Yeah, I think so, since it can classified in many different ways; Acting beats, musical beats, Intern Beats < you know, that time of day where you get to take the interns out and beat them ...>
Yeah, I think so, since it can classified in many different ways; Acting beats, musical beats, Intern Beats < you know, that time of day where you get to take the interns out and beat them ...>
TFACTech taught me a cool way of numbering cues. He starts at 100 for the first act, does the pre show in decimals, then numbers them by page, and their position on the page. So if the next cue is on page 10 half way down, it is cue 110.5. If there is another one immediately after, it is 110.6, etc. Act 2 starts with 200 and adds the page number. If it rolls over to page 100, the cues go to 300's. If it's a 3 act play, then there probably aren't 100 pages so it doesn't matter. That way makes a lot more sense to me than just numbering them 1, 2, 3, 4.
...I haven't been able to find any problems with it.
I agree, read the script, decide how to design it and number the cues. The whole "beat" thing sounds pretty weird too. I understand that you have different moods within a scene but it just another cue. If you add cues then use decimels or letters, something to set it off, but some of these methods seem way too complicated to be useful. Of course if it works then go for it but remember others may have to walk in behind and figure this arbutary method out.Except that it's confusing as heck!
Sometimes, the stage manager will be present to write these cues in their script as they are created. I prefer this, since there is a much smaller change of a breakdown of communication. Just be sure to write those cues in with pencil because something WILL change. Other times, the cues will be transferred from the lighting designer, master electrician or light board operators script (whoever was present and taking notes during tech-in) to the stage manager's script the day following tech-in. In my experience, this has usually been a Monday night, and tech-in normally falls on a Saturday morning (typically lasts all day and sometimes into the night). Shows start the following Friday if following this schedule.
This is a generic lighting process that I have experienced in the past (usually in a Community Theatre setting). Sound tech-in is much different, and usually not quite as involved since there is rarely any actual programming involved. Generally, the sound designer works with the director to choose the music/SFX and places them into the appropriate parts of the script. It is more of a 'trial and error' process in my experience.
Likewise for me.As a stage manager, I am ALWAYS at the plot to put lighting and sound cues in my script. We plot lighting and sound at the same time - we run Sound Cue System so there is definitely actual programming involved for us, although we run it in the rehearsal room as well, so by the time we get to plotting we have most of the cues in the right order so it's more about setting levels and fade time.
Step one for me is to get the stage manager, run crew manager, and lighting/sound technician in and watching rehearsals about four weeks before performance. For that week, they watch and take notes. The run crew manager is diagramming sets/drops, while the lighting/sound tech and sm are getting a feel for the show. By the beginning of the next week (three weeks out), lighting cues are put into the prompt book so programming can be done the following week. That week, the rcm is working on assigning items to the run crew. Sound cues are being put in also at this time. Two weeks out the programming of lights begin and run crew is starting to move sets. The Saturday before "Hell week," we load rental drops, spike sets, and a couple dry techs, so by the week before performances, lights are in place, the run crew knows their stuff pretty much cold, and the only nuance we are left with is sound, which is when the rental mics come in.
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