# Assistant Lighting Designer Kit



## lighttechie5948 (Aug 14, 2009)

Hi Guys,

I'm the ALD for a Broadway LD next week. It's not a broadway show, but it it a professional show with broadway actors and broadway ticket prices. I've heard that some of my friends that are Assistants usually make an "Assistant Kit" with everything they or the designer their assisting may need.

What items should be in this kit? The only one I've heard so far is Band-Aids....


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## rschwimmer (Aug 14, 2009)

lighttechie5948 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I'm the ALD for a Broadway LD next week. It's not a broadway show, but it it a professional show with broadway actors and broadway ticket prices. I've heard that some of my friends that are Assistants usually make an "Assistant Kit" with everything they or the designer their assisting may need.
> 
> What items should be in this kit? The only one I've heard so far is Band-Aids....


 

White and Black Gaff
Etape
Zip ties
Laptop, with either DWG, DXF, VWX (any CAD) viewer
Rosco/Lee/Gam Swatch
Scissors
Sharpies
Sunglasses (as you will be the focusing model and have to look at the lights a lot)
Light Meter if you have one
RMS Meter if you have one
Thick Skin
Patience
and most importantly, a hidden FLASK!!!


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## soundman (Aug 14, 2009)

Copies of all the paper work on paper and electronic
legal pads 
small pocket size notebooks
contact info for the venue, local restaurants, crew chief, producer, rental houses, other designers, and the director to name a few
highlighters and markers 
stapler
three hole punch
tape
post it flags

If you have to make a choice to bring tools or office supplies office supplies will help you more. True Broadway assistants have little need for multi meters and E tape as that suggests they are going to be using them. From what you have said it sounds like there should be a labor crew there making this a white gloves gig for you.

As assistant you will be taking notes and serving as a scribe as sorts for the LD. You might end up calling some focus or answer questions from the crew at calls when the LD is unavailable.


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## JChenault (Aug 14, 2009)

Bring something good to eat - or pistachio nuts. 
Find out what kind of munchies, drinks, etc your LD likes and ( if the theatre allows) bring them. 

Consider bringing flowers if the vibe is such that it makes sense.

There is a wonderful interview with Gilbert Hemsley at Hemsley Lighting Programs - Interview 

Gil was the best at people management. You don't want to step over your designers boundaries, but read the article and think how you can help make the audience desk an oasis of calm.


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## derekleffew (Aug 14, 2009)

See also the thread http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/10701-everything-assistant-lighting-designer-ald.html.


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## tcahall (Aug 14, 2009)

and a USB drive!

Tim.


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## Footer (Aug 14, 2009)

Before you go building a huge work bag and spending a lot of money on it, what is going to be your role? Are you going to be an actual assistant or is it more of a job shadow type thing?


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## lighttechie5948 (Aug 14, 2009)

Footer said:


> Before you go building a huge work bag and spending a lot of money on it, what is going to be your role? Are you going to be an actual assistant or is it more of a job shadow type thing?



Somewhere in the middle


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## MSLD (Aug 14, 2009)

make sure you have 8 gazillion Sharpies and a katrillion feet of Board Tape


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## zac850 (Aug 15, 2009)

I'd talk to the LD and ask him what your responsibilities would be. Every designer has their personal preference of what their assistant keeps track of. Best way to know is to ask.

Oh, and bring a smile, those are always important, and usually in short supply.


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## Footer (Aug 15, 2009)

lighttechie5948 said:


> Somewhere in the middle



With that, I would not fret to much over what you need to bring. Bring plenty of pens, pencils, sharpies, a wrench, a notepad, and swatch books. You don't need a lighting meter or anything crazy like that. Bring a good attitude and know when to ask questions and when not to ask questions. What is the show? Is it something going on in your space that is meant to be a learning opportunity for your school or is it a legit show? This person knows you don't know what to expect, so they are not going to expect you to have everything. Ask questions, be helpful, and have fun.


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## NevilleLighting (Aug 15, 2009)

Add to your list:
-Rosco and GAM gobo catalogs.
-User manuals for any non-conventional equipment that might be in the plot, either in hard copy or already downloaded to your laptop. 
-Have copies of all paperwork including hook-up, lighting inventory, schedules, contact sheets, lineset schedule, set drawings if available, followspot cue sheet blanks. 

If you are carrying a laptop, find out what your printing options are, if any. If you are going into a union house, try to find out the rules. Get an early start on being as self-sufficient as possible so that you are there to back up the designer and not just become another responsibility for them. 

As some others have mentioned, good manners and a good attitude are a must. As the late, great Craig Miller used to say, "good assistants are like children, seen and not heard."


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## Dionysus (Aug 15, 2009)

Not as many as there used to be, but there are still some LDs who like paper plots over digital. It may be handy to have your scale rulers and other mechanical drafting supplies at the ready if you are not sure if this may or may not be the case. (In my books, always be prepared for anything).

Indeed make sure you have any manuals for anything on your laptop at least. If you run into a pinch be the person to know the answer.

And to re-interate BRING LOTS OF PAPER AND PENS AND PENCILS!!!!
BRING LOTS OF SHARPIES...

A clipboard may be a good idea...

And if you need, bring a wrist brace... you will be writing a LOT!


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## zac850 (Aug 15, 2009)

Oh, and if your going to be in charge of cue tracking or follow spot tracking, and have a laptop, I'd set up an excel document to walk in with so your not wasting time at the tech table making the document.


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## lighttechie5948 (Aug 15, 2009)

zac850 said:


> Oh, and if your going to be in charge of cue tracking or follow spot tracking, and have a laptop, I'd set up an excel document to walk in with so your not wasting time at the tech table making the document.



Does anyone have a template for this?


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## rochem (Aug 15, 2009)

lighttechie5948 said:


> Does anyone have a template for this?



For the most part, everyone has their own personal idea of what a cue sheet should look like - and for some designers it depends on the show. I use a very structured, grid-like sheet for my spot cues because that's how I think and it makes things very clear for my (usually inexperienced) spot ops. Other designers use cue sheets that are much more free-flowing and organic, which allows you to just type stuff as it comes up without worrying about format. Just make a document that works well for you, as you're the one who will have to be recording this info as fast and accurately as possible. If the designer wants his paperwork formatted a certain way he will tell you, if not just do what works.

EDIT: Planned to attach a copy of my spot cue sheet, but I guess I don't have any past ones on my new laptop. I'll try to upload mine next time I'm at home. Check out the spot cue sheets and cue track sheets available at http://lightingdb.nypl.org/. Most of them are pretty old, but it's interesting to see the vast differences between how designers format their paperwork.


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## jimmol (Sep 26, 2009)

Thanks for offering to show the cue sheets.

Could you direct me where to look for the cue sheets on the sight. I have found nothing.

Thanks


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## rochem (Sep 27, 2009)

jimmol said:


> Thanks for offering to show the cue sheets.
> 
> Could you direct me where to look for the cue sheets on the sight. I have found nothing.
> 
> Thanks



Click that link, it should link you to the NYPL Lighting Database. Click on the link for "A Chorus Line". On the left of the screen, click on "Running Followspot Cues (8)". This will show you all the spot cues in the show, for every spot, every in and out. Also check out the other follow spot paperwork. Also check out the link for "Master Track Sheets", which shows the contents of each cue. I don't think there are any designers anymore who want these written out, as it's all programmed and most boards can print out the data anyways, but it's good to see what they had to do in the past.

I've attached some spot cue sheets from a show I designed back in March. The Master includes all cues, and would be used if one person was calling cues to the spots (as in most touring shows). The individual track sheet would be given to the spot operator on longer runs and they would take all their own cues. My template is based heavily on Tharon Musser's spot cue sheets in Chorus Line, because I really like her format and it works great for me. Others will have their own preferences, and you may develop something you like better.


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## snowkill7 (Sep 27, 2009)

Be prepared to work away from from the tech table. I was an ALD for a designer who worked from the balcony for a couple rehearsals. It was rough trying to balance a laptop and a note pad at the same time with out a tech table.


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## icewolf08 (Sep 27, 2009)

I have found that Filemaker Pro (or any database program) is one of the most efficient ways to generate and maintain spot paperwork. One of the biggest advantages is that once you have a template, all you have to do is input the data for each new show you do. Also, at least in FMP you can generate many different layouts for output, so while I might work on the master sheet, all the information that gets entered also goes into a cue sheet for each individual spot operator.

Here is an example from "The Light in the Piazza" which we did last season:View attachment Piazza Spot Master.pdf
View attachment Piazza Spot 2.pdf


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## jimmol (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks for the instructions. 
I was able to view all the cues there. 
I cannot, for whatever reason, view your or icewolf08's pdfs. 
The come up as 1x1 pixels. Oh well.

Thanks again
Jim


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## annemcmills (Jun 16, 2014)

Hi, all:

I know this thread is from several years ago, but I wanted to pass on that I just published a book called The Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit with Focal Press (www.ALDToolkit.com) that has a complete list of items recommended for an assistant's kit. Hope you check it out! 

Anne E McMills
Author of The Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit
www.ALDToolkit.com


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## CMLDesign (Oct 17, 2014)

I see a lot of great suggestions for what to carry in an ALD kit, but what I'm curious about is what case does everyone use for all this stuff! What do you use to carry all the various, random ALD kit items? Pictures if you got em and reasons why you like the choice you've made. Any particular cases/bags to avoid and why?


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## annemcmills (Oct 17, 2014)

CMLDesign said:


> I see a lot of great suggestions for what to carry in an ALD kit, but what I'm curious about is what case does everyone use for all this stuff! What do you use to carry all the various, random ALD kit items? Pictures if you got em and reasons why you like the choice you've made. Any particular cases/bags to avoid and why?



Dear CMLDesign: I have photos of my kits in my book, _The Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit_. www.ALDToolkit.com. I also talk about different choices of containers that different associates prefer. When I'm working on large regionals or Bway shows, I use a rolling suitcase. It is my main kit. The best part about it is that it has a lot of different pockets to separate out the items into logical places. The worst thing you can do is dig continually for something the designer needs RIGHT NOW! This is also why a large plastic bin is my least favorite choice. (Others like it.) I also find the plastic bins break easily in transit and are bulky to carry. My suitcase has flown around the world with me and has lived for decades now!


Anne E McMills
Author of The Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit
www.ALDToolkit.com


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## CMLDesign (Oct 17, 2014)

annemcmills said:


> Dear CMLDesign: I have photos of my kits in my book, _The Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit_. www.ALDToolkit.com. I also talk about different choices of containers that different associates prefer. When I'm working on large regionals or Bway shows, I use a rolling suitcase. It is my main kit. The best part about it is that it has a lot of different pockets to separate out the items into logical places. The worst thing you can do is dig continually for something the designer needs RIGHT NOW! This is also why a large plastic bin is my least favorite choice. (Others like it.) I also find the plastic bins break easily in transit and are bulky to carry. My suitcase has flown around the world with me and has lived for decades now!
> 
> 
> Anne E McMills
> ...



I'm actually reading your book right now! I just wanted to get more feedback before I purchased anything. I will be working my first major ALD gig in a few months. Woot!

I had a feeling that a rolling suitcase would be the way to go. What size do you use? 22"? 24"?


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## annemcmills (Oct 17, 2014)

CMLDesign said:


> I'm actually reading your book right now! I just wanted to get more feedback before I purchased anything. I will be working my first major ALD gig in a few months. Woot!
> 
> I had a feeling that a rolling suitcase would be the way to go. What size do you use? 22"? 24"?




That's so awesome! Thanks for the interest in the book! 

I just measured my kit -- 12"x20"x8". Perfect size to fit across the arms of the theatre seats, but not stick out into the aisle.


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## Footer (Oct 18, 2014)

annemcmills said:


> That's so awesome! Thanks for the interest in the book!
> 
> I just measured my kit -- 12"x20"x8". Perfect size to fit across the arms of the theatre seats, but not stick out into the aisle.



Glad to see another Millikin Alum out in the world. Welcome!


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## annemcmills (Oct 18, 2014)

Footer said:


> Glad to see another Millikin Alum out in the world. Welcome!



Glad to see you too! Hello, MU!


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## jelly97 (Apr 2, 2020)

icewolf08 said:


> I have found that Filemaker Pro (or any database program) is one of the most efficient ways to generate and maintain spot paperwork. One of the biggest advantages is that once you have a template, all you have to do is input the data for each new show you do. Also, at least in FMP you can generate many different layouts for output, so while I might work on the master sheet, all the information that gets entered also goes into a cue sheet for each individual spot operator.
> 
> Here is an example from "The Light in the Piazza" which we did last season:View attachment 2061
> View attachment 2062




Hi! Do you still have ac copy of how you were able to link your follow spot cues? or was it just all one database table with 4 fields? I am trying to separate mine...


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