[FAQ] Electronic Prompt Copies

[kiwitechgirl]

It turns out that TopOCR was perhaps not quite as good as I thought it was (see my previous post)...I got a fair amount of garbage out of it, rather than a page of script with only a few mistakes.  However, if I can find a decent OCR program, the theatre is probably prepared to buy it.  Can anyone recommend one, preferably not too expensive?

[Joshua S.]

For those of you who type up your scripts...  do you strictly stick to the original formating of the script or do you not care about the pagination.  It sure would be easier to just let it flow through the document, but I often need to tell actors what page we are on. 

In other news...  been experimenting more with electronic scripts.  Callouts in Word just seem to take too long.  OneNote seems promising (especially to take blocking on the fly), but I've only recently started messing with it

[klcurrie]

If my page numbers don't match the original script when I am done, I go through and mark my pages with the original script's page breaks and page numbers so that I can use them when referring to things with actors (or anyone else not using my version). 

[BeckyGG]

If my page numbers don't match the original script when I am done, I go through and mark my pages with the original script's page breaks and page numbers so that I can use them when referring to things with actors (or anyone else not using my version). 

This is also what I do.  If I can keep the pagination with the mainstream script, then I try to do that.  However - the show I was just working on was a musical and didn't have any of the song lyrics in the script.  So, I went through and put them into my calling script and the scripts given to designers.  I marked in the margins the page numbers that matched with the director and the cast.

[PSMKay]

I just tripped over a new project called a.nnotate.com, which allows you to put notes on uploaded, shared documents and websites.  You only get 50 free page uploads per month, after which you have to pay for it, but as it develops a subscription might well be worth it for the ability to share an online script with in-place notes amongst your production team.

Haven't tried it yet, but I saw the main site and thought "ooh, prompt book," then scurried over here to link.

[Maxine Le Guier]

Using the 'Coments' function sounds like it has possibilities.  I've run 2 MS Word docs using 'Compare side by side' function as a prompt script, text on one document and blocking & cues on the other.

Melbourne Theatre Co are also trialing a paperless prompt script project at the moment but don't know the details,

cheers

Maxine

[Stagemanagerpixie]

Just another question...

Am currently trying the comment/ reviewing way on MS Word way which is working really well BUT the does anyone know how to change the colour of the comment box so I can use different colors for Standbys and Gos?!

I would really like to know the answer to this!!! Please and thank you :-P

One thing i found you could do is to change the "User name" under the Track Changes button. This will make MSWord think it is a different author, therefore changing the colours of the comment boxes.
Seemed to work well for me

[bull]

I personally almost always prefer typing my scripts, even though it takes forever sometimes. When I type it, I can memorize almost the entire show. I do the same thing for my notes in class.

[Cedes]

I type up all my scripts using Text boxes for cues. I am more than willing to Zip File anyone a copy if they would like to see it. I love putting in my cues electronically.  It really makes the script cleaner, and easier to use during a show. Also, if you send in paperwork examples, you can have the ENTIRE thing on a CD to send into companies, so they can see it, versus sending an expensive copy of your prompt book. 

[Trak26]

I don't use electronic at all and I am a tech head. I just photocopy the script to the size I want and stick with good all pencil and rubber/eraser. The reason why I have stuck with the old way? Worked on a show, theatre got flooded due to massive hail damage, lighting board got fried lost all the cues, sound desk was a swamp, backstage was a lagoon and my prompt book was soaked. I laid it out to dry and every cue was there because pencil does not wash away or crash.
So I stick with paper, pencil and rubber because it is easier to change and change again and the formatting does not take on a life of its own which I find most software products do and I find I am spending more time getting the formatting right that following rehearsals etc.
Dont get me wrong, I would love a program that would let me do blocking, cues and make it easy to change every 5 seconds a Director has a new vision but I find the quickest way to do this is good old paper, pencil and rubber.

[smejs]

I had decided that this last show I was going to finally do an electronic call script.  I had received the script in Word form, then adjusted the font size and margins so I had room for what I wanted to do...

And then we got into rehearsal and for now I've decided I'm too much of a tactile person.  Unless I start putting in all the blocking and directorial notes, there's no way I want to "only" have cues in front of me (especially for just a 2 person show).  Plus I had huge chunks of time with no cue, and didn't want to scroll through so much to find the next one.  Plus to print off the script as a backup seemed like a huge waste of paper.

Maybe another time, but for now the electronic thing is not for me.  And I actually thought it would be.  To each his own, and maybe if I can figure out a great way to line up blocking and directorial notes, etc at the same time.

[scottopera]

I'm doing the PDF idea as well. I scan the opera score in and then manipulate it as the PDF. Everything is much cleaner that way.

[Hermie]

I've started to do a promt script with blocking on OneNote. I've set up my minis on the right with the script (with page separations) on the Left. It seems to be working out well! I can draw the arrows and place letters wherever I want them. It seems to be working out well - having blocked 30 pages so far, I'll let you all know how it goes!

[ericjames]

I fall somewhere in the middle of the discussion.  I scan all of my scripts using the simple OCR program that came with my scanner software.  Depending on the quality of the script I am working from, I probably get somewhere between 60-95% accuracy.     I then go through the electronic version to correct errors and reformat it to resemble the script.  I don't get really picky, but I like it to be close enough that at a glance, it looks the same as the original.  I ALWAYS make sure that pages line up with the original.  I then print out the script and use it the old fashioned way with paper/pencil.   The reason I like to start from electronic is so that I know I am always starting from a completely clean script.  (none of the photo-copy lines or smudges, etc).   I also like to set up my book with the script on the left side and blocking notes on the right, so the cues end up on the left hand margin of the script.  Using word, I can also adjust the margins to give me extra space.  Its time consuming, but I don't think it takes too much longer than standing at a copy machine for a few hours.  Plus, if I ever do the show again, the major part of the work is already done!

[BeckyGG]

I don't know if this would be better served with it's own thread but...

I just upgraded my Microsoft (and am now using Microsoft Office 2011...).  While in general I think it's pretty sexy, I'm still learning the new ins-and-outs as I upgraded from Office 2004.  I have a typed up version of the script that I'm trying to put cues into for a long-term calling script.  In the past I have always just dropped in a thin line (which was the default) and written the cues in the a text box.

With the new Office the default line is thick and weird and I am having a hard time figuring out how to adjust it ... and when I try callouts it seems hard to put exact placement.  Am I just not figuring out an easy way to do it as I'm new to this version of software and tired from my tech/preview period?  Any suggestions on an easy way to type this sucker up?

Thanks much in advance for any advice/suggestions/etc!