Design Source Four On A Stick

[np18358]

So for the show I am about to go into production for, we are using 4 Source Four 10°'s as followspots with the City Theatrical fixture assemblies. We are also using 2 Lycian spots. I can't come up with a great way to deal with the calling and dimming of the spots. My first thought was just to program the s4's into the board, and then have the SM call the other Spots as usual, but I think that might be confusing for the SM (it is her first time calling a show), and also for the S4 Spot Ops, because they would get no warning as to when they would come on, and go out. I considered giving them cue sheets, but I don't think the student operators would be able to follow the cue sheets. I then considered the possibility of having the Lycian spot ops use a cue light on a dimmable circuit from the console, which would come up with the cues on the other spots, but then again high schoolers and cue lights don't go well, and I feel like it would probably end up tracking through cues, and being an issue. Another thought was to just have the spot ops use little household dimmers, and do it themselves, but I think that will be a challenge for the SM to call. Note that the 2 Lycians are in one Catwalk, 2 of the S4's in another, and 1 S4 in each box boom, so they aren't physically close. Also, the space doesn't have multi-channel clearcom, so having one spot op (or ASM) call the spot cues sounds like a confusing solution. Thoughts?

 

[Timothy A. Samuelson]

Rehearsals. Lots of rehearsals. I power mine from the console. But we've got a dedicated spot op channel in the clear com to give them a standby before they get cued.

 

[TheaterEd]

Every time I've heard of them being used in a show, they are powered by the board, and the ops are given standby calls by the SM.

 

[afreeradical]

I've done that situation a few times...

If it were my show, all the spots would be on the board...
I wouldn't trust students to douse at the correct time if I had a SM to call it...

They all get Stand-by's for blind pick-up with the stand-by for LX
that contains the follow spots @ lvl...
(hopefully they have some kind of sight like a perfect pick-up or a spot dot ?)

If they don't all run at the same time
then they need spot numbers....
When the LX cue that has the spots cued into it is called...
The SM would call LX 32, Spot 2, Spot 5 .... GO

If All spots are used in all spot cues, then all the Op's really need is the Stand-by for pick-up
Then when the next LX cue is called, they should all be "On Spot" and ready as light comes up.

They should still have cue sheets of their own though
so they can double check where they are in the show,
know where they have to pick-up next
and know what colour they should be in...

You could have the SM call the colour change with the stand-by for the spot
But they should already have done that change...
They shouldn't be colour changing @ the stand-by
That's for standing by for cue...
(personal spot peave and why we put scrollers on our spots...

 

[Lextech]

If we don't trust the students to to do the cue at the right time when do they learn? I have done shows with high school kids running spot that were as good as some of my union brothers are on spot. School, at every level including college, is for learning and every adult involved should be prepared for something not to go as planned. If little Joey misses the pick up is it the end of the world, no. And if the director, TD, designer or adviser does not understand that and cannot turn that mistake into a teaching moment then maybe that adult should not be working with students. So put the lights in the board if you wish but I would give as much control of the spots to the students so they learn. Give them cue sheets to back up the SM. The SM needs to learn how to call a complicated show at some point. Help the SM with their script so they can call 6 spots, lights and whatever else they need to. It make take a couple more tech rehearsals then you are used to but the knowledge and confidence you will give the students will be worth the effort. Also it will make the next show that much easier since you will hopefully be able to have some of your crew return.

 

[Les]

If we don't trust the students to to do the cue at the right time when do they learn? I have done shows with high school kids running spot that were as good as some of my union brothers are on spot. School, at every level including college, is for learning and every adult involved should be prepared for something not to go as planned. If little Joey misses the pick up is it the end of the world, no. And if the director, TD, designer or adviser does not understand that and cannot turn that mistake into a teaching moment then maybe that adult should not be working with students. So put the lights in the board if you wish but I would give as much control of the spots to the students so they learn. Give them cue sheets to back up the SM. The SM needs to learn how to call a complicated show at some point. Help the SM with their script so they can call 6 spots, lights and whatever else they need to. It make take a couple more tech rehearsals then you are used to but the knowledge and confidence you will give the students will be worth the effort. Also it will make the next show that much easier since you will hopefully be able to have some of your crew return.

I agree with this. Running a spot is not rocket science and I have had complete novices do very well. I understand your concern about integrating the standard spots with Source Fours - I'd probably just put the S-F-O-A-S's on a dimmer and even have them on the same com channel as the main spots. The SM's standby's and warnings can serve to make sure the S4 operators are ready to go when their light comes on. Might put the more experienced op's on the S4's. Above all, trust them. The integrity of the show is important, but so is the educational value for all involved.

For local control of the S4's, the Lex Slim Dimmer is probably the best solution.

 

[Timothy A. Samuelson]

If we don't trust the students to to do the cue at the right time when do they learn? I have done shows with high school kids running spot that were as good as some of my union brothers are on spot. School, at every level including college, is for learning and every adult involved should be prepared for something not to go as planned. If little Joey misses the pick up is it the end of the world, no. And if the director, TD, designer or adviser does not understand that and cannot turn that mistake into a teaching moment then maybe that adult should not be working with students. So put the lights in the board if you wish but I would give as much control of the spots to the students so they learn. Give them cue sheets to back up the SM. The SM needs to learn how to call a complicated show at some point. Help the SM with their script so they can call 6 spots, lights and whatever else they need to. It make take a couple more tech rehearsals then you are used to but the knowledge and confidence you will give the students will be worth the effort. Also it will make the next show that much easier since you will hopefully be able to have some of your crew return.

Absolutely agree. I haven't run a "perfect" show in years. But that doesn't bother me. I know how teachable mistakes are because that's how I learned.