As a
followspot operator, you are just as much a character in the show as an actor. This is what my LD told me on my first
followspot gig.
Some of these others have said but I'm going to repost anyways.
Be smooth and subtle.
If whoever you are following stops you have two-ish seconds to hit them center.
Also, the second you stop moving, you shouldn't re adjust (within reason). You may end up distracting rather than aiding. If you do re-adjust, be subtle and smooth.
If you are working with another spot, match beam sizes.
Practice good com etiquette; my two personal pet-peeves: Don't talk over people and don't talk during standbys. Also don't leave your
headset on always (especially when taking it off and on).
If your actor is talking right next to someone else, open up and catch them both.
Full body is the FULL body. Head to toes.
Half body is from the waist up
3/4ths is around the knees.
That being said, always leave some extra head room. I usually allow 1.5-2 head lengths above their head.
If you don't know what the actor is about to do (and usually, even rehearsed you wont EXACTLY) watch their feet. The feet will always turn and precede the bodies movement. The only time this doesn't happen is dance.
Watch the movement upstage to
downstage and visa versa. Try to make your spot look the same size in comparison to the actor as they move around the
stage. When they are farther (upstage) they will get smaller, so the light will look larger. When
downstage the opposite happens.
All of these rules are what I normally tell spot ops working for me. But then sometimes I will have them break them... as they arn't really rules but guidelines.
Also, if you don't have a
telrad, you can substitute a couple pieces of tape and careful head placement. Make a piece at the end of the
unit like a gun sight, and a piece in the back to where you need to put your eye. Then just remember the relationship to that and where the light shows up onstage. This can make your pickups pretty accurate, to where you only need to small adjust which you can do while coming up.
Really the most you need to do is focus on what you are doing and you will be perfectly fine! Break a
leg / good luck!