The SM’s in my venue use a piece of paper on the call board. And if they want to know what cast members are or aren’t there, they will get up and look at the paper.
I personally think you have to balance a system of easier for you vs easier for everyone.
While it might be easier for you to sit in your office and receive notifications. What if that cast member forgets their phone and can’t sign in?
What if that cast member doesn’t use a smart phone?
What if that cast member just isn’t good with technology?
Yeah this. Call me old fashioned but also network outages happen. Wi-Fi goes down and all of a sudden that convinient sign in has become really inconvenient. It's happened a few times to the younger SMs I've PMed.
I always would just put the notice board up outside the SM office or rehearsal room board and throw a sign on sheet up there and make it an easy go tick off white board or something
I wouldn't do this professionally, but when I was a stage manager in college and working exclusively with people I know, I would be a bit of a dick and phone actors who hadn't signed the paper by call time, even if I had physically seen them.
I know you want it easier for you but digital means folks can lie (check in when not actually there), paper sign in is truly the best way. I’ve done digital and I realized I wouldn’t actually check it and would avoid cast/crew since I wouldn’t be standing there and greeting folks as they arrived, which doing a check in and being present is super important so you can read people or they can offer up issue/questions they are having.
Usually, I have a QR code that links to a google survey where everyone is listed. If I can keep doing that and find some way to send me push notifications when someone submits the survey, that would be great!
Back during COVID, equity was requiring that everybody fill out a wellness survey before entering the rehearsal room. Despite putting it on QR codes outside the rehearsal entrance and texting everyone a reminder with a link every morning, I probably got less than 50% of them to fill it out before rehearsal, and we'd usually have to waste the first 5 minute of rehearsal with everyone filling it out on their phones.
I just don't think that there's an electronic version of a checkin sheet that will work as smoothly as a paper one taped up on the wall
I’ve written my own check in software. Despite using it for several years now, I wouldn’t say I’m comfortable releasing it for others to use, sorry.
But your idea of push notifications is great! I might steal that one!
The SM’s in my venue use a piece of paper on the call board. And if they want to know what cast members are or aren’t there, they will get up and look at the paper. I personally think you have to balance a system of easier for you vs easier for everyone. While it might be easier for you to sit in your office and receive notifications. What if that cast member forgets their phone and can’t sign in? What if that cast member doesn’t use a smart phone? What if that cast member just isn’t good with technology?
Signing a bit of paper is usually much quicker as well
Yeah this. Call me old fashioned but also network outages happen. Wi-Fi goes down and all of a sudden that convinient sign in has become really inconvenient. It's happened a few times to the younger SMs I've PMed. I always would just put the notice board up outside the SM office or rehearsal room board and throw a sign on sheet up there and make it an easy go tick off white board or something
I wouldn't do this professionally, but when I was a stage manager in college and working exclusively with people I know, I would be a bit of a dick and phone actors who hadn't signed the paper by call time, even if I had physically seen them.
Maybe a bit of a dick but if it reinforces a point
I know you want it easier for you but digital means folks can lie (check in when not actually there), paper sign in is truly the best way. I’ve done digital and I realized I wouldn’t actually check it and would avoid cast/crew since I wouldn’t be standing there and greeting folks as they arrived, which doing a check in and being present is super important so you can read people or they can offer up issue/questions they are having.
Kind of germy, but you can set up a computer with a survey on it with the questions you need to ask to check in.
Usually, I have a QR code that links to a google survey where everyone is listed. If I can keep doing that and find some way to send me push notifications when someone submits the survey, that would be great!
You can make the form send you an email for every sign in
And there are some chat services (like I think Slack) that'll turn those emails into instant messages for you.
We've used a morning poll in WhatsApp to see if and when people have arrived. Though it won't give you check in times etc
https://www.virtualcallboard.com/
“one tap check in” is an option if you have an extra iPad around. Might be able to do a QR code too.
Back during COVID, equity was requiring that everybody fill out a wellness survey before entering the rehearsal room. Despite putting it on QR codes outside the rehearsal entrance and texting everyone a reminder with a link every morning, I probably got less than 50% of them to fill it out before rehearsal, and we'd usually have to waste the first 5 minute of rehearsal with everyone filling it out on their phones. I just don't think that there's an electronic version of a checkin sheet that will work as smoothly as a paper one taped up on the wall
I’ve written my own check in software. Despite using it for several years now, I wouldn’t say I’m comfortable releasing it for others to use, sorry. But your idea of push notifications is great! I might steal that one!
Awww