Author Topic: PROMPT BOOK: Your Prompt Book - Left or Right?  (Read 156453 times)

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erin

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #30 on: Nov 06, 2005, 03:47 am »
I'm that freaky left-hander who does everything backwards.

In rehearsals, i keep script on the right of the binder with blocking on the left, so as not to have to write over the ring.  My calling script has script on the left, with all the cues in the left margin.   I keep my rehearsal/show reports on the table, left of my book and cue lights on the right.

I've tried many times to convert to having my book the "right" way, but my addled mind is too set from a lifetime of starting from the back of the notebook.  It's often a source of consternation to other sm's (and directors, and actors) trying to consult my notes when i'm out of the room :)

erin

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #31 on: Nov 06, 2005, 03:58 am »
Quote from: "gridkot"
 A tip on calling a consistent show:  I put a bold "." where I should start winding up the que so that there is a consistent pause between the que and the "go".  I hate it when I hear myself wind up too soon and then have to say "wait for it...GO!"  When I figure out the rhythm of the que, it remains the same every night.


I do a similar note:  a " /  " when i start loading the cue.   On occasions where i don't note the start, for whatever reason, i find myself constantly second-guessing myself and end up with erratic pacing.  It's one of those little things we can do to help the board ops :)

Knave

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #32 on: Nov 06, 2005, 08:20 pm »
Quote from: "erin"
Quote from: "gridkot"
 A tip on calling a consistent show:  I put a bold "." where I should start winding up the que so that there is a consistent pause between the que and the "go".  I hate it when I hear myself wind up too soon and then have to say "wait for it...GO!"  When I figure out the rhythm of the que, it remains the same every night.


I do a similar note:  a " /  " when i start loading the cue.   On occasions where i don't note the start, for whatever reason, i find myself constantly second-guessing myself and end up with erratic pacing.  It's one of those little things we can do to help the board ops :)


I draw a highlighted line  to the specific spot where i start all my calls,  red for standbys  greens for gos

isha

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #33 on: Nov 06, 2005, 10:33 pm »
Quote from: "erin"
I'm that freaky left-hander who does everything backwards.

In rehearsals, i keep script on the right of the binder with blocking on the left, so as not to have to write over the ring.  My calling script has script on the left, with all the cues in the left margin.   I keep my rehearsal/show reports on the table, left of my book and cue lights on the right.

I've tried many times to convert to having my book the "right" way, but my addled mind is too set from a lifetime of starting from the back of the notebook.  It's often a source of consternation to other sm's (and directors, and actors) trying to consult my notes when i'm out of the room :)


that's okay..I think the main reason most of us have text on the left and blocking on the right is because the majority of us are right handed..(aka it's easier to write on the right side)...so it stands to reason if you are lefthanded, it would be easiest for you to do it the opposite way.
-isha
~isha

MatthewShiner

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um
« Reply #34 on: Nov 06, 2005, 10:47 pm »
let's not rule out the fact Erin could indeed just be a freak.

 :lol:  :P  :D

Just saying . . .

(Smooches Erin . . . Daniel Breaker sends his love)
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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.

erin

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Re: um
« Reply #35 on: Nov 06, 2005, 10:52 pm »
Quote from: "MatthewShiner"
let's not rule out the fact Erin could idea just be a freak.


Ah,  Matt, how i do miss your grammatical creativity ;P

I do subscribe wholeheartedly to the idea than any other SM could pick up my book and call a show from it if i were to be smooshed under a bus,   but i just can't deal with right-handed set up!   Oh well, anyone taking over from me should be making his/her own book anyway....

Give DB a hug for me.  How's his S/O?

Debo123

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #36 on: Nov 07, 2005, 02:06 am »
I just want to share that I have always wished I was left-handed. I think it looks so cool, even with all the ink smearing you're prone to.  

thanks for listening

Mac Calder

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #37 on: Nov 07, 2005, 04:32 am »
Quote from: "Debo123"
I just want to share that I have always wished I was left-handed. I think it looks so cool, even with all the ink smearing you're prone to.  

thanks for listening


That is probably the ODDEST thing I have ever heard.

I am one of those weird people whose dominant hand is their left, yet I write (and do a couple of other things) with my right. That, however, is neither here nor there.

Then again, my writing would probably be neater if I wrote left handed. Mine is not at all neat when I am writing at full speed, however I can read it and translate it with 100% accuracy at a later date, so it never really mattered. I really want to take penmanship lessons to improve my writing, but it is not essential. Wow this thread has moved far far far OT...

isha

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #38 on: Nov 07, 2005, 09:34 pm »
okay then...here's a question:

would it work to make your call script double sided (as in text on both sides of the script)? This is assuming that it is a call script only (no blocking, just cue stuff) If all you have to do is call cues and everything is automatic, (aka you don't have to say bring up cue 3, which is channels such and such at such and such levels..)

I guess the question is do you really need a whole page for your cues? I like all that open space for blocking purposes, but that many page turns in a show seems like it would get pretty annoying. The way I wrote my cues for the last  show I did, I had enough room in my extra big margins to do everything...

what do you guys think?
-isha
~isha

erin

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #39 on: Nov 08, 2005, 02:09 am »
Quote from: "isha"
okay then...here's a question:

would it work to make your call script double sided (as in text on both sides of the script)? This is assuming that it is a call script only (no blocking, just cue stuff) If all you have to do is call cues and everything is automatic, (aka you don't have to say bring up cue 3, which is channels such and such at such and such levels..)


Eep!  I think that would hurt my brain.  Plus, it's nice to have that blank facing page for noting contingency plans or other helpful notes.
And it would be mighty unpleasant writing on both sides of the binder ring during tech.

SingingPixie

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #40 on: Mar 17, 2006, 07:10 pm »
I think I might be weird... instead of having a separate call script and blocking script (I've worked with a lot of LDs with visual cues, so sometimes it's helpful to have the blocking to reference, as long as there isn't a ton), I have the text on the left, and the cues and blocking on the right in two columns. The cues are in the left-hand (slightly narrower) column of the right page, and the blocking is on the right. I do like MatthewShiner's point about the way your eye looks though.... might have to switch it up on my next show. The columns always work for me though- then I know what I need to look at without having to sort it out- I once called from a SM's book who had her blocking and cues all muddled up together with the text, all on the same page- since this was the first show I ever called I vowed never to let this happen again.

carebear3885q

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« Reply #41 on: Mar 17, 2006, 09:44 pm »
This may be a stupid question... I'm kinda new to SMing so pardon me if it's stupid. Why would you have 2 scripts. A blocking one and a calling one? What would be the point of a blocking script? Just for rehearsal purposes? Please let me know.
Carrie

erin

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #42 on: Mar 17, 2006, 09:55 pm »
Quote from: "carebear3885q"
Why would you have 2 scripts. A blocking one and a calling one? What would be the point of a blocking script? Just for rehearsal purposes? Please let me know.


Pretty much.  After weeks of rehearsal, the script tends to get covered in notes and scratchings and other information essential to the show, but not to calling it.  Making  a fresh calling script gives you a fresh, clean canvas.  And it's easier to replace pages when they get too garbled from lots of erasing, since you don't then have to re-copy all the blocking, etc. notes from the dead page.

smejs

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Your book Left or right?
« Reply #43 on: Mar 18, 2006, 03:13 pm »
I know a lot of people believe in 2 scripts, but I tend to do it all-in-one.  Yes, I like to have the blocking so I can reference quickly if actors have changed blocking, as well as when needed for calling a cue.  And I just hate the waste of paper, since I think as stage managers/theatre people we kill enough trees as it is.

I also don't usually have the luxury of time to re-copy all blocking cleanly as some also do.  I try to take some time just before tech to clean up the script...and if needed, will replace some pages then, but environmentally it seems a waste to me to have a totally different script...plus, not have available ALL the information.

That said, when I learn a show from someone else, on something with a long run, it's nice to have typed cues right in a clean script (though I still think it would be nice to have the blocking).  I guess to me it makes sense to have separate scripts for longer runs, but traditional 2 to 6 week run theatre I'll just go ahead and have one.

To each his own,
Erin

Staylor

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Left or Right?
« Reply #44 on: Mar 30, 2006, 03:55 am »
I'm a leftie, so the blocking (and the mini ground plan) go on the left hand side, with the script on the right. So I COULD use the blocking script to call cues... but by the time we're done with tech week, there would be no way to legibly mark cues.

I know it's a waste of paper, but I'm very deliberate about recycling and reusing, so I allow myself the indulgence of a separate calling script. Often scripts are sent electronically, so I can adjust margins and enter extra space at cue-laden points, giving myself the best chance to read the darned thing. (And, of course, if I get hit by a bus on the way to the show, whoever ends up calling the show won't have to guess what I meant by "ROS XDS L5.")

Once we've gotten through previews, I spend the hours before opening night with a box of rainbow Sharpies, transferring cues to the calling script. All stand-bys are orange, LQs are green, etc. Action (go, standby) is denoted by pencil... it could still change... by a line from the "insertion" point to the cue name on the right margin. At the top of each page, I write the cue that we should be in at that point; at the bottom, I write the act/scene. And by the time I'm done, I've looked at all of my blocking script notes one last time, and incorporated any changes from the last preview. It's anal retentive, but that's why we do what we do...