Key things with spots are knowing your spot, practicing with your spot and
lining up the aiming. To add to what has been said...
Check out and get to know your spot..know where its controls are and familiarize yourself with it for the
iris and
douser, boomerange and so forth. Get to know your gels and in which order they are in so you can select the correct one without taking your focus off the stage--practice rolling in and out of the gels and do changes. Practice doing several moves: pickups,
fade outs and so on...full body shots or half body shots...practice your slow fades and your fast outs...then add in a color change and get used to it as well. If it has a perfect pickup or a
telrad for aiming--set it up to get used to using it. Make sure its at the right comfortable height for you, the
base is locked down so it doesn't
roll around, and that you can move it freely and easily under control but that it won't 'fly away' if you are not holding it. It should be in balance. Remember--spots are there to highlite a performer--you do not want to move 'fast' on a slow moving actor...and you do not want to move in a jittery fashion. You want everything to be flowing and smooth so it seems transparant--meaning folks do not notice the spot more then the performer...this only is learned by practice. Remember every little sneeze or
shift you do can look like a 'big move' on
stage so you have to practice. Check your
headset and make sure its comfortable on your so you are not futzing with it and your focus is off the
stage...if possible a double muff
headset is best for spot ops so they can hear the calls.... Turn off
cell phones and keep the toys or distractions away...your focus is on the
stage and the spot is simply an extension of your arm or hands.
TIPS--if there is more then one spot--get things understood and ironed out early before the show--find out which spot is #1, #2, #3
etc so you know what you are operating and know your calls...know how far upstage and
downstage you can go--you can even practice or
mark out areas you know you will
pick up at--such as a USL/DSL or USR/DSR
pick up... If you cannot
pick up a certain area then make sure you know that and so does the LD or SM if they expect you to get that area. Get an idea of the spot calls from the SM if possible for anything they wil be expecting (timing, half or full body shots, effects you will do
etc and so on)...otherwise pay attention at the start of the show for the 'speech' on
headset as it will come fast. Keep the spot chatter to a near non-existant
level..if you have to talk make sure you are asking relevant questions and not commenting on 'casual' chit chat. If things go wrong on stage--use common sense--stay with the star or main talent speaking til you are told otherwise.. You do not want to do open 'slideovers' very much..if you have to
pick up a
bass player solo on the other side of the
stage, don't slide off the lead over to them unless you are told to....
fade out, move and then
fade in again.
Couple more operating tips--when you
fade out on an actor exiting--leave the spot aimed where is doused at, pointed in that area where you faded out--many times you will
pick up someone else close by or
pick up a re-entrance right at that location (this happens in concerts a lot--talent will exit and then re-enter after a minute). Otherwise you will have to sight in again when you had the
point already. If you have to ghost your
pick up area to make sure you are on target--be VERY very delicate and careful..if you cannot ghost then make your
fade in SLOW..do not go open at centerstage and then slide to meet the talent--you will get yelled at. Try to be as close as possible and if you go SLOW then you can slide and open at the same time. You want your moves to be dark or not visible when you have no one highlighted. Best to use a
pick-up or
telrad aiming tool...if you or the facility do not have one, you can make your own with a couple of sharpies and some tape--it will not be perfect but it will help. If you are going to be a
spot op a lot--buy your own
pick up its a great investment. You may notice 'tape markers' in front of a spot on a ledge or glass to help with pickup from previous users...new spot ops find these helpful but you should learn how to rough it in on your own too cause sometimes you will not have such a luxury.
Also know your
gel frames color and number--make sure your colors and numbers match the other spots (sucks when everyone rolls into frame 2 and your color is different--its your spot so make sure the order is loaded correctly to match everyone else). Keep some marking tape with you if you need to make any notes on color for yourself on the handles or whatever
etc. Once you turn on your spot just before show--leave it on and closed--restrikiing an arc lamp back and forth is not always good for the lamp life...so do not turn it off and the on at
intermission..only at the end of the show. When the audience enters--there should be no more "testing" or sighting in..that should be done before
house opens. Also--Spots can get hot--bring & wear gloves, and it can also be helpful to wear a long sleeve shirt if you have to reach over or hug a spot to operate it. Don't expect to 'sit down' on the job or while operating it..don't be lazy--I've seen some young budding spot ops sit in a folding chair and run it with one arm while texting or talking on the phone with the other--they quickly get fired & yelled at so don't be a slacker. If you can't be anything but a slacker and your texting or phone calls are a priority over your job--get out of theater now.
-w
