Student Responsibilities
Producer's Primer
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How to be an Effective Producer
Planning Phase:
Apply for funding from the Creative and Performing Arts Fund early in the semester.
Send your crew to the required OUP Safety Training Workshops early in the semester.
Apply for the use of the Off Broadway, Whitney and/or college theaters. Send your OBT applications to the Office of Undergraduate Productions’ Supervisor by the required date. Confirm booking date if awarded one.
Read the info packet for your theater and the Yale Guidelines for Undergraduate Theater Productions and Special Events. Find these docs at: www.yale.edu/oup
Complete the Pre-Production Application. Find this form at: www.yale.edu/oup
Items to prepare for your OUP plan review
- The OUP Pre-production Application should include contact information for the entire production team and/or the officers of the registered organization.
- A one page written description of your production including details regarding the nature of the event and how you plan to actually produce the production.
- A copyright contract and paid invoice, from the owner of a property, if covered by a copyright. Sometimes the rights can take a few weeks or months to secure. In those cases, you may submit documentation (copies of letters, faxes, emails, etc) that shows you are actively seeking the rights. The show will not be allowed to load into any Yale theater without presentation of the final paid contract.
- A production calendar should include information regarding the dates being requested, details regarding the timing of the load-in, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, performances, strike and load-out.
- A ground plan sketch (to scale) of the theater should include your scenic elements, lighting and sound equipment locations, audience-seating areas, ticket sale location and any other obstructions. The OUP Technical Director responsible for the theater is available to assist in creating this sketch. You do not need to submit a lighting plot initially but one will be required prior to final approval. The ground plans with the lighting grids are available so that you can see how your set-up will be positioned in relation to the lighting grid. Feel free to draw your ground plan on this page if you wish.
- A front elevation sketch (to scale) is mostly important if you are using built scenery and especially raised platforms or stairs. The elevation should show your scenic elements and boom lighting positions. The OUP Technical Director for the theater is available to assist in creating this sketch.
Pre-Production Phase:
Six to eight weeks prior to load-in, schedule a design concept meeting with your entire design team including the Director, Producer, Technical Director, Set Designer and Lighting Designer. This is the time to start hashing out what you want the set, lights, and seating arrangement to be. Discuss your budget and figures for the Creative and Performing Arts Fund application.
Four weeks prior to load-in, schedule a Scale and Scope meeting with the Office of Undergraduate Productions’ Technical Director to go over your design & tech ideas and your Pre-Production Application. In attendance should be your entire design team including the Director, Producer, Technical Director, Set Designer and Lighting Designer. It is not necessary to come to final decisions, but it will be helpful to have a few strong ideas that you can discuss with the OUP Technical Director who will help to guide your production.
Two weeks prior to load-in submit the final version of your Pre-Production Application to the OUP Technical Director for review, signature and faxing to the Fire Code Compliance Office.
Last week prior to load-in, schedule at least one additional Production Meeting with your entire production staff to make sure everyone on your team is following the same plan. The Producer should schedule a final “load-in” meeting with the OUP Technical Director. This meeting is to review your load-in, tech week and strike plans in order to ensure you have adequate crew and time allotted. By now, all crew should have the required safety training. Your planning should include crew lists, call times, crew duties and scheduled breaks.
Production Phase:
Load-In: The normal hours are from 8:00 am to Midnight. No one works in the theater alone. Keep the theater door locked. Make sure that all production team members, cast, and crew know when to arrive. Certain activities may have been designated as “Supervised Tech”. During supervised tech students are allowed to perform duties which include all overhead work on ladders or scaffolding, and duties with some hand power tools. See section on “Prohibited, Supervised and Unsupervised Activities” for a specific list. The Supervisor will take over the load-in but will rely on the Producer as a primary aide and supervisor of the work force.
Tech: Tech time for rehearsals and unsupervised activities can occur after classroom use and before Midnight during your scheduled time in the theater.
Fire & Safety Inspection: The Producer and/or Director must attend the Fire and Safety Inspection usually scheduled on Wednesday afternoon between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. You will guide the Fire Inspector on a tour of the theater and your set-up.
Performances: Ensure the theater is clean and orderly. Ensure that the House Manager arrives 1 hour prior to the start time. Verify that the House Manager has the adequate number of Ushers and flashlights. Advise the House Manager when (or if) to seat late comers. Verify that the theater is locked and all lights are turned off upon leaving the theater.
Post-Production Phase:
Strike: Strike will follow the last performance. Do not schedule other activities in between. Make sure that all production team members, cast, and crew will be at strike on the final night of the performance. A generous 15 minutes should be given to after-show socializing. After 15 minutes, turn on the work lights and politely request that the audience members exit the theater so that strike can begin. The OUP Supervisor or TD (as required) will run the strike but will rely on the Producer as the primary aide and supervisor of the work force. Make sure that there will be ample ladder/scaffolding trained individuals to assist in strike. Strike must end by 1:00 am.
After-Strike: The Producer is responsible for returning all borrowed or rented items. The producer may delegate these tasks but will be the one held accountable for their completion.
Prohibited Activities
The following activities may not occur in any undergraduate theater, shop or rehearsal space.
Construction:
Unsupervised use of stationary or hand power tools with the exception of a jig saw, screw gun, 3/8” & 1/2”
drill, or palm sander.
Structural weight bearing scenery except in OUP supervised locations.
Structures higher than 24” without permanent 42” guard railings.
Structures higher than 8” without intermediate steps.
More than two intermediate steps without permanent 42” hand railings.
Cable clamps or clips are not permitted as terminations in structural cabling.
Electrical:
Use of devices, fixtures, switches, outlets, etc, that are not UL approved.
Electrical wiring of devices, fixtures, switches, outlets, etc.
Electrical discharges, lighting, sparks, strobes, etc.
Flat (EIC) Extension Cords.
Fire Safety:
Use of flammable materials or processes.
Use of combustible fabrics, woods, papers, etc. without flame retardants.
Use of pink and blue Styrofoam foam boards.
Use of aerosol spray paints, sealers, adhesives, vapors or fumes.
Pyrotechnics, flash powder, open flames, smoking materials, etc.
Aisles less than 44” wide, exit doorways less than 30” wide.
Blocking or impeding aisles or doorways with anything.
Crossing aisles or doorways with anything unsecured.
Seating rows with less than 2 seats, rows with one aisle with more than 7 seats, rows with two aisles with more
than 14 seats, seats in rows not secured together.
Seating risers higher than 18”, seating risers without 1.5” chair guards.
Tampering with, disabling or blocking any fire protection device or sign.
Attaching anything to sprinkler pipes or sprinkler heads.
Production:
Leaving a theater, shop or rehearsal space unlocked while unattended.
Working alone in any theater, shop, or rehearsal space.
Working in a theater, shop or rehearsal space before 8:00 am (with the exception of the Yale Dramatic Assoc.).
Working in a theater, shop or rehearsal space after 1:00 am (with the exception of the Yale Dramatic Assoc.).
No standees are allowed at rehearsals, staged readings or performances.
Performances that begin later than 10:00 pm.
Performances that end later than midnight.
Photo calls between last performance and strike.
Parties and receptions held in theaters, shops or rehearsal spaces.
Rigging:
Flying or rappelling.
Lighting equipment without safety cables.
Lighting towers or booms without top support and bottom weight.
Stage Action:
Use of real fire arms or live ammunition.
Use of sharp blades, swords, knives, arrows, etc.
Use of working bows or cross bows with string and arrows.
Use of nooses, tying-up or binding of persons.
Confining persons in any kind of locked enclosure.
