# Adding cues...



## Anonymous067 (Nov 11, 2010)

So you've got your even numbered cues...72...74...76...78...etc. Then you add 75, you forgot something. Oops, then you need 75.5. Uh oh...suddenly you've got 75.1, .2, etc, up to .9. But you need more cues in between. 

...adding 0s to the .1, .2,...or renumbered them .01, .5...how do you add after you've filled those up. Because obviously you can't change the .1, .2, .3...it seems to me you'd make them .30 so you could add .31, .32, .33...

Anybody ever gotten this far before?


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## ptero (Nov 11, 2010)

Yep. On some consoles you can link out of the main sequence for one or more cues, then back into the main list. 75.1, to 375, 376, 377, back to 75.2. Mine won't 'do' two digit points. On larger shows I start out numbering every five - 5, 10, 15, 20 leaving LOTS of room for adds. Then in certain unsure areas I'll skip 10 or 20 cues for future dev.


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## Footer (Nov 11, 2010)

Depends on the console you are using. The newest generation of consoles can go to the hundredths or thousands place. The older generation could only go to the tenth. Even older then that you could not insert cues or skip cues at all. It is also possible to renumber all of the cues on some consoles. I have done points into the hundredths a few times, usually to program a complex effects that the SM never calls.


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## Anonymous067 (Nov 13, 2010)

Footer said:


> Depends on the console you are using. The newest generation of consoles can go to the hundredths or thousands place. The older generation could only go to the tenth. Even older then that you could not insert cues or skip cues at all. It is also possible to renumber all of the cues on some consoles. I have done points into the hundredths a few times, usually to program a complex effects that the SM never calls.


 
Ouch! I wouldn't wanna have to renumber my script if I were the SM!!!


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## Grog12 (Nov 13, 2010)

Generally on older boards I skip by 5's ( 10 15 20) to give my self room to go back and add cues. If I'm programing on newer consoles I don't to save myself the frustration.


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## caithnard (Nov 14, 2010)

Grog12 said:


> Generally on older boards I skip by 5's ( 10 15 20) to give my self room to go back and add cues. If I'm programing on newer consoles I don't to save myself the frustration.


 

I do the same when I'm programming. We use a new enough console that I don't need to, but I consider it to be a good practice, if for nothing other than clarity. It's a lot easier to double check what cue we're on when it's between 5 and 6, not 5.42 and 5.43...

I don't skip by numbers as large as 5 for straight shows, where the cues are easy to predict, but for musicals I leave myself extra room during songs, because I almost always end up needing to add in extra cues for intelligent/spot lights.


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## Morydd (Nov 15, 2010)

I generally default to skipping 10s. I like lots of room. I also, if I can, make scenes, acts or pieces start at 100's if I can. Makes it easy to move through the show. I've done shows (dance particularly) where I ended up having to run pieces out of order, and I knew piece 6 started with Q601. Made it easy to jump around. For extra flexibility, I try to make the "blackout" cue between pieces identical for switching between. Not always possible, but when it is, it makes life easier.


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## icewolf08 (Nov 15, 2010)

Most of the time, the LDs that I work with will "book" more cues than they really need. It seems to be better practice to me to have cues in the book that you might need and cut them later rather than add cues (SMs like you better that way). Sure, there are times that you can't anticipate where you might need a cue, but for the most part, I don't work with many LDs who regularly skip cue numbers to leave space.


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 16, 2010)

Try adding in cues on a Leprecon 612 or 624 in cue stack. That's fun.


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## NevilleLighting (Dec 8, 2010)

I think a lot of the responsibility of cue numbering goes to the lighting designer, and I think all of the previous posts support this idea. Myself, having designed 300+ shows I have run into a number of recurring themes. Some stage managers have a minor freak out when you skip a number. By minor, I mean that they ask the board op if he has a cue 75 when you skipped from 74 to 76. This is minor and they usually get over it. If they don't I have several nasty tricks up my sleeve to teach them the error of their ways.

When it comes to cue numbering for LD's I have several systems. First, when I am marking cues in my script I pay attention to how the show is going down. If I am in a book scene it is unlikely that I will have to add a lot of cues. If I am jotting down cue numbers in a production number I will go with regular numbering, or even numbers, or by 5's or even 10's. It all depends on how comfortable I feel that I am keeping up, how comfortable I am that the choreographer and director have already communicated their ideas to me and how comfortable I am that I have already formulated my ideas.

Also, I have a general rule as for book scenes. If I turn a page and I have not placed a cue, I skip a cue number. 

Another cue system I learned from some of the icons of theatre lighting, such as Craig Miller, Mark Stanley and Kirk Bookman. I have a system in my cue numbers that a smart SM will catch on to. If I add a cue that is numbered as a .1 through .4 it is an auto-follow. Anything .5 through .9 is an added cue that requires an SM call. That way, when the SM hears me add cue 136.2 the SM knows that it will be an auto-follow and not a called cue and he/she does not need to ask me where that is called. Also, when the cue shows up on my screen I know what kind of cue it should be. If I have neglected to put in an auto-follow time it is readily apparent. I find that a heads up, intuitive approach when I mark my cues saves a lot of hassle in the long run. Of course, every once in a while you may run into a situation where you run out of cue numbers and have to renumber. When that happens, approach your stage manager in an apologetic stance as you have cause he/she to do much more work. Always remember that we're collaborative and the things you do will affect others.


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