# Fly/Curtain cueing



## Roseblakeman2020 (Nov 18, 2019)

I'm in way over my head! I'm from a local dance studio, and it was suggested that we do The Nutcracker this year...and so guess what show I'm opening on Friday? So we have two props that it looks like we're going to end up using the fly system to maneuver: a snow cradle, and a growing Christmas tree. The problem is, I'm the only one that knows this show well enough to call it, and I don't know how to call curtain or fly/rail cues. I know, I sound dumb. Hence, why I'm asking for help. Can someone tell me how to properly articulate these types of cues?


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## Jay Ashworth (Nov 18, 2019)

Standby curtain(/tree/etc) {in/out}
Curtain/tree/etc GO


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## RonHebbard (Nov 18, 2019)

Roseblakeman2020 said:


> I'm in way over my head! I'm from a local dance studio, and it was suggested that we do The Nutcracker this year...and so guess what show I'm opening on Friday? So we have two props that it looks like we're going to end up using the fly system to maneuver: a snow cradle, and a growing Christmas tree. The problem is, I'm the only one that knows this show well enough to call it, and I don't know how to call curtain or fly/rail cues. I know, I sound dumb. Hence, why I'm asking for help. Can someone tell me how to properly articulate these types of cues?


 *@Roseblakeman2020* Are you communicating verbally via headsets, et al, or via cue lights*?* 
If verbally: During rehearsal(s) pre show: Describe your wants, needs, desires, speeds and times in great detail. Rehearse and finesse as necessary to perfect. Assign a cue number or name. 

Come performance time: Approximately 15 seconds early."Standby fly cue 27; ( pause until required) Fly cue 27 [minor pause 'til precise moment] "Go!" 
Don't utter a word between your final: Fly cue 27 and "Go!" 

An example of what NOT to say and / or how NOT to say it: 
Standby fly cue 27 . . . . . Fly cue 27 . . . Gol darn it! . . . . Go! In this latter case, the first G out of you mouth likely resulted in your cue; your cue was likely misconstrued / anticipated as a Go the moments your lips parted to utter Gol darn it! 

If you or your minions have an aversion to numbering fly cues, possibly you're worried about confusion with Lighting, Sound, Fog, Automation, Deck crew cues, an alternative example could be: 
Flys standing by snow cradle (~10 seconds later) Standing by snow cradle for gentle action. ( Momentary pause for precise moment) "Go!" 
Add cues in a similar manner to increase snow to Blizzard, or to decrease, or to cease. 
You've got the picture. 
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


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## Jay Ashworth (Nov 18, 2019)

My theatres are all small, but Sound and Lights are the only cues I'm accustomed to getting a cue number on -- we both have a cue sheet.

Fly, spot, and fx are generally described on the standby (well, if spot even gets a standby).


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## gafftaper (Nov 19, 2019)

Jay Ashworth said:


> My theatres are all small, but Sound and Lights are the only cues I'm accustomed to getting a cue number on -- we both have a cue sheet.
> 
> Fly, spot, and fx are generally described on the standby (well, if spot even gets a standby).


Agreed. The most important thing about Fly cues is clarity with the crew. So make sure they know what to expect you to say and you always say it. And make sure you give them the information they need to do the correct thing. What that sounds like will differ depending on what you are doing, but something like described above is great.


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## Roseblakeman2020 (Nov 19, 2019)

This is all very helpful, thank you so much!!


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## Catherder (Nov 19, 2019)

Echoing the need for clarity with the crew, and repetition, repetition, repetition. I work with kids and our first cue to cue is always a hot mess. Kids running around, chucking scenery, missing curtains. By the third or fourth run through we’re like a well oiled machine.


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## Jay Ashworth (Nov 19, 2019)

One followup, on some further reflection: 

Our fly cues tend to be "standby line 6 in to spike" "line 6...go" and the companion "...line 6 out..."


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## tjrobb (Nov 20, 2019)

Jay Ashworth said:


> One followup, on some further reflection:
> 
> Our fly cues tend to be "standby line 6 in to spike" "line 6...go" and the companion "...line 6 out..."



Our SM just uses In or Out, unless there's more than two positions. Then they use mid, full, low, high, etc. This system reduces talk time, and we've not had any big issues. (We don't call spike colors as the bleed from the stage changes the tape colors)


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## almorton (Nov 21, 2019)

Shortest fly conversation I've heard was on a 2012 show I was on, where we had to fly in a set of "burning" Olympic rings (we had no idea Danny Boyle was actually going to do this in the real opening ceremony). It was at the end of the show and the only fly cue so the flyman wasn't needed until then. The convo went, over the space of about 30 seconds :

FM: "Fly on cans"
DSM: "Thank you fly. Stand by to fly in rings"
FM :"Fly standing by"
DSM: "Fly rings go"
FM: "Rings fly gone and locked. Off cans".


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## What Rigger? (Nov 22, 2019)

Another thing is to not operate anything on the rail (or "flys" as some use) in panic or adrenaline mode. Make sure you know which rope moves things which way. Always always always lock the lineset when you're not about to move it, or anytime you're hands off. Get a pair of gloves- like REI or Black Diamond climbing gloves (fingerless, so you don't have to take them on and off to push the button on your com), or Harken brand or other brand sailing gloves. 

Use spike tape (if the venue allows) to mark where you want to stop in your move as you grow the tree. Mark each position with a different colored stripe just over the top of the rope lock. 
Look onstage AND at the rail, back and forth as you make your moves, so you know what's going on all around you. 

Nobody should be talking to you on deck when moving the rail, unless it's to call an emergency stop.


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## RonHebbard (Nov 22, 2019)

What Rigger? said:


> Another thing is to not operate anything on the rail (or "flys" as some use) in panic or adrenaline mode. Make sure you know which rope moves things which way. Always always always lock the lineset when you're not about to move it, or anytime you're hands off. Get a pair of gloves- like REI or Black Diamond climbing gloves (fingerless, so you don't have to take them on and off to push the button on your com), or Harken brand or other brand sailing gloves.
> 
> Use spike tape (if the venue allows) to mark where you want to stop in your move as you grow the tree. Mark each position with a different colored stripe just over the top of the rope lock.
> Look onstage AND at the rail, back and forth as you make your moves, so you know what's going on all around you.
> ...


A theatre in Hamilton, Ontario's locking rail was ~30' above SR. Due to structural steel, two arbors were never installed. The plastic labelling strip had been pre-manufactured and bore numbers for all 40+ sets, even though two sets were never installed. Since all the carriages, locks, head and loft blocks were on site, when the supplier's installer arrived, we negotiated to have line set 19 totally omitted and to add longer cables, since they were being cut from a reel on site, to the carriage for the other blocked arbor and use its limited travel to hang and fly the centre cluster of four Apogee AE5's. The limited travel permitted the cluster to be flown into deck level, out to it's normal operating trim and out of sight during straight / non-musical productions; there was never any need to fly the cluster out to grid height. 

When the supplier completed their contracted installation, they (in) secured their ~1/4" thick 'write on' labeling strip to the lock rail with double sided tape. Over the course of the venue's first season, 4 to 6 foot portions of the labeling strip fell off. None of the carps department thought it worth their time to drill, counter sink, tap and bolt the labeling strip to the rail, they simply added more tape and hoped for the best. 

Tying this back to *@What Rigger?* 's post regarding *"to not operate anything on the rail (or "flys" as some use) in panic or adrenaline mode." * 

During the performance of a musical with three or four carps on the rail, some of whom were totally unfamiliar with the venue, two consecutive lengths of the plastic labeling strip fell off leaving the two carps handling the lower numbered half of the rail scrambling; they were racing DS to set #1 then _FRANTICALLY_ counting locks 'til they got to their line set. 
*
Guess what happens when you FORGET there is no set 19.* 

A border they'd seen no need to spike since it was trimmed and locked off for the duration of the production, was unlocked and hastily flown in by a fly-person in a panic; in a panic since he was already late by the time he'd counted to some number past 19. There he was pulling as quickly as he could staring intently for his spike, the non-existent spike since he was one set away from where he should've been. 
Imagine how startled the cast were when a border began piling up on the deck. 

There are several lessons to be learned in the foregoing. 
(My alarm's summoning me to evening med's) 
Bye, gotta fly! [No pun intended.] 
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


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