Technical Director

The Technical Director (TD) has three key roles:

1. Oversee/manage all the technical aspects of the show
2. Act as a liaison between the show production team and StageSoc
3. Ensure the interests of StageSoc are maintained

This guide covers important topics in detail. For the TD Checklist, templates, instructions and other important documents, see the TD Resources.

1. Getting the Job
2. A Summary of the Role
3. Responsibilities
4. Health & Safety
5. Packing Up the Annex (including Security at Weekends)
6. Late Night Working
7. Invoices
8. Safety Talk
9. Keys
10. TD Locker & Consumables
11. Adding a Show Page to the Website
12. Insurance

A production team for the show will contact the StageSoc committee with a short show summary describing the technical requirements (a tech rider, shown in the filestore). The position will be advertised to all society members via email, forum and/or otherwise. Any member interested in becoming a TD may nominate themselves. They will be asked to prepare a short pitch and will be invited to a committee meeting where they will present their pitch and asked questions. The position will then be allocated by means of a committee vote. There is a variety of options if you do not want to TD on your own if it is your first time.

These are the main steps of the role:

1. Communicate! You are the point of communication between production team and crew, and you need to facilitate communication between all parties. Any issues with the show should go through you and you should be approachable to any person involved with the show.
2. Talk to the production team about their tech requirements (set, lighting, sound, special effects), identify anything that needs to be externally hired.
3. Make a plan of dates when things need to be done by, and post on the shows forum asking for crew. Provide as much detail as possible about the show and tech.
4. Choose your crew and organise communication channels. Normally this is a Discord crew chat, but be careful to include any member who doesn't have Discord.
5. Make sure your production team are happy, be contactable.
6. You will be asked by the StageSoc committee to provide updates, at their meetings, about your progress and they should answer any queries you may have.
7. Get-in: You are in charge of organising and running the get-in. Look after your crew and ensure all tasks are completed safely and in a timely manner.
8. Tech run: You (not the directors!) are in charge of the tech rehearsal. LX plotting takes the most time to try to get as much ground-work and pre-plotting done beforehand. Your main job is to make sure the crew are happy and they are fed/watered.
9. Show: Your job is to make sure it runs smoothly, making notes of problems that can be corrected.
10. Get-out: You are in charge of organising and running the get-out. You are responsible for the condition of the Annex at the end of the show.

• Liaising with the production team throughout, especially early in to establish the technical requirements of the show. Preferably go to any production meetings.
• Advise the production team on what is/isn't possible whilst considering time, budget and available crew. It's unlikely you're going to know everything, if you don't know something ask other people in the society that probably will.
• Ensuring equipment (StageSoc and otherwise) is available to be used, there may be another show StageSoc is involved with on at the same time.
• Establishing what additional equipment is needed for the show and arranging the hires (see invoices section).
• Arranging late night working (see late-night working section).
• Ensuring that all health and safety paperwork is done (see H&S section).
• Advertising for and recruiting crew fairly, ensuring all members get an opportunity to be involved if they want to. You should refrain from promising positions to members until you have asked for crew on the forum.
• Ensuring all crew members are trained and competent to use the equipment. If they aren't, then arrange mentors to help teach them.
• Ensure all items which belong in PA house are returned at the Out. PA house keys are provided on the TD keys.
• At the end of the show week a feedback form will become available. You should distribute a link to your crew and production team.

Most of what StageSoc do is covered by our Annual General Risk Assessment, found here. It is annually reviewed to ensure it is up-to-date. As a TD you need to read this so you are aware of the hazards of what we do and how they can be minimised. If your show has hazards outside of this then a supplementary risk assessment will need to be passed by the StageSoc Committee. This risk assessment should be passed no later than 2 weeks before the show. When you meet with production teams you need to tell them this and try to identify anything that is outside the scope of our general Risk assessment (e.g. standing on tables, lack of handrails on deck, dancing on lecture benches). Pyrotechnics (fire) and cryogenics (dry ice) have additional safety requirements that need to have considered, the StageSoc committee needs to be informed about the use of these at least two weeks before the start of the show run. If you want to use cryogenics there is a guide for TDs here (Note, this document is from 2013, so may be out of date).

All risk assessments need to be submitted to SUSU through Groups Hub and approved before they are valid.

Before the tech-run (and afterwards if changes have occurred) an inspection of the set will be carried out by the Annex Officer (or another member of committee). They will inspect the set looking for any issues or problems that need to be rectified. The changes recommended need to be carried out before the tech-run starts. The safety of all people involved comes above all other factors, including budget, time and aesthetics. All committee members are responsible for the safety of the society so if they are telling you to do something it is because there is a good reason.

Ensure you are familiar with the fire evacuation plan displayed throughout the Annex. During shows, you will need to nominate people to fill the Technical Director (usually you), Stage Manager (should be based backstage) and Front of House Manager (should be based in the auditorium) positions. Make sure they know their responsibilities in the event of a fire.

At the end of a show, rehearsal, get-in or out, the space needs to be left in a clean, tidy and safe state for lectures.

The procedure is outlined in the daily part of the TD checklist in the TD Resources.

Report any issues when using the Annex to the Annex Officer.

Due to the lack of a secure opping box our equipment is left out in the lecture space between the nights of Fri-Sat and Sat-Sun. When you call security, you need to inform the control room that we have equipment left out, so they should only open the room to members of StageSoc the following day. You should then wait for a security guard to turn up to lock the building.

Most of our stuff can be left out over these nights, but there are a few exceptions. The drapes over the doors need to be removed, also the covers over the windows of the doors to J need removing. The working and aisle lights need to be turned on. The fire escapes need to be left clear and any dangerous/unsafe pieces of set made safe (in case anybody were to get in).

Late night working is required if the Annex is to be used beyond 23:00 (11p.m.) on any night (or before 09:00 in the morning), because this is outside of the scope of the room booking system. If the room is not booked, and Security has not been made aware, you may be asked to leave!

To notify Security of late night working, send an email to secsuper@soton.ac.uk and CC the Annex Officer. Use the template in the TD resources.

When ordering anything, whether it be from an external company, the union or elsewhere, make sure that the society listed on any paperwork (i.e. the invoices) is the performing society (e.g. LOpSoc, Theatre Group, etc.). Never put StageSoc down as the society hiring, otherwise we are liable for the hire (i.e. legally responsible for it). This is because the performing society hires StageSoc to crew the show and hires any extra equipment for the show. Send a copy of your quote/hire request to the Annex Officer.

Once the show run is finished the Treasurer will send an invoice for all of the consumables or lost items to the treasurer of the performing society. This is usually allocated for on the tech budget (so remember to allocate money for consumables).

(AKA, the bit you're looking for)

Before the Tech Run the cast need to be given a safety talk. This talk must not be rushed and should clearly state the dangers of performing in the annex.

A template H+S talk powerpoint is available in the TD Resources.

The talk should cover the following things in detail:

1. Introduce key people (e.g. yourself, the Stage Manager, First Aiders, people in charge of dangerous effects, etc.).
2. Check for any existing health conditions which may cause problems with the production, either now or privately after the talk.
3. Ensure all cast/crew/band have bought membership of the performing society (otherwise they are not covered under the SUSU PA insurance)
4. No drinking in the Annex, and other things that invalidate the risk assessment and insurance (e.g. drinking, drugs, being a serving member of the armed forces, solvent abuse, self-inflicted injury through negligence).
5. The fire procedure (as shown on the fire action poster and evacuation route poster).
6. Check if people are aware of the risk assessment, this should be worded as such: “We have an annual risk assessment which we strongly recommend that you read. You can choose not to read it, but you do so at your own risk. By filling out the form you accept this.” They will then need to sign the risk assessment log book (kept in the Annex Officer's cupboard). If there is an additional risk assessment then the cast must also sign the addition risk assessment log book (kept with above).
7. Mention typical hazards encountered (e.g. cables on the floor, falling from deck, pokey out pieces of set, etc.).
8. Mention hazards specific to your show (e.g. a water drop, oddly placed treads, cryogenics, pyrotechnics, etc.).
9. If cryogenics or pyrotechnics are used an additional safety briefing is required, arrange these with the Annex Officer in advance.

The form that cast needs to fill out can be found in the black folder in small store.

The TD locker is the bottom blue locker in Upper Store, and houses consumables and equipment which the TD can use. Open it with the cylinder key on the TD keys.

At the beginning of your show, check that the treasurer has topped the locker up with the following:

• 2 rolls Black Gaffer Tape
• 2 rolls White Gaffer Tape
• 2 rolls each of Black, White and Grey PVC electrical tape.

At the end of the show the treasurer will top the locker back up to that stock level, and any tapes replaced will be charged as consumables to your show. Tapes which are in the tape box in TARDIS at the beginning of the show week have already been “opened” and charged to a previous show, so will not be charged to your show.

The rest of the blue cabinet also contains consumables & equipment; the key-holders are the Treasurer and the Annex Officer. If you know you require additional consumables (or equipment), you need to arrange with the Annex Officer or Treasurer, before-hand, to have them checked out. Items available include (starred items are charged to shows):

• Gaffer tape (matt black & white)*
• Masking tape*
• Electrical tape (black, white, and grey)*
• Transpore tape (mic tape)
• Spare drill bits & drivers
• New paintbrushes
• 2 sets of cold handling gloves
• 2 sets of heat-proof gloves

Black Flints paint is also available and charged to shows in quantities of half a tin. This is kept in the COSHH cupboard.

As TD, you are responsible for curating a show page on the StageSoc website. The convention is to create the show page and add the dates and Production Team in advance, and then add the Crew credits afterwards (so the crew roles are accurate).

This part needs to be done by a committee member due to permissions. If you aren't on committee, ask someone to do it for you!

First, log into the StageSoc Website, and go to https://stagesoc.org.uk/shows/ . At the bottom, under “Administration”, click “Create Show”. Input the name, society, at least one performance date, and importantly under “Production Team” add the Technical Director(s). This allows them to edit the page themselves! Remember to hit “Save Details” as the website is cruel, ruthless and unforgiving.

The rest can now be done by the TD, regardless of whether they're on committee

Ensure the performance dates and times are accurate. The “Add Std Week” button is useful for most Showstoppers/TG shows, and adds 4 consecutive evenings with a matinee on the last day - so select the Wednesday of the first show to generate shows on Weds, Thurs, Fri and 2x Sat.

Add all of the other dates (set builds, get in/out, tech/dress rehearsals etc) under the “Additional Dates” section.

Under “Production Team”, ensure all TD/ATD/STDs have been added. The other roles are normally only filled in if StageSoc is the performing company, e.g. for Panto.

After the show, add the Technical Crew. You may wish to add SD/LD/Head of Stage roles beforehand but this is optional.

Hopefully you won't need this section, but here it is for reference.

SUSU holds special insurance for all of PA (Platinum Group Personal Accident Policy). SUSU also holds public liability insurance which protects against claims from members of the public (i.e. audience).

The SUSU insurance does not cover (amongst other things) suicide, deliberate self-harm or misuse of drink or drugs, or serving members of the armed forces (this does not include non-called-up reserves e.g. URNU, UOTC or UAS).

All SUSU insurance information can be found here: https://www.susu.org/groups/admin/howto/insurance

SUSU Platinum Group Personal Accident Policy cover: https://www.susu.org/content/uploads/files/IPID%202020%20-%20103.pdf

SUSU Public Liability Certificate: https://sotonac.sharepoint.com/teams/SUSU-groups/SitePages/Club-and-Society-Insurance.aspx