ABTT Committees
Production Managers’ Forum
The Production Managers’ Forum was created as a joint venture between the ABTT and the SMA in 2000 in recognition of the fact that there was no organisation dedicated to the needs of the Production Manager specifically. There aren’t vast numbers of Production Managers out there, and most of them are either members of the ABTT or the SMA….hence the collaboration. Since then, the PMF has held about 4 meetings each year, in London usually, though there are one or two regional subgroups occasionally meeting separately. The meetings are generally structured with an invited guest speaker or panel; and a session in the bar for what is generally known as ‘informal talks’. The PMF offers an opportunity to meet up with peers, form networks and discuss important issues. There are currently (2007) 100 members who work freelance, or in buildings, or in drama schools. All minutes of meetings and talks are written up fully to allow the busy PMs who can’t always make the meetings to benefit. If you’d like to join, please contact the SMA on admin@stagemanagementassociation.co.uk . Please note this is only available to members of either ABTT or SMA.
Topics covered since 2000
September 2000, first meeting – what is the PMF about?
November 2000 – general discussion, centred mainly around Health & Safety issues
January 2001 – Public Liability Insurance for Freelancers
April 2001 – Practical Fire Safety for Stage and Sets
June 2001 – Presentation of Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment
September 2001 – CAD Presentation and its use in production work
November 2001 – On the role of the Production Manager
February 2002 – LOLER
June 2002 – Explaining what a quality fitting is
February & June 2003 – Automation and how it can be used
November 2003 – Fire tests on Scenery and Props
February 2004 – Overview of Health & Safety for PMs
July 2004 – Doughty Revolution – Product Development
November 2004 – Negotiating with the Designer – Peter Ruthven Hall
March 2005 – Tony Bond – Technical Training Qualifications
May 2005 – John Watts Memorial Forum – Is Technical Training Academic?
July 2005 – The New Working At Height Regulations
September 2005 – Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations & Pyros in Theatre
November 2005 – general forum discussion
February 2006 – TMA get-outs
May 2006 – John Watts Memorial Forum – Do theatre technicians need a rigging certificate?
June 2006 – at the ABTT Theatre Show – CAD seminar by David Ripley
September 2006 – Employment & the Law
November 2006 - Scenery Builders - what do they need and want from the production manager?
March 2007 – New Fire Regulatory Order – Overview and Changes
May 2007 – John Watts Memorial Forum – The New Noise Regulations
September 2007 – Whose Health & Safety Policy is it anyway? Receiving / Touring – a clash of cultures?
November 2007 – Electrical Regulations 17th Edition
March 2008 – What Do Lighting Designers and Production Managers Need from each other? Joint meeting with ALD
