Digitizing Stage Management

[indyld]

What problem does the written book have that are solved by digitising?

 

What benefits does a PDF on a screen have over a written book? Few. If you ignore a more useful text format and being able jump straight to a line, word, LXQ, bit of blocking, making non-destructive script cuts, automatically generating availability charts, rehearsal calls, recording running times for different parts... I keep adding more because they just keep coming to me!

 

What benefits could be gained from digitising processes? Potentially many. Databases, for a start. Collaboration... etc.

 

However, getting it going isn't as easy as it sounds. We have students (and staff) regularly researching and trialling what you might call SM 2.0 processes and it isn't just a case of bunging some software on some kit and cracking on. The biggest barrier to entry is found where everyone on the production has to buy-in to new workflows and be comfortable with the new system. Some trials have been run alongside 'traditional' methods and often the learning curve or initial set-up of something with potential is a higher barrier than people wish to jump when they are comfortable with their methods.

 

Design, construction and technical departments have been using more technology-based workflows for years. Certain SM personnel are harder to move on this. But it isn't all one sided. We have had SM students hotly contesting for their own view either for or against and this means so-called 'digital natives' not old codgers.

 

I also know of SMs that run small shows as sole operators using Qlab with no book, all the information being in the Qlab file. Of course, none of that includes all the other functions of the traditional book. But does one thing need to perform the production and show running functions?

 

(I don't buy the argument about reliability as other departments manage this perfectly well. If the LX desk, sound desk, playback, video system, automation, cue light system computers all fall over, you can keep reading cues off a piece of paper until you are blue in the face. It's still a show stop.)

[Pip T]

Interesting thread - I'm quite keen on digitising as much as possible, from both a workflow point of view and a saving paper/trees point of view!

 

All the paperwork I create for a show is emailed to people/ put in Dropbox etc. If someone on the production team specifically wants hard copies I can print them out for them, but basically it stays digital. Much more portable like this - I have everything I need for reference on one small device, rather than a socking great folder or three.

 

I actually do use a digital prompt copy on most of the shows I do - exceptions being when I work for companies that ask me to work the 'traditional' way. I've tried the annotated PDF approach some others have talked about above, but I like the layout of a traditional prompt copy.

I simply use Keynote (Mac version of PowerPoint), with each slide forming a page of the prompt copy, layed out as follows:

 

- Text box on the left with a page of script in it.

- Vertical line down the centre of the slide to form a clear visual divider. Essentially this splits the slide into the two sheets of A4 side by side that a traditional Book would have.

- Set of small text boxes in the next 'column', one for each cue. A line can be drawn across from the box to a particular word or cue point in the script if required, exactly as you would normally. These can be colour coded with the 'fill' function - either different colours for each department's cues (Sound, lx, stage etc) or to easily differentiate between standbys and go cues. Backstage calls can be put in in the same way.

- to the right of the cues/calls column, another large vertical text box to note blocking in - again this can be arranged exactly as normal to keep blocking moves in the right place in relation to the script.

 

So essentially, it looks like a traditional prompt copy, just in digital format. This has four main advantages for me:

 

1) Firstly, unless I write very slowly, my handwriting is appalling. In the unfortunate event of someone having to take over from me in an emergency, a printed copy of this (I always print a hard copy once the show is up as a backup) is going to be a lot clearer than my scrawl.

 

2) during rehearsal and tech, as blocking and cue points are changed, its a lot easier and cleaner simply to move a text box than rub out and re-write a chunk of pencil written cues. I know Post-its can be used for this, and I do when working 'analogue,' but these can become dog-eared pretty quickly, and if moved too much they rapidly lose their stick. Also, I quite often work on new writing, where the script itself may change as the rehearsals develop. Again, a lot easier to re-type in a text box than start ripping the Book apart.

 

3) Operating/ calling the show - when touring, I call the show from an iPad with the prompt copy on it. It's simply more portable, one less thing to cart around the country (I'd have it with me anyway). On shows where it's a self op rather than me calling operators it's easier to find space for at the control position than a big ring binder. The screen is lit - on one occasion when a bulb went in the prompt desk lamp, I was very grateful for this.....!

 

4) Back up. Thanks to the wonders of the pixies in iCloud, everything I do, every change I make is automatically backed up almost in real time. You can print out as many hard copies as you want without the pain in the neck of photocopying and assembling a back up of a paper prompt copy. I do keep offline back ups as well, but I just love the convenience and automation of iCloud back up.

 

 

I would love to see dedicated prompt copy software developed, to clear up the rough edges in my system (There are some irritations - it's quite easy to accidentally move a text box or something if rushing for example), but given the small market, and diversity of peoples working methods, I'm not sure it'll ever happen. Equally the database ideas mentioned in posts above would be great, but as mentioned requires everyone on a team to buy into it.

 

I've looked at Stagewrite (Again, mentioned earlier in the topic) but as yet theres no way of putting a script in it that I'm aware of, and it's one massively expensive app!

 

I'm not sure my method of working is necessarily better than the old way, it just works well for me. As I alluded to earlier in my post, some companies I work for won't allow this method of working. Some are scared of technical failure - either loss of data during rehearsal or the device packing up during a show. You can mitigate this - back ups and having a paper copy available, but even with this I can see that some people simply won't trust a paperless set up. Some directors also just don't like a DSM behind a laptop in a rehearsal room. Both of these objections are becoming increasingly rare in my experience though.

[JWHaining]

Whilst (for my geeky side) I would love to see prompt copies digitized (and yes there are plenty pros and cons with doing so). Surely the greatest problem proceeds the prompt copy, and that is the script itself!

For ANY digital prompt copy you are going to need a digital copy of the script . This would need to form a consistent standard of spacing, denotation of stage directions and page numbering.

For our next production alone we have had problems with the occasional direction not being correctly formatted and and being mistaken for lines as well as confusion with pages not numbered. These are very simple mistakes for a writer to make and are forgiveable and easy to correct (or mark) when dealing with analogue copies, but which are far more time consuming when digital.

[KCLeblanc]

I'm working on a show at the moment where we've been to either provide our own script or print them from the internet. We have have one member of the cast using a kindle and another using his phone. No one seems to have consistent page numbers, it's been interesting!

[cameronaffleck]

Hi Eamon,

 

This is a very interesting thread - and certainly makes you think about how much a SM actually needs to do.

 

I came across this application, named Shoflo, a couple of months ago. It is designed to keep everyone on the same page, but the SM takes priority. All notes are updated in real time, and it allows for the usual pen-and-paper-style functionality.

 

Take a look.

 

It might not be what you're looking for - especially as it costs per show, per user. However, it might just do.

Cam

[retrodan]

Hi Eamon,

 

This is a very interesting thread - and certainly makes you think about how much a SM actually needs to do.

 

I came across this application, named Shoflo, a couple of months ago. It is designed to keep everyone on the same page, but the SM takes priority. All notes are updated in real time, and it allows for the usual pen-and-paper-style functionality.

 

Take a look.

 

It might not be what you're looking for - especially as it costs per show, per user. However, it might just do.

Cam

 

Hi All,

 

I have recently been looking into the topic discussed by this very thread. I am coming from the corporate AV world and currently use Excel to build cue sheets to print out and circulate around my AV crew.

 

I took a demo with ShoFlo just before the holidays and I can report that the solution looks brilliant. It does so much and has been designed with production needs in mind.

 

The concept of a cloud based cue sheet that follows the SM is exactly what I have been looking for. However, the pricing of ShoFlo, although fair and just for the right project, is out of my budget for my 'bread & butter' shows. ShoFlo also takes over document repository and sharing which I already manage with other solutions.

 

I would love to find a similar product with a web-based cue sheet on a smaller scale. I've spoken to a number of freelancers now who agree it sounds great but say nobody that they work for have even tried it.

 

I also looked at a mac-based software solution called Show Pro but populating the cue sheet is very clunky.

 

Would be great to find out if anybody has made any progress with this since the last posts...

 

Dan

[chrisc18]

I'd echo the comments on shoflo - I used it for our last amateur production and it worked perfectly. Like the others, though, I used the trial version and the cost is way beyond our budget. I've fed this back to them and suggested (like Qlab) they make a limited function version available at a lower cost... or allow rental to use on a 'per show' basis.