Author Topic: CALLING: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit  (Read 9843 times)

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planetmike

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Here's probably a basic question. Concerning sound cues, when an actor leaves the stage and won't be speaking any lines offstage, should a cue be set up to disable that microphone? I'd think everyone can tell tales of something said from the wings (or heaven forbid the dressing room or restroom) that went out into the house.

Related question: When an actor has to say his lines from offstage, a cue would be to turn on his mic, and then another cue to turn off the mic when the lines have been delivered?
« Last Edit: Jun 09, 2009, 02:33 am by PSMKay »

NomieRae

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #1 on: Feb 07, 2009, 10:53 pm »
Not sure at what level you're doing this in.. but in my experience in musicals it is the sound person who will be doing the live mixing (meaning mics) during the show to take those cues on their own. Usually they'll either ask for the cues from the SM team, or some wonderful people have come to rehearsals, marked their own scripts, and been 100% ready for tech.

I've never called a mic cue.
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planetmike

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #2 on: Feb 07, 2009, 11:16 pm »
Community theater, doing a musical. The sound guy doesn't even have a script I don't think. He's been to about 15 minutes of one rehearsal. I'm totally not sure how to read him at this point, so not sure what I can/should be doing to get ready for the sound portion of load-in/tech tomorrow. I've met him twice, seems competent, highly recommended. I just don't know what to expect. I've generated a list of actors that need mics.
Posted on: February 07, 2009, 09:11:21 PM
And the mic is only used while they're singing correct? We don't have enough to mic everyone during the non-song portions of scenes, so there everyone gets to project, correct? I think if you used a mixture of performers with a mic and performers without a mic, it would sound horrible.

Libby

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #3 on: Feb 07, 2009, 11:39 pm »
It depends on your space as to what is miced. If you can hear them without micing them then all good. Ive seen it done if you have an ensemble member who has a line and you can't hear them, is there anyway to get them near an actor with a mic? But again, this all depends on the size of your theatre. Do the paperwork on who you think needs one when (also what kinda of mic tracking - going from one person to another - if they are sharing) Once you get into tech you will find everything out.

cprted

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #4 on: Feb 08, 2009, 12:55 am »
Putting on audio tech cap for a moment, I'm responsible for muting and bringing up and killing mics as needed without a cue from the SM.  While I'm mixing a show, I'm not even on cans as I really can't hear properly with one ear covered.  I've never thought about a cue for offstage lines before.  Not a bad idea if the sound tech is coming in late or is less on the ball than desired.

killerdana

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #5 on: Feb 08, 2009, 02:26 am »
I generally create a mic plot for the sound mixer (often with some input from the sound designer), including what mic each person is on and which scenes or musical numbers each person appears in.  From there I expect the sound mixer to take responsibility for their own cues (as cprted said, they usually aren't on cans anyway).  The few times I've had a sound mixer who couldn't handle following the cues on their own, I've assigned an asm to sit with them and give the cues personally.
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kiwitechgirl

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #6 on: Feb 08, 2009, 05:05 am »
I've never called a mic cue on a musical.  I've also never worked with a sound operator who is on comms during the show; they always have comms, in case something goes wrong, but apart from coming on at the top of each half to tell me that all is well (or we need to hold while he checks that someone's mic is OK), they're never on comms during the show, because as someone said, you can't hear the show properly when you've got one ear covered.  Usually I keep out of mic plot discussions - I tend to leave that one to the sound operator/designer and the MD.  If you haven't got enough mics for everyone who has lines to have one, then no, don't mic the dialogue as it will sound very uneven.  My current sound operator got sent an electronic version of the script and a cast list about four weeks out from tech week; he came to a run, asked me a few questions (mostly about lines which have been slightly redistributed as we cut some minor characters), had a chat with the MD and turned up at tech ready to go.  He operated from script for the first little while, and has gradually made himself up cut versions over the run, until now, 11 weeks in (one week to go! woohoo!) has his script down to half a page - reminders for particularly tricky cues which have caught him out.  He certainly doesn't get cues to turn people's mics on and off; the cast know to keep quiet for the first 30 seconds that they're offstage after a scene but other than that, he's totally on his own.  To complicate matters, any cast members who are offstage in numbers are singing as well, so there are quite a few cues which are not in the script, as that particular person is not in the scene and so not mentioned.  Basically, I just leave him to it and he does a great job!

Celeste_SM

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #7 on: Feb 08, 2009, 07:18 pm »
I stage manage musicals for high level community theater. I provide the sound engineer with a script and a mic plot. The mic plot shows which actor is wearing which mic during which scenes. We don't have enough mics for everybody, but anybody with a solo line or song pretty much has to be mic'd, due to the size of our house. I usually figure out how to accomplish this (mic exchanges) and the mic plot reflects that information. After that, it is up to the sound engineer to take his own mic cues. Our sound engineer only attends one rehearsal prior to tech, so he relies heavily on the script, and visual cues (ie. seeing the actor on stage), so I try to make time to review special issues with him, such as lines that are spoken on a lav from off-stage, or circumstances where he might want to kill a mic before the actor has left the stage (fight scenes, where the mic is at risk of being brushed, etc.).

Cueing of onstage/offstage mics is also done by the sound engineer independently.

SM19

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #8 on: Feb 10, 2009, 11:58 pm »
On the contrary to what many have said, I would have to say call them. Now this is only coming from me who has had to call these cues because my sound technitian decided to tell me that a mic tracking sheet and muting mics was not necessary. Well...I gave that person a little lesson as to what can happen backstage if a mic is not muted lol . . . so, just to be on the safe side, I'd do it. But use your gut feeling. If you think you're sound guy is competent enough to do this on his own, then sure. But if this guy doesn't even have a script...i'd say cue it...
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Mac Calder

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #9 on: Feb 11, 2009, 01:45 am »
A good sound guy will be self directed as far as live audio. The only SM cue-ed things really tend to be "Canned Audio" - ie SFX, backing tracks etc.

Tempest

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #10 on: Feb 11, 2009, 04:14 pm »
<snip>my sound technitian decided to tell me that a mic tracking sheet and muting mics was not necessary. Well...I gave that person a little lesson as to what can happen backstage if a mic is not muted lol</snip>

Ours had a similar, unplanned lesson.  She was new to running sound, and we were having a first rehearsal with mics.  10 minute break was called, and suddenly, everyone on stage looked up at a strange sound.  "What's that?"  "It's 'Bob'!  He's in the bathroom!  He's peeing!!!  Bwahahahaha!"
 :o  As I ran up the stairs to smack the mute button, (sound girl being on break, like everyone else) the rest of the cast was shouting after me, "Nah, leave it on, we want to hear if he washes his hands!"

Moral of the story: If your sound person is inexperienced, I don't think I'd call all mic on/offs, but I'd definitely remind or ask them now and then, especially during the rehearsal process.  If you sound person is experienced, they'll probably want to and be able to handle it on their own. 
When in doubt, check with your op!  If you've got a calm enough show you can spare breath for the extra cues, and they're new enough to need their hand held, I see no reason not to.  Whatever is best for the show.

No one ever told me if the cast told 'Bob' about that little misadventure.
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SM19

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #11 on: Feb 12, 2009, 12:25 am »
ahahaha I've had the same thing happen to me too! except for...we didn't actually hear the peeing, but we heard the toilet flush hahaha so yeah... hahaha it was quite a story.

But it this situation is a very individualized one and you have to know your sound technitian to answer it.
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KMC

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Re: Sound cues: turning off actor's mic when they exit
« Reply #12 on: Feb 12, 2009, 08:53 am »
Similar to others I've never called mic cues either.  If there are live vocals your sound op should be mixing, not listening to com; if they've got one ear on headset and one on the mix it probably won't sound as good.

What I have done in the past, though, for sound ops who haven't been onboard for the entire process is to provide a character/scene breakdown and an entrance/exit chart.  This tells them who is on for which scenes, and where and when they're coming from or going to for a visual reference to know where to look when they're about to take a cue.
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