It might be noted here that both opinions are technically right. The
Plot must be on
hand, but a "cardboard" with a part of the
plot for each hanging pipe might also be of use.
Once you do the design, having a sheet that just details say the 1st
electric might be of use to
hand out to the lead electrician in managing that all the lights needed and circuited get hung to that pipe.
While I agree with the full
plot in that the ME had at best know how to read a "full
plot" concept, also specific bar per bar drawings are useful for the hang so you don't have to refer to the main
plot during the hang given individual sheets per bar later drawn up, cut and pasted after the
plot's done.
Such sheets in say having
circuit numbers perhaps don't need
dimmer/patch numbers in further symplifying them. Hang specified light in X-position - given when not a huge amount of them such distances off center is specified at times,
plug that
fixture into X
circuit, install X
gel and
gobo and as long as the specified light
fixture,
plug general aiming position along with notes such as
barn door,
Iris or
top hat, you have sufficient data for the hang. You don't need the
plot in keeping it simple and fast.
In addition to this, others it would seem have mentioned a more simple "
magic sheet" or some form of them in also being useful while at the light board. You could spend forever and a day in figuring out how to correct for a black hole in the
light plot once realized if you did not design the show. Actors move ect. thus at times a more simplified blue
line will be needed for the light board operator in telling him or her what area is lit by what lights and
channel as opposed to needing all the rest of the info. Such a
magic sheet might even have lines of focus from
instrument to focus area drawn in so that if they need a little more from the left, such equipment needed to punch it up a few levels can be easily tracked. Other lights such as specials in such a
plot noting the general
wash and
key light can be left without lines and more focus areas such as the
Plot would be useful for. Given a hundred or more instruments in a single light bar say, what would be easier, going along lights in looking for the noted focus area and if it's
gobo or normal, much less
color temperature, or tracing lines from
focus point to source of light.
Given even this might become complex in coloring of it, perhaps one
magic sheet in showing a more amber, another for cool blue's, and another for other colors on acting areas might be of use. This way should the board operator wish to by direction sneek in a little more blue to light the scene, they can go to the blue
page and
trace back
fixture to
channel from acting area.
The designer designed the show and should be able to quickly remember on the
plot what does what, the board operator in being directed to or in correcting for what's not designed on the other
hand might need a
magic sheet or three to find which light is best quickly.
Always have an extra copy of the
plot in the light booth also. Once the designer has left the building, such a
plot if not available becomes needed.