Leading a Design Process
It is imperative to have this set by the time you begin speaking with designers.
What is the central question or spine?
These are your best friend when giving notes to actors.
What are given circumstances?
It is important I have landed on this before inviting any collaborators onto the project.
What is a central question/image
After working within an institution for a little while, you begin to learn that you are quite small in that institution and don't have much power to change much about it (in the moment at least). Therefore, when leading a process within an institution it is important to do this.
What is go with the flow and respond to problems as professionally as possible?
It is most important, even when working on a show with such heavy themes as John and Jen, to lead the process from a place of this.
What is joy and fun?
It would have been helpful to have one of these to point to and say "This is what the world should feel like"
What is a central image?
This is a big no no to say to an actor when reflecting something well they did. In fact, once you stop phrasing notes like this, you will notice that you get a lot more out of your actors. They also stop seeking your validation.
What is "i like?"
It is crucial to identify this in every scene, and its accompanying stage picture.
What is the event?
When given deadlines from an institution, it may be more helpful to frame them like this to your team, rather than stressign them out that the institution is demanding deliverables.
What is make it part of my process from the beginning so the work naturally gets done by those deadlines?
Part of being able to achieve a chill work environment is having this in your collaborators
What is trust?
This department is gonna be a little crazy. But, hey, theater is all about things going wrong and dealing with it as it comes. Don't stress, and everything in this design department will come together the best that it can.
What is sound?
When giving a direction, it is best not to phrase it as one of these, as it invites the actor to possibly say "no"
What is a question?
It is crucial to identify these for each character in each scene.
What is their given circumstance?
Unfortunately, not everyone is great at this, especially at large institutions such as the lovely PHTS or NYU. So it is important to remember that you can only control how you react and engage.
What is communicate?
You can't control the commitment level of all of your collaborators, so it is important to do this so that you can learn who to put trust in.
What is gauge reliability and experience level?
It is important to look over all documents handed to you by designers with care and attention, such as this document which I kinda overlooked...
What is a lighting plot?
You are not getting in an actor's head by doing this. In fact it is your job to do it.
What is get specific with beat to beat work?
Remember, as director, you are this. You are in charge. It is a-okay to assert your opinions and what things should be.
What is a manager/leader?
Remember to take this into account from the beginning when dealing with an institution that is not respectful of your money (shoutout costume loan)
What is your budget?
It is impossible to do this, and in fact some of the most exciting work comes from when you discover something new that you did not realize before (ie Teddy Bear!)
What is know everything?
It is important to have this in all of your designers, but it is just as important to not let that take your eye off the ball.
What is trust?
When giving notes to actors, it may be helpful to think of them as this shape. Ie, give a general note first, then if that doesn't work, more to a more specific note.
What is a funnel?
Do lots and lots of this. Even when you think you are done with it, do some more. It is better to be over-prepared so that you are able to defend your vision.
What is research (both textual and visual)?
At the end of the day, you have to realize that everyone in an institution is one of these. That comes with pros and cons (many, many cons), but in remembering this, it may be easier to view working within them in the future.
What is a human?
It is important that you create an environment (both mentally and physically) in which the actors may do this.
What is play?