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Permalink Reply by Jacob Coakley on February 9, 2011 at 12:13pm

And here's the transcript!

JACOB COAKLEY: Alright, while we keep talking about the weather, I'mma lay down some ground rules for our chat today. OK?

JACOB COAKLEY: OK. So Sean Dane and I will chat for about the first 15 minutes of the hour.

JACOB COAKLEY: We'll intro some topics.

JACOB COAKLEY: Then about 15 after, we'll open it up to questions from anyone.

JACOB COAKLEY: So if you could hold on to your questions until then, that'd be great.

JACOB COAKLEY: Sean - as I mentioned offline, short, fast reponses the way to go.

JACOB COAKLEY: just type in as many as you need.

SEAN DANE: I will do my best

JACOB COAKLEY: But when you'r edone answering a question, use the "/e" tag, so we kno wit's ok to proceed.

JACOB COAKLEY: Like so. /e

JACOB COAKLEY: got it?

SEAN DANE: got it

JACOB COAKLEY: excellent!

JACOB COAKLEY: We're a little early, but let's get started anyways!

SEAN DANE: alright

JACOB COAKLEY: First question, as always -- how'd you get started in tehatre, Sean? And then -- why'd you stick around?

SEAN DANE: I took an unconventional route

SEAN DANE: I took an unconventional route

SEAN DANE: I was about 8

SEAN DANE: the first time I saw Chirstmas Carol I was blown away

SEAN DANE: I became active in High School

SEAN DANE: and spent most of my time bumming aroun the theatre

SEAN DANE: in the booth, backstage, building the set

SEAN DANE: I just could not get enough of it

SEAN DANE: I intended to purse a carrer in college but was side tracked

SEAN DANE: by a career in real estate

SEAN DANE: that was fun but not really rewarding

SEAN DANE: I was lucky enough to have a buddy that worked at the rep when I left the real estate business

SEAN DANE: and there were a couple openings as a shop carp or a props carp

SEAN DANE: I jumped at the chance to work in props

SEAN DANE: the idea of buidling wall s was not as appealinga

JACOB COAKLEY: :-)

SEAN DANE: as building bodies

SEAN DANE: It was not really a question after that

SEAN DANE: I knew whis was what I wanted to do

SEAN DANE: /e

JACOB COAKLEY: OK - so that leads very gracefully into another question I wanted to ask, about training...

JACOB COAKLEY: You work as an MFA "guide"

JACOB COAKLEY: but what kind of training did you receive? How wrere you able to jupm back into props? And then become foreman?

JACOB COAKLEY: I'm guessing you wouldn't *actually* recommend pepole intersted in prpos start out in real estate... :-)

SEAN DANE: I am an exeption and I definately would not recomend it

SEAN DANE: even though I was not activly working in theatre I still enjoyed carpentry and the art of theatre

SEAN DANE: I think their is still room in this buisness to be in the right place at the right time and work hard to succeed

SEAN DANE: bu that is geting harder and harder

SEAN DANE: not having a traditional background in thetare arts it has made me work harder to learn the concepts and technology

SEAN DANE: I spent more time reaserching techniques than if I had that eduction in a design program

SEAN DANE: Props is an area that is not focused on by many institutions any longer

SEAN DANE: so there will always be a need for someone that is a self starter

SEAN DANE: and will spend the time doing research to teach themselves

SEAN DANE: If I had to do it again

SEAN DANE: I would focus more on the design and technical aspects in a educational setting

SEAN DANE: I have advanced by doing the job well

SEAN DANE: but it was chellinging for the first couple of years to play catch up

SEAN DANE: /e

JACOB COAKLEY: can you give an example of something you had to research and learn for yourself, as opposed to learning in training?

SEAN DANE: My first big project was to build a 6 foot chandelier

SEAN DANE: that is something I never imagined I would do

SEAN DANE: I had to reserch how they are built

SEAN DANE: the best way to form metal and make the body

SEAN DANE: how chained glass goes together

SEAN DANE: thats just one project.

SEAN DANE: every year presents new challenges that we have to find solutions for

SEAN DANE: e/

JACOB COAKLEY: thanks!

SEAN DANE: One more comment

JACOB COAKLEY: sure!

SEAN DANE: Having a knowlegable staff supporting me has been the real difference

SEAN DANE: being willing to ask questions and pay attention to how things are done effectivly have been the best education for me personally

SEAN DANE: e/

JACOB COAKLEY: OK, we're at 15 after the hour -- so I'll open it up to everyone here. Who's got a question for Sean?

JACOB COAKLEY: Here's oen to think about it for everyone: what was the hardest prop you had to build?

JACOB COAKLEY: what did you wish y ou knew before going in?

JACOB COAKLEY: while you think about that... I'll ask this one:

JACOB COAKLEY: At whta point do you rent vs. build? How big/unknown is too big for your shop?

SEAN DANE: For INTO THE WOODS I had to build a full size victorian horse tricycle

SEAN DANE: its my profile picture

JACOB COAKLEY: htat pic is here: http://api.ning.com/files/UQiyUQYVIZVfWs0GKRsljF9-Jw6OROJu4TlGkWdZU...

SEAN DANE: the techniques were fairly simple on their own but making everything come together so it was rideable

SEAN DANE: looked period appropriate

SEAN DANE: and not ruining a rather expensive carasol horse

SEAN DANE: were tricky

JACOB COAKLEY: any words on teh rent vs. buy decision?

SEAN DANE: I wich I had know more about bicylces to save time on the engineering

SEAN DANE: its a tough question. It take a couple of variables

SEAN DANE: cost first of all

SEAN DANE: can you afford to buy it in the first place

SEAN DANE: if not then its an easy choice

SEAN DANE: you build or rent

SEAN DANE: then do you have space to store it after the show if you own it

SEAN DANE: and do you have time to build it

SEAN DANE: IF we can store It I am usually of the opinion we build it

SEAN DANE: as everyone knows you dont always have the time to do that though

SEAN DANE: e/

JACOB COAKLEY: of course.

JACOB COAKLEY: alright -- I'll pass the mic back out to the audience again.

JACOB COAKLEY: and... crickets.

SEAN DANE: I will say hello to Eric and Patrick. fellow spamers

SEAN DANE: and Jeff former grad student

JACOB COAKLEY: thump, thump -- can you hear me now? :-)

JACOB COAKLEY: let's go back to teh bicycle then –

SEAN DANE: Another big project was the dancing leg lamps featured on the cover of your magazine this month

JACOB COAKLEY: You're right!

JACOB COAKLEY: let's talk about that one.

PATRICK DRONE: Hello Sean

SEAN DANE: That took a bit of research to find LED bulbs that would not break

SEAN DANE: a battery that would fit inside but not be too heavy

SEAN DANE: and securing the parts together so lampahdes would not be flying all over the place

SEAN DANE: tiem consuming but rewarding

JACOB COAKLEY: What solutions did you come up with?

SEAN DANE: I fond a great source for batteries www.batteryspace.com

SEAN DANE: that gave me flexability

SEAN DANE: then a source for bulbs at www.ledlights.com

SEAN DANE: the harps and lampshades ended up being soldered together so they wree solid

SEAN DANE: they took alot of abuse but held up well.

SEAN DANE: e/

SEAN DANE: It seems like the hardest projects are not always the most difficult but the most time consuming

JACOB COAKLEY: forgive my ignorance -- am assuming harps are the wires that form a sort of "halo" around the bulb ina normal lamp, that the shade rests on?

SEAN DANE: thats correct

JACOB COAKLEY: thx.

SEAN DANE: those are built to be removable

JACOB COAKLEY: well, time is money... :-)

RANDY CROMWELL: Hi, Sean. You mentioned having a staff. I was wondering how many people you have to help you actually build the props. I've been the solo props person on so many shows, so it's hard to imagine having a team to work with.

SEAN DANE: We have 4 in our shop

SUZI STEFFEN: Sean I'm going to interrupt Jacob and ask about the diffs b/t working with this large company and a well-funded org & working at (great but small budget) places like the Unicorn ... oh wait, answer Randy first. :-)

SEAN DANE: a Prop Master, a soft good artisan and general artisan with sculptural training as well as carpentry

SEAN DANE: It is a huge help to have others with more specialized skills

RANDY CROMWELL: I can imagine. Thanks.

SEAN DANE: During A Chiristmas Story las year we actually had 7 in the shop

SEAN DANE: and were still working 70 hr weeks

SEAN DANE: so id depends on the show but 4 is our normal crew

SEAN DANE: e/

SEAN DANE: Suzi- Its totally different games

SEAN DANE: Its challenging to go from here to the Unicorn and have abudget that is 1 fifth of our normal budgets to produce a show

SEAN DANE: I think that is were our resorcefullness comes in

SEAN DANE: you know you are going to be renting most of what you need

SEAN DANE: and I find myself raiding people houses

SEAN DANE: to borrow or beg

JACOB COAKLEY: :-O

SEAN DANE: I enjoy the challenge of it though

SEAN DANE: and even our well funded shows seem to be strained

SEAN DANE: e/

SUZI STEFFEN: Thanks, Sean!

SEAN DANE: No problem

ERIC HART: hi Sean

SEAN DANE: Howdy Eric

ERIC HART: question

SEAN DANE: sure

ERIC HART: What kind of challenges did you face moving from a props carpenter to someone in charge of a whole props shop?

SEAN DANE: well I still have a Props Master (Michael Schall) here at the Rep so that makes it easier.

SEAN DANE: He does mos tof the shopping and deals with the administration of the dept

SEAN DANE: I handle more of what is being built

SEAN DANE: how its going to be built

ERIC HART: ah, the fun parts

SEAN DANE: explaining how projects should be approaced to the grad students etc

SEAN DANE: Its a definate change when I go outside of the Rep and take on other shows

SEAN DANE: It has been a fairly easy trasformation for me luckily

SEAN DANE: It takes more time to deal with all of the budgeting issues as well as hiring and project assignment

JACOB COAKLEY: We're just about at the end of our time here -- any last questions for Sean?

JACOB COAKLEY: and...

JACOB COAKLEY: Sean - thanks so much for coming on over and chatting with us today!

SEAN DANE: Thanks everyone for letting me ramble

JACOB COAKLEY: Is there a way people can reach you in case they have questions for you offline?

JACOB COAKLEY: And you want to give a shout-out to SPAM?

SEAN DANE: just send me an email danes@umkc.edu

PATRICK DRONE: just send me an email danes@umkc.edu

RANDY CROMWELL: Thanks for giving of your time, Sean.

RANDY CROMWELL: And thanks for facilitating, Jacob.

ERIC HART: Thanks Sean

SEAN DANE: most definatley. If you are a props master check out www.propmasters.org

JAY DUCKWORTH: so sorry I was late

JACOB COAKLEY: there's a lot of good people and knowledge over at propmasters.org, so do check it out.

JACOB COAKLEY: Thanks again, Sean!

SEAN DANE: great group of people with a world of expericence to learn from and its nice to be connected to the people fighting the same battles you are

JACOB COAKLEY: Everyone, feel free to stick around, keep the talk going –

SEAN DANE: no problem. Prop On!

JACOB COAKLEYvote for photo of the week, submit *your* photos, and start up some convo's!

JACOB COAKLEYI'll have the transcript up shortly for all who missed it!

JAY DUCKWORTH: thank you Jacob

JACOB COAKLEY:-)

JAY DUCKWORTH: Sean, what kind of budgets do you work with for a main stage show

JACOB COAKLEYJay, there's a great photo of you bent over some silicone molds leading off a props story over on Stage-directions.com :-)

SEAN DANE: usually between 4 and 8k

JAY DUCKWORTH: is overhire taken out of that

SEAN DANE: pusing higher on musical extavaganza'a

SEAN DANE: no

JAY DUCKWORTH: yeah Eric took that picture

JAY DUCKWORTH: great article

SEAN DANE: we dont "budget" labor into show budgets

ERIC HART: lucky

JAY DUCKWORTH: see thats one thing that we have to deal with

JAY DUCKWORTH: at the Public

SEAN DANE: that comes out of general labor budgets for the season

JACOB COAKLEYthat does seem a little odd -- how do you get away with that? And does that mean that lighting can eat your overhire budget?

JAY DUCKWORTH: do you use interns as well as the 4 in your shop

SEAN DANE: no sorry its per dept

JAY DUCKWORTH: whell thats good to know

SEAN DANE: we have 4 GTA students

JAY DUCKWORTH: whats the best props advice you were ever given

SEAN DANE: but there seasons have become so demanding they spend most of their time on those

JAY DUCKWORTH: dig it

JAY DUCKWORTH: and whats the best props advice you have given

SEAN DANE: nothing is impossible given enough time and money

SEAN DANE: :-)

JAY DUCKWORTH: tru

JACOB COAKLEY:-) Yeah, I'll third that.

SEAN DANE: we try to never say no

JAY DUCKWORTH: nice

SEAN DANE: our job is to realize designers and directors visions

SEAN DANE: no matter how difficult.

SEAN DANE: sometimes we just run out of time

SEAN DANE: and money

JAY DUCKWORTH: do you forsee props becoming a design departmen in the near future

SEAN DANE: no, I think that props is too much a mixure of craft, tech and design to be just one

SEAN DANE: I would like to see more props specific programs become avalible thoush

JAY DUCKWORTH: that would be nice to see at schools

SEAN DANE: I try to tell our students that are not really interested in props that there

SEAN DANE: are more prop jobs out there than design jobs

JAY DUCKWORTH: and not to many good props people

JAY DUCKWORTH: thanx Sean

SEAN DANE: and working in good shop and having those skills will broden your possiblity of paying your rent significataly