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Aurelie works on props projects around the world. She shares with TheatreArtLife, her top 10 tips on how she gets started on a new project and as a props manager, how she handles running an international team in an unfamiliar city.
Your very first encounter with your new team is a crucial and deciding one. Asking the right questions to the right individual is a huge time-saver. Hence memorize each person, their name, position on the show and their best skills so you know who to go to.
Gather all your technicians and prop team to introduce yourself and to get to know each of them individually. To make communicating and task assignment easier, everyone should share their name, skills and best qualities with the group. Most importantly, ask them which aspect of their job they most enjoy. Such social gathering is the best way to break the ice!
Identify who is the team leader ie. who is most likely your next strongest ally. Remember that nothing great gets done without support and teamwork!
Learn the house rules as well as your colleagues’ contracts’ details and working hours. It is your responsibility to come up with the right schedules and guide-rules so that everyone feels safe and at the right place.
Set-up your workspace with the props team as soon as possible so that they know where to find each tool and every product they need. They should be independent. Establish good working ethic and rules: being on time, tidying up working station, putting tools away once done with them or cleaning up the workshop at the end of the day. Those rules can and should be adapted depending on the country you’re in and various personalities mixed together.
Learn the local language in order to better understand your colleagues. Keep a notebook with you at all times and write down four daily new words. This way, not only will communication be easier, but you’ll also get a better grasp of everyone’s interests, especially in Asia.
Plan two or three days to explore the city and get to know its surroundings. Go shopping with a local and a detailed list that includes images of each product necessary to your prop crafting. Look out and keep your eyes open to anticipate any potential request that the show’s director or creative team might be throwing your way. See yourself as a walking library of ideas!
Get up early for an hour of physical exercise, whether it’s stretching, walking or any activity that can put you in a good state of body and mind. Only then, while cooling down, shall you look at your emails and get on with your work schedule. Get some fresh air!
Read and reply to your emails once in the morning and again in the evening to avoid wasting too much time on your computer. With time, you’ll notice that most problems and questions that fill your mailbox ultimately get solved with a certain amount of reflection and distance.
Party Time! It ain’t forbidden, but cannot become a daily thing. You’ll never manage to keep up with your schedule and your body won’t wait very long to let you know that it can’t too!
Eleven? Yes, eleven out of ten, because there always is a surprise that awaits those who read everything all the way through! Remember that there are no dramas, only solutions. There’s always a way out. Keep on smiling because everything is much more enjoyable when done with a smile. It’s only a show after all!
Also by Aurelie Gandilhon:
The Little Red Dragon: One Chance For A Little Red Prop
Aurelie is in 1982 in Marseille, city open to the Mediterranean world, city of light and cultural diversity. She participated in major projects in France and abroad putting all her passion into her creative works. She worked with ‘Opera Garnier’ in Paris, the ‘Theatre Royal de la Monnaie’ in Brussels, the ‘Marseille Opera’ and the ‘Festival d’Art Lyrique’ in Aix-en-Provence. Since 2009, she has travelled across Asia, collaborating with Franco Dragone on “The House of Dancing Water” show, as well as being involved in other creations such as TABOO 1, TABOO 2, TABOO 4 in Macao. With the Hong Kong Theater Association, she designed “Le Père Noël est une Ordure”, “Les pas perdus”, "Musee Haut Musee Bas " and "Je Dance Toujours" sets. Alongside the singer Mouron, the choreographer Anne Tournie and Terry Truck Tournie Pianist, she realized the set and props creation for the show "Le cabaret des annees folles" at the "The French May 2013′′ Festival in Hong Kong. In 2013, she joined the UNIPLAN Luxury Event creative team in the Shanghai and Hong Kong as Performance and Show Production Expert. Working for “Louis Vuitton”, “Maserati” and “ Moet et Chandon” events. She is also involved in The Shanghai Pride organisation and collaborated with "Cirque le Soir" Club as creative consultant and special party organiser. In 2015, she worked with the Franco Dragone team on "The HAN Show" in Wuhan, "The LIDO" in Paris, "The Dai Show" in Xishuangbanna and other creations in Dubai, Moscou and China. In 2016, she joined the famous Worldwide company Balich for the Special Olympic Games Flag Handover between Austria and Abu Dhabi, designing the set and the large scale props. In 2017 She start a new collaboration with SOKOL Show and Wanda in Harbin China. In charge of the prop design and the props department during the conception, the creation and the artistic production; Aurelie has also started a collaboration with STUFISH designing and creating the "Holiday On Ice" show in 2018. She is designing and managing the massive stage for the new Stunt show produce by SEP production in Haikou China. 2018 is also a year where she illustrate some show concept and artistic project for SEP, WANDA and other concept in developement in CHINA and EUROPE. A great new collabortation in Marseille is starting with the new Concept Club BONBONNE, not as a DJ this time, but as interior designer and artistic consultant. Giving to the town a new trend and unique place for a new experience.
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