Comms Procedure

[CharlieH]

conductor-cam will be going in anyway for monitors in the house and the wings, so it's not difficult to get an extra feed out of the splitter to go to the SM.

We should probably start doing that then :D So do you just put the camera feed into a video splitter and then take branches of that for the wings and the lighting control?

 

And thanks to everyone else - I will definitely implement these ideas next time we use the comms. Does anybody use 'over' or 'out' at the end of a sentence? We did this year, but that could be because it was force of habit for our SM (as said before, he is a pilot so naturally confident with comms, but insisted on us using out/over after speaking :P )

[Bobbsy]

Just as a sidenote, who gives the MD comms on a musical? I know a few people that don't like it, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

 

I've worked both ways and very much like them to have comms. As a sound op, it's been very useful at times especially when I've been augmenting the orchestra with playback and a click track.

 

The most elaborate instance of this I can remember was when I was asked to mix the comms with the MD's monitor mix in a single set of cans--took some doing (and the MD was on a keyed talkback so he didn't get the general chatter) but it worked a treat.

 

Bob

[Glyn Edwards]

Standby first, as once the word is spoken, everyone shuts up and listens.

 

Thus:-

Standby LX 12

 

Lx then acknowledge somehow "Thank you", "Standing By", "Whatever"

 

LX 12 Go.

 

And you go on G, not O!

 

Gone / Going Unless it is blindingly obvious that is has happened.

 

I dislike the use of "Gone / Going" since it increases the chance of someone mis hearing a "GO", especially in busy sequences with multiple department standbyes for mutliple cues. We've always used "Running" to signify that the cue has started or is otherwise doing what it should.

 

Glyn

[Gerry]

Our Standardized procedure is something like this:

 

 

 

FOR STAGE CUES

 

SM: LX19 Stand BY

OP: Standing BY

SM: Stand By SR with Table, Bed, SL with Chairs and picnic Rug on LX19(This obviously changes between scene changes :P )

SR: Standing By with Table and Bed on LX19

SL: Standing By with Chairs and Rug on LX19

SM: LX19... 3... 2... 1... GO

OP: GONE

So, do they do the set change on the start of LX19 or the end of LX19 or somewhere in the middle if it is a X fade?

 

Cheers

Gerry

[paulears]

As promised, I have taken the first half of a pantomime, that has over 100 LX cues, fly cues and video cues.

 

For anyone familiar with running shows, don't bother to download it, but to those people who are seriously interested, I'm happy to make it available. The Stage Manager, Patrick Freeman is a really decent bloke, and has given his permission for students to hear it.

 

A few notes.

 

What you have is every cue given, complete with the matching stand-bys. Where possible, the length of time the stand-bys were left as they were. During stand-bys, it's usual to have silence - however in this case, you do hear some chat between a few cues. It's important to note, though, that the chat was between the DSM and the person about to carry out the cue - which is fine. No other people intrude in these spaces. One or two stand-bys were cut in length because for operational reasons, they were quite long, and a bit pointless for the audio file. Another thing of interest is that during a sequence of lighting cues, there is a nested stand-by for flys. I've left in the music numbers that eat up cues, so you will have to forgive me for making you listen to them.

 

Where there was just dialogue, I've chopped it out until the DSM was about to speak. The only other thing missing is a little bit of chit-chat during the dull bits, so I cut that out too.

 

You'll also hear that during one sequence, the pyros failed - causing some comment during the sequence.

 

I need to explain that the video cues are all start cues for the 3D sequences. The playback kit has built in loops where the image appears to carry on, but is looping until the next run cue is given - I hope that makes sense. At the top of the show, you'll hear the MD being given a stand-by, up till this point both MD and sound were on cans, but once given the stand-by, they both removed their cans and took their first cues from cue lights. From then on, both remained cans off. The MD can't anyway, because he needs to put on another set for the clicks!

 

 

Please - don't distribute this, it's specifically for people interested in the behind the scenes stuff. The file is here - however, it's a zipped file and you'll need to send me a PM asking for the password.

 

I hope you find it useful.

[CharlieH]

PM asking for the password.

PM Sent :P

[spartacus]

Standby first, as once the word is spoken, everyone shuts up and listens.

That's a good point, I'll make a mental note for next time.

 

And you go on G, not O!

 

I've had a seven syllable GO before. Anyone done better?

 

 

So, do they do the set change on the start of LX19 or the end of LX19 or somewhere in the middle if it is a X fade?

 

Ahhh... I have a slightly odd naming convention that I'll explain another day. But the cues are almost always are blackout - so when the lights are dark. Never thought of that.

[Andrew C]

I dislike the use of "Gone / Going"

OK, give you that. Some sort of acknowledgement though on those long subtle fades...

[elvenprince]

I've been spotting many times, and had either 'lime cue X' or 'spot cue X' down the comms. Even if you weren't told which one the DSM will be using, it's pretty easy to pick up that he/she is talking to you!

 

The easiest way for me to show how I've known it done is to transcribe it!

 

DSM: Standbye LX cue 34.

LX: LX standing bye.

DSM: Thank you.

DSM: LX cue 34...GO.

(if a long fade) LX: LX cue 34 is running.

DSM: Thank you very much, LX!

 

--

 

DSM: Standbye LX cue 47, fly cue 4, sound cue 12 and LX cue 48, please. (in order of occurrence)

LX: LX standing bye.

Flys: Flys standing bye.

Sound: Sound standing bye. (in order of occurrence)

DSM: Thank you.

DSM: LX cue 47...GO.

DSM: Fly cue 4...GO. (line break to simulate pause in speech)

DSM: Sound cue 12...GO.

DSM: LX cue 48...GO.

 

--

 

DSM: Standbye fly cue 13. That is to take out the gauze.

Flys: Flys standing bye.

DSM: Thank you.

DSM: Fly cue 13...GO.

Flys: (once clear) Flys are out.

DSM: Thank you very much, flys.

 

--

 

DSM: Standbye lime cue 8. That is to pick up Romeo who will walk on from Stage Left.

Lime: Lime standing bye.

DSM: Thank you.

 

etc.

 

However, at my school musicals; there is no comms set, so everyone has their own cue sheets and scripts, and cues themselves. By the end of the rehearsals, we know the show off by heart and know when our cues are!

[Oovis]

I dislike the use of "Gone / Going"

OK, give you that. Some sort of acknowledgement though on those long subtle fades...

Why say anything after the Go to indicate a cue is running? You're given a stand-by which you acknowledge, you shut-up, listen and do your cue when told to. That's it, isn't it? There's a two-way trust going on where the operator does what he's told and the show caller knows it'll happen. Sometimes I've been asked to give a 'Complete' for timing purposes but that's a different matter.

 

Just my 2p.

[paulears]

It does depend on familiarity with a show. I find it quite handy for slow acting or developing cues to be reported back in this way for confirmation. Shows where tracks are provided at short notice are good ones, where perhaps it starts quietly, yet the audience are still applauding or 'wooing' - the DSM calls the cue, but doesn't hear anything so there's a question of 'is it going?' In these cases, having the op say 'running' give a sense of security that all is well. The second time the track is played at the next performance, the need has gone away. I've also found it handy when perhaps a slightly 'touchy' or plain unreliable mechanical or electronic gadget is being used - if the damn thing starts, 'running' is a good confidence booster.

[Stan Hope-Streeter]

.... where perhaps it starts quietly, yet the audience are still applauding or 'wooing' - the DSM calls the cue, but doesn't hear anything so there's a question of 'is it going?' In these cases, having the op say 'running' give a sense of security that all is well...

 

It's very helpful for any sound cues that are not easily audible from the prompt corner, especially stuff that is played FOH.

If in doubt, one can always ask the DSM if they want confirmation, at the tech rehearsal.

 

Anther point to note is that on conference / corporate jobs one is often required to give the caller warnings of remaining running time. This is standard with video playback but often needed with sound too. So make sure the audio playback device timers are showing "time remaining".

Depending on the show, they might just make the occasional request for how long the track has to run. Or they may want the formal 30sec, 15, and then a 5-4-3-2-1 followed by "sound muted" or "fader closed" or something similar.

Confirming a closed fader is essential with VT playback as it tells the op that it's safe to do some spooling. Trust me, if you forget to close the fader, you won't be asked back next time...

[GridGirl]

conductor-cam will be going in anyway for monitors in the house and the wings, so it's not difficult to get an extra feed out of the splitter to go to the SM.

We should probably start doing that then :D So do you just put the camera feed into a video splitter and then take branches of that for the wings and the lighting control?

 

And thanks to everyone else - I will definitely implement these ideas next time we use the comms. Does anybody use 'over' or 'out' at the end of a sentence? We did this year, but that could be because it was force of habit for our SM (as said before, he is a pilot so naturally confident with comms, but insisted on us using out/over after speaking :P )

 

Yep, straight from the camera into a splitter and off from there. We do have a video patch panel in the control room these days, but that's only a recent thing - previously we'd just run cables to where we needed them. And we never say "Over" or "Out" - that's very much a radio thing, I think, so that people don't key over someone else and therefore lose their transmission. Not necessary on comms where you can have more than one person talking at a time.

 

 

I dislike the use of "Gone / Going" since it increases the chance of someone mis hearing a "GO", especially in busy sequences with multiple department standbyes for mutliple cues. We've always used "Running" to signify that the cue has started or is otherwise doing what it should.

 

Glyn

 

I agree. I often get "travelling" on particularly long fades - but also our lighting desk and sound computers both have GO buttons which make a decent "click" when you press them so I can often hear over comms that the operator has physically pushed the button, making any sort of confirmation unnecessary!

[CharlieH]

Thanks to everyone that has posted - it is much appreciated! I will implement all these ideas in any future productions I do! :D And if anybody has any more, then keep them coming! :P

[smeggie]

On top of the existing variations, one that I used recently on a show I was lighting and calling from the foh box, was

'lx and sound,,, Rolling.'

when sound would take their own cues, but lx went secondary to theirs, or at a similar point

- obviously when concurrent I used lx, sound...Go. [in this case, q numbers weren't needed, but on any other one I'd use them]

As for upon the end of a que, I'd call complete, but only if needed. or for reference to stage crew [in this particular one, the crew were q'd from the wing, which was given a 'go' upon true b/o - damn slow fades!

 

inevitably with the new show, there were fairly extensive 'stage...........[wait for it...].......[oh for gods sake, just say the damn line].....Go.' q's - annoying, but they were cut very much tighter as the runs progressed.

 

To put it simply, keep it simple, and if in doubt, keep the chatter quiet.

 

Have fun.