Comments on: Flow, or “Be an Opener of Doors…” http://theaterforthefuture.com/flow-or-be-an-opener-of-doors/ The Art in the Business of Theater - Collaboration Tools and Technology and the Storefront Theater Movement Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:17:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nick Keenan http://theaterforthefuture.com/flow-or-be-an-opener-of-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Nick Keenan Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:27:42 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/flow-or-be-an-opener-of-doors/#comment-54 I think you're right on, Tony. Silence and Vitriol alone help no one. Listening and Feedback do help. On the positive side of the equation, I think if you were to tell Adam today that he's doing such a good job as AD, that would propel him forward and really help him stay committed to the work that he's doing. I know Adam well, and I don't think he gets that kind of feedback as much as he deserves, and I think that's probably true of most excellent theater artists. Sometimes it feels like we do our work in a vaccuum, and adding honest feedback is incredibly healthy way to grow a community. I like that what you've done here is identify situations to avoid, and I think that's a more healthy solution than identifying people to avoid. GreyZelda is right in her comments on your blog... people and organiztions can change and reform in a short period of time, but the situations that you're describing are always suspect. Just as an actor/actress should beware of a casting director who wants to incorporate nudity or other uncomfortable situations into the audition process, all theater artists need to beware of organizations who would take them for a financial ride, and they need to be able to identify the signs that something is going wrong so that they can protect themselves. I think you’re right on, Tony. Silence and Vitriol alone help no one. Listening and Feedback do help. On the positive side of the equation, I think if you were to tell Adam today that he’s doing such a good job as AD, that would propel him forward and really help him stay committed to the work that he’s doing. I know Adam well, and I don’t think he gets that kind of feedback as much as he deserves, and I think that’s probably true of most excellent theater artists. Sometimes it feels like we do our work in a vaccuum, and adding honest feedback is incredibly healthy way to grow a community.

I like that what you’ve done here is identify situations to avoid, and I think that’s a more healthy solution than identifying people to avoid. GreyZelda is right in her comments on your blog… people and organiztions can change and reform in a short period of time, but the situations that you’re describing are always suspect.

Just as an actor/actress should beware of a casting director who wants to incorporate nudity or other uncomfortable situations into the audition process, all theater artists need to beware of organizations who would take them for a financial ride, and they need to be able to identify the signs that something is going wrong so that they can protect themselves.

]]> By: Tony http://theaterforthefuture.com/flow-or-be-an-opener-of-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Tony Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:05:59 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/flow-or-be-an-opener-of-doors/#comment-53 The longer I'm in the game, the more I think that between vitriol and silence there needs to be an open discussion. Maybe something akin to a traffic report. "Drivers avoid the Dan Ryan today due to potholes" . . etc. If no one ever speaks up, then you get companies like the one previously mentioned are able to systematically take advantage of artists for years. I think open discussion should be the norm, not just for the bad, but also for the good, and I think the more discussion the less chance that one solitary voice is out there badmouthing someone for purely personal reasons--'he didn't cast me, he sucks . . .' etc. Hypothetically, if 50 people I trust tell me "Zachary Davidson" ripped them off, I'll probably believe it--and personal experience would back that up--in this hypothetical situation. If one angry person told me Adam Webster ripped them off, I would have a hard time believing it--to be honest. He has a reputation for treating people well. And personal experience would make me question that. (Worth noting that I think Adam does as good, if not a better, of a job than any AD in town.) It's a tough thing sometimes to balance between silence and gossip. I think that part of teaching is informing others what to avoid. For Ex. young (and not so young) designers should know: never, ever pay for the design budget out of your own pocket. That way, no one can refuse to reimburse you. If you have a long relationship with someone then you may think about it. I know you really "need" it for your concept, but if the company can't afford it now, there's a good chance they won't be able to "afford it" in six weeks. So if your concept is worth paying for it yourself, then buy away . . . Not to sound like a commie, but if everyone's in it together with an open discussion, it would become much harder for most to be taken advantage of, and much easier for great ideas to be passed along. Thoughts? The longer I’m in the game, the more I think that between vitriol and silence there needs to be an open discussion. Maybe something akin to a traffic report. “Drivers avoid the Dan Ryan today due to potholes” . . etc. If no one ever speaks up, then you get companies like the one previously mentioned are able to systematically take advantage of artists for years.

I think open discussion should be the norm, not just for the bad, but also for the good, and I think the more discussion the less chance that one solitary voice is out there badmouthing someone for purely personal reasons–’he didn’t cast me, he sucks . . .’ etc.

Hypothetically, if 50 people I trust tell me “Zachary Davidson” ripped them off, I’ll probably believe it–and personal experience would back that up–in this hypothetical situation.

If one angry person told me Adam Webster ripped them off, I would have a hard time believing it–to be honest. He has a reputation for treating people well. And personal experience would make me question that. (Worth noting that I think Adam does as good, if not a better, of a job than any AD in town.)

It’s a tough thing sometimes to balance between silence and gossip.

I think that part of teaching is informing others what to avoid. For Ex. young (and not so young) designers should know: never, ever pay for the design budget out of your own pocket. That way, no one can refuse to reimburse you. If you have a long relationship with someone then you may think about it. I know you really “need” it for your concept, but if the company can’t afford it now, there’s a good chance they won’t be able to “afford it” in six weeks. So if your concept is worth paying for it yourself, then buy away . . .

Not to sound like a commie, but if everyone’s in it together with an open discussion, it would become much harder for most to be taken advantage of, and much easier for great ideas to be passed along.

Thoughts?

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