Show planning software

[thomasfedb]

I was wondering what other people use to plan their shows, and the good and bad aspects.

At our company we tried Basecamp (by 37signals) and while it was helpful it really didn't quite suit our needs. In particular:

* No support for anything like a SM report
* No brainstorming support
* Sometimes overcomplicated things

What other (web based) software is there out there that you've used, and what's the good and the bad? Also, if you were designing a system, how would you do it?

 

[kiwitechgirl]

I was wondering what other people use to plan their shows, and the good and bad aspects.

At our company we tried Basecamp (by 37signals) and while it was helpful it really didn't quite suit our needs. In particular:

* No support for anything like a SM report
* No brainstorming support
* Sometimes overcomplicated things

What other (web based) software is there out there that you've used, and what's the good and the bad? Also, if you were designing a system, how would you do it?

- Word
- Excel
- TurboCad/AutoCad/WYSIWYG/SketchUp/whichever CAD package the company has
- Abbyy FineReader OCR engine
- Outlook/Lotus Notes/whichever e-mail program the company uses
- Firefox
- DropBox

In ten years of stage managing, I've never found the need for a specific "show planning" piece of software. Basic applications tend to do pretty much everything I need. Abbyy FineReader (because I really really really like having an electronic copy of the script) and the CAD packages are about the only less common thing that I use.

 

[thomasfedb]

In ten years of stage managing, I've never found the need for a specific "show planning" piece of software. Basic applications tend to do pretty much everything I need. Abbyy FineReader (because I really really really like having an electronic copy of the script) and the CAD packages are about the only less common thing that I use.

Thanks for your reply.

Currently we work just as you described, except without digital scripts.

However I feel that a central tool to keep us all on task and accountable would be really helpful, and I'm interested that nothing like this exists.

I know that I would use such a tool, would others? If there's interest in the industry I might suggest the idea to a software developer mate from school.

 

[gafftaper]

Frankly there really aren't any great options. I've tried them all. Other than using Excel to organize paper techs and other organizational task, I find the digital options fairly useless. I go for a paper script, a pencil, and some colored sticker dots (for marking locations in the script).

By the way in 99.9% of all cases digital copies of the script are a violation of the licensing agreement. Will you get caught? probably not. If you do get caught what will happen? You could have the show shut down, find your school/theater heavily fined, AND have your school/theater blackballed from ever renting a show from that company again. That's not worth it to me. I'll take paper and pencil.

 

[thomasfedb]

Thanks for the replies guys.

However I feel that I would be addressing a slightly different area of need. I want to make the organisation easier. Nothing to do with your scripts, although if there's need the there's nothing stopping me from making more software down the line.

 

[kiwitechgirl]

By the way in 99.9% of all cases digital copies of the script are a violation of the licensing agreement. Will you get caught? probably not. If you do get caught what will happen? You could have the show shut down, find your school/theater heavily fined, AND have your school/theater blackballed from ever renting a show from that company again. That's not worth it to me. I'll take paper and pencil.

Heading slightly off-topic here, but how is creating a digital copy (so that I can scan the score in and electronically cut and paste it in, allowing me to print out a very tidy amalgamation of script and score for a calling script) different to me photocopying the script and the score and then using scissors and glue to create a slightly less tidy amalgamation? I know photocopying scripts is in violation as well, but really, how else is a stage manager supposed to create a prompt book?! Some companies will supply a prompt script which you can write in, but it's almost never formatted the way I want it, as prompt scripts are such a personal thing.

 

[cpf]

You just don't get caught

 

[erichart]

There's an Australian company working on a software package called Production Genie - Welcome to the home of Production Genie®Theatre Software — Production Genie - Theatre Software - I'm beta-testing their first part of it, StageBitz, which has to do with organizing the props.

It works fairly differently from how I (and many other prop masters) keep our information organized, so unfortunately, it is not that useful to me. I also just prefer Excel; if I need to set up a place to share information with others on the team electronically, I'll usually create a shared folder in Google Docs. A co-worker just showed me Dropbox though, and I might be trying that soon. I find it incredibly useful to be able to access information on my phone, whether I'm in an off-site meeting or out shopping and need to check blueprints or drawings. This is, of course, a different set of needs than what a stage manager is looking for.

I still find having a paper copy of everything to be highly useful.

 

[NickVon]

There's an Australian company working on a software package called Production Genie - Welcome to the home of Production Genie®Theatre Software — Production Genie - Theatre Software - I'm beta-testing their first part of it, StageBitz, which has to do with organizing the props.

It works fairly differently from how I (and many other prop masters) keep our information organized, so unfortunately, it is not that useful to me. I also just prefer Excel; if I need to set up a place to share information with others on the team electronically, I'll usually create a shared folder in Google Docs. A co-worker just showed me Dropbox though, and I might be trying that soon. I find it incredibly useful to be able to access information on my phone, whether I'm in an off-site meeting or out shopping and need to check blueprints or drawings. This is, of course, a different set of needs than what a stage manager is looking for.

I still find having a paper copy of everything to be highly useful.

As many others have mentioned, MS Excel, and Google Shared Doc's, I have numerous templates in excell for Sound Patch, Light Schedual and Cue sheets for both. Templates are linked and pull show and cast information from a Cast Directory excel file. Excel is my big go to. Being a TD at a venue i don't deal much with props or costume changes, but i think once you develop a template you like in excel, you'll have it forever. For instance my Audio template has numerous sheets in it. 1 sheet for Act one, another for act 2, one for the physical audio patch and routing, one that is brief cue list (separate out what individual mic are off and on, and just references it to the earlier sheets by scene number [Using an LS9], and also includes where the Playback cues fit in with the mic changes. And the last sheet is the custom fader layer patch.

My Lighting excel file is similar in that in contains the Basic Instrument schedule for our rep plot, the Softpatch of that plot on our board, and Fixtures/lamp/accessories listing.

I'd be happy to share these files with anyone interested, though I found that from most people they like setting it up on their own for how they work and process

 

[Blacksheep0317]

I find a sketch book works wonders. Doesnt need power, doesnt crash, doesnt loose files and is completely inter-operating-system-compatible.

 

[pmolsonmus]

There is a portion of the copyright law that attempts to describe "fair use". While it is certainly a much debated subject, the general consensus is that if you've purchased the item (or rented the use of the item).. One of 4 considerations needs to be...

The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

I don't think your making a copy has hindered future sales of the product in any way, shape or form and that is why "fair use" exists - as well as educational and other clarifications to strict copyright law.
U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use

If you are making this copy for your own use during the production in which you are leaving a copy pristine to return to the owner (the cut and paste analogy), then (although I'm not a lawyer - but I am a member of ASCAP and have published works) as long as you destroy the copy when complete - you're on pretty solid ground. But as the website advises, a call to the actual copyright owner or a lawyer is your safest bet.

The whole file "sharing" (ahem, stealing) of scripts and music is not this issue and is in no way legal or "fair use" even if the lender isn't "gaining" anything, the owner is indeed losing sales.

A great read from composer Jason Robert Brown is linked here -http://www.jasonrobertbrown.com/weblog/2010/06/fighting_with_teenagers_a_copy.php