Proper Way To Call Cues

[Luminosity]

Hello and thanks for clicking this thread!

I'm looking for a bit of information

-Just last semester I began doing lighting work at my high school. My job is 'Moving Light Designer' in a theatre that uses primarily conventional fixtures. That being said, the 'Conventional Lighting Designer' usually calls cues for the show, due to there being no TD of any sort.

Now this CLD (Conventional Lighting Designer) is a little newer than I am and doesn't completely understand 'cue calling etiquette.'

As an example for an upcoming cue...
CLD: Alright movers I'm gonna need your pink fill light on the downstage thrust at 2:03 in the song, and spots get ready to spot this upcoming dancer.

During a show I find this type of cue calling to be quite the annoyance due to the fact that we programmed together and I know what my cues should look like and don't need a re-cap.

What is the proper way to call cues in a show? (both dance and theatrical please)
And
Am I just in feeling annoyed or is it false pride showing through?

Again, Thanks for taking the time to read my dilemma.

[NickJones]

Generaly speaking the SM calls the shots, but this is how the convo normally goes:
1m - 30 seconds before the cue.
SM: Stand By LX Cue 4,
Board Op: LX Standing by.
SM: LX Cue 4, GO

Can you not combine the movers and the conventionals onto the same console?
Nick

[Clifford]

It's typically something like what NickJones posted, but it's really at the discretion of the person calling the show. There isn't really a way everyone does it. With some SMs you might get a warning, a standby and a go, some might just give a standby and a go (and if you're unlucky, they may just give you a go). Just make sure that everyone understands the system you're using.

[cprted]

Originally Posted by NickJones

Generaly speaking the SM calls the shots, but this is how the convo normally goes:
1m - 30 seconds before the cue.
SM: Stand By LX Cue 4,
Board Op: LX Standing by.
SM: LX Cue 4, GO

That pretty much nails it. SMs can also put multiple cues into standby in one shot. IE:

SM: Standby, LX 5 through 8, Audio 2 and 3, Scenic 4.
Lighting Tech: Lights
Audio Tech: Sound
ASM: Deck
SM: LX 5, go. LX 6, go. Audio 2, go.
etc etc etc

Originally Posted by Clifford

There isn't really a way everyone does it.

Actually there is. In the real world, all SMs pretty much call things the same way.

[Luminosity]

Originally Posted by NickJones

Can you not combine the movers and the conventionals onto the same console?
Nick

-well we could, but that would take away a learning opportunity. We have a couple ETC's (expression 3, Expresss 48/96) and a Whole Hog II with over 60 studio spots and colors.

Thanks for the reply and info, quite helpful.
Posted via Mobile Device

[bdkdesigns]

Or if you were me this summer, sometimes the SM dozes off and misses a cue and you get an "oh, lights ____ go." Sometimes the stand by cues will be 5 minutes in advance, and my favorite "Lights ___......crickets.......45 seconds later....Gooooo" These were line cues by the way and not visual cues. The average was 20 seconds between what the action was and th.e go for this person. It was rather annoying to say the least. It wouldn't have been so bad if it were consistent but it wasn't.

[cprted]

Originally Posted by bdkdesigns

Or if you were me this summer, sometimes the SM dozes off and misses a cue and you get an "oh, lights ____ go." Sometimes the stand by cues will be 5 minutes in advance, and my favorite "Lights ___......crickets.......45 seconds later....Gooooo" These were line cues by the way and not visual cues. The average was 20 seconds between what the action was and th.e go for this person. It was rather annoying to say the least. It wouldn't have been so bad if it were consistent but it wasn't.

Being on the receiving end of sloppy calling is never fun. Take it as a lesson on how not to call a show if/when you're the SM.

[NickJones]

Originally Posted by cprted

Being on the receiving end of sloppy calling is never fun.

Tell me about it, one of the worst was "Nick hun can we please have some lights?" and then she left her headset on all the time. In the end, I took of the headset and had my ALD go through the script at the same time as the show and called everyone in the booth. That was a bad show...
Nick

[cprted]

The worst one I had was a Burlesque show a few months back. The troupe basically makes new members be the SM without any training (teaching the difference between SR and SL was our first order of business that day) for a season before they're allowed to take their clothes off. Anyway for the show, I was on sound and the other tech was on lights. Most of the numbers started with the dancer on stage, so when they settled I'd fire up the music and then sat back. Of course there were also a few numbers where the dancer(s) started off and I relied on a cue from the SM. The interaction usually went something like this ...

Me: Just to confirm, the dancers are starting off stage and you're going to cue me to start the music?
SM: OK.
<long pause>
Me: OK start the music or OK you'll give me a cue?
SM: Yes.

Sweet girl, but ...

[JChenault]

Re-reading the original post, I think there are two issues here.

The first is an annoyance that the CLD is re-capping what the cue does instead of using a cue number.

The second ( which has been addressed) is how to call a cue given a number.


I would suggest that for the first issue, after the CLD says

CLD: Alright movers I'm gonna need your pink fill light on the downstage thrust at 2:03 in the song, and spots get ready to spot this upcoming dancer.

you say something like 'What cue number is that?'


Now for follow spot work - I have no problem with the SM talking the spot operator through what he needs to do - especially on a new or complex show. IE 'Spot one, color 4, 3/4 body shot, on dancer as she enters SL'

The request 'Spots get ready to spot this upcoming dancer' needs a reply 'What color, what size, sharp or soft' and perhaps 'Where is the dancer entering'. (Assuming there is time - if not you do the best you can).

IE IMHO you are correctly annoyed if you are not getting the clear information you need to make the show as good as it can be. You need to figure out how to get your CLD to give you that info. This is where your people skills get very important.

Good luck.

John