Staff Arrives and Studio Opens
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Staff Arrives and Studio Opens
Stage Managing, Gripping and Gaffing
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Instructor(s): April Dooley, David Brabaw, Clarice Bethers, tbd
Stage managers organize and coordinate theatrical productions. The job encompasses a variety of activities, including organizing the production and coordinating communications between various personnel (e.g., between director and backstage crew, or actors and production management). Stage management is a sub-discipline of stagecraft. The gaffer is the head electrician at the production set, and is in charge of lighting the stage under direction of the Cinematographer. In television, the term chief lighting director is often used instead of gaffer, and sometimes the technical director lights the set. The gaffer reports to the director of photography, lighting director. or lighting designer, and usually has an assistant called a best boy. In the U.S. and Canada, grips are lighting and rigging technicians in the film and video industries. They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip. Grips have two main functions. The first is to work closely with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or in an unusual position, such as the top of a ladder. Some grips may specialize in operating camera dollies or camera cranes. The second main function of grips is to work closely with the electrical department to create lighting set-ups necessary for a shot under the direction of the director of photography. The key grip is the head grip. Grips affect shadow effects with lights, and occasionally maneuver camera cranes, dollies, and platforms under direction from the Cinematographer. The term grip is used in slightly different ways in American and British or Australian film making. In the British and Australian film industries, a grip mounts and supports cameras, which can include anything beyond a basic tripod. Lighting in British and Australian film-making is headed by the gaffer, who is also part of the camera department. Grips can also be the people that do the laborious work on sets. These type of grips push, pull, roll, and lift various pieces of equipment under direction from a television director, television producer, or set designer. In cinematography, the dolly grip places and moves the dolly track where required, and then pushes and pulls the dolly along that track during filming. A dolly grip works closely with the camera crew to perfect these complex movements through rehearsals. For moving shots, dolly grips may also push the wheeled platform that holds the microphone and Boom Operator. The dolly is a cart that the tripod and camera (and occasionally the camera crew) rest on. It transports the camera without bumps and visual interruptions throughout a shot. It is commonly used to follow beside an actor to give the audience the sense of walking with the actor, or as the actor.
Class Time: 1 Slot
Lunch
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Lunch prepared by crew members catering.
Floor Direction and Camera Operation
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Instructor(s): Adam Garner, David Brabaw, Karen Lawfer
As the head member of the camera crew, the camera operator uses the camera as instructed by the Director. They ensure the required action is correctly filmed in the frame, and must react instinctively as the proceedings take place. If the camera operator is also a cinematographer, they also help establish the theme and appearance of the show. The cinematographer—or director of photography (DP)—regulates lighting for every scene, frames some shots, chooses lenses, decides on film stock, and strives to match the project's visual appearance to the director's vision. However, the cinematographer does not usually move the camera on the set, as this is usually the exclusive role of a camera operator. The floor manager represents the director on the studio floor, and gives instructions and direction to crew, cast, and guests. It is closest to the role of an assistant director, as the job frequently entails barking orders to keep a production on schedule. The floor manager is always in direct contact with the director via talkback in the gallery. The floor manager also checks that the floor is clear and safe for the performance, checks that scenery and set pieces are ready, turns on appropriate lights, makes announcements to staff and audience, helps maintain quietness and order, calls cues, and prompts talents as required. They also provide cues, timing and other information to the presenters and talents. An assistant floor manager (AFM) sets the stage, prompts contributors on the studio floor, and ensures that everyone knows their place in the script. This frees the floor manager for other duties. They often oversee a team of runners. Increasingly, assistant floor managers are asked to help design and prepare props, and help set and reset action on the studio floor.
Showrunner Camp Daily Broadcasts
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Prep time for daily broadcast
Showrunner Camp Daily Broadcasts
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These daily br0adcasts serve a number of goals:
opportunity to practice skills being learned in camp
learning to work in a team setting
preparing for a live broadcast
going live on the studio’s announced schedule (3:30 each day of camp) to the public
working in front of a studio audience (at least other groups, but could be anyone who shows up, if broadcasting from studio) or public (if broadcasting from outside studio)
Crew members from other groups may act as talent for other groups’ broadcasts. Check out the latest broadcast:
Studio Closes and Staff Leaves
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Studio Closes and Staff Leaves