1 Step Forward... 2 Steps Back...
I was hoping for a huge changes at the theatre when it came to this show, given the sanctity of the particular production. That they were going to go the whole 9 yards and within their budget, keep the same moody aspect of the original Broadway show. But, come this weekend the SM started asking me to not iris in... (not to be so tight on the performers. )
And, they started to pull back on the mist and chilled fog amounts. The show's scenes seemed to get strangley lighter... Not darker... and my spots level has changes to less edge. ( not that I can blame anybody... )
The show should look like those dagoro-type images you see in illustrated classic books. Have that dark, dickensian moodiness. And, It started that way... At least I can say it made it to opening night that way.
But, from my angle ( maybe I'm just getting used to it... ) but... I think it's missing that Les Mis edge. It's going towards that regional... canadian... mushy...non commital look. Threaten nobody...Theatre for old people...
I never understand why this always seems to happen at certain theatres..A few days after the artistic team lets the show over to Stage-management and different notes come from them that didn't during tech. This never happens on any American touring show that I've worked on... I've never heard an American SM give notes on fog levels. They trust the techs... Or they don't dare say things like that. Really... trying to control how much and where stage fog goes... it's like being king kanute and trying to order back the sea. I'm glad I'm not running the effects.
I think at this theatre one of the reasons is, the SM runs the show from out front. As they're expected to sort of act like the company manager as well. So they see the show TOO much.... And personal opinion begins to interject. But, every time I point that fact out.. I get that... "your going past your job description" look from Stage -management. So I let go... but I vent here.
But it makes me feel like the servant of 2 masters some times... I get notes from the L.D. during tech and I follow them.... And she urged me to be tight to the body if she gave me notes at all. ( In fact she said I read her mind... there were so few notes ) and then I'm told not to do what she liked by SM within the week after she leaves. As I don't report to the designer anymore, but now the SM ( and... I'm crew... I have no opinion - but I can't help but have one.... more importantly I'm getting paid by the hour... ) I have to just grin, bear it and comply.
So... I have to let go...
Even though I know that I wasn't doing much of anything differently. The more open the Iris is, I see it lighting stuff upstage of the scrim in some parts of the downstage scenes. Exposing the next scene change upstage. Which will probably be a weird ??? note later this week when the SM notices that and not my spot work, for a change....And, I'll get to explain why I was to tight to the body... and.. possibly... back we will go.
It's a shame really... At least it looks good in the promo photos/videos... As that's all that's left in the end.
I was hoping for a huge changes at the theatre when it came to this show, given the sanctity of the particular production. That they were going to go the whole 9 yards and within their budget, keep the same moody aspect of the original Broadway show. But, come this weekend the SM started asking me to not iris in... (not to be so tight on the performers. )
And, they started to pull back on the mist and chilled fog amounts. The show's scenes seemed to get strangley lighter... Not darker... and my spots level has changes to less edge. ( not that I can blame anybody... )
The show should look like those dagoro-type images you see in illustrated classic books. Have that dark, dickensian moodiness. And, It started that way... At least I can say it made it to opening night that way.
But, from my angle ( maybe I'm just getting used to it... ) but... I think it's missing that Les Mis edge. It's going towards that regional... canadian... mushy...non commital look. Threaten nobody...Theatre for old people...
I never understand why this always seems to happen at certain theatres..A few days after the artistic team lets the show over to Stage-management and different notes come from them that didn't during tech. This never happens on any American touring show that I've worked on... I've never heard an American SM give notes on fog levels. They trust the techs... Or they don't dare say things like that. Really... trying to control how much and where stage fog goes... it's like being king kanute and trying to order back the sea. I'm glad I'm not running the effects.
I think at this theatre one of the reasons is, the SM runs the show from out front. As they're expected to sort of act like the company manager as well. So they see the show TOO much.... And personal opinion begins to interject. But, every time I point that fact out.. I get that... "your going past your job description" look from Stage -management. So I let go... but I vent here.
But it makes me feel like the servant of 2 masters some times... I get notes from the L.D. during tech and I follow them.... And she urged me to be tight to the body if she gave me notes at all. ( In fact she said I read her mind... there were so few notes ) and then I'm told not to do what she liked by SM within the week after she leaves. As I don't report to the designer anymore, but now the SM ( and... I'm crew... I have no opinion - but I can't help but have one.... more importantly I'm getting paid by the hour... ) I have to just grin, bear it and comply.
So... I have to let go...
Even though I know that I wasn't doing much of anything differently. The more open the Iris is, I see it lighting stuff upstage of the scrim in some parts of the downstage scenes. Exposing the next scene change upstage. Which will probably be a weird ??? note later this week when the SM notices that and not my spot work, for a change....And, I'll get to explain why I was to tight to the body... and.. possibly... back we will go.
It's a shame really... At least it looks good in the promo photos/videos... As that's all that's left in the end.
rydell:
or I will what?
rydell:
well of course....it goes both ways....we are also in peoples lives for a reason