Follow spot tips

[Albatross]

Some basic Follow spot tips:

Wear a long sleeved top. Spots get very hot and exposed skin burns easily when it touches the hot metal.

 

Stand sideways at the spot; not at its rear end. Most spots are designed to be moved with 2 hands on the side, one toward the front and one toward the rear. Your face should be looking toward the stage while your body is looking toward the side of the unit.

 

Learn what the stage positions are called and ensure they're consistent (especially if you're calling them). Upstage, downstage, house left/stage right, house right/stage left, prompt, OP (off or opposite prompt) etc.

 

Learn the spot 'size' descriptions and ensure they're consistent. Full body, half body, head shot, pair/duo etc.

 

If working inside a standard proscenium arch theatre, don't 'paint outside the lines'. In other words, keep the circle of the light inside the frame of the proscenium at all times. It looks messy if you can see part of the spot on the stage, and the other on part of the wall. If a performer leaves the stage stop the spot movement so that the circle of light is fully on the stage and not on the wall, wait for the performer to walk out of the light, then fade off. Same but reverse for entries, fade on as the performer enters the stage, not have the spot on their position to walk into.

Of course the performance may warrant it and Stage Manager/Director may tell you differently !!

[alistermorton]

Must admit when I was shown to my super trouper at the Ashcroft I was "expected" to sit beside it with my left arm wrapped over the top to the dimmer/iris levers, and my right arm along the barrel. This just felt so uncomfortable to me that I ended up standing beside it as you describe.