Everyone I know is a production manager and, most likely, if you are reading this column, you're a production manager as well. Apparently it is a prerequisite for anyone in our line of work to have a business card that not only announces a technical bent but also alerts the world to the fact that the bearer of the card is also a production manager.
Due to the nature of our work, many business cards have multiple listings, thereby ensuring the card giver the opportunity to apply for more than one job at a time. A sample card might read: FOH/Monitor Engineer; Pro Tools Specialist; Rigger; Backline Technician; Bus Driver; Production Manager. After all, it's a freelance industry, and in a world where one is so often pressed to start looking for the next job even before the current one begins, it's a good way to hedge our bets by handing out mini-résumés declaring our versatility.
Jacks-of-All-Trades
For the most part, these mini-résumés are a truthful representation of the card bearer because, regardless of the technical expertise we have in our chosen field, we are all involved in production one way or another. The good news is that we work in a business where there is a plethora of management positions. The bad news is that, unless one is a union member or on a union call, we are not always compensated fairly for our management skills; but I digress. Most audio companies, large or small, designate an A-1 engineer to manage an individual event. In a lighting company, it may be the lighting director who oversees each event. A company that provides rigging or labor usually designates a crew chief to oversee their operations, and a large venue most likely has an operations manager. Smaller venues may have a production manager or an audio/lighting technician who, by default, assumes the responsibility for the room. Certain events have technical directors who are in charge of all things – that's right – technical, while the corporate event world sends out a squad of people armed with Blackberry phones and a slew of e-mail addresses all under the direction of a "Team Leader." The promoter or producer of any given show has their very own promoter rep and the touring band or theatrical company usually travels with an A-1, LD, Crew Chief, Tour Manager and Production Manager or, as written on the backstage pass, "Prod Man." I am the A-1, they are the LD, I am the Prod Man, goo goo g'joob.
The Go-To Guy
I, for one, was thrilled when I first had my very own "Prod Man" backstage pass. After years of being a "Technician" (and an unofficial production manager), I finally had a backstage pass that so fittingly declared my distinction and character. "Prod Man" is the one in charge of marrying all the pieces of each individual event and propelling the resulting affair to a perfectly executed finale. In an ideal world, the "Prod Man" should be included in the event from the very first planning stages. The "Prod Man" may not be the visionary genius behind the event, but "Prod Man" is the overseer who is in charge of ensuring for a successful culmination of said event by bringing the varying forces together in a euphonious blend of harmonic convergence while, at the same time, adhering to the impossible financial demands of the producer.
As previously stated, everyone is a production manager, and most crew members are quite experienced in their field and have been part of a multitude of events. Therefore, almost everybody on site has a fairly good idea of how a production should be handled. At the first sign of any breakdown in protocol, each and every person in the room, from the loaders on up, will put on their production hats and start to grumble. As we all know from our vast production experience, grumbling is only a short throw from bitching and moaning, and once the bitching and moaning starts, the production is precariously balanced on the precipice of becoming the next Tower of Babel. While the tale of the Tower of Babel might be construed as a rather confusing story (as far as Biblical references goes), it occurs to me that the ending of this particular Bible story may not be the best outcome for any given production. Of course, depending upon interpretation, another lesson that might be distilled from this story is to always have an "Act of God" clause written into the production contract, but again I stray.
Timing is Everything
Although we are all production managers – to one degree or another – being an A-1 or LD in charge of one facet of the production does not give said person the right to wear the "Prod Man" moniker. "Prod Man" not only needs to know how to meld the various technologies and labor into a cohesive event, but also how to plan the budget and the timing of all aspects of said event. For example, putting a carpet down before being finished with the forklift or Genie lift might have the tendency to seriously put the production behind schedule or over budget. Calling in an eight-man crew for an eight-hour call and not needing them until the seventh hour could have an adverse effect upon the production or, having sections of a stage delivered without hiring a crew to build the stage might also put a crimp in the outcome of the event. "Prod Man" needs to know how to plan a schedule, speak to people in a knowledgeable fashion and, at the same time, also know how to improvise when a fancy two-step is required. For any given event, there may be several "Prod Man" all looking after the needs of their own client. These "Prod Man" differ from the technical production managers, since they are the final word in regard to their client. Depending upon which side of the fence one is on for that day, each "Prod Man" acts as the buffer between their production staff and the venue, promoter or band.
Thinking and Planning
"Prod Man" is the general contractor, the bridge between the producer and the production. "Prod Man" translates the event producer's vision to all the other production managers, vendors, team leaders and site managers. A good portion of "Prod Man" work is done in advance so that, come the day of the show, there is no drama or bickering among the various factions who are working hard to bring the show to fruition. Nobody wants to look bad or foolish, as we are only as good as our last show. If one faction of the show fails, then the whole show fails, and pandemonium rules the day. "Prod Man" must see to it that turmoil does not rear its ugly head and bring chaos upon the show. If the "Prod Man" is on his game and has done the proper advance work, it usually looks as though they are doing nothing but overseeing everyone else doing the heavy lifting. Do not be fooled – "Prod Man" is always thinking and planning, and when you see the various different "Prod Man" in the corner on their laptops please be aware that these "Prod Man" are calculating something of vast importance and not just playing Angry Birds or some other online game of immeasurable significance.
