16-18 September 2006, Belgrade, Serbia
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AGENDA
Saturday, 16 September
10:00 - 12:30
Seminar
‘New Technologies in Theatre’
Open session of the OISTAT TC / PCC meetings
Venue: The British Council, Belgrade
Participants:
Martin Tschermak /Germany/
Theatre technology/economics today
Georgy Tikhomirov /Russia/
New technologies in producing art stage curtains
Andrzej Sosnowski /Poland/
Sinus Dimmer for theatre Lighting Plus and Contra
Sándor Borocz /Hungary/
Sample Theatre: A presentation
John Mayberry /Canada/
A new theatre for performance and education
12:30 - 13:30: lunch
13:30 - 17:30: closed meetings /with breaks/
Venue: Cultural Centre DOB
Agenda
1. Welcome
2. Introduction of the participants
3. Update by the chair of the works of PCC and it’s working groups
4. Short presentation of the two candidates for chair of the PCC
5. Short presentations of works of the participants (optional)
6. Going over the agenda, including suggestions
Short break
7. Renewal New Theatre Words,
-planning,
-financing,
-possible editors
8. Website, discussing projects for the website,
- a.o. proposal of Leon Brauner: publishing international articles on the website
9. Scenofest publication: proposal of Scenofest
Sunday, 17 September
10:00 - 12:30: open session, lectures and discussions / joint meeting TC and PCC
Venue: Cultural Centre DOB
participants
1. Bert Determann /Netherlands/
About the CEN workshop
2. Olle Soderberg /Sweden/
New ‘New Theatre Words’
3. Eric de Ruijter /The Netherlands/
About the OISTAT website and database
12:30 - 13:30: lunch
13:30 - 16:00: joint meetings of TC and PCC
Venue: Cultural Centre DOB
Agenda
1. introduction of TC and PCC and their work,
2. short introduction of the members of each commission
3. the renewal of NTW -are new languages necessary?
-are new categories necessary?
-what parts of NTW needs special attention?
-opinions on NTW-online, printing on demand and/or printed books
4. how to use the website: working session
16:00 - 17:30: closed meetings
Venue: Cultural Centre DOB
Agenda
working on conclusions from the joint meeting
17.30 – 18.00: joint end of the day:
sharing conclusions, make a agenda for the future
Monday, 18 September
10:00 - 12:30: closed meetings
Venue: Museum of Applied Arts
Agenda
1. elections for chair of the PCC
2. making a concept-plan for NTW
3. working out plans for the website
4. working out plans for Scenofest
Belgrade, Serbia
September 16 - 18, 2006
Voting Delegates attending meeting/s
Olle Soderberg, STTF, Sweden
Kamelia Nikolova, Bulgarian Centre,
Wei-Wen Chang, TATT, Taiwan
Jerome Maeckelbergh, BASTT, Belgium
John Faulkner, ABTT, England
Eric de Ruijter, VPT, The Netherlands
Leon Brauner, USITT, United States
Martin Tschermak, DTHG, Germany
Irena Sentevska, YUSTAT, Serbia
Ivan Szabo-Filek, Hungarian Centre
Guest
Marina Raytchinova, Bulgarian Centre
Election overseers
Ivo Kesmaekers, BASTT, Belgium
Marina Raytchinova, Bulgarian Centre
Minutes
Leon Brauner
September 16, 2006
Joint Publications & Communications and Technical Commission meeting
The meeting was convened at 10:10, at the British Council Office, Belgrade, Serbia.
Four Technical papers were presented:
Martin Tschermak (DTHG), discussed the evolutionary changes in the German Repertory system of production that has been caused by recent economic changes in Germany.
Bert Determann, (VPT) Discussed the need, plan, and proposed implementation of a set of European theatre safety standards.
Andrzej Sosnowski (Polish Centre), provided information and insight on the technology and advantages of the sinus dimmer for theatre and television studio use.
John Mayberry (CITT), discussed the status of move-in and initial use of a new educational theatre facility at York University, Canada.
A discussion followed each presentation.
September 16, 2006, 13:30 - 17:30
PCC session I
The meeting was convened at 15:00, in the Yustat office, by Eric de Ruijter (EdR).
1. EdR welcomed the participants and thanked our YUSTAT hosts, especially Irena Sentevska. (IS). Wei-Wen Chang (WWC), (TATT) OISTAT Secretariat, also welcomed the participants and thanked our hosts. EdR extend the regrets of Karin Winkelsesser (DTHG), Rose Werckx (BASTT), and John Faulkner (ABTT) - absent from the first session of the PCC meetings.
2. The PCC participants introduced themselves.
3. EdR provided information regarding the meetings the PCC since 2003. He also noted the current status of the OISTAT website and the fact that it was still under development and was still lacking an underlying database of member information. He suggested this was of importance and is one of the next steps to be dealt with.
4. Interim Chairman, EdR reminded the participants that a new Chairperson of the PCC was to be elected at the Monday session of the PCC. The two candidates (EdR and IS) provided a short statement about themselves and their plans for the PCC. Several participants asked questions of the two candidates.
There was a short break.
Following the break, there was a short discussion regarding tomorrow’s venue for the joint meeting of the PCC and TC. It was decided that the BIT Hostel provided a good space to have the OISTAT website working session.
5. Additions to meeting agenda:
-a- WWC - OISTAT Identity. Requests involvement of the PCC in the process of developing an OISTAT graphic identity.
-b- Olle Soderberg (OS) requested PCC participation in the standards or CODE of practice work during the next two years for the CEN-workshop.
-c- Jerome Maeckelbergh (JerM) requested a discussion of OISTAT project budgeting practices - namely that there be included a percentage of project funds from outside sources that is transferred to OISTAT.
6. It was determined that the agenda additions would be added to the last session of the PCC.
7. New Theatre Words - OS took the group through the background leading up to the proposal presented to the OISTAT Executive Committee (May 2006) for the funding of an electronic version of NTW. The new version of NTW would also include additional Asian and Arabic language theatre word sets.
The new electronic version of NTW would be a readily accessible (web), able to be customized (choice of language sets), and printable on demand (print to the user’s printer or a printing service of the user’s choice).
As this new version is being developed it is also of great importance to seize the opportunity to review and revise the existing words. In addition, it may prove appropriate to add new words or delete words of too narrow usage. The goals presented by OS: add an explanation of how the dictionary works, hyper link words to images (currently in a fold out/insert in the printed version of NTW), add new language sets, update current language sets, create a searchable data base of all the language sets, and provide the ability to see side-by-side comparison of word sets and their meanings.
While there will be operating costs involved in the project, it is hoped that these costs can be offset by advertising. The initial development and startup costs have been partially borne by the Swedish Centre and need also to be borne by OISTAT. The estimated costs to continue the project are 6,300 Euro.
MOTION: That OISTAT provide financial startup support (6.300 euro) for the New Theatre Words – Electronical Version – as outlined in the proposal presented to the Executive Committee at their Ocean Shores meeting. Second by Eric de Ruijter. Vote: 9 yes / 0 no / 0 abstain.
In addition, there will need to be a new set of editors. Certainly those editors who have participated in previous editions of NTW and TW would be welcomed to continued, but those editors unable or unwilling to continue will need to be replaced, and the new language sets will need to have editors willing to collaborate with the editorial group. OS and EdR have agreed to work together to form the new editorial board.
8. OISTAT Website - EdR suggested that a good place to start the discussion might be on a proposal submitted by Leon Brauner (LB), USITT several months earlier. In brief the proposal recommended that OISTAT publish an electronic journal of articles taken from OISTAT Centre publications. The articles would be of broad, international, interest and provide the Centers with a wider audience, and would help reinforce OISTAT identity as organization of international interests and in support of the work of its members and Centers throughout the world.
Discussants pointed out some of the possible problems (rights of publication, Centers that don’t publish, the problems of translation, and whether there would really be interest of members in one country to the topics of interest to members of another country and culture).
MOTION: That the PCC develop a web based electronic publication comprised of articles from OISTAT Centre publications. Second by Marina Raytchinova. Vote: 9 yes / 0 no / 0 abstain
9. Marina Raytchinova (MR), Bulgarian Centre and Chairperson of the OISTAT Education Commission and member of the Scenofest planning committee, presented ideas for collaborative efforts between Scenofest and the PCC. The list of ideas included:
*An automated message board showing Scenofest activity information
*A digital exhibition of student design work
*Streaming video broadcast of lectures, performances, and other Scenofest activities of interest
*Streaming sound broadcast of sound performances
*A digital daily newspaper which might include upcoming activities, interviews, reviews and announcements of interest to Scenofest participants.
*Cataloging and archiving of workshops, lectures, performances, and exhibitions.
*Publishing the outcome of these archival products in CD/DVD or other digital format for distribution to participants and other interested individuals and/or institutions.
*Recording and archiving the oral history of significant theatre artists, technicians, and architects attending PQ and/or Scenofest.
While the thrust seems to be digital, this should not preclude the possibility of publishing a hard copy daily newspaper, or activities guide.
The Scenofest committee would like to have some working journalists, people with digital recording, archiving, and publication experience work with the committee on the development and implementation of some or all of these project ideas. The timeline for these projects offers potential participants three periods of work: pre-event, during the event, and the post-event archival work.
EdR agreed to provide the Scenofest committee with a response to their proposal and ideas by December 31, 2006. In addition, he will provide a general response to the overall plan by September 24, 2006.
LB moved today’s meeting end. 9/0/0. The PCC meeting ended at 19:07.
September 17, 2006
PCC/TC Joint Meeting - BIF Hostel Common Room
The meeting was called order by EdR.
The order of the agenda as set out in the printed program was changed to make best use of time and participant expertise.
1. EdR provided the group with information about the OISTAT website. This portion of the morning session was an informative overview of the website and its strengths, potential, and limitations. The session was done while “on-line.” Participants were “walked” through how access and how to enter and edit Commission information. EdR reminded the group that the OISTAT websites was a CMS (Content management system) system, as opposed to a more traditional html. CMS supports a multi-user and multi-publisher approach, but does take some practice.
Whether there could be an open forum came up several times, EdR took the need under advisement and offered to find out if it was possible. The issue of the member information database also came up. EdR noted that it was an important issue and was planned and discussed for future implementation.
2. New Theatre Words - deferred until later
3. CEN Workshop - deferred until later
The group paused for lunch at about 12:00 and reconvened at 14:18.
1. The TC and PCC listed the topics discussed at their closed sessions the preceding day.
John Mayberry, (JM) listed the topics for the TC –
EdR noted that the PCC discussed the following issues at its closed meeting.
Renewal of the NTW - Electronic version
Publishing and OISTAT Electronic journal
Scenofest - Marketing, News, Archival recording.
OS presented the NTW - Electronic version proposal to the joint meeting. He went over the plan and goals of the project. A brief discussion followed the presentation
The meeting was paused for a short break.
The PCC and TC meetings reconvened separately.
The PCC meeting reconvened at 16:05.
EdR and OS reviewed the list of editors and determined which they thought would continue their work in the NTW - Electronic version. This list will be published on the website under PCC and NTW
Those interested in working on the NTW-Ev need to e-mail their e-mail addresses to EdR on or before September 30, 2006.
Several questions were raised, among them: Will there be new words, and how will than be handled? Will there be new categories, such as video terms? It was observed that the project might benefit from a thoughtfully prepared business plan. Several participants were concerned about the financing of the ongoing costs of the project - would the project be able to find sponsors and advertisers? The question of whether some of the work might be done by volunteers in order keep the initial and running costs to a minimum was raised. With these issues in mind the PCC participants proposed:
MOTION: That Olle Soderberg provide the Secretariat with a detailed and accurate budget and business plan for the completion of the New Theatre Words Electronic version. LB, WWC second, 8/0/0
Prior to the end of the afternoon session several housekeeping issues were raised. The voting delegate from Hungary, Ivan Szabo-Filek, was required to return to Budapest the next morning, prior to the election. The voting members of the PCC determined that they would accept his ballot prior to his departure. The nonvoting delegate, Marina Raytchinova of the Bulgarian Centre was asked to hold the ballot until the election the next day.
MOTION: We (voting delegates of PCC) agree to accept the Hungarian Centre’s vote for the PCC chairperson election prior to the election time. LB, second JerM, 8/0/0.
The meeting was ended at 18:40.
September 18, 2006
Meeting of the PCC - Museum of Applied Arts
EdR called the meeting to order at 10:30.
1. Election of the PCC Chairperson: Ballots had been preprinted. The election overseers were Ivo Kesmaekers, BASTT, and Marina Raytchinova, Bulgarian Centre. The candidates provided a concise statement. The voting delegates voted by written ballot and the ballots were collected, counted and recorded by the overseers. A master ballot of record (with duplicate) was completed and filed with the Secretariat with a copy residing the file of Marina Raytchinova. Eric de Ruijter was elected to a four year term as chairman of the PCC. EdR recommended the Irena Sentevska be the vice-chair of the Commission and the delegates unanimously agreed.
ELECTION: Eric de Ruijter was elected to a four year term as chairman of the Publications and Communications Commission. (election results on file with the secretariat)
MOTION That Irena Sentevska be appointed as the vice-chairperson of the Publications and Communications Commission. Ms Sentevska accepted the appointment. Unanimous.
Agenda items added during the first session of the PCC meeting.
WWC explained the desire of the Secretariat to acquire and overarching graphic identity for OISTAT, its Commissions, Working Groups, projects, and publications. The work of developing such a graphic identity is underway. The Secretariat would like suggestions and feedback from members of the PCC. Jane Liu, of the Secretariat staff is spearheading the project. JerM and MR have agreed to offer suggestions and feedback.
On the occasion of PQ’s 40th Anniversary, the PQ organizers have offered OISTAT a time slot for a public presentation about OISTAT, past and present. WWC suggested that it might be appropriate to produce a video presentation for the public presentation as well as for the OISTAT Congress. WWC asked for a volunteer to help with the development of the video presentation, John Faulkner (JF) agreed to work with the Secretariat on the project.
WWC also suggested it is important to include the url links of other theatre arts and technology related organizations on the OISTAT web site and conversely to have OISTAT’s link listed on other web sites. It was suggested that all OISTAT Commissions and Working Groups be asked to provide links to appropriate web sites for inclusion on the OISTAT web site. JerM will assist in the coordination of these efforts.
The CEN Workshop and CODE of Practice. OS noted that this significant project of the TC needs the collaborative efforts of the PCC to help develop the text, drawings, and document design. The timeline appears to be from this moment to the Summer of 2007,
NO ACTION: There was general agreement that the PCC would work with the TC on the development of a CODE of Practice.
OISTAT External Funding Sources. JerM urged adoption of a practice of adding a percentage of overhead to project funding coming from external sources. The percentage overhead would be to help fund future projects and help defray other costs of the organization. While any method that would help support OISTAT is basically laudable, it was noted that most funding agencies prohibit such “add-on” items. In fact, a budget that demonstrates money is to be used in this way may cause a negative response from the agency reviewing the proposal.
EdR asked the PCC participants for any closing thoughts. There was general consensus that the meetings were useful and the PCC project list full and quite demanding. A question that came up several times during the three days of meetings was, “How can we get more active members in the Commission?” On that note, the Belgrade meetings were called to an end, our hosts thanked and the participants wished safe journeys.
Respectfully submitted on 26 September 2006, Leon I. Brauner (USITT)
