Set Changes

[MeghanSM]

Does anyone have s spreadsheet or Word template they use for set changes for any show. I need to post set changes backstage, and I'm wondering if there's a "best way" to do this. Thanks.

[avkid]

we use hand drawn pictures and chart for who does what

[Mattech]

I've taken a sheet of paper with 2 scale drawings of the stage on it, one above the other, and drawing of before and after of the set change. I.e. the scene A and scene B. On there is a list of what linesets move and a list of who is moving what set piece. I kept a set of copies for myself, gave everyone involved in set changes a set, and posted a set on a wall.

The scale drawings with "lineset movement" and "stagehands" colums could be used for any show done on the same stage. If you're working in a school setting, then I find that this works fairly well.

[jorno67]

If you have a slow crew or actors moving scenery try using pollaroids of what each scene is to look like from the position where you post the pictures.

[CHScrew]

WWe just draw them on poster board.

[TheHeadhunter]

We usually have hand-written sheets that outline what has to happen/be done by operators at each loaction, and the SM (me!) has a 'master plan', again hand drawn, in the Prompt Book

[SketchyCroftPpl]

WHen we did a show a few years ago there were lots of changes that happened really quickly. Normally we just memorize the show but this was a little too much to do. What we did was type up a list in word of the scene, and everything that needed to be on stage for that scene. IT ended up working really well for us. You could also draw up some diagrams for what each of the scenes should look like.

~Nick

[saxman0317]

We use a combo of having a deck manager that their whole job is to sit there calling shots written in his script to the hands with headsets on each side of the stage. As a back up we also have a script and a typed sheet of cues on each side of the stage as well. Headsets are great though..we have one channal for video(director and his two camera ppl and the controller for the remote camera robot mutent), and one for everyone else(sound, lights, stage manager, deck manager, TD, and the head hands backstage. Very good for stuff like battery changes, cue calling, etc.)

[nez]

greg now look wat you did you screewed it all up no wat has been happening is that for the past 2 plays our stage manager has been back stage to call the cues but we still have a deck manager to get all the sets on and off and the cue lists that we use are simple and easy say you need to have 2 trees on stage right at the back of the stage moved to the stage left front and a statue needs to go in the middle of the stage it would look like this






scene .....(wat ever scene) trees sr. ft.
pg..... (wat ever the pg. # is) statue mid.


and so forth

[kingfisher1]

I've used a hand drawn plot of the set with a diagram of what set moves were when and by who. its a bit like what directors use to do blocking, you know little circles and arrows. think football play chart. also if you have the time, really choreocgraph you set changes. it'll look better if its choreographed down to the second and i find it easy to memorize.