CALLING: Lights? Electrics? Elex? What do you say?

[Mac Calder]

Well I may as well at my 2c as this thread has suffered thread necromancy:

In response to ESM_John - since I find that often LX is separate to Projection which is separate to sfx, I basically separate the 5 departments you described (Lights, Sound, Projection&movies, pyro and SFX) into the following: LX, Sound, AV, Pyro and Special (NOT sfx because it sounds too close to LX).

Cue numbering - I stick to numbers. I do not like letters. And I only use dot cues if cues are added during or after technical rehearsals (otherwise I renumber my book). I never call the "Cue" ("Stand by LX 15, LX 15 Go").

I believe the above is basically the norm - obviously the department names may change depending on the show, but really, the department names don't matter provided they are agreed on by the operators and sm.

[ESM_John]

In response to ESM_John - since I find that often LX is separate to Projection which is separate to sfx, I basically separate the 5 departments you described (Lights, Sound, Projection&movies, pyro and SFX) into the following: LX, Sound, AV, Pyro and Special (NOT sfx because it sounds too close to LX).

Cue numbering - I stick to numbers. I do not like letters. And I only use dot cues if cues are added during or after technical rehearsals (otherwise I renumber my book). I never call the "Cue" ("Stand by LX 15, LX 15 Go").

Ahh, i see. Yea, unfortunately, the administrators are adverse to us using pyro in a high school....whoda thunkit? I dont like using letters meyself, and i usually will say LX15 not LX Cue 15..too many words when u gotta get things done. Good points Mac Calder tho.

[Mac Calder]

Quite rightly so - pyro in school is a no-no in my books (exception being productions being run by a staff member, with tight control over pyro with decent safety measures in place and a huge amount of issolation between students and pyro) - but my post was more of a 'in non school gigs these are arbitary divisions that are my standard' sort of thing.

[BalletPSM]

I say "Lights."  Hate the mouthful of "electrics."  Special FX are called by what they are (fog go, haze go, smoke go).  Projection is the same (standy projection slides 1-4,  slide 1 go, slide 2 go, etc.).

Sound Qs have always been letters for me.  Although at the ballet I don't usually have sound Qs, so during rehearsals when we don't have the symphony I will just say "track go" or "pause track." 

Rail Qs go off Q lights.  Even if I call them, they usually can't hear me over the b**** box anyway. 

Deck Qs I will have their shifts detailed out on a Q sheet, and I will usually just say "standby on Deck for the table on" or whatever the change happens to be, then they just get "Deck Go" 

As others have said, a lot of it is SM and designer preference and what is going to be the least confusing and most clear to the crew and board ops.

[erin]

"Lights" in regional, "electrics" with touring or commerical productions has been my experience.

I started with "lights" in education theatre, first time i heard "elex" was a British group on tour, and the audio engineer was named Alex.  All kinds of confusing listening to that show being called.

"Elex" may make more sense if you're also calling mic cues, but when you have thirty cues to a page and audio does all mic work on its own (i.e. the audio tech has a script and knows when his mic cues are, I don't have to tell him), "elex" takes way too long to say. 

I write an electrics cue as "LX 20" but call "lights 20."  LX is so much faster to write or type.... So far that hasn't confused anyone trying to call from my book...and i had someone take over a weekend on my last show with no problems...once they get past the entire book being backwards issue.

More than one syllable gets in the way.  The easier to say, the better!:
lights 5 GO
sound 5 GO
sky in GO  (or Rail on a Q light)
deck 5 GO
trap open GO
fog GO
pyro (ok, "fire" doesn't really seem appropriate to say over headset) GO
meat GO
pot GO
poop GO (i do a lot of kids shows...)

Along the same lines, i kinda gave up on standbys.  It takes a long time to say and ties up my tongue.  The beginning of the cue load ("lights...") has the same function, gives em enough time to position finger over button or unlock lineset.  Again, haven't had any complaints about it

 If there's been more than a page since the last cue, i might say:
"Warn: Swag In on the rail, Sound 30 through 38, Lights 17 through 28."
And that carries through until another pause long enough to turn off the mic and drink some water.

And being dyslexic, i *heart* lettering sound cues.  Sadly, this isn't at all practical with computerized sound  systems and hundreds of cues *sigh*   [1] So i get stuck with sequences like:
Lights 45.6 and Sound 46 GO
Seriously.  Why bother saying numbers like that when you're bound to confuse them?  Heck, sometimes just "sound and lights GO" works for extended cue sequences.

I find from working backstage that getting a cue like "curtain in" or "house off" is much more clear than "transition 5" or "shift F."  People running around pulling ropes don't have time to consult run sheets, so whenever possible i like to give warns that state exactly what they are doing while turning on the appropriate cue light .



[1]  The first show i called at this theatre i requested letters and the designer reluctantly agreed. Since we went through the alphabet twice (A, B, C, D, E, F....AA, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF....BA, BB, BC, BC, BE, BF... etc) as the run went on i called one show with NATO alphabet words (modified, things like Bravo, Kilo, Romeo...not something you want to be saying on headset) and themes. A fruit day:  Sound apple GO.  Soun Banana GO.  A music day:  Sound alto GO, sound bass GO.  Fun while it lasted.

[Mac Calder]

Strange that you find Lights easier to say. It could be something to do with accent etc. but I find enounciation of Lights so that it is clear to the ops takes more time and effort than LX (pronounced Elex). If someone had a research paper they had to do for college, it could be a really interesting thing to look into (topic "What enviromental factors assist in the evolution of theatrical vocabulary?") Something that I don't have the time to do, but really fascinates me.

[ljh007]

I write LX/elex but say "lights."
Hm... but I never realized that before reading this thread.

[MatthewShiner]

Speed of saying the world Electrics or Lights have never really been a factor.  As part of the tech process, I figure out how to get it all out of mouth in a timely manner.

I will often drop the cue number in a tight bind, as I am sure a lot of people do, but almost always get the world Electrics out of my mouth.  But now, it's a huge habit of mine . . . been calling cues like that for almost ten years.  I can't think of going back to Lights.

In the end, it's a personal preference.

[erin]

I write LX/elex but say "lights."
Hm... but I never realized that before reading this thread.

!  I didn't think it was odd until someone commented a couple of months ago.
It seems clear enough on the page....

[erin]

Strange that you find Lights easier to say. It could be something to do with accent etc.
but I find enounciation of Lights so that it is clear to the ops takes more time and effort than LX (pronounced Elex). If someone had a research paper they had to do for college, it could be a really interesting thing to look into (topic "What enviromental factors assist in the evolution of theatrical vocabulary?") Something that I don't have the time to do, but really fascinates me.

I'm from Virginia, so it could very well be a matter of pronunciation.  Consonants require more precision and enunciation, but vowels take longer to leave the mouth....

Anyone looking for a thesis topic?  If recording rights allowed, it would be fascinating to hear samples of people calling the same sequence from the same show, performed in various places around the world ....

[SMJon]

I use "Lights" as well.  Most of the crew has a running sheet with their job assigned and where it is in the script so that they can be ready for their job.  Usually (we have pretty well staffed productions) each person has a single job.  One guy does all fog effects, one person runs the drops, one person shoots off the gun effects if we need to use live firearm sounds, one person runs mics, one runs the sound effects, one runs the lights and each spot operator has his own one spot.  That avoids anybody having to listen for multiple department cues.  In essence, the flyman does not have to worry about Fog or pyro effects at all.  This way I call what it is.  In one show I called, we had a strobe light that was not hooked up to the light board.  Someone stood by a backstage electrical outlet and plugged it in to turn it on.  So I didn't worry that it was a light or a special effect, I just said "Strobe GO" and thus went the strobe.  And to turn it off I said "Strobe Out..Go" and it went away.  This way the light board operator didn't have to worry about anything to do with that effect.  In that same show, we had a special effect patched into Submaster One of the lightboard but it was not a programmed cue.  On my call the lightboard operator would just tap the flash button on the submaster making the instrument flash.  So there were no cues around it I called Submaster One...Go" and the light board op knew what she had to do.  Basically I do what it easiest for everyone to understand and so that nobody is lost on what to do.

[Mac Calder]

whilst your technique, SMJohn, is effective, a large part of the calling technique is that it should be concise and to the point. In schools, it usually does not matter - things tend to be a lot less formal, but as you move on in the SM world, you will find yourself running on bare bones crew, you will have to deal with more cues and more departments. It is also my opinion that your tone whilst calling a show, and your professionalism whilst calling is essential. Just something you may want to think about if you plan on becoming an SM after school. That said, you are at school, have fun and enjoy it.

[kjdiehl]

I don't know, MC, I think SMJon's technique sounds pretty copacetic to me. It's pretty much how I operate, and I think there's no question that I definitely work well within the "professional" world. I agree  that what you say should be what is best easily understood by the operators. Yeah, I'll provide the Deck Crew with a run sheet that numbers the deck cues, and I'll also have the deck cues numbered in my book, but mostly for reference. I'll also have written in the book what I actually call: Table ON, or Shift to Nursery GO or whatever. So that it's clear for the operators.

I generally give Standby's when there's at least a little bit of time between cues, and a Warning before that if there's been quite a bit of downtime since the last cue. Gotta wake up the board ops and all that. Though I'm starting to feel like my pre-cue verbiage is getting a bit redundant, and I think I'm gonna start reducing the amount of Standby's I give, and just give them a bit earlier to wake people up in time. I ALWAYS give a verbal Standby as I switch on the Q-lite for a Rail cue. (Hey, someone mentioned separate Rail and Fly cues. Do you differentiate? I use the terms interchangeably unless i have actual Foy Fly cues.)

Here's something I find weird. Double-verbs. I find it awkward to call Fly Out GO, or Trap Close GO, or Table On GO. I've had more than one operator take the cue on the first verb, as opposed to waiting for the all-important "GO." On cues like that I find myself taking extra care to massage the tone of my voice so the first verb is very soft and non-declamatory and dragged out to imply that there is a "GO" soon to follow. It's so frustrating when all your protective measures fail though.

Oh and Erin, I too call from a backwards script. It always screws with my assistants heads when I ask them make my copy of the script with the three-hole punch on the wrong side and reverse-collated.

[SMJon]

MC, like I said I do mostly work within my school setting (although I do small professional shows here and there, non-union of course).  But my problem is that it is not required to be a technical or even theatre major to work on a show.  The open to everyone policy of 90% of our theatre shows.  So basically I get people who want to do something and the only thing they can really understand about the theatre is to plug in a strobe light when I say strobe Go.  They really don't know how to read a run sheet or follow scripts.  And they get totally confused if I start using unspecific cues.  I pretty much in some cases need to call their name for them to understand what I mean.  I had a person once who didn't really understand theatre at all but wanted to do something.  I don't blame him for not knowing theatre and I applaud him for coming out and trying (maybe we can interest him in taking up theatre).  But his job was to open and close the Grand Drape (Grand Curtain, Act Curtain whatever you want to call it).  Well I had to give him a call like this "NAME, Stand-by to close  the Grand Drape"  And then I would HAVE to get a response because I didn't know what was happening backstage or if he was even listening.  Then he would reply and then I would give him "Close/Open Grand Dape GO"  Of course he would forget to wait for the GO but the curtain takes a little time to close so it all worked out. 

I usually do call the OUT cues as well.  Most of my technical staff knows to wait for the G-O word.  They are briefed on it numerous times.  And I do pause between the verb/call and the GO almost always unless it is a very fast sequence so they are used to not acting until the GO is called.  kjdiehl, I also write what I am going to say in my prompt book so I remember exactly what my operator needs to hear. 

As for rail cues, we do not send anything in by rails or traps or anything like that.  Our automated fly system is the only way we get things on and off.  We also have about 5-6 feet of wing space so things usually do not come from the sides.  Things come from above and behind.  Unit sets are out friends.  But we can and do fly screens, drops, and even thin 3-D set pieces in from the flys.  So to avoid confusion (and because most people wouldn't know what rail ment) I say Fly. 

If I had a crew that would be self sufficient, then using simpler and shorter cues and departments would be great.  It would save me a lot of breath and my voice.  But I feel like an air traffic controller guiding a jumbo jet into the airport with heavy heavy fog and 0 visibility.  Basically I am the only real SM here that knows what I am doing.  Hence, I SM most of the shows.  And I need to guide everyone by taking baby steps.  But we have a totally different crew for each show so it is a blank slate every time.  If I had crew who were used to doing their one job all the time, it would be much quicker to explain and execute things.  I have never had a true light board operator who has done it a hundred times or a deck crew head who has been a deck crew head before.  It is just the luck of who needs tech work to graduate and who wants to do something but can't be onstage.  And don't get me started with actors who are doing tech because they didn't get cast but need involvement.

[nmno]

Yeah, I tend to call them what they are as well.  "Standby Motor to Trim 1" "Motor... Go".
As MC said, you may find yourself working with smaller crews but for me, the reasoning is then to be MORE specific with how you call the cues.  To explain:
I work with a crew that is typically 1 Non-Eq ASM, 1 Head Carp/Flyman, 1 Dresser. While the scene is going on, I'm not calling cues for them but they are running around like mad doing a closed/unseen shift. If I stand them by for Motor 4, Rail 8-9 as they are running (well not running because that's unsafe, but you know what I mean) to their stations to execute these cues, they don't know exactly what they are and it takes time to look up on the paperwork...  However, if I say "Standby Motor to Trim 1, Wall IN on the 1st Cue light, Wall OUT on the 2nd Qlite"  They know exactly what they are doing next.  (I call the Motor cue as "Motor... Go")  Yes, the cues are numbered so if there is a question which "motor to trim 1" this is, we have a reference point. 
Now if my flyman were a dedicated Flyman, and my motor op just ran motors (like lights and sound) maybe that would make a difference, but they are running around and the verbal cues seem to help.  After all, I'm sitting there with the book in front of me and am in a position to try to give as much helpful info to them as possible.
Now the huge Broadway size musical I ASM'd was the numbered cue sheet method, so it was "Rail 15 on the Red, Rail 16 on the Blue," etc...  We also had Automation to call (AutoDeck, AutoFly) to call and for those, it was all in the computer and ONLY made sense to call by number since they just had to push the button and visually confirm that it executed properly. They weren't manually setting anything.
NB: kris, this was an instance where Rail and Fly were separate terms.  "AutoFly" made it clear that was automation, "Rail" was the guys manually on the Rail.  To have called the Rail cues "Fly" would have been confusing.
And just to get back on topic...  I call them "Lights".