Author Topic: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)  (Read 20191 times)

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smejs

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #15 on: May 20, 2010, 01:03 am »
I tried an electronic call script for my last show, but there were so FEW cues that I couldn't stand scrolling through that many pages to follow along/know where the next cue was.  And I'm very tied to remembering the Director's notes and blocking and keeping it on track.  I tried to look above, but I'm not really seeing anyone who enters their BLOCKING into the script, just cues.  Does anyone?  How do you orient it?  I feel like I'd still want a two-page layout (script on one, blocking/notes on the other).  And if I missed it above, mea culpa.

jrhaber

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #16 on: May 20, 2010, 05:10 am »
I have been interested in trying this, but I guess I don't know Word well enough to attempt it - if anyone has a sample in Word format that I could download to see how it's done, with text boxes lined up in the proper places, lines attached, etc., I'd love to take a look. I'd never heard of a "call-out" feature in Word (I'm on a Mac) and can't find it in their Help feature either, so explanation of that might be helpful too. (Matthew, that's a term you used).

I've been a life-long pencil/ruler person, and I do like to keep the blocking in the same script when I tech and run the show, plus I write in a lot of details about what the cues are for and need to find places to do that near each cue, not always in the same place - is that possible in an electronic version? I can that see if a show is running for months and months or touring, it might be worth the time it takes; and I saw a beautiful Sunset Blvd. script of Peter Lawrence's before the show went to NY even, all typed out, cues and all - a lovely thing to behold.  As it stands now, I DO make a backup of my script, a double-sided version with blocking and cues, one page at a time on the copier; takes less than an hour and it's done. If I change cue placement during the run, I just have to remember to re-copy that page and insert it into the backup.

It does seem to be the wave of the present though...
Julie

Maribeth

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #17 on: Jan 29, 2011, 07:15 pm »
This is an old topic- but one I've been thinking about more and more lately. I've done digital calling scripts for my last 2 theatre shows, and have been really happy with the result. It takes a bit of time and effort, but I love how clean and easy to read my script is (not to mention being able to print backups does a lot for my piece of mind).

One of the shows was performed in one venue, and then remounted in another a few months later, and it was easy to print a new copy of the script to tech the second production, and make the necessary cue changes.

I'd never heard of a "call-out" feature in Word (I'm on a Mac) and can't find it in their Help feature either, so explanation of that might be helpful too.

Callouts are essentially text boxes with a "tail" that you can drag to land wherever you need it in the text. You can put arrows or whatever you want on the ends of them- so the text box can point to where the cue should be called. There are a variety of styles to the text boxes- you can have them look like cartoon speech bubbles or other shapes if you like.

I've been a life-long pencil/ruler person, and I do like to keep the blocking in the same script when I tech and run the show, plus I write in a lot of details about what the cues are for and need to find places to do that near each cue, not always in the same place - is that possible in an electronic version?

Yes- most of my cues for my current show look something like this: (within a text box)
LQ111- fade up SL platform (3ct)
SQ213- volume down
PQ223- fade up title in screens 1/2
autofollow PQ223.1- title out

If I need more space for one of the boxes, I manipulate the formatting of the text on the page (get rid of stage directions, or something similar). I use page breaks to keep the numbering the same.


jrbucci

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #18 on: Feb 08, 2011, 04:04 pm »
I too am starting to go digital with this next show. I have a program that is free and works on both Windows and Mac called Celtx. It is a program that is great for writing scripts in theatre, film, audio, and more. It lets you hit tab to do the different levels that are standard for each type of script. It can easily be printed or made into a PDF. On my mac I am considering using the "Comments" feature to put my Cues in another color with marker lines to show where on the line the G.O. goes. Also going to play with Highlighting too.

I recommend checking out Celtx. It has some really great advanced features too.

Cedes

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #19 on: Feb 08, 2011, 07:00 pm »
Oh yes, I have every show now in digital form: all paperwork, forms, designer drawings, etc. 

I like to scan then edit my scripts via Adobe Acrobat (it lets you cut an paste-also save as a word document) and then digitally put in cues.  Lord knows how many time pages have been ripped out. 

Usually, once a show is in production, I keep all my un-necessary paperwork on a USB drive in my book-this includes, rehearsal reports, dailies, weeklies, fitting schedules, breakdowns for rehearsal, designer finals, etc. I don't like bulky books when I call, so I try to keep all of these items in one place, yet on-hand if anyone needed to access them.  I also keep all my files on dropbox, and have shared this with the other SM's working at my theatre (we all use it) so that we all have access to any needed paperwork at any given time, anywhere. 

However, I would never call off of my computer if I absolutely had to.  I like having the hard copy, emergency and medical procedures, and actor information right in front of me for a show, so that, god forbid, I have to pull that up quickly, I can flip through a book instead of clicking a bunch of files.  I'm weird about it, I know. 

MatthewShiner

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #20 on: Feb 09, 2011, 12:49 am »
Downloaded and trie out Celtx.

Although I can see some pros in using it, I just did not find the freedom that comes with using word and call outs to customize it.

Anything that wants to do it's own formatting is bad.

And I have no idea how I wold write in cues for any sort of complicated sequence without sort of reinventing the way most stage managers call shows.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

maximillionx

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #21 on: Feb 09, 2011, 01:16 am »
Since I currently run our shows off Qlab, I use the other half of my screen for my script.  I use the comments feature in Pages as my calling script.  Very simple and effective.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #22 on: Feb 09, 2011, 07:49 am »
I wish I could make my method of laying out the script work in Pages - but the comments method just doesn't work complicated or tight calling sequences.

No matter what, I still need to print a script.  I have too many horror stories of kicking out the plug on my little light to trust my computer will stay plugged in.
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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

babens

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #23 on: Feb 09, 2011, 02:06 pm »
I have to admit that I have a feeling that once I own and am familiar with the iPad that I may be running and calling shows off of that, provided that the run of the show is long enough to make it worth while to digitize my book (and that is also dependent on the complexity of the show, as I am still not super-speedy on doing all the callouts and whatnot).  For a simple show a run of three weeks or more makes it worth my time.  For something a bit more complex, such as a musical, I probably won't put in the time unless the show is running for four to five weeks (or more).  And in opera world, where we're looking at maybe six performances, it remains pencil and paper.

From just playing around with Pages on my parents' computer this weekend I'm not sure that I'll be dropping Word entirely for creating a calling script with cues.  Luckily I have found that the OpenOffice program (available free at openoffice.org) seems to be an almost exact duplicate of Word, so that when I do upgrade to a new laptop in the near future (fingers crossed), I won't have to drop the extra cash into Microsoft's coffers (since I have done the maximum amount of installs with the Office disk that I currently have).

PSMAK

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Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)
« Reply #24 on: Feb 17, 2011, 06:31 pm »
I've run a show from my iPad a couple of times, but that was only because my digital script wasn't finished to be printed and it was only during tech week. It was a small screen to look at but it helped a little bit. But, I don't think I would do it long term for a whole run.

I use Pages all the time for my shows. The only thing I don't like about it is that you can't change what side of the page to use it on, the comments will always be on the left. And, it's very close to the edge. It is possible to reformat the comments though. I color code cues and I can format a comment cue (As I call them) in just a few clicks. I have a template already made up for when I type a script. When I insert a cue into my script I attach it to a * (asterisk) then if I need to move the cue, I just move the * and it's easier because to don't have it attached to a word. Words I highlight the same color as the comment cue. I can also put multiple cues in the same comment. I've also found that if you have a complicated cue sequence, just make the page your working on two. You just have to renumber (7a, 7b, 7c, etc.).

I've attached a PDF Sample of my current cueing script. Light blue = Spots, Red = Cue Lights, Yellow = Lights. The grey word highlight indicates more than one cue happens on that execution.

I can guide those of you who use Pages on how to format the comments. Just PM me. It's pretty simple.

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