Stage Directions: How do you label your stage?

[Grog12]

When I'm talking about center, I mean center center, I just don't write it out or say it twice.

Oh, and for the record, center for most places I'm at, is about 5' wide.

See DuckJordan's post. Specificity is a good thing. Center Line is abbreviated as center in just about any theatre you walk into.

 

[Jsamuels201]

USR USRC USC USLC USL
MSR MSRC MSC MSLC MSL
DSR DSRC DSC DSLC DSL

I don't know if using M for midstage is convention but for some reason that's how i've always done it. I feel like if you label midstage as just SC (etc...) I feel like that would denote the entire US to DS range. I also rarely say Down Stage Right I usually just say Down Right (etc..).

 

[chausman]

See DuckJordan's post. Specificity is a good thing. Center Line is abbreviated as center in just about any theatre you walk into.

Thats just how I've done it.

I should add, it does somewhat make a difference on who I'm talking to. In notes for myself, I'm usually very vague, because I remember most of the cues fairly well. If I'm talking to the person sitting next to me (who I've worked with for years), usually not much explanation is needed because we both usually are looking at the same thing. Now, talking to someone I've never worked with before, or someone onstage, then I try to be more descriptive.

 

[mstaylor]

Derick's method is extremely confusing. I feel you would be correcting half the time until the techs figure it out. Personally when I focus I don't give stage directions, I give area numbers. If I am talking to a director or designer, I would use stage directions. With dance I have never labeled the stage with anything except numbers. Most I have worked with do 0 at C and go up in either direction. I have seen 1 to whatever from SR to SL.

 

[CrazyTechie]

I'm quite intrigued at how similar yet different all the answers are so far. However, all the replies so far would get marked down by my TD on a test (even though I agree with most of them and they make more sense) which leads me to wonder if there is a right/wrong way to label a stage.

 

[Grog12]

I'm quite intrigued at how similar yet different all the answers are so far. However, all the replies so far would get marked down by my TD on a test (even though I agree with most of them and they make more sense) which leads me to wonder if there is a right/wrong way to label a stage.

So out with it then.

 

[CrazyTechie]

This is what is supposed to be the most common way:

align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | URC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | ULC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | R
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | RC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | C
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | LC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | L
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DRC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DLC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DL
|-

I'm fine with everything on it except for how the center row is labeled. To me it seems that saying "go to R/L/C" would cause to many problems and therefore they should be CR/CL/CC.

This is the way I would label the stage (at least the way I labeled it on the mid-term):

align="left" class="cms_table_grid" style="width: 500px"
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | UL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | CL
|- class="cms_table_grid_tr"
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DCR
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DC
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DCL
| class="cms_table_grid_td" | DL
|-

 

[mstaylor]

To me, labeling a stage is a personal preference. As long as you know what it means, who cares. If you are the one labeling it then that means the crew has to learn your method. I find some of the methods a little confusing, simply because it tries to be too exact, but none that couldn't be easily deciphered.
One thing that I have always taught is there is no one way to do something and I don't the market cornered on how to do something. If it is safe, it works for you and the end result is correct, I don't care how you get there. Too many get hung up on my way is the only way. Now there are industry standards but no absolutes.