Stage Management Software

[sam.henderson]

OK I have asked this question on here before but to no avail so I though I would try one last time in this forum.

 

There seems to be an unlimited ammount of lighting and sound software (WYSIWYG, OLE's etc.) but I can not find any decent Stage Management software. I have searched the web aked companies but to no avail so you SM's of the world is there any SM software??

 

So information on the Name, Supplier, Maker, PRICE please

 

Any replies much appreciated

 

 

Sam :P

[Tom]

What do you want it to do?

 

Most general paperwork can be created using a combination of Excel and Word. In fact I recently stumbled on the SMNetwork Downloads page which has loads of forms you can download to save you having to use you imagination to create your own. I've not looked at them though so can not vouch for if they are any good or not.

 

I know there is film industry orientated software for scheduling etc but I'm not sure exactly what it does or whether it would transfer to theatre. I think probably not.

 

As for running shows, I've heard of a couple of different PC based systems for automating cue lights and the like and some that will trigger lighting and sound systems but I've never seen any in operation and I personally would be fearful of them for many reasons.

[sam.henderson]

What do you want it to do?

 

Most general paperwork can be created using a combination of Excel and Word.  In fact I recently stumbled on the SMNetwork Downloads page which has loads of forms you can download to save you having to use you imagination to create your own.  I've not looked at them though so can not vouch for if they are any good or not.

 

I know there is film industry orientated software for scheduling etc but I'm not sure exactly what it does or whether it would transfer to theatre.  I think probably not.

 

As for running shows, I've heard of a couple of different PC based systems for automating cue lights and the like and some that will trigger lighting and sound systems but I've never seen any in operation and I personally would be fearful of them for many reasons.

I know you can do a lot of it using Word, Excel, Access etc. and I do, infact do almost all of my paper work using them already. I was however looking for software which was a bit more like software for cueing and scheduling etc.

 

I know SM Network has got a downloads section but last time I checked it was pretty small, I will check again now.

 

Sam

[Ellis]

If no-one can find anything and someone can actually write down what is required (a requirements specification), I might consider writing something if there is a market.

 

(still looking for that killer app to write)

 

Ellis

[sam.henderson]

The sort of thing I'm looking for is two things;

 

An application with loads of custimizable tempaltes that brings all your paper work together and follows commands i.e. I want to just tell it to print off all contact information of Female Chorus Actors inlvoved in Act 3 or email all Lighthing Crew who didn't attended the Production meeting on the 4th March etc. etc.

 

The second thing I want is a program that alows easy Prompt Book creation. I want to enter the script and score and then have an easy interface to add cues where and when. I also would like it to have like a 'live' mode where I could run the book from the computer and it would display for me the next S/B and the Next Go cue!

 

If you do end up writing a program (which would be great ;) ) I wwould be more than happy to assist you in a Stage Management capasity providing forms, termonology etc. I will also very happily beta test if you ever did make it!

 

Sam

[Brian]

I want to enter the script and score and then have an easy interface to add cues where and when

Sam

 

you might want to look at FinalDraft AV here.

It's a script writing program and allows multicolumn working with things staying aligned as you add stuff.

[Techno_Monkey]

I like the idea of having all information etc stored in a software format making it easier to keep track of prgress etc, however:

 

I want to enter the script and score and then have an easy interface to add cues where and when

 

Could this type of program eventually take over the need for operators on certain shows? If you can insert a cue in a software format, then I doubt that it would be difficult to set up a link to the equipment to auto-trigger cues etc upon clicking on the cue.

 

Maybe this already exists (if it does I haven't heard of it), but could this not threaten the jobs of some technicians in the future? I know having a computer controlling the equipment is not the same as having a living person hitting the 'go' button, and that in some instances this is necessary, but it seems quite a scary thought that maybe one person could soon be doing the job of 2 or 3. ;)

[sam.henderson]

I like the idea of having all information etc stored in a software format making it easier to keep track of prgress etc, however:

 

I want to enter the script and score and then have an easy interface to add cues where and when

 

Could this type of program eventually take over the need for operators on certain shows? If you can insert a cue in a software format, then I doubt that it would be difficult to set up a link to the equipment to auto-trigger cues etc upon clicking on the cue.

 

Maybe this already exists (if it does I haven't heard of it), but could this not threaten the jobs of some technicians in the future? I know having a computer controlling the equipment is not the same as having a living person hitting the 'go' button, and that in some instances this is necessary, but it seems quite a scary thought that maybe one person could soon be doing the job of 2 or 3. ;)

Reallt the DSM hitting a button on their comptuter is the same as the LX Op hitting the Go button but just adds one more porblem for the DSM. I doubt this will take over from ops as I dount anyone will ever really need these Real Time triggers (i.e. Go at 12.15pm) will ever be of any use. Imagine running a show using RT Trigs- It just wouldn't happen. The only time I could ever imagine it being useful would be on new years eve to set off LX at exactly 12.00!

 

Sam

[Ellis]

... I dount anyone will ever really need these Real Time triggers (i.e. Go at 12.15pm) will ever be of any use...

How about bringing the preset up 1/2 hour before scheduled c/u and starting the play-in tape.

 

I worked a pro panto last christmas where the SM had the desk remote and pressed the go button for all the lx cues. It worked fine, except for the time he did not give me time to get off the stage after setting the blackboard in a blackout.

[David]

Yes it dose happen. Last years tour of “Girls Night†used SFX from Stage research in America.

SFX played back all sound FX and backing track from the internal hard drive. Controlled a Strand 520i, 200 lighting Qs using generics and intelligent fixtures. Triggered 78 snap shots on a Soundcraft 324 digital running 8 Radio microphones, 2 SM 58s, EQ changes and 2 effects engines.

 

The show was triggered by the DSM using the space bar on the PC. He had to follow the book as you would on any show, but instead of calling the Qs he hit the space bar on Q. A typical Q sequence went something like –

 

Q1 Go Sound Q .5 – Fade walk in

Wait 3 sec

Go LX Q 1 – 10 sec fade of H/L to ½ (midi trigger)

Wait 8 sec

Go Sound Q 1 – FX 1 Phone off V/O

Follow on

Go Sound Q2 – FX 2 Curtain up music FOH

Waite 15 sec

Go LX Q2 -10 sec H/L out (midi trigger)

 

Q2 Verbal Q to Fly’s – Tabs OUT FAST

 

Q3 Go LX Q 3- 7 sec FOH up (midi trigger)

Wait 4 sec

Go Sound Q 3 – 6 sec X fade to on stage speakers

 

Q4 Go Sound Q 4 – Radio mic 2 Live (midi trigger)

 

ect ect ect

 

The only manual Qs in the show were 8 LX Qs which were macro triggers. I believe Strand have since rectified this problem.

 

38 shows back to back perfect Qing every show.

 

And yes 1/2 hour before scheduled c/u it starting the walk in.

[edark]

Hi,

I actually did a dissertation on this very subject!!!

This was about 3 years ago, so memory a little vague...

 

There are several exsisting sm software tools out there...

 

Northern Light crated a SM prompt desk that had two touch screen monitors. The software mainly controlled Cue lights, but also had several other functions...You could connect several cameras which you could control pan, tilt, zoom etc. I think it also had some useful sm tools such as stop watch, clock etc.

northen light website

 

 

Digital Theatre have created some pre-production software. It comprises of 4 bits of software: Virtual Stage Management, Virtual Cue sheet, Virtual Theatre Forms and Audition Works.

I demo'ed this software while doing my dissertation research, It is a brilliant idea and is obviously created by people who worked in the industy. I found it lacked some featues and couldn't be customized as much as I would have liked. However, this was 3 years ago, so improvements may have been made. A demo version is available. Have a look at the website...Click here

 

There was also a programme I found which helped source and track props in pre-production. It basically consisted of an address book of prop sources and would track what props came from where, 'borrow, blag or buy' traking.

However, I cant remember what it's called or where I found it sorry!

 

As there wasn't really a programme out there that gave me all the features I was looking for, I created my own programme in MS Access. I was stage managing 3 productions at the same time in the final year of my degree. The Access programme held contact lists (both production contacts and useful company contact) props lists (and prop tracking). It created rehearsal schedules, Production meetings, call lists (it even emailed the rehearsal calls automatically to everyone required for that call!)

As I came to the end of my final year, I was production manager for 5 shows, so I adapted the programme to also track budgets, with department spending traker, petty cash requests, reports and more.

 

I still have the Access database, but is on the hard drive of my old pc, in the loft!!! If you are interested I will dig it out when I get a chance.

 

Hope this is of help to you.

PM me if you want any more info.

 

Cheers

 

ed

[sam.henderson]

Hi,

I actually did a dissertation on this very subject!!!

This was about 3 years ago, so memory a little vague...

 

There are several exsisting sm software tools out there...

 

{snipped to shorten post lengh}

 

I still have the Access database, but is on the hard drive of my old pc, in the loft!!! If you are interested I will dig it out when I get a chance.

 

Hope this is of help to you.

PM me if you want any more info.

 

Cheers

 

ed

Thanks a lot for that reallylong reply, it has been very useful. I am going to check out all of the software now

 

If you could get that Access Database for me it would be amazing!

 

Thank you,

 

Sam

[edark]

Hi all.

 

I will dig out my old pc as soon as I get a day off!

 

I wrote the programme a few years ago, at which point I was a complete novice at MS Access... and I cringe when I remember some of the methods of programing I used. I am by no means an expert now, but I have been using it for a while, and learning more and more.

I would really like to make an updated version, easier to use and with more features.

 

Any features you would really like to see?

[John]

http://www.onsetsoftware.com/prs.htm

 

PRS is a performance scheduler. It doesn't do all that you requested but its fairly good. It acts as a contacts, props, scene by scne database for plays (along with several other not so useful functions. It also creates forms and lists for you and you can even store phots of your props. Its also as cheap as chips. There is a free demo download on the above site. Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

[lucy_ironside]

At the end of the day I think it comes down to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". If a show is complicated enough to warrant such software then I think there will be a market for it. Most shows, however, are not that complicated and DSMs prefer to run such shows manually. This also explains whcy cue systems such as "Softcue" are not used in their programmable mode that frequently: if a show is complex to cue I would be delighted to use the desk in it's programmable mode, but if it is straightforward I will run softcue in it's manual mode. Most DSMs I know think the same. There are an awful lot of "softcue" systems in the west end being used only as clocks and stopwatches!