Typical Plot Size?

. As I finished reading, I do only unit numbers on my plot. Nothing else. Everything else is in the paperwork. This is what we were taught. I suppose if the ME wants something more, I can activate those fields in Vectorworks.

Of course the ME cannot activate a color class while looking at a printed plot. Too late for that.

Here's why not having color and an indication of a unit having a template ("T") or iris ("I") on the plot drives me nuts and why I believe it's a bad habit.

The plot is printed and is being used for focus. I'll interrupt by stating, yes you can use the instrument schedule, but lets say that you have 2 electrics right next to each other. The electrician in the Genie can reach both electrics as they roll across the floor. It's harder to keep track of what light is next when using an IS, it's easier to use a plot. Which is why we always use a plot to see what channel/addresses are next while focusing. Typically the RRFU operator is doing this. All proceeds as planned.

But maybe you didn't land all color and gobo's while the electrics were on the the deck (or maybe it's the box booms where you can't in any event), so maybe the elec. has an electrics worth of color in the bucket bag. I don't like doing it this way, but our Dept, of Theater does. So now the person running the RRFU, as well as either recalling channels from an IS, or the plot, has to refer to another sheet of paper to find the color to tell the bucket person what gel to stick in a light. That's slow and is prone to error.

But OK, you don't always want to stick a "R77780" template label next to a light, especially when you have a lot of units using templates. At some point you are cluttering the plot up with a lot of info. But color seems pretty easy and as I've seen the "No color on the plot" concept used, and in my mind it's just an excuse for the LD to not make a bit more effort to create useful label legends (assuming Vectorworks) that are effective in placing useful information pertinent to the light, on the light plot.
 
Of course the ME cannot activate a color class while looking at a printed plot. Too late for that.

Here's why not having color and an indication of a unit having a template ("T") or iris ("I") on the plot drives me nuts and why I believe it's a bad habit.

The plot is printed and is being used for focus. I'll interrupt by stating, yes you can use the instrument schedule, but lets say that you have 2 electrics right next to each other. The electrician in the Genie can reach both electrics as they roll across the floor. It's harder to keep track of what light is next when using an IS, it's easier to use a plot. Which is why we always use a plot to see what channel/addresses are next while focusing. Typically the RRFU operator is doing this. All proceeds as planned.

But maybe you didn't land all color and gobo's while the electrics were on the the deck (or maybe it's the box booms where you can't in any event), so maybe the elec. has an electrics worth of color in the bucket bag. I don't like doing it this way, but our Dept, of Theater does. So now the person running the RRFU, as well as either recalling channels from an IS, or the plot, has to refer to another sheet of paper to find the color to tell the bucket person what gel to stick in a light. That's slow and is prone to error.

But OK, you don't always want to stick a "R77780" template label next to a light, especially when you have a lot of units using templates. At some point you are cluttering the plot up with a lot of info. But color seems pretty easy and as I've seen the "No color on the plot" concept used, and in my mind it's just an excuse for the LD to not make a bit more effort to create useful label legends (assuming Vectorworks) that are effective in placing useful information pertinent to the light, on the light plot.

I meant that if the ME insists on it, I will activate those fields when I make my plot. I always talk with the ME first to see what information he wants where. I want to give him the paperwork in the order that he wants it in. After I put the paperwork together I never look at it again. It is produced only for the benefit of the electricians, so I want to give them what they want.

I have always used the instrument schedule to focus. You bring up an interesting point, but I have never focused that way. We always go along one electric and then over to the next one. Now, I do have multiple systems focusing sometimes (one electrician overhead, one on FOH, one on booms) but we have never bounced like that. Interesting theory.

As far as information on the IS, I have color, pattern, focus, etc all on the IS. I don't see why they can't look at Inst 2 on electric 3 and see it is R26 on the paperwork instead of the plot. I don't see how that is "easier" to see on the plot.

But, like I said, if that is what the ME wants (within reason) that is what they will get.

Heck, if they want 1/2" scale I will give them 1/2" scale.
 
I read a 3rd of what was posted so sorry if i repeat.

I think that a hand drafted plot should be whatever makes it 1/2" to 1'.
A computer plot, if drawn correctly should be 1/4" to 1'.
As small of a paper as you can so it can be manageable.
Remember to leave 1/2" boarder all the way around to allow for damage/unprintable area.

For me, I like to see channel, color, template, unit and purpose on the plot - depending on the amount of instruments nad how close together, they could point where they are going or just point straight up/down/left/right or on the 45degrees. It is more important that they land on their foot markers. During focus we will point them where they go.

I'll use the plot for hang.
Right before focus starts / end of hang double check that each instrument comes up correctly according to the plot.

Once hang is done, I don't reference the plot so much as the other paperwork (The plot is after all part of the paperwork). During hang all the dimmers will be associated with their instruments and recorded and updated on the paperwork.

I'll also have 3 copies of the plot to work from. One will be for the ME where ever they want to be stationed - this one will get notes of dimmers and possibly adds or moves. One for the LD to reference during hang. And then an additional one which will be marked as the changes plot - the one that gets updated with any moves/adds that inevitably need to happen during tech, and will be updated in the computer at the end and printed new for the run, in case lamps blow. Depending on size, hang cards will be made in 8.5 x 11 sizes.

I like having purpose on there because then the electricians can foresee issues... like if an entire position wont work as side lighting because there is an I-beam that every single light will hit, right below. So they know to ask the ME or the LD what to do (in that case it was okay to top hang to get the shot).
 
As far as information on the IS, I have color, pattern, focus, etc all on the IS. I don't see why they can't look at Inst 2 on electric 3 and see it is R26 on the paperwork instead of the plot. I don't see how that is "easier" to see on the plot.
Heck, if they want 1/2" scale I will give them 1/2" scale.

This becomes a "whatever the crew likes" situation. One thing we find useful with having the color and template info on the plot, is multiple crew members can read the plot at the same time, as opposed to having to use the particular Instrument Schedule for a particular position (Oh, Damn, I have the 3 electric IS and just loaded color onto 2E !). In general they find the plot more "graphical" to reference, in terms of about where on a pipe a unit is located as example. That becomes easier then counting from unit 1 (and how many times do they forget and start from SR ?). OTOH, Instrument Schedules become really useful as you can just hand a sheet for a particular task to a person, so sometimes that's what works best.

My rant for LD's though, especially "name" LD's who are teaching , is don't make something like "I don't put color on the plot" as being dogmatic. Be flexible and prepared to pull a Steve Shelly and have every type of paperwork printed and ready for whatever the situation calls for, even if that means creating label legend in VW that have color and template info. whose class is not visible on a particular print. Be prepared to print it and maybe do it any way and have that paperwork ready.
 

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