# What would you tell a first-time spot operator?



## superuser2 (Feb 25, 2010)

So I'm typically a sound guy, but we hire out for this show, so I've been assigned to run a spotlight (from a room above the sound/lighting control booth). Any tips, advice, etc? What should I know walking into the first rehearsal?

Any other reading you can point me at would be great as well.


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## rmartin (Feb 25, 2010)

Get to know your equipment. How does it work. What are all the little knobs for. Know how to change a bulb. Is there a spare bulb?
How does it move or rotate. Check the fittings, are they loose?
Check the Boomerange. Are the gells ok for what you are doing?
Learn how to remove the Boomerage and change gells.
Finally. Pay attention and don't sneeze while operating a spot
If you miss your target everyone will know it was you who messed up.
Always arrive early and check your equipment before the show call.
Carry a small flash light to sort out problems in the dark.
Have fun!


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## superuser2 (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks. Any tips for picking up my target accurately?


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## DanBlaze (Feb 25, 2010)

I would find a reference point on the spot in which you can line up. At spot lights at my school, I am able to line up the hinges along the barrel with the actors chest. Its a a guaranteed hit. On other spots, my friend made a primitive sight out of zipties gaffed to the spotlight. Try target practice. I practice on speakers, random actors that happen to be walking by, or chairs. Best of luck to you!


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## Dionysus (Feb 25, 2010)

If you use the search you'll find a few threads and such on followspot pickups...

There are a lot of different ways, some better for other situations...

The biggest best method is PRACTICE.

There are other ways like:

Leak mapping, using leaks from the spot to map blind pickups
Lazer targeting, using a lazer pointer to aim (not the cleanest)
Lazer Mapping, using a lazer pointing at a close wall to mark blind pickups
Simple sight, using wire, screws, paint marks, etc to make a sight.
Scope... Met one person who mounted a red-dot sight to his followspot.


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## mrtrudeau23 (Feb 25, 2010)

Also (I know this probably isn't feasible for you) but these things are absolutely great for spotlights. A roadhouse near where I live has two of them and I just had our department chair buy four for our spots here at school. Makes any pick-up 98% perfect (accounting for some human error, of course).

TELRAD Telescope Reflex Sight with Mounting Base - Telescope Accessories at Telescopes


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## wolf825 (Feb 25, 2010)

Key things with spots are knowing your spot, practicing with your spot and lining up the aiming. To add to what has been said...

Check out and get to know your spot..know where its controls are and familiarize yourself with it for the iris and douser, boomerange and so forth. Get to know your gels and in which order they are in so you can select the correct one without taking your focus off the stage--practice rolling in and out of the gels and do changes. Practice doing several moves: pickups, fade outs and so on...full body shots or half body shots...practice your slow fades and your fast outs...then add in a color change and get used to it as well. If it has a perfect pickup or a telrad for aiming--set it up to get used to using it. Make sure its at the right comfortable height for you, the base is locked down so it doesn't roll around, and that you can move it freely and easily under control but that it won't 'fly away' if you are not holding it. It should be in balance. Remember--spots are there to highlite a performer--you do not want to move 'fast' on a slow moving actor...and you do not want to move in a jittery fashion. You want everything to be flowing and smooth so it seems transparant--meaning folks do not notice the spot more then the performer...this only is learned by practice. Remember every little sneeze or shift you do can look like a 'big move' on stage so you have to practice. Check your headset and make sure its comfortable on your so you are not futzing with it and your focus is off the stage...if possible a double muff headset is best for spot ops so they can hear the calls.... Turn off cell phones and keep the toys or distractions away...your focus is on the stage and the spot is simply an extension of your arm or hands. 

TIPS--if there is more then one spot--get things understood and ironed out early before the show--find out which spot is #1, #2, #3 etc so you know what you are operating and know your calls...know how far upstage and downstage you can go--you can even practice or mark out areas you know you will pick up at--such as a USL/DSL or USR/DSR pick up... If you cannot pick up a certain area then make sure you know that and so does the LD or SM if they expect you to get that area. Get an idea of the spot calls from the SM if possible for anything they wil be expecting (timing, half or full body shots, effects you will do etc and so on)...otherwise pay attention at the start of the show for the 'speech' on headset as it will come fast. Keep the spot chatter to a near non-existant level..if you have to talk make sure you are asking relevant questions and not commenting on 'casual' chit chat. If things go wrong on stage--use common sense--stay with the star or main talent speaking til you are told otherwise.. You do not want to do open 'slideovers' very much..if you have to pick up a bass player solo on the other side of the stage, don't slide off the lead over to them unless you are told to....fade out, move and then fade in again. 

Couple more operating tips--when you fade out on an actor exiting--leave the spot aimed where is doused at, pointed in that area where you faded out--many times you will pick up someone else close by or pick up a re-entrance right at that location (this happens in concerts a lot--talent will exit and then re-enter after a minute). Otherwise you will have to sight in again when you had the point already. If you have to ghost your pick up area to make sure you are on target--be VERY very delicate and careful..if you cannot ghost then make your fade in SLOW..do not go open at centerstage and then slide to meet the talent--you will get yelled at. Try to be as close as possible and if you go SLOW then you can slide and open at the same time. You want your moves to be dark or not visible when you have no one highlighted. Best to use a pick-up or telrad aiming tool...if you or the facility do not have one, you can make your own with a couple of sharpies and some tape--it will not be perfect but it will help. If you are going to be a spot op a lot--buy your own pick up its a great investment. You may notice 'tape markers' in front of a spot on a ledge or glass to help with pickup from previous users...new spot ops find these helpful but you should learn how to rough it in on your own too cause sometimes you will not have such a luxury. 

Also know your gel frames color and number--make sure your colors and numbers match the other spots (sucks when everyone rolls into frame 2 and your color is different--its your spot so make sure the order is loaded correctly to match everyone else). Keep some marking tape with you if you need to make any notes on color for yourself on the handles or whatever etc. Once you turn on your spot just before show--leave it on and closed--restrikiing an arc lamp back and forth is not always good for the lamp life...so do not turn it off and the on at intermission..only at the end of the show. When the audience enters--there should be no more "testing" or sighting in..that should be done before house opens. Also--Spots can get hot--bring & wear gloves, and it can also be helpful to wear a long sleeve shirt if you have to reach over or hug a spot to operate it. Don't expect to 'sit down' on the job or while operating it..don't be lazy--I've seen some young budding spot ops sit in a folding chair and run it with one arm while texting or talking on the phone with the other--they quickly get fired & yelled at so don't be a slacker. If you can't be anything but a slacker and your texting or phone calls are a priority over your job--get out of theater now.  


-w


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## rochem (Feb 25, 2010)

GREAT post, Wolf.

The one thing I'd add to that is to take the time before the show to become totally familiar with your spot. During the show, you may not have time to figure out which lever does what, and you may just have to know by feel. Personally, I like to put tape ALL OVER my spot to help me identify everything by touch only. I sometimes tape down the chopper handle (after confirming with the SM/LD that I won't need to use it), just to reduce the chance that I bump it or accidentally grab it. I also like to mark some different Iris handle settings to help me immediately find what I need. Before the show, I find the appropriate Iris size for Full Body, 3/4 body, 1/2 body, and headshot. Then I just place a small wrap of gaff on the body of the spot next to where the iris handle is set, and then lay another strip of gaff over these to hold them in place. The result of this is that I now have a small bump next to each iris setting which I can just feel for with my thumb, and I can find any specific shot without even needing to look at the iris handle. When I'm using an unfamiliar spot, I will sometimes place small tape tabs on the iris/douser and/or some of the color frames to help me find them easier. Sorry if that doesn't make sense, next time I'm running a spot I'll try to remember to take a picture. But basically, just use whatever little tricks you need to use to help you out. No one will care that you blew the cue because you grabbed the iris handle instead of the douser, they just want you to grab the right handle the first time.


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## MarshallPope (Feb 25, 2010)

My biggest piece of advice is this:
If you screw up, don't panic. Chances are, no one noticed. Forget about it and move on. If you dwell on it, it will just make you jumpy for the rest of the show.
That does not mean that you shouldn't learn a lesson from it. Know what happened so that you won't do it again, just don't let it make you nervous. As has been said before, fluidity is important, and much of that is a result of your mental state. Empathize with the action on stage. Don't just pull handles and turn this big hot black box around.


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## Les (Feb 25, 2010)

Here are just a few great threads brought to you by our search feature.

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/17631-tips-using-spotlight.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/15717-first-time-followspotting.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/4018-followspot-aiming-tips.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/7995-spot-light-crash-course.html

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/17907-spotlight-operator-resource-newbies.html

And a great link provided by derekleffew:
10 Commandments for Spotlight Operators

"Bright end towards the stage" is always a good rule of thumb also


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## superuser2 (Feb 28, 2010)

Wow. Thanks, everyone. Great replies.

As a sound guy I know a thing or two about focus and frame of mind - when you're mixing 13 wireless lavs you don't have much of a choice other than to be on top of your game and totally in the moment . Also in terms of not letting screw-ups make you jittery - this has been huge for me. I had kinda figured that one out, but I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks.

I'll make sure I get to know what all the levers do - as a computer nerd I can't leave that sort of thing alone for long, anyway. 

I'll bring some tape and a laser pointer along and see what I can figure out in terms of a sight. I like the idea of taping on a laser pointer pointed at the floor and marking pickups. 

"Bright end towards the stage" - Thanks. I hadn't thought of that. 

Once again, thanks everyone. I've got the first tech rehearsal today, and I'll be back tonight if need be.


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## len (Feb 28, 2010)

In my opinion (and I don't run spots that often, and never do theater design, etc.) the most important thing a new op should be able to do is hold steady. I can forgive being a little late, but having a spot jump around like a bouncing ball is the most annoying thing I can think of.


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## Studio (Feb 28, 2010)

At my school I find a time to practice with all spot techs. I go on stage and run around and have them spot me. Then I run off stage and have them practice shuttering. Then I do blind pickups, which is fun because our pit wall always gets lit, and it looks bad.


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## superuser2 (Mar 1, 2010)

Okay, so I'm actually not needing to mark pickups (although I may anyway just to be sure), and the show is pretty simple spotlight-wise. Thanks, everyone. I will continue to practice as much as I can.


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## briancon7 (Mar 1, 2010)

Personally when i spot opp i use it the same way i would use a gun. You want it be be a part of your body. Have as many contact points on the light as you can and it will make it easy to control. Get some practice time with whoever else is the other spot (get your timing down). good luck


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