# Digital Prompt Book Ideas



## Joshua Hoffman (Oct 29, 2017)

Does anyone have any good software suggestions for digital prompt/cue books? I am starting a show soon and would love to be digital


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## MRW Lights (Oct 30, 2017)

I'm not sure there is an industry specific program out there, but there are a lot of PDF style programs that will get the job done. The film side of entertainment has a few things, but I'm not sure how well they would work for a full show script. Are there specific features you're looking for? I know a sound mixer that uses a foot pedal for scrolling on a digital script so they can keep their hands free for mixing. 

Really all you need is a viewer right? You can create your script in any text editor, but I would still keep a notebook handy for those quick notes on the fly.


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## Eric Voigt (Dec 1, 2017)

I have been using a Tablet with MS One note. You can import the PDF and make notes right on it, via text overlay or with a touch screen I just write on it.


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## MNicolai (Dec 1, 2017)

ProductionPro is one of the more interesting newcomers. $20/month may hurt but you may get everything you need from the free plan.

iPad only.


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## Silicon_Knight (Dec 1, 2017)

MNicolai said:


> ProductionPro is one of the more interesting newcomers. $20/month may hurt but you may get everything you need from the free plan.
> 
> iPad only.


Sounds interesting...I wonder if this will be the reason I finally buy an iPad??


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## MNicolai (Dec 1, 2017)

All depends on who else you're working with and what your workflow normally looks like, but I will say that when I started going to digital light plots my load-in times became noticeably faster. Got my regular crew to download Fieldwire onto their phone/tablet/iPad and we could hammer out a plot together without fighting over paper copies. Could also keep track of odds and ends tasks that needed to be circled back to and could group all of my other production paperwork in one place where everyone could find it at a moment's notice.

Gun to my head I'll still plot out a paper set when I absolutely need to, but almost all of the time it's easier not to.

If you do go the iPad route, I'd look at the iPad Pro and get the Apple Pencil. ProductionPro is interesting and all, but it has a lot of moving parts. You may find it easier to drop the script into the Notes Plus app and just page through the script like you normally would, using the Pencil to jot down whatever blocking or cue notes you like. Also keeps it easy to keep your script simple and export out an analog paper copy of the set in case something happens to the iPad or someone else needs to take your place as SM.


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## Silicon_Knight (Dec 1, 2017)

MNicolai said:


> All depends on who else you're working with and what your workflow normally looks like, but I will say that when I started going to digital light plots my load-in times became noticeably faster. Got my regular crew to download Fieldwire onto their phone/tablet/iPad and we could hammer out a plot together without fighting over paper copies. Could also keep track of odds and ends tasks that needed to be circled back to and could group all of my other production paperwork in one place where everyone could find it at a moment's notice.
> 
> Gun to my head I'll still plot out a paper set when I absolutely need to, but almost all of the time it's easier not to.
> 
> If you do go the iPad route, I'd look at the iPad Pro and get the Apple Pencil. ProductionPro is interesting and all, but it has a lot of moving parts. You may find it easier to drop the script into the Notes Plus app and just page through the script like you normally would, using the Pencil to jot down whatever blocking or cue notes you like. Also keeps it easy to keep your script simple and export out an analog paper copy of the set in case something happens to the iPad or someone else needs to take your place as SM.



Thanks. The SM that I work with a lot is already using the Notes+ app and she loves it. Although I do a lot of design in various electronic forms, I'm still relying on my paper script with hand-written scribbles during the show. 

However, I will check out Fieldwire to see if it might fit our needs!


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## Mercedes (Feb 20, 2018)

I like production pro, but I feel that there could be a better solution specifically for stage managers out there. I use an app called Notability to take blocking and Stagewright to take dance notes, but it would be nice for there to be a specific app out there that allows someone to have an easy to manage script during a performance.


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