Author Topic: CALLING: Projections...how do you call it?  (Read 18038 times)

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nick_tochelli

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CALLING: Projections...how do you call it?
« on: Sep 21, 2011, 10:28 am »
I am working on a production that is very heavy in the projections department, but is also a complex lights/sound show too so I'll have a lot of words in my mouth all at once. I've worked on a show like this before and I had the projections called as "AV." On occasion, this lead to issues with the projectionist missing his cues because he couldn't hear/understand his cues (I'm not exactly sure how much stock to put in this as a communication error on my end as he got fired before our two week run ended for incompetence). I am certainly willing to admit it might have been on my end in terms so I'm hoping to improve my calling on this production.

How do you guys and gals call your projection cues? What label do you give them? Is there a basic accepted industry standard that I don't know of?

Edit to subject line-Rebbe
« Last Edit: Oct 16, 2011, 09:34 pm by Rebbe »

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 21, 2011, 10:44 am »
I've only called projections once, so I am unfamiliar with what may be the industry standard, but I use:

Electrics
Sound
Rail
Slide
Pyro
Deck

....If you use Lights instead of Electrics, Slide may sound like Lights and cause a problem. Same deal if you use Fly instead of Rail.

That's how I do it.


nick_tochelli

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 21, 2011, 11:03 am »
I long for productions with pyro....that'd be fun.....I'm sure I'd also give myself a heart attack knowing I controlled a fireball....

I do use Electrics so maybe Slide could work. There shouldn't be any fly cues for this. We are using an empty stage for the most part.

ScooterSM

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 21, 2011, 11:25 am »
On the last show I called with a heavy cue load including projections the projections designer suggested using "Tabs".  I am not sure of the origin, but it worked well because it sounds different than lights, sound, shift, etc...  I have also used "P", as in "P90" go.

Let us know what you end up using!
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MatthewShiner

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #4 on: Sep 21, 2011, 01:06 pm »
There is a some historical use of calling projection "TAB" cues

Tab is short, sweet and to the point . . .
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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.

nick_tochelli

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #5 on: Sep 21, 2011, 04:10 pm »
Tab is definitely not something I had heard before.....I do like the short and sweet quality to it. And it certainly sounds like no other department.

I think i'mma give Tab a try for this run. I'll let you know how it works.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #6 on: Sep 21, 2011, 04:57 pm »
Historically, the first computer program that ran projections had you hit the TAB key to take the next cue.

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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.

nick_tochelli

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #7 on: Sep 21, 2011, 05:09 pm »
Historically, the first computer program that ran projections had you hit the TAB key to take the next cue.

That makes perfect sense. Cool! I learned somethin' new (yet not) today :)

NomieRae

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #8 on: Sep 21, 2011, 05:51 pm »
I've always used 'Tab' in heavy projection shows--
--Naomi
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Scott

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #9 on: Sep 22, 2011, 01:54 pm »
I just did a big Gala (honoring Steven Spielberg, with Ron Howard, Janet Maslin, and the premiere of a new piece performed by the Kronos Quarter commissioned for the event.)  Video heavy as these things tend to be.  I always use "electrics", "audio", and "video" (generally divided into playback and "Take IMAG") and, as usual, the result was no confusion among the operators and  a pretty spiffy show.

I also op-ed video for tech of a show designed by Batwin & Robin several years back: they also call Qs to me as "Video" (also supplemented with ever pervasive "Take" for the switching), so if there is any industry standard, that is probably it.

missliz

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #10 on: Sep 24, 2011, 10:06 am »
Lights, Sound, Video for me.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

Mac Calder

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #11 on: Sep 24, 2011, 01:05 pm »
VT for me - a throw back to television production in corporate work - VT standing for Video Tape. Imag cues called with "take" - ie "Stand by Cam 2, Cam 2.. Take".

The best way to decide how you are calling it is to discuss it with your operators. If you do not yet have a preference, ask the operators what theirs is.

nick_tochelli

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #12 on: Sep 24, 2011, 02:05 pm »
I agree totally about asking the ops. On those rare occurrences when I'm not the only person running the show (...very rare occurrence but it does happen to me every once in a blue moon) I tell the ops which way I'll be calling it and as long as we go through tech together, they'll get used to it.

I've found when touring, you may have to change your calls if you find your op doesn't respond to your "electrics" call vs. "lights." Not worth the time or effort to try to make someone adjust to you if they aren't willing.

Lizzie

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #13 on: Sep 24, 2011, 05:18 pm »
I've only called projections once, so I am unfamiliar with what may be the industry standard, but I use:

Electrics
Sound
Rail
Slide
Pyro
Deck


That's interesting for me (although getting slightly off the point), being UK-based. Lighting cues are (in my experience) called as LX, which is pronounced ell-ex, any flown scenery etc is called as Flies or Fly, and scenery on-stage as Stage, while projection etc called as AV.

Edited to add : And tabs in the UK are always the main house curtains. If you called Tabs Go in the middle of a scene, you'd get a very confused flyman :-) Ah, the joys of a not-quite-shared language !
Lizzie
« Last Edit: Sep 25, 2011, 07:55 am by Lizzie »

ambrosialx

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Re: Projections...how do you call it?
« Reply #14 on: Sep 25, 2011, 08:07 pm »
LX
SX
Fly
FX
Pro (projections)
Mic

That's my list, I am expired in my pyro license (in Canada you need a license to work with pyro) so those cues don't apply to me.   
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