do about it. And for god's sake, whatever god it is you believe in, do try not to repeatedly say things over headset that are obvious to everyone involved, because I'm coming close to either walking out or throttling you. If something doesn't happen as it should, there's a reason for it, and you need to accept that.
To be fair, I've been trying to cut this director slack. He's very young. He's done a good job with the rest of the show. It's a good show. And so I've avoided confronting him at all, except for 2 slightly snarky comments over headset. One was when a paint can filled with sand (yet inexplicably not sealed) fell 12' or so to the ground, spilling sand both backstage and a bit on stage. Luckily I was standing under the other one that didn't fall. Now, how someone (someone being a director) could actually think that somehow the people standing there working wouldn't've noticed that, or that they'd neglect to figure out why, how to fix it, and what to do in the interim, is a bit beyond me. No, I didn't notice the can of sand hit the ground near me, and furthermore, I don't plan to do anything about it, bwahhaha!!! Seriously, we all want the show to go well and be the best it can. Why would someone doubt that?
I guess what this comes down to is trust. He's new to it, he can't trust that the people working for him are competent and know what to do. It's a skill all managers need to learn before they go insane, and he's obviously not got that down yet. But understanding that doesn't improve my attitude very much.
Maybe it's just that I don't understand some kinds of anxiety very well. Like how many people are nervous before exams. I rarely, if ever, was. Because it was pointless... either I knew the material or I didn't, either I could prove that or I couldn't. For me, the middle ground was very small. Yes, the exam itself could be aimed in an unexpected direction, I might not have focused as much as I should have on some topic, but worrying about it was never something I felt was worthwhile. And honestly, if I did badly, it was generally my own fault. (okay, for background, I'd like to point out that I only finished an undergrad degree, so I never had the experience of quals or dissertations or anything like that)
I can understand things don't always go the way you'd want, in a show, in an exam, in life. Things don't go how I want sometimes. But how you deal with that disappointment says something. If you react by being a drama queen... well, that's nice, but there might be a throttling in your future. Try not to lose touch with reality... something that doesn't always work 100% is not suddenly going to become 100% successful. It's not. That's life. Deal. Don't act surprised. And for jebus' sake, shut the hell up!!! ;)
Anyway, all I'm saying is that if you are a director, you should try to not antagonize the crew. An annoyed crew does not benefit anyone, least of all you. If you have a competent crew (and one would hope you do), you should recognize that and adjust your nervousness in another direction. Also, you should recognize that yes, mechanical things do actually go wrong, and no, there's nothing you or anyone else, in your mini-godhood, can do about it. And for god's sake, whatever god it is you believe in, do try not to repeatedly say things over headset that are obvious to everyone involved, because I'm coming close to either walking out or throttling you. If something doesn't happen as it should, there's a reason for it, and you need to accept that.
To be fair, I've been trying to cut this director slack. He's very young. He's done a good job with the rest of the show. It's a good show. And so I've avoided confronting him at all, except for 2 slightly snarky comments over headset. One was when a paint can filled with sand (yet inexplicably not sealed) fell 12' or so to the ground, spilling sand both backstage and a bit on stage. Luckily I was standing under the other one that didn't fall. Now, how someone (someone being a director) could actually think that somehow the people standing there working wouldn't've noticed that, or that they'd neglect to figure out why, how to fix it, and what to do in the interim, is a bit beyond me. No, I didn't notice the can of sand hit the ground near me, and furthermore, I don't plan to do anything about it, bwahhaha!!! Seriously, we all want the show to go well and be the best it can. Why would someone doubt that?
I guess what this comes down to is trust. He's new to it, he can't trust that the people working for him are competent and know what to do. It's a skill all managers need to learn before they go insane, and he's obviously not got that down yet. But understanding that doesn't improve my attitude very much.
Maybe it's just that I don't understand some kinds of anxiety very well. Like how many people are nervous before exams. I rarely, if ever, was. Because it was pointless... either I knew the material or I didn't, either I could prove that or I couldn't. For me, the middle ground was very small. Yes, the exam itself could be aimed in an unexpected direction, I might not have focused as much as I should have on some topic, but worrying about it was never something I felt was worthwhile. And honestly, if I did badly, it was generally my own fault. (okay, for background, I'd like to point out that I only finished an undergrad degree, so I never had the experience of quals or dissertations or anything like that)
I can understand things don't always go the way you'd want, in a show, in an exam, in life. Things don't go how I want sometimes. But how you deal with that disappointment says something. If you react by being a drama queen... well, that's nice, but there might be a throttling in your future. Try not to lose touch with reality... something that doesn't always work 100% is not suddenly going to become 100% successful. It's not. That's life. Deal. Don't act surprised. And for jebus' sake, shut the hell up!!! ;)
