# Lighting Cues in Scripts



## RyanP.Joll (Oct 21, 2017)

Hi CB,

I don't think this question is on the forum already so if it is, my apologies. 

I have done quite a few shows at school and in local theatres. I have mostly been supervising the lighting department and working on dance shows and small youth theatre shows so haven't had a lot of experience of actually working through a script and adding any cues or design ideas into the script. 

So my question is to you, how do you go about using the script and adding in cues and ideas?
All answers or ideas would be appreciated. 

Thanks.


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## RonHebbard (Oct 21, 2017)

RyanP.Joll said:


> Hi CB,
> 
> I don't think this question is on the forum already so if it is, my apologies.
> 
> ...


 @RyanP.Joll Hi Ryan; My first "answer" is two more questions.
Are you asking how I would annotate standby's and Q points in a script?
Or
Are you asking how do I approach reading a script for my first time and looking for reasons and places to execute LXQ's?
Thanks and congratulations for your writing, you write in complete sentences, know what the shift key is for, and use it.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard (From one of the colonies)


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## RyanP.Joll (Oct 21, 2017)

RonHebbard said:


> @RyanP.Joll Hi Ryan; My first "answer" is two more questions.
> Are you asking how I would annotate standby's and Q points in a script?
> Or
> Are you asking how do I approach reading a script for my first time and looking for reasons and places to execute LXQ's?
> ...


 
Thanks for your reply, 

Im asking how do you approach reading a script for the first time and looking for reasons and places to execute LXQ's?
I understand how to place the Q's (such as LX27 etc). I just don't know how to organise my script or how to portray my ideas into the script.


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## josh88 (Oct 21, 2017)

I get a single sided print of the script and write notes and thoughts on the opposite page as I read through. But also a lot of stuff comes from watching rehearsals to catch blocking or scenic elements/moments I'd want to hit. I don't even end up putting all of this stuff in the script because ultimately it only matters to me as long as the vital information gets plotted and relayed to an ME or whoever ends up hanging the show and the Cues make it into the SM's copy. 

By the end though I'll have notes in a script, on legal pads, in my head.... Organize it in whatever way makes sense to you because really it comes down to the visuals of what those ideas turn into.


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## RonHebbard (Oct 21, 2017)

RyanP.Joll said:


> Thanks for your reply,
> 
> Im asking how do you approach reading a script for the first time and looking for reasons and places to execute LXQ's?
> I understand how to place the Q's (such as LX27 etc). I just don't know how to organise my script or how to portray my ideas into the script.


TLDR alert in place.
@RyanP.Joll Hi Ryan, this could turn into a very long thread. I'll begin by saying 'It depends' and then list a number of points to ponder in your equation.
- Am I lighting a straight play, a musical, classical dance / ballet, yada, yada, etcetera.
- Am I lighting a static box set, a series of different flat, flown, drops or actors emoting on a bare stage?
- Am I lighting a 'two-hander' with an actress and actor who never move from their respective stools or something with more traditional areas and blocking?
- If a box set, does it have light switches that are important to the production? Do actors enter and seemingly turn lights on / off as they enter / exit, move from the living room into the kitchen then into one or two bedrooms? Are there doors or windows from the exterior where it's important for sunlight to flood in or moonlight or the darkness of a starless night? Are there "practical lights"; wall sconces, table lights, floor lamps, lights over picture frames? A light in the refrigerator that lights the murder scene in the near black-out when the blind girl's psychotic killer suddenly realizes he'll be able to see where she's hiding in her pitch black kitchen. [That's actually from a script. The title was: "Wait Until Dark" based on a 1967 film with Audrey Hepburn and a 1966 book.]
- Am I working in a prosc' house with a house curtain or a set that's always in view in a black-box space sans curtains / masking?
- What options, hanging positions, angles, instruments, et al are available to me? [I won't hang, focus and Q a curtain wash if there's no curtain]
- Does the script / designer / director call for an interior or exterior scene?
- Is the passage of time; sunrise, through mid-day, to sunset and darkness of night important to the script and motivate my design?
- Are we passing through various seasons, the budding of spring, through the scorching heat of summer, the changing colour and falling of leaves to the falling of snow and the reflection of the sun up from the whiteness of the snow? [It's great to be writing to a Brit' and able to spell colour with a 'U' in it again]
- Strictly from the perspective of design; There are no rules. Your design is YOUR design, to YOU it's correct subject to the options available to you and limitations imposed upon you. Others may not agree with your choices, perceptions and perspectives but your design is YOUR design. That's not to say there aren't techniques that have been proven to work along with a few that definitely don't but welcome to the world.
I'll list a few points I personally feel are basics, not everyone will agree and optimistically others will chime in and not leave me out here blathering on my own. [Give me enough rope and I'll blather myself.]
1a; Light the performers first. Patrons won't go home whistling the lighting no matter how great you're sure it is.
1b; Lighting the performers will vary radically between straight plays, classical dance, modern dance, musicals, et al.
2a; Light the set second. Clearly this will vary greatly depending upon the physicality of the set.
2b; If you're lighting musicians who need to read music, or performers working from written scripts, they need to be able to clearly see their scores / scripts without troublesome glare. Keyboardists will despise you if you light their keyboards in a way that they have difficulty distinguishing the black keys from the white.
Some things that work:
- Comedies always tend to be bright.
- Dramas and murder mysteries, less so; often gloomier, more sinister.
- Some things that don't work: Performances in Black-Outs. The production MAY demand a black-out but it's an effect and not something to be utilized for minutes on end. If your director thinks she/he wants to do a major set or props change in a black out, if they take more than about seven seconds to accomplish it, the folks in the front rows' eyes will have adjusted and they'll be giggling at seeing the set pixies tripping over themselves as they try to rearrange the furniture. Such changes are often best accomplished in a dark blue or purple back light where we can't recognize the features of the people effecting the changes but the pixies have zero trouble seeing themselves, their co-workers, the furniture and props their re-positioning / pre-setting and their all important spike marks on the up-stage sides of the items they're moving.
Set and prop shuffles accomplished under back-light achieve several goals:
- They occur much smoother, faster and quieter.
- The patrons realize it's a scene change and NOT time to hastily exit to be first in line at the bar or washroom.
- Stage management can tell when the change is complete, the 'body' has exited, the actress with the opening line is in position, WITHOUT tying up the headset incessantly asking: "Are they done yet? Are they done yet? Is Fred off stage? Is Jill in position? Can I call the light cue? [Shut your yap! Look out your window. Don't stare at your script with your reading light at 100% closing your irises down and call your cues when the change is complete] Biased? Moi? Say it's not TOO obvious.
I'll relinquish the lectern, descend from the podium and trust others will have posted while I've been typing.
@GreyWyvern There's another chapter for you.
*EDIT 1:* I omitted the second 'C' from sconce.
*EDIT 2:* I omitted the 'T' in script.
*EDIT 3: *Added details regarding a 1967 murder mystery film starring Audrey Hepburn based upon a 1966 book.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## Jay Ashworth (Oct 21, 2017)

Everyone else is answering the hard question; I'll answer the easy one.

Calling shows in community, I want to end up with a book with numbered light cues in the left margin, numbered sound cues in the right margin (though that's probably cause that's the way our booth's laid out , with caret markers for the actual cue point, usually pointing up for sound cues and down for lights.

I want them to end up in Sharpie for maximum contrast and readability, though I don't put the numbers and carets in ink til the tech, usually, since they tend to float around.

I usually use .5 cues for sound fade-outs, and multiple decimals for cues with unders and vamps.

Things which are important and easy to miss, I put in a box.


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## RyanP.Joll (Oct 21, 2017)

Thankyou for your replies, 

I found a script of an old school show I did, its a clean script still with staples purely because at the time of the show the school had an ETC Smartfade so therefore didn't have the cueing capabilities of a newer etc desk, as a result I had to use the memory banks for the different scenes in the show. 

Ive decided to have a play around with the script, to see what Im comfortable with before receiving the script for a pantomime I'm doing. I find it easier to have the script on the left hand side of the binder and an 'ideas sheet' on the right (which I have attached). I found this a useful way as it was a lot easier to go through the script and write down any ideas that may occur when reading it. I also found that the margin on the script was useful to write down any possible LX cues (LX...) however I found that it started to get a little messy when I tried to draw lines to particular cue points in the script or add little description on the side of the script so it could potentially help me when I come to later programming the cues without the aid of the director or DSM.

I understand that this is theoretical terms as I'd probably pick it up when Im in the rush of doing a real production, but do you have any suggestions on how to clean it up a bit and keep it more organised.

Another question that came to mind is "How do you plan the cues for a dance show?", correct me if Im wrong but I presume dance shows don't have scripts so do you normally just wait for the music tracks from the choreographers and go through your ideas and cues with a stage manager or is there another way?

Thanks for your help.


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## RonHebbard (Oct 21, 2017)

Jay Ashworth said:


> Everyone else is answering the hard question; I'll answer the easy one.
> 
> Calling shows in community, I want to end up with a book with numbered light cues in the left margin, numbered sound cues in the right margin (though that's probably cause that's the way our booth's laid out , with caret markers for the actual cue point, usually pointing up for sound cues and down for lights.
> 
> ...


 @Jay Ashworth Understood. Someday they'll put me in a box too!
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## seanandkate (Oct 22, 2017)

RyanP.Joll said:


> Thankyou for your replies,
> 
> I found a script of an old school show I did, its a clean script still with staples purely because at the time of the show the school had an ETC Smartfade so therefore didn't have the cueing capabilities of a newer etc desk, as a result I had to use the memory banks for the different scenes in the show.
> 
> ...



In my lighting script, I'll first underline any specific words or phrases in the text that are lighting indicators (time of day, practicals, adjectives like "bright" or "warm" etc.) Then I'll write my own notes anywhere there is room. They can be anything from general "sunset" to "cool breakup from up left" to esoteric like "confusion" or "romance," to really specific "punch stage left sofa." Then on a separate sheet I'll start listing those needs, roughly in order of importance, then start translating those needs into the dimmers/instruments I have available. Spoiler alert: the dimmers / instruments always get depleted before my list of wants. So you now know what your rig for the show is capable of, and you go back to your notes and see how you would translate those capabilities that you now have into cues. I will write in my cues on the right side of the script and notes on the left, but that's just me. If I'm now in the process of writing cues, my magic sheet is more important to me than my notes, so I don't really need to look at that side of the script again. My book isn't used as the prompt book, so as long as the SM's book is organized in a meaningful way, life is good for _both _of us. Ultimately, whatever works for you is the right way, and you will adjust your process as you go. But, I wouldn't draw lines to words until the very end of the process--less to erase when you invariably change where the cue is called. Just underline the word or use a chevron before the word.

For lighting dance, I will usually have a copy of the score, but I have used lyric sheets as well, or (as a last resort) counted beats. The choreographers should be able to send you the music tracks well in advance, but until you see the choreography and talk to the choreographer, what you can do is kind of limited. I've cued many a dance show from just a video of the choreo in a rehearsal hall, with a show-and-tell with the choreographer in tech later. Communication is king. 

And if they can find a way to box the energy and passion of@RonHebbard , a TON of my Christmas ideas have now been solved...


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## dimwatt (Oct 25, 2017)

Panto is a strange beast that many of our American colleagues may not have experienced. You will probably find you have double the number of LX cues than an equivalent "normal" play. The level of audience interaction and participation will ensure that no two performances are the same. Matinées full of children will have a constant background noise, and some of the cast going into the audience to hand out sweets etc., which may need some limited use of house lights or whatever your space has available. The evening performances, especially Fridays & Saturdays, will have much more heckling and raucous responses, which may require a different approach.

The interaction will cause the talent to go off-script much more than in other genres, so you can't rely 100% on sequential cues and a GO button. You will need to be able to busk and react to what actually happens on (and off) stage.

As @RonHebbard says, make sure you can light the action first and foremost, even if they've temporarily departed from the script and their position.

Above all, pantomimes are fun and test your skills in a live performance. I love them.


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## DonAllen (Oct 25, 2017)

There are a lot of on line resources available for script analysis which is part of the lighting design process. Here is an American one to start with. http://stagelightingprimer.com/index.html?slfs-process.html&2 

I like to have a production meeting with the director and other technical departments such as sound, set design, stage management to find out what they want, what they can afford, what they have available and when do they want it done. This is a notebook stage unless they have given me a copy of the script beforehand, then I do the two read process before the production meeting.

When I get a script, it is best to have it printed on one side of the paper, so you can make notes or diagrams on the blank page. If it is double sided, I use a pencil to write Lx on the outside of the page where I feel that a lighting cue will be needed and put notes on the inside of the page. If possible, I write Lx numbers as we go through the script. I also not if the Lx cue is run off a word cue, or a movement cue, or a stage manager cue, or a sound cue. You will need a rubber or eraser for this process. If it is single sided, then you have lots of room for notes.

I use diagrams or sketches to show actors positions on stage, arrows to show movement. This helps to work out what stage areas to light and which areas can be left dark.

I videotape musicals so I can plot away from the stage as I mainly use Light Factory 2, a pc based program, so find the magic screen makes it easy to plot. I use a 15" touch screen laptop and a 23" HP touch screen monitor to speed plotting and editing up.

I write down what gel numbers I use in cues, as I use Lee, Rosco and Gam. I find that I only tend to use about a dozen different gels in a show, the client usually likes to pick them from the gell books on screen, so there is no set of favourite colours. What tends to happen is the client will pick a colour theme for the show so each production is different. I do keep coming back to Lee 201 Full Ct Blue for cold lighting, especially ballet lighting. Although it is a colour corection filter, someone in my past told me to try it for cold dance sidelight and it works. I mainly use led's these days and it works well with led's.


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## RonHebbard (Oct 25, 2017)

dimwatt said:


> Panto is a strange beast that many of our American colleagues may not have experienced. You will probably find you have double the number of LX cues than an equivalent "normal" play. The level of audience interaction and participation will ensure that no two performances are the same. Matinées full of children will have a constant background noise, and some of the cast going into the audience to hand out sweets etc., which may need some limited use of house lights or whatever your space has available. The evening performances, especially Fridays & Saturdays, will have much more heckling and raucous responses, which may require a different approach.
> 
> The interaction will cause the talent to go off-script much more than in other genres, so you can't rely 100% on sequential cues and a GO button. You will need to be able to busk and react to what actually happens on (and off) stage.
> 
> ...


 @dimwatt As if that's not enough, you guys have Prompt side and Off or Op' Prompt [PS & OP] in lieu of SR and SL.
Know when you're being ragged by someone from the Colonies.
Back in the seventies and eighties, your Lionel Blair used to come to Canada and tour three or four cities across our country in December / January. We used to see him in Hamilton, Ontario around Christmas and New Years. 
Bring on the nasty villains, aerosol cans of whipped cream & shaving cream and the guys in drag. 
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## dthomas32308 (Oct 25, 2017)

First thing I fight for and do my best to get is a script copied so the script is on the technically back of the paper but so that the script is on the left side of binder clips. Since I’m right handed this allows the larger “notes” section to be fully usable.


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## DGotlieb (Oct 26, 2017)

To try to answer your question "Im asking how do you approach reading a script for the first time and looking for reasons and places to execute LXQ's?" as succinctly as possible;
1) I read my script
2) find changes in time/location/emotion/music
3) decide if they need a light change
4) put my Q there (for what your cue should look like, or notate it see above)


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## DELO72 (Oct 30, 2017)

Hi Ryan,

What I do is I get little color tabs, and anytime I see something in the script that mentions time of day, or a change in scene or location, I put a sticky tab at that place. Then I go back through and re-read it another time looking for changes in emotion, entrances or exits that might require a change in feeling or look, or any time the energy or mood of the scene feels like it is changing and needs to be supported. Some plays are simple and only need 10 cues. Some are complex and constantly changing and require lighting changes (subtle or otherwise) to support them. I would # those tabs, and then keep a notepad and begin to fill in ideas of what that cue or shift in the lighting is. What the reason for that cue being there might be. You might say, "Time of day shift into night" or "Darker, more somber/isolated" or "she opens the curtains to reveal the morning sunlight." Anything that will help you as you craft the looks later on as you design the show. You'll also notice additional places for cues as you sit in rehearsal as you may notice the director blocks the actors in areas of the stage you hadn't planned to light, or has them take emotional moments that aren't accompanied with Dialogue or stage directions in the script, but will require some lighting change to support. You'll definitely need to read through the script multiple times and sit through many rehearsals. Run-throughs are when you finalize your cue ideas and tweak anything you may not have seen earlier (or that changed from an earlier rehearsal- "Wait, why is this scene now happening upstage left? Crap. I'll need light there."

You may end up removing cues you originally had in the script as they end up not being necessary and don't add anything to the moment. It's very easy to over-cue a show. I used to work with a lot of designers who would have 250 cues for a straight play with one 2 locations, and it was absurd and overkill. Don't force lighting changes on the script. Support the show, don't try and make the show about your lights. One of the best shows I lit had only 8 lighting cues, because more would have been completely unnecessary.


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## TheaterEd (Oct 30, 2017)

Just to add to what others have said, When reading musicals, I will generally pull up the songs on youtube or something to better get the feel for them and what they may require.

Something else to keep in mind is who will be running the board for this show?

I have definitely had to 'dumb down' my designs due to a community theater not being able to provide a consistent board op for all of their performances. 

I've also had a trained middle school student run a 500+ cue musical, so it's important to know what you're working with on that front.


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## GWWWicked (Oct 31, 2017)

My experience is mostly musicals, and I'm a bit a computer geek. Originally, I used to put together a binder of the written script and sheet music and mark my cues in the script/music. These days, I normally scan and OCR the script, and type the lyrics of the music into one document, then put my cues in the document with colored fonts. (Green for lights, purple for projection, red for spot cues, no particular reason, just my preferences.) Originally I thought it was important to write the cue exactly in the music where I wanted it to hit, but I found that by the 2nd day of tech week, I just knew where that moment was and having the printed sheet music just resulted in a bunch of extra page turns. During the course of tech week, certain cues change a bit, so I leave a 2 inch margin on the right for handwritten notes. I also do an Excel cue sheet, mostly for my own reference while I'm programming. Our console (Megalite Enlighten) doesn't really use numbered cues, so I end up with some really interesting cue names like Song1, Song1Chorus, Song1Bridge, Song1tag, Song1BO, Scene1, etc. 

As I'm normally the one doing the hang/focus as well as programming the console, I'll be the first to admit I'm absolutely lousy about having a properly documented lighting plot, as it's in my head. I know our venue, I know our inventory, I know where I need to hang certain fixtures to hit certain spots on the stage. That hubris aside, I know that if I did a lighting design anywhere else, I must do a light plot and really should do one for our own shows. Shame on me! 

As for the actual design, I listen to the show songs as much as possible and try to visualize the "look" of that song, and jot that down on my abbreviated run sheet. If there's a recording of the drama, I listen to that as well without watching to see what my imagination suggests. I note certain musical moments I want to "hit" and sometimes I use those cues, sometimes I don't when I actually see the show during tech week. Naturally a few weeks before tech week, I meet with the director and ask if they have any particular "looks" they desire, as well as talk though my vision of how the show will be lit and make changes accordingly. Aside: One thing I've learned as a lighting designer is that I can see a certain look in my head, and I can attempt to put that vision into words, but certain directors just aren't capable of "seeing" it in their minds eye. I need to remember that they're not wrong or incompetent for not being able to "see" it, it's just not how their brain is wired! I just remember to have an extra measure of patience, design in such a way that changes are easy when they can see it in real life, and to hold my tongue when they ask for those changes. I'm also not shy about chatting certain blocking with the director so it will work better for lighting. Normally this relates to big choral numbers rather than the drama blocking, but you get the idea. I do remember one piece of blocking where the director was disappointed in how the lighting switched from one area to another as the actor moved, and simply changing the point in the script where the actor started moving resulted in a win for both of us.


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## lorilights (Nov 1, 2017)

Working with dance - nowadays with Go-Pro it's OH SO EASY!!!! If it's something like a rep concert (ie. not storybook ballet, so a bunch of disjointed pieces and no theme throughout) I just have a blank page and a stopwatch and a camera. I go to rehearsal, hear what the choreograghers have to say about their pieces (which is usually not very helpful - if possible get to the meat of the piece ('what are you trying to say?") rather than "I want all the lights to be red here"). Watch the piece with the choreo by your side and ask questions or tell them your impressions, take notes using the stopwatch for cue times (and no matter how well you know dance, most pro SMs are using a stopwatch nowadays for cue calling - for really complexly timed cues stopwatch AND counting happens but the stopwatch gets you in the ballpark), and the go-pro is recording so you can watch the pieces at your leisure. Try to look at costumes while you're at the studio as well. And for all shows no matter what, use your imagination!!!!! Easier to edit when it's in there, prior to being in the theatre. I usually program all my cues prior to tech as well - if you "own" the space it's just a much handier way of going about things. Of course I am my own programmer as well, so that helps, but if I wasn't, I'd definitely think it was worth the $$$ to pre-program (depending on who you work with and how they like to work. ALL my customers like having cues pre-programmed at tech, so we are doing level changes and tweaking after the first tech and NOT building cues from scratch.
For scripted shows (especially musicals and children's theatre) the script is just a starting point. Although in a conversation last month it appears that some stage directions are copyrighted (assuming cueing is included in that) so you HAVE to do what it says in the script. Poo!


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## JChenault (Nov 1, 2017)

This is an interesting thread. My procedure is slightly different from what I have seen here so I thought I would add to the discussion.

I work mainly in musicals. I read the script, listen to the music ( where possible) talk to the director, write down what I think the obvious locations are in the show ( Night on the beach, mid day, etc). 

But must of my design work comes when I sit there watching a rehearsal. I open up my lap top - fire up excel, and start writing down cue ideas. What I want to see happen. As I am writing the looks and transitions I want to see, I will see what I need for those looks and make notes on a yellow pad. Things like 'Strong down light to define space over table in 1-3" After a few rehearsals I have several pages of notes on what I want the hang to accomplish and I make the light plot, choose colors and gobos, etc. I also have a spreadsheet of the cues I expect to be needing. 

After the hang, when setting levels I don't really refer to the script much at all except to clarify what is appending if I have questions. I drive the design process from my spreadsheet. At some point I either put the cues in a book - or have a paper tech with the SM and we put the cues in her book - but working from my spreadsheet which by now has added point cues, deleted lines, etc. 

Why a spreadsheet and not in a book. Primarily ease of use. I can put a lot more data about what I want to accomplish in a spreadsheet than I can in a script. I can see all of my cues in one place to get a better concept of flow. I also find what when the script says 'Dance Break' I can have 10 to 30 cues.


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## lorilights (Nov 2, 2017)

JChenault said:


> This is an interesting thread. My procedure is slightly different from what I have seen here so I thought I would add to the discussion.
> 
> I work mainly in musicals. I read the script, listen to the music ( where possible) talk to the director, write down what I think the obvious locations are in the show ( Night on the beach, mid day, etc).
> 
> ...


Hi John Chenault,
One issue I have with using a computer to hold lighting notes is that it wrecks my eyes and alters my perception of color and intensity. Seriously. So all my notes are on paper. Which is fine for your method as well as long as you use a printout! Just thought I'd mention it  I see a lot of LDs using computers and setting levels so you're not alone in that!


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## JChenault (Nov 3, 2017)

lorilights said:


> Hi John Chenault,
> One issue I have with using a computer to hold lighting notes is that it wrecks my eyes and alters my perception of color and intensity. Seriously. So all my notes are on paper. Which is fine for your method as well as long as you use a printout! Just thought I'd mention it  I see a lot of LDs using computers and setting levels so you're not alone in that!



Let me be clear. While I am setting cues I am working from paper.

I have seen one younger designer who does use a computer during cueing, he set it up so the screen was black background and white text. Much less intrusive.


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