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- Put-In is usually the Sunday before tech week, lasting from 7am - 11 pm. Note: in the past we have sometimes done put-in on Saturday. From Coriolanus SP22 post-prod: "Saturday put-in is much nicer; U-Hauls open earlier (7AM instead of 9); in general you have another day in case something goes wrong".
Each actor and Ensemble member is required to complete a number of hours, usually 8. Details on this have varied from show to show – use your best judgement. If membership is particularly large, for example, you could only require 6 hours. - Email out a google form asking for everyone's availability and what they are comfortable doing/skill level doing so
- Heights, power tools, painting detail work, sewing, carrying heavy things... things like that
- Dietary restrictions/pizza preferences
- Email department heads, asking:
- How many hours their department will need
- How many people they need
- When they think they'll need them
- The rule for department heads is that they should arrive at 7am when Put-In starts and should stay until their department is over or until they have completed their 8 hours, whichever is longer.
- Once you have this information, you want to start making your scheduling spreadsheet. There are fantastic examples from earlier shows – if you don't have one, for some reason, contact the previous TD.
part of the spreadsheet from She Kills Monsters (summer 2018) credit to Cami
- Scheduling is hard. The most important thing is that you want to make sure there are no "dead" hours, meaning you want to make sure there are always enough people on a task at a time to be getting things done – if there is an hour where there are only 2 people assigned for sets, for example, not much is likely to get done. You also want to pick out sets/lights people who are experienced to help lead what is happening during that time – remember, you won't be building during Put-In.
- At the same time you're doing this, make a checklist of things that need to be done and when you think you can do them. This is extreeeeeemely useful, so don't slack on this. I split time into a few sections: FIRST THING, MORNING, AFTERNOON, and LAST THING. First thing is stuff like getting things from the set shop and setting up a tool area, morning is things
- New members probably won't have skills. That's okay! See where they'd like to go, and help them learn from upperclassmen. You might help find the next lighting designer or TD...!!!!
- Remember, the sets people there in the morning will be doing runs from the set shop to bring set pieces over. They should have the full list of set pieces for this.
- If you have a competents sets person in charge of this that lives in EC, you might want to ask them to go to the set shop first instead of space to get things ready for when friends come.
- You're going to want to designate someone you trust as Put-In-Assistant TD (if you don't already have a formal Assistant or Co-TD). If, let's say, you need to leave space to deal with something in the set shop, this person should have an idea of what needs to get done such that they can tell people to do things if other tasks get completed. Sit down with them a few days prior to Put In so that they have a sense of the Put In so they can effectively lead in your absence.
- You're also going to want to schedule someone to be the TD's assistant – they're in charge of ordering food and taking attendance when people arrive. There is a term job for the food master who should be in charge of food, and the SM is a good choice to replace them when they leave. Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, Dominos for lunch. (according to older versions of thie wiki we used to get cookies in the evening... I'm jealous)
- Once the schedule is done, send it out to everybody so they know when they're scheduled.
- Make sure everything is ready to go – first aid kit, tools, list of set pieces in the set shop...
- If you're in Sala, you need to construct scaff the night before. Contact the lights team to do this, or it can be a last-minute chance for prod hours.
- The night before, send out one final email to everybody, reminding them of these things:
- You should have your prod hours done by put-in. If not, email the TD to figure something out.
- Check the spreadsheet again to ensure they know when they're coming in and what they're doing
- Wear closed toed shoes, clothing you aren't afraid to get covered in paint, and tie back long hair
- If you hear someone yell GROUND CREW, stop what you're doing and go to move scaff. Everyone is ground crew.
- If you are uncomfortable with what you're doing, you should tell the TD and they will find you something else to do
- If you ever are looking for something to do, ask the TD
- HYDRATE OR DIEDRATE
- If you're on lights, bring an adjustable wrench attached to your belt.
- GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP. If you don't get 8 hours before put-in, you're gonna be reeeeeeal sad.
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