5 p's] Product planning action is what it & we should be about!

I feel I'm one of those yoyo's who tend do everything, except I can't do the window cleaning - not allowed to climb ladders anymore!

But i still insist on production meetings. Not for the sake of them but a need to communicate - wot's in my head, even though it is sometimes just two sticks to stir 'it with. Or for the sake of just having them, as in 'Meetings Bloody Meetings' [John clease]

Also by not having production meeting I find it tends to alianate those I need, by robbing them of the chance for them to input & be an owner of the show.

Besides all that waffle, the director becomes like a monk in a single bunk!

Even i9f they have the know how to do most jobs, they have a closed mind, so how on earth can they ever acept an artistic accident?

Those directors usualy end up pushing *it up hill with thier nose!

Further I have found that even after planting the odd seed in a production meeting, as many valuable ideas come out, during a coffee or nicotene afterwards.

 

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Many times new ideas or variations of what I have in mind will happen.   And even better: a designer will come up with a completely different and better idea than I originally had.   What really bothers me the most is "designers" that just want to give me what I want.  

 

One of the best sound designs was for a show called Rounding Third.  My sound designer took it to the extreme of immersion by even having our pre-show announcement as though we were at baseball game.   That bit even I hadn't thought of at the time and he improved on several ideas that I had.   Maybe even  more importantly he was willing to discourage and kill a couple of other ideas that I had.  Now that takes confidence and courage in a designer to tell that to a director.  I wish there were more like him.   I've collaborated with him three times for lights & sound and I'm disapointed when I have to work with anyone else.

 

You'll save miscommuniction, rework, stress and get better results in the end, with a happier, healthier atmosphere!!

Hope you have been well!

With me they officially start, straight away after the decision is made to do the production.

Initially when choosing the production team, I make available the script, ask them to read it & sound out  ideas or reasons it can't be done &/or if not, how it could be done. Before putting it to the that powers that be.

So in fact there are a number of preproduction moots that take place before the go ahead.

In fact I normally after reading the script a number of times & allowing it to incubate. Put down my ideas for the Mise en scene & work out a 'NET' sheet [WWW Sheet - Who, where, when] on an exel data form, so other info & cues can be added or changed later. Also it forms the basis for a 'Running, set, costume & cue sheets later.

As ideas & input are gleaned & accepted they become an addendum to the show bible during rehearsals.

My main prerequisite in members of the production team coming on board, is they have digested the script fully.

I always bring coffee and treats. It goes along way.

Linda

 

For example:

 

We just did our first audtion for FULL MONTY last night and we had our first production meeting back in February, with additional meeting the middle of March and one last week.

 

I wouldn't know how to put a show together with getting everyone to sit down and judt talk about the next show and the expectations.  Communication is key to keep for getting all messed up further down the road.

 

Charlie