Author Topic: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages  (Read 17423 times)

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BARussell

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Re: Blocking help
« Reply #15 on: Sep 26, 2012, 08:00 am »
On the left (because I am left handed)  I put a diabram on the top 1/3 of the page and lines beneath it. I use a mix of written and diagram (mostly when I get tired- I'll put then number and SEE DIAGRAM) and corresponding numbers in the text. I always put a key at the beginning of my blocking score, not that I use a lot of shorthand or secret characters but you never know.
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SMeustace

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Re: Blocking help
« Reply #16 on: Sep 29, 2012, 11:41 am »
Would anyone be willing to send me a copy of their blocking that uses a mini-ground plan so I can use it as a reference?
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

Maribeth

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #17 on: Sep 29, 2012, 03:03 pm »
Sure, will post after the matinee.

EDIT: Posted in "Uploaded Forms." It's an Excel file. I don't use lines myself, but it's really easy to put them in if you like them. I use the minigroundplan at the top for reference but my actual blocking notation is done in the white space below.

Post Merge: Sep 29, 2012, 06:29 pm
In reading this again, I think I misunderstood what you were asking for, SMeustace. Are you looking for the blocking itself, or the blocking sheet?
« Last Edit: Sep 29, 2012, 06:29 pm by Maribeth »

BayAreaSM

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #18 on: Sep 30, 2012, 11:17 am »
I'll scan one of my pages as well, after I see your response to Maribeth.

SMeustace

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #19 on: Jan 24, 2013, 03:06 pm »
Sure, will post after the matinee.

EDIT: Posted in "Uploaded Forms." It's an Excel file. I don't use lines myself, but it's really easy to put them in if you like them. I use the minigroundplan at the top for reference but my actual blocking notation is done in the white space below.

Post Merge: Sep 29, 2012, 06:29 pm
In reading this again, I think I misunderstood what you were asking for, SMeustace. Are you looking for the blocking itself, or the blocking sheet?

I am looking for both
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

Maribeth

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #20 on: Jan 24, 2013, 04:20 pm »
Ok, here's an example (made up, not from an actual show). I usually write blocking in by hand, I just typed this in because it was quicker. The diagram at the top is a good reference as to where everything is on the stage and its relationship to each other, but the real information is in the blocking notes below, and in the column on the right.

SMeustace

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #21 on: Jan 27, 2013, 09:56 pm »
Does anyone have examples of blocking they'd be willing to send me to look at?
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

PaulHughes01

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #22 on: Mar 04, 2013, 08:22 am »
I tend to work similarly to some of the previous posters, in that I use a combination. EVERY bit of movement in the script has a text description, generally in-line or opposite, if it is complex (with an assigned number I can drop in the script). That said, I generally manage musicals, and so often times (although this applies to many plays as well) the director has very specific "pictures" or "moments" in which actors' positions (especially the ensemble) are important for sight lines, lighting, safety, etc. At any given moment like that, I generally use a diagram on the opposite page so that it is easy to see when a given performer has forgotten his/her position in that moment.

Additionally, in large musical numbers, in which I'm working off the score rather than the libretto, I use a diagram with performers (abbreviations), arrows (indicating movement), and a number, which I can place easily in the score to indicate when it happens (there is generally less space to write in the score). I find this is also a bit faster (for me) than trying to write out the directions—I simply have my picture, draw an arrow with endpoint, and assign it a number. Of course, I adapt to changing situations, and use whatever seems (to me) to make the most sense at a given moment. The above is just my general practice. ;-)

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brettnexx

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #23 on: Mar 06, 2013, 02:41 am »
For me it depends on the show.

If it's a small festival show and the company doesn't want to book, I will do entrances and exits, and major blocking.

However, if I have to hand in the book, I wil do every detail.

I have my script, and I also print off (this is not on the backside of the script pages, they are separate sheets) with a diagram on the upper right corner (fairly big) and a smaller one halfway down the page. Sometimes I will add a third at the bottom if I assume that there will be a lot of blocking. The reason they are separate pages is so I can remove them for some reason and replace them. I also correspond them with the page number of the script, in case they get out of order (I cut the bottom right corner off so that I can easily flip just the script pages.

I have seen SMs put markers for timings the first there's about 6 lines she put, labeled: first read-thru, first run-thru, 2nd run-thru, 3rd run-thru, tech/dress, dress. And she would put the time after every page. And then she had a separate sheet for the performances, but the performances were only scenes.

ETA: I have also heard of SMs who use Double Width pages for their blocking notation, if it's for a large scale musical, or opera, and they either had one of those much wider binders, or they had folded their blocking notation. Now I would never dream to do that, but I have never been in a situation where I needed to do that.
« Last Edit: Mar 06, 2013, 02:43 am by brettnexx »

SMeustace

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #24 on: Mar 08, 2013, 12:11 am »
Would anyone be willing to send me an example of what they have in their prompt book so i can look at it?
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

PSMKay

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #25 on: Mar 08, 2013, 12:40 am »
Well, I don't have any of my old books handy but I upped a variant of a blank version of my old slip sheet with some instructions.

SMeustace

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #26 on: Mar 09, 2013, 12:10 pm »
Sure, will post after the matinee.

EDIT: Posted in "Uploaded Forms." It's an Excel file. I don't use lines myself, but it's really easy to put them in if you like them. I use the minigroundplan at the top for reference but my actual blocking notation is done in the white space below.

Post Merge: Sep 29, 2012, 06:29 pm
In reading this again, I think I misunderstood what you were asking for, SMeustace. Are you looking for the blocking itself, or the blocking sheet?

I'm looking for both if you have it. If not the blocking notes. I appreciate it
"On the first day the lord said....Light cue 1, GO! Then there was light".

Maribeth

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Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages
« Reply #27 on: Mar 09, 2013, 12:30 pm »
Check a few posts up- I uploaded an example.