# Tech Week Prep Help



## Nick Caburis (Jun 8, 2016)

I need ideas for making tech week run smoother. Background info: HS productions. Light board, ETC Element 250. We start renting the Friday before the show because we don't have the resources/money to own the lights we want. I have a background in professional concerts but not shows. How we do our tech is the head techie and the director sit in the house with headsets and our board Op programs as we go. Before that point basic scene presets are programmed, magic sheets are created extensively, pallets, the whole shabang. We have the actors do walk throughs and we cue a lot and then the stage manager takes notes on extra cues we need to add on our own time, go back and fix, and ect.

Is there a better way to do it? Programming extensively is not an option for a lot of scenes because of budget restrictions on renting for movers and our color wash.

Thanks in advance!


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## Dionysus (Jun 8, 2016)

Well typically the bulk of programming is in my experience done before the actors hit the stage. I'll schedule a levelset with the Stage Management Team, director, and electricians and go through the show in order based on my thoughts (or the LD's if I am not the LD) and using the Director and Stage Manager's knowledge (and notes) on blocking. I have an idea of most anything I want to do (more or less), and program the show start to finish (perhaps leaving gaps in cue numbers where I think I am likely to fit in more cues). Then typically I do a Q2Q, with audio, light, actors and all. Taking the time to make the tweaks needed as much as can be standed (actors HATE sitting around doing nothing for long periods etc). Blowing though the show cutting out any dialog you can and focusing only on things that directly effect tech cues. Then after that is done, a Tech rehearsal where cues are further tweaked as needed (stopping as little as possible) and inserting any cues you come across that you want, and especially tweaking times on cues. Continue to tweak though Dress Rehearsal(s) and Preview(s), hopefully with NO stops.
It really helps to have a good idea beforehand what you want to do.

Whenever possible I like to do as much programming when the actors are not even in the space, it's just a waste of actor's time usually. A few "lightwalkers" to be bodies on the stage are of course necessary, the SM can direct them where to stand, etc.

Of course any 'general' programming you can do before tech-week can help...

Does that help?


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## Footer (Jun 8, 2016)

Nick Caburis said:


> We start renting the Friday before the show because we don't have the resources/money to own the lights we want. I have a background in professional concerts but not shows.....
> 
> ....Is there a better way to do it? Programming extensively is not an option for a lot of scenes because of budget restrictions on renting for movers and our color wash.....
> 
> Thanks in advance!



Possible to rent less movers and more conventionals and hold onto the gear longer?


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## sk8rsdad (Jun 8, 2016)

Two words: table tech. Go in with a strong plan that all departments on the team know. It won't be perfect and it will change but having a plan is much better than making it up on the fly. Every cue. Every scene change. Every costume. Every costume change. Preshow. Intermissions. Curtain call. Post-performance. All of it. It will help to catch missing cues, sort out color choices, clarify blocking issues, and catch cue timing problems.

One more word: visualizer. A visualizer can help you program the show in advance so you can spend your time tweaking levels, palettes, and presets and be ready to go when the actors arrive. For all but the most tech-heavy shows it should be possible to get through most of the adjustments during a regular run through. Then set aside whatever time you need to deal with the fussy stuff like tight specials, blocking adjustments, tightly coordinated cue timings and the like. Some visualizers are better than others, and some have more complete libraries. Some vendors have free or low cost student versions. Some are pretty inexpensive for the 2 universe limit of Element.


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## peacefulone61 (Jul 16, 2016)

I would second the paper/table tech know where the cues are and talk through the looks, well before the actors arive.


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## JChenault (Jul 16, 2016)

There are a few things not clear about your situation, ( when do you start tech, are the sets and constumes finished when you tech. Are the actors ready to go or is the tech period also used for polishing the show) But I do have some general comments about the lighting aspects of Tech week.


IMHO tech week is largely about managing a scarce resource. That being time. Anything you can do prior to walking into the theatre and writing cues you should do. You need to be just as organized as you can possibly be so that all you have to do at the tech table is to implement the design that you have worked out. ( Of course the design will morph once you see it on stage - but you need to start with a clear vision ). The second thing to remember is you want to support the entire production. If the actors are not solid, the best thing for the show may be to give them more time on stage to run the show and work on acting instead of doing a walk through or cue to cue for lighting. 


First of all - I don't see you mentioning a Lighting Designer. It sounds like you don't know what cues you will need when you sit down and start working. I would suggest you start by naming someone as being responsible for the design of the lights. If during level set someone turns to the director and says 'What do you think we should do here' it is a red flag that something may be terribly wrong. 


I do a lot of work in a venue that is always under-rehearsed, and the scenery is frequently not painted until opening night. Here is my process as a lighting designer for that venue ( They do musicals and only musicals. Typically I write my first cue on Sat, and we open the next Friday. usually 200 - 350 cues. 


I see several run-thrus prior to the tech period. 

I make up a spreadsheet of the cues that I think the show needs. Left column is scene / page number. Next is cue number, then what is happening on stage, then what I want the lights to do. If I have follow spots they are in the next column etc. Before I write my first cue I have completed my cue sheet. It may ( will ) be wrong - but it is my starting point.
I print up my cue sheet so I have paper copies. 
At paper tech ( not always possible but desired) we review the cues that I am planning, and the SM puts them in the book. Any small changes from the director get noted and teh sheet is revised. 

Before the first tech I write my blackout and shift cues. I build some presets that I think might be useful and either put them on a submaster, or as a cue in the 1000 range. 

I set my first levels with actors on stage during a run thru ( or a work through). We warn them that the lights will be going up and down and to not pay attention. I find it easier to set levels with lots of bodies on stage doing the things that they will be doing instead of two or three bodies that I have to tell where to go and what to do. 

I do not try to write every cue sequentially. Frequently the actors start a scene, and I will be frantically setting up the opening look. By the time I am happy with that they are three cues further on. This is not a problem. Write what you can. 

If you have a musical number, try to get the opening look set at that first run-thru. Set mid points as much as you can.
For a complex show with dance, take a video camera and record the rehearsal. This can help you the next day.
Before the next rehearsal - come into the theatre and modify what you wrote. Add your best guess at the cues you need in the dance. ( Since you have been writing some cues, by now you have a better idea of what the rig will do)
Lather, rinse, and repeat until you are happy, or you run out of time. 

If the set is not complete - or you don't have costumes yet - don't let it stop you. You can rough in levels and tweak them when you have costumes and scenery. Either with actors on stage or not.
This approach is more if an iterative way of working. IE your job on the first day as getting the actors through the show with enough lights blocked in that you can refine them during the rest of the tech week. You expect on each day of tech to make things better. The other approach is to set up a time when you go through the show cue by cue and set the look for each cue once - with the intent of not having to touch the cue later. 

I personally like to iterate. I find I discover things I did not see or envision at the start. If your actors need all the rehearsal they can get or the sets / costumes are not complete - iteration is the only way you will succeed. 

So to summarize:
Paperwork - Paperwork - Paperwork. Do it early and keep it organized
Think of the design in an iterative fashion. ​Just my 2 cents


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## Thetechmanmac (Jul 16, 2016)

I always try and see the actor run throughs before tech week. The way we do it is we have a set day after the actors have been off book for about a week for all of tech to come and watch the run through. This is usually 1-2 weeks before tech. At this point I take lots of notes during the run through. After the run through I take further notes with the director and SM about blocking and minute details. Once in tech week, I have three days to get all of my basic cueing down. It goes like this:

Day 1: Act one run through- Program act one. This is my time where I can call "hold for lights" anytime. Take focus notes.
Day 2: Act two run through- Program act two. This is my time where I can call "hold for lights" anytime. Take focus notes.
Day 3: Act one and two run through- Add any cues I need, change times, focus notes, etc...
Rest of the week: full run throughs- polishing cues, changing times, etc...

I cannot stress enough about seeing the run through beforehand. This lets me think about how/what I'm going to hang, color choices, and gobos I'm going to use. And notes, notes, notes.

Note about props and scenery- Our sets are always _built_ by tech week, same for props. They may not all be _painted_, but they are _built_. Dry-tech has come in the week before and has already spiked everything on stage.

Good luck!


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