CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, October 03, 2012

J-O-B TD



Technical Director, Production

Department:  Production
Reports to:  Director of Production

Responsibilities:
·  Work with Scenic designers to facilitate their designs, estimating the costs and keeping them within budget. 
·  Determine construction methods for all designs, drafting construction drawings, and supervising the build and load-in of all scenery. 
·  Responsible for seeing that all safety regulations and fire codes are followed in the performance spaces. 


·  Ensure the safe construction, execution, and installation of all scenic designs.
·  Hire and professionally manage the Scene Shop staff including per diem employees.
·  Fill out all staff paperwork/forms in a timely manner and follow all school human resource policies.
·  Establish task checklists and schedules, assigning appropriate staff responsibilities for the shop and performance spaces including regular equipment and storage upkeep.
·  Monitor all areas on a regular basis to assure that everything is being professionally maintained.
·  Meet with designers and shop staff, prioritizing what is built, pulled, rented, etc. for the respective productions and who on staff should be scheduled to meet these needs. 
·  Communicate with the paint staff to help determine the flow of scenic elements on the shop floor and the paint deck.
·  Estimate production designs and keep an overview of the shop’s total operating budgets including maintenance, inventory and safety purchases. 
·  Apprise the appropriate staff regarding budgetary concerns.
·  Develop shop due dates, production time lines and maintenance schedules, including all regular shop meetings.
·  Read and review all daily Rehearsal Reports disseminating pertinent information and responding to any concerns or suggestions.
·  Attend all weekly staff and shop head meetings, budget meetings, production meetings, and technical/dress rehearsals when required. 
·  Schedule weekly/monthly shop meetings to review schedules and production updates, regular safety meetings to review all new information and existing policy, and Job Evaluation meetings following Human Resources policy.
·  Manage and track all shop inventory and stock scenic elements.
·  Research necessary capital improvements and safety provisions so as to allow the Scene shop to operate in a safe manner.
Qualifications:
·  MFA in Technical Theatre, with a preference given to those who are ETCP certified
·  Three years as a Technical Director in a professional theatre.
·  Computer literacy, including Word, Excel, and Auto Cad and Vector works.
·  Experience in supporting opera, drama, dance, and concert performances.
·  The ability to multi-task.
·  Ability to maintain a professional demeanor in all settings.
·  Ability to estimate and manage budgets.
·  Strong management, organizational and interpersonal skills.
·  Gives attention to detail and has the ability to follow-through.
·  Experience working in an educational theatrical setting preferred.
·  Experience working in a multi-purpose performance space helpful.

3 comments:

Sonia said...

This seems like a very extensive search, with those seeking knowing exactly what they want. However, unless I am completely missing it, or it was attached to the original article, where is this position located? What theatre? I just find it strange after being so detailed in what they want. But maybe it was just lost in translation.

Unknown said...

At first I was going to chalk this up to a poor translation from its posting to the Green Page as to why there is absolutely no mention of WHO this ad is for nor WHERE the theatre space(s) is/are located - the utter lack of a means of communication to apply for the job also supports this theory.

But a further reading reveals additional tip-offs this might be a less-than-ideal place to work: Namely, a number of (what I would consider) discrepancies and/or contradictions. If I hold a MFA in technical direction AND I've held a job as one for three years and you have to tell me in your job ad to read the REHEARSAL REPORTS; you're doing it wrong. Telling me I need to "communicate with the Paint Shop" and attend meetings with designers and other staff reads like a laundry list of things your previous TDs didn't do.

There are a number of references to this place being an educational institution so a bit of this can be dismissed as collegiate overstatement (the emphasis on documentable qualifications are another tip-off; collegiates LOVE documentable qualifications...); but on the whole this ad feels desperate. That can work FOR or AGAINST anyone applying for it.

David said...

this would appear to be a screwup on my part.