Production Resources, Stock Items, and Inventories - Directing Thesis

Production Resources is available for use by members of Columbia’s School of the Arts graduate Theatre Program. Students are allowed to check out items based on a production hierarchy established by the department. Individuals that are not Columbia students but still part of Columbia production teams (Designers, Directors, etc.) may check out items from PR under the show’s name; however, the Columbia student will be ultimately responsible for ensuring that all items checked out are taken care of properly and returned on time. A non-Columbia student may not be the first individual to check items out from PR for a production, unless accompanied by a Columbia student to take responsibility for the checked out items.

Items are NOT allowed to be checked out of PR for use in productions outside of Columbia.

For classroom projects and scene study classes, students are asked to use resources from Academic Storage or another source. Production Resources is a tool specifically dedicated to Columbia shows and productions. As such, PR is unable to fulfill the needs of individual students and daily class work.

The Production Hierarchy is as follows:

1. Thesis Shows (Director/Actor) and New Plays Festival (Playwright)
2. Second Year Shows (Studio/Chekhov/ Materials/Acting)
3. Shakespeare Projects
4. First Year Projects in Schapiro
   1. First year graduate students may check out limited hand props and costumes approved by the Schapiro Production Manager, Tom Gilmore ([email protected]).  First years may not check out furniture pieces, including lamps, rugs, or other large items for use in Schapiro.
5. Class Projects in Nash
   1. Students may check out limited hand props and costumes for use for classes in Nash provided the items fit in the student’s locker, director bin, or dressing room spot. Students may not check out PR furniture pieces, including lamps, rugs, or other large items for classwork.

Within each category, items are checked out on a first come, first served basis. PR will not reserve items for shows or individuals and retains the right to recall any checked out item if a show higher on the hierarchy needs it.

The Production Resources team spends a significant amount of time cataloging items and have created a detailed database of every item available in PR. This includes a photo database with categorized photographs of the hand props, furniture, and soft goods that can be checked out and used in Columbia productions. A link to view the PR photo database is available to thesis productions or designers, upon request by emailing [email protected].

Members of a thesis production can use the database to plan their visits to PR and get an idea of what is available to them and what will need to be purchased. However, those wanting to check items must schedule an in-person appointment. The PR team cannot accommodate requests for items made via email.

Costumes items are not included in PR’s database. The use of clothing, jewelry, hats, etc. for thesis productions is coordinated through Columbia’s costume shop supervisor, Rachel Dozier-Ezell ([email protected]) and the individual thesis production’s costume designer. 

Students and other members of production teams must have an appointment with PR in order to browse, borrow, or return items. Appointments are made through PR’s Google Calendar Appointment app. After reserving an appointment slot, whoever made the booking should receive an automatic confirmation email and the appointment should appear in their personal Google Calendar. Available appointment slots are updated weekly, corresponding to the PR staff schedule. There are no available appointments outside of those that appear in the Google Calendar app. Appointments MUST be made at least 24 HOURS in advance.

PR appointments are automatically scheduled for a one hour length of time. If an individual/production feels that they need more time, they may sign up for an an additional appointment slot either on the same day or a later date.

It is important that any individual that has booked an appointment with PR arrives on time for their appointment in order to not infringe on other productions’ scheduled times. No more than two people can show up to any appointment without special permission from PR. At the scheduled appointment, PR staff is available to assist in locating, pulling, or directing to items, as well as to check chosen items out.

After choosing an item to check out, PR staff will check out all items by entering them into the production or student’s PR Google spreadsheet, which includes tabs for tracking props, costumes, and furniture if necessary. At the conclusion of the appointment, PR staff will work on putting photos of all props and furniture that was checked out in the production or individual’s PR folder. The individual or production team will be given access to this spreadsheet and folder so that they can view both the list and the photos of what they have checked out from PR. An example of a show’s PR folder is here.

If leaving with a large number of items that day, PR may have bags/packaging available for transport use. Production Resources Staff will help with the packaging and protection of any delicate items as time allows. All transport material is expected to be returned with the items at the close of the project. If a borrower needs a rehearsal prop bin to store items in Nash or elsewhere for the duration of their rehearsals, they can also check one out at the time of their appointment.

Individuals should let PR staff know where they are taking and storing their items as they leave their appointment so this can be documented on their tracking spreadsheet and will help with trucking and returns as needed.

Items may not be altered or painted without permission.

For second and third year productions, items checked out from PR can be transported to Lenfest or Schapiro. (This does not apply to any first-year projects.) Trucks run weekly on Monday’s with a staff driver. In order to utilize the truck, a contact person from the production should reach out to PR, where they will be directed to fill out the Truck Form. 

PR will direct individuals on how to designate an item as needing transportation for the truck crew. On the day that trucking is needed, individuals may be asked by PR to move items to specific locations or “Truck Areas” to indicate what should be transported.

Items requested for trucking must have previously been checked-out with PR during an appointment. If a production does not have the item(s) checked out, they will not be transported on the truck.

It is the responsibility of the production to ensure that all items are returned to PR by the return date indicated on the borrowing form. All items checked out must be returned within 14 days of closing/last performance. If all items have not been returned by 2 days before the due date, PR will send an email to the listed contact individual. Failure to return items on time may result in restricted PR access, including inability to use PR until all items are returned.

If items were moved via truck to a performance venue, the show's need is responsible for tracking, prepping, and labeling everything for the production staff to take it back to Nash on the next scheduled truck. To schedule a return appointment for items that will not come back on a truck, please use the same Google Calendar Appointment app used to make appointments to check out new items.

While PR does accept some donations, most new stock comes from items bought for use in Columbia shows. Items bought out of Columbia provided budgets are the property of the University and go to PR after the show’s closing. This includes any costumes, furniture, and hand props.

PR does not stock and will not accept any food items. Any food items that we receive will be thrown away. 

Items that are meant for single/one time use such as party poppers, plastic silverware, party blowouts or horns, etc., can be donated to PR’s stock and, if checked out, will not be required to be returned. These disposables should be indicated when filling out the Borrowing Form.

If an item that has been checked out of PR is damaged in any way, please let PR know immediately via email with a picture of the damaged item. Sometimes items can be fixed and returned to our stock; however, if an item is damaged beyond repair we must then remove it from our inventory and potentially look for a replacement item. There is no penalty for an accidentally damaged item, but repeat occurrences may result in restricted access to PR.

If using any weapons on stage, please review Columbia University’s Weapon Policy. All weapons in Production Resources are compliant with Columbia University’s Weapons Policy and New York City and State law and are locked away. Weapons may not be checked out without a completed form with signed approval from the project’s Production Manager.

If looking to check out weapons, please let PR know in advance, via email.

Firearms: The use of theatrical firearms without a licensed prop is forbidden by New York City law, and is limited to thesis production use only by Columbia University. Theatrical firearms must be rented from an outside vendor with the proper licensing with the assistance of the Thesis Production Manager. 

Additionally, most prop knives stored in PR are not suitable for stage combat purposes and will also need to be sourced from a licensed vendor. Wooden cutout firearms and prop knives that will not be used for combat purposes are available for use in Columbia productions, and still require a completed and signed Columbia University Weapons Form in order to be used. 

The Columbia Theatre Program's vendor for licensed prop weapons rentals in The Specialists.

In addition to Production Resources, the Columbia Theatre Program and Lenfest also maintain inventories of lighting, A/V, and scenic elements. Quick links to those inventories are below.

Scenic Inventory: This includes platforms, doors, flats, stair units, and soft goods.

Lighting Inventory: Please note that since most of the LX rig at Lenfest is LEDs, we do not maintain a current inventory of gel color. Please reach out to Holly Ko if you have a specific need for gel for a production to see if we have any from previous shows, or if it would need to be purchased.

Sound Inventory: Microphones, speakers, and details about the rep hookup.

Video Inventory: This also includes specs for the hard mounted projector in theater.