PROMPT BOOK: Your Prompt Book - Left or Right?

[jenhen]

When writing the actual cue itself in your book (on your sticky tab, wordbubble, or neatly drawn geometric shape), do you write it at the start of the line (in the lefthand margin) or at the end of the line (righthand margin).

I've always done it on the righthand side, since there's usually more room there, but I know some people who do it oppositely. 

This question comes up, because when I was calling my show this morning, I actually looked for the cue on the lefthand side.  I'd never done it before, but in that moment it seemed totally natural. Being tired makes you think odd things. Yay for 10am shows 6 days a week!

[ESM_John]

Generally, i like the right side. I'm right handed so its a lot easier for me personally to write and read my cues. When i turn the pages, i can easily follow along with my finger and its generally a lot better for me to follow along, i think it really depends on if youre left or right handed.

[ReyYaySM]

I take blocking on the left hand side of my book since I'm left-handed, so I write in my cues in the right hand margin of the script on the right hand side of my book (I tech the show in my blocking script so that I can still take blocking notes since blocking is still subject to change during tech/opening week, and make a clean call script after opening).  I usually format the text so that the left margin of the script is just wide enough for hole punching, leaving me tons of room in the right hand margin.  This way, pesky binder rings don't get in the way of my left-hand when writing in the cues.  And since having cues in the right hand margin of my book is the way I tech the show, I think I would be quite confused if I setup my clean call script the other way.

However, I have seen books done in the left margin and I totally understand and appreciate the logic behind it; it's just not for me. 

[ljh007]

I shrink the script/score so that it fits on the page with about 1.5" of white space around the outside edges of the page. But I don't take blocking in this space - I have mini half-page groundplans on the facing pages, and write the blocking notes in under the drawing. I am left handed, so the script/score goes on the right side of my binder, with the mini on the left. In the white space around the edges, I pencil-in notes and reminders. But I stick post-its (when I use them - I'm a dot user, personally) nearer to the binder rings and farther from the edges of the page. Post-its near the edges seem to get caught more easily on turning pages and fall out of my book.

[SMJon]

I write all blocking and cues on the Right hand side of the script.  It just catches my eyes better when it is away from the rings of the binder.  I use a different script with only cues for the actual shows.  I do use the line method where I circle the exact moment the designer/director wants the cue and draw a straight line to the margin on the right where the cue number and label are written. 

[kjdiehl]

The consistent thing seems to be that everyone does most of their notating at the outside edges of the pages, well away from the heinous binder-rings.

I'm right handed and put my blocking pages on the right hand side, with the script facing on the left hand side. I have to scribble more fast and furious when writing blocking, so I find this easier. I put cues only on the left script page. I put them on the sticky flags on the far left-hand, outside edge of the page, sometimes, (when necessary,) with a ruler line to the actual word in the text. Though I find that just making a tick mark on the word in the script and writing the actual word next to the cue works well. It means I have to look at the actual text less, and can keep my eyes closer on the cues themselves.

[nmno]

I'm right handed but I still do the Blocking pages on the left/script on the right.  I put the Cues on the far right margin. 

I've tried doing the script on the left thing and while it did help with the blocking I was constantly going nuts when it came time to turn the page...  which way do I go?  Last time was also a rewrite-heavy show so I spent a lot of time recopying pages so they were positioned with the extra margin on the left.  I also didn't like having the cues on the left... 
Not that there is anything wrong with this method (I can rationalize why it works), but my brain is already trained one way and the payoff isn't enough...  Some day when I have an easy show I'll probably try it again (I like testing new methods) But my recent shows have been too hectic to experiment.

[BalletPSM]

I am right-handed, but do my text on the right and my blocking on the left (or the backside of the previous page).  I put a number by the text and then the corresponding # gives the blocking.  As things are added, I do the same thing as with Qs -- 1.5, 1.7, etc. 

I use the same script/score through the whole thing -- so my Qs go on the right side of the right pages.  If there's a specific word or place the Q goes, I'll write that in on my standby post-it. 

When the show goes into  tech, I know it so well I'm not really necessarily following the text itself -- it's like I have the page itself memorized, so I know where things are on the page as the actor is speaking/singing (does that make sense?)  So with my Qs in the right all in the same column, I can scan down a page easily to see what's coming up.

Except when I'm at the ballet -- and then all I've got is a score and the Qs just get sprinkled throughout the music where they're supposed to happen. 

Even though they're bigger and huger in every aspect, a ballet is easier for me to call because I know it will always be the same.  the music is not suddenly going to change from night to night, whereas actors are subject to drop a line, a paragraph, or even a whole page!

[ReyYaySM]

When the show goes into  tech, I know it so well I'm not really necessarily following the text itself -- it's like I have the page itself memorized, so I know where things are on the page as the actor is speaking/singing (does that make sense?)  So with my Qs in the right all in the same column, I can scan down a page easily to see what's coming up.

That makes total sense!  I'm the same way.  I always get to a point where I can visualize the script page in my mind without looking at it.  I know what the last line on a page is and start turning the pages automatically.  And as I get into the run of the show, I know exactly where the cues are on the pages and can just glance at the page instead of following along word for word, which allows me to really watch the show each night.  Much easier to maintain a show that you're watching as opposed to listening to. 

[Mac Calder]

I have script down the right hand of the right page. Running notes and cues written down the left side of the right page. Blocking and notes on the left page.

My main justification is that my eyes naturally find the left hand side of the right hand page. I read from left to right. So what happens is as I call a show, I turn the page, and my eyes naturally snap to the right page, top left corner. I scan down the left hand side of the page. I see a cue, I follow the line (naturally, from left to right) to the point where the cue is called, then I return back to the left hand side. That and I have never actually tried to do it any other way (I have done many a mock up bible in different styles, but I have never   used any other style "in anger")

[erin]

Didn't we just do this thread?

Southpaw here, i make my left margin extra big (2 inches) for cues and warnings, blocking on slip pages to the right of the binder ring.

[BalletPSM]

Didn't we just do this thread?

there is a thread called "Lights? Electrics? What do you say" that sort of ventured into the realm of where in the bible you put your Qs and text, etc.

[erin]

Didn't we just do this thread?

there is a thread called "Lights? Electrics? What do you say" that sort of ventured into the realm of where in the bible you put your Qs and text, etc.

I was thinking of the "Your Book, Left or Right?" thread that got up to about four pages of comments not all that long ago.   

[PSMAK]

Everyone has such interesting ideas.  I currently have my text on the right and blocking on the left.

For some odd reason, and I am really trying to find a different way to do this, I write my blocking between the dialogue lines.  For some reason, I find it easier to write blocking down faster and follow along better.  I think I do this because I am right handed and don't want to reach over to the other side of the book trying to write.  This also creates a problem later when I want to transfer all of my blocking to the other side.  I think I will try and do it backwards.  Also, I might try taking the pages out of the book so I can turn the pages more quickly.

[smejs]

Hey, we've merged these, and this also comes up a lot - moderator, can we sticky this one too?

Erin