Thanks for the ideas guys. I will give this a shot and let you know how it goes.
@JChenault Let me
throw another idea at you, an idea from the days of round bodied
carbon arc Super Troupers.
Two notions, same concept. Think not of peering at the
stage or pointing a
laser dot at the
stage. Organize a mechanical
dowser that allows you to leave the S4 lit at all times. (This could be as simple as a 10" square piece of black card board that you hinge with tape and fold down in front of the
lens.) Find a light leak that leaks from the S4 into your booth, assuming you're in a booth. Use chalk or a sheet of cardboard on the wall or floor to make reference marks which you
mark during a rehearsal or pre-show / pre-doors. Typical marks to have would include: DSC, SR entrances 1, 2 & 3, SL entrances 1, 2 & 3 as well as any specials and possibly the seat in the audience where the Mayor or guest of honor is expected to sit.
The alternative to finding a suitable light leak is to clamp a small
laser pointer to the S4 that shines within your booth and use the
laser pointer to chalk or
Sharpie your reference marks within your booth in the same manner. I once had the misfortune of touring with a less desirable early Xenon follow spot. Not knowing anything of the booths and various elevations of the theaters I'd be finding myself in, I drilled and tapped three 6-32 holes in the top front of the
lamp house behind the
dowser and filled two of the three holes with a 6-32 x 1/4"
bolt. Each booth I found myself in I was able to find at least one of the three holes that cast a reference
mark in a workable position. My favorite
pick-up on that tour was a tight head shot on the lead singer of a black trio as she stepped off of an automated
platform the moment it stopped moving
down stage in time with the music in a dead black out. I've been enjoying the comments about "most experienced spot operators". I was one of two touring assistant electricians, I focused the entire
FOH (Approximately 200 lamps) and called the cues for two local spot operators. During
load-in I'd learn who my other two spot operators were going to be, warn them of their pickups and let them know an ASM would come on
stage prior to our first tech rehearsal so all three spots could get our marks. I'd ALWAYS get the "We don't need no steenkin' marks, we're pro's"
line. It was always difficult to watch them blow their first pickups out of the water and not laugh out loud at them. When we got to Broadway's Shubert, my two spot-mates informed me they'd been running 'Chorus
Line' for years and wouldn't be needing to make any reference marks. Yeah? You should've heard the excuses when I warned and called their go for the tight head shots on the other two members of the black trio stepping off the moving truck in
PITCH BLACK. He who laughs last truly laughs best although I found it best to be sure I muted my
headset immediately after calling their 'Go!' (And it was always difficult to hold my own lamp steady on the head of the center girl as she began her choreography and I was laughing myself silly.) Some memories stick with you.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard