Comms Procedure

[andy_s]

Paul - cans in non-theatre spaces, or spaces that think they are theatres but aren't really:

 

Well having just been showcaller in somewhere called "the live room" on a performance that involved fire juggling aerialists, stiltwalking, humanimal walkabouts, roller skating (also juggling fire), clowns, DJs, live bands, riggers erecting and striking apparatus mid-show for the chinese pole act, and three courses of dinner to fit in somewhere, I would have killed for a decent network of duplex cans with some wireless sets integrated. Instead, we had some motorollas borrowed from the house security kit (but we did get our own channel). The last show I did for this company (different venue)involved wired cans, motorolas and a house telephone, as the motorollas wouldn't reach 8 floors up to where the artists' changing facilities were... when I needed the next act to stand by, I simply telephoned Room 520 and asked them to get ready ... anyway, on both events, we coped, albeit with a couple of slightly eggy moments . . . I'm sure I'm not the first or only showcaller to have to deal with that kind of heath robinson set-up.

 

I can speak with some authority on running shows without cans, having spent three or more years ( very rough calculation - 14 seperate productions, perhaps an average of 45 performances per production, over 600 performances) with a company touring one-night stands into diverse venues, many of which were no more than four walls a ceiling, and if you were lucky a cooker switch for lighting power. Installing a set of cans was not seen as a particularly good use of the very limited get-in time available, so systems were devised to manage without, and a high standard of slick professional presentation was generally achieved. All three stage management staff knew the show and their roles really well, and would operate independently once the curtain-up moment was organised properly.

 

But re: Bob's disaster scenario, on the button! When there are problems, cans are worth their weight in gold (and I defy anyone, however professional, to claim 600-plus error or problem-free performances. There's nothing quite like seeing disaster looming and knowing you can't talk to any of the team to pre-empt it. A bit like watching the Titanic tilting...once it's started, nothing can be done ... Although we omitted the cans system for good enough reasons, there were definitely times whewn we suffered because of the lack of one. These days, I think I would carry a set of wireless cans,so it would simply be a case of plugging in the base station, rather than running a bunch of cables aorund the church hall, but such a facility was not really an option in my West Country touring days.

[CharlieH]

Our school hasn't got what I would call a particularly outstanding stage. It has a stage, and it has lights and a sound system, however I have frequently seen better equipment at other schools. What we have got, however, is a superbly good drama department. The quality of productions put on is very high - I would say comparable to the local performing arts college (although I am probably biased http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif). I agree that a good show does not equal good facilities - I think a good show equals good staff, with good experience working in a professional environment. We own a small comms system (4 beltpacks and headsets, plus a PSU) however I make a point of using it for everything. Our HoD, although never (as far as I know) having explicit experience doing technical theatre, understands the problems and if I say we need comms then he arranged a time for us to rig them.

 

I disagree with the comments about schools either not using them, or abusing them when they are used, as although it is probably likely in most scenarios it is still stereotypical, and inaccurate. As I say, we always use comms and I would not even consider doing a mid-large scale show without them. Granted, small things like awards ceremonies and assemblies don't warrant them, but we did a Performing Arts Evening a few weeks ago, and although not having a dedicated DSM, or having time to compile our cues into a single list for a DSM to call from (we would make time if it was vital, but the scale of this show didn't warrant the hassle of finding an extra person, mainly because not many inter-department cues occured) , I deemed it necessary to use comms. We only had them there to check things with other members, and sort out any mistakes. There was one cue where sound, lights, and followspots all had to act at the exact same time, and we just arranged for one of us to call that one cue....the others were all done from script. The rest of the team that I work with on the school stage never mis-use our comms systems, because we have found them invaluable in the past. Okay, if we get a new kid on the team then he will inevitably enjoy the novelty of talking to someone without being able to see them, and so we normally give all the new people a few hours to play with them whilst we do other work, and then we tell all of them that from now on the comms are to be used only for serious work......and they always listen.

 

I wouldn't be comfortable running a show without comms - there is too much to go wrong, and no way of sorting it out. We even have backup plans in place, should the comms fail, and during one of the rehearsals someone will turn off the PSU without warning and we test the backup plan and see how quickly we can revert to the backup system (usually a lot of 2 radios with headsets). I think that this shows how seriously we take the comms system; and we aren't a Performing Arts School, we don't get dedicated government funding and we still use them maturely. I agree that they are a tool, however I feel that any school that prioritises an extra mover over a few beltpacks is wrong, as comms, to me, are essential whereas more toys are not.

[paulears]

I disagree with the comments about schools either not using them, or abusing them when they are used, as although it is probably likely in most scenarios it is still stereotypical, and inaccurate.

 

Sadly, Charlie - just because it is indeed stereotypical, it doesn't mean it's wrong. You are in the fortunate position of having users who understand - this could just be a good school, or a good area, or even luck. I'm sure you can think of plenty of people at your school who would not be good to have on a comms circuit?

 

You say above it's probably likely, but then say it's inaccurate.

 

My own experience in education is that leaving a room with a big red button in it that is labelled DO NOT PRESS, just means you can take bets on when, not if it gets pressed! At your school, it obviously works. I wish it was the same everywhere.

[CharlieH]

Sadly, Charlie - just because it is indeed stereotypical, it doesn't mean it's wrong. You are in the fortunate position of having users who understand - this could just be a good school, or a good area, or even luck. I'm sure you can think of plenty of people at your school who would not be good to have on a comms circuit?

Yes, I can. I have had people mess about on the comms network before, but luckily the HoD happened to be on a headset at the same time and heard the whole thing - needless to say that member of the crew won't even think of doing that again!

 

You say above it's probably likely, but then say it's inaccurate.

Sorry - I should have been clearer. I meant that although it is likely in the majority of schools, the assumption that it happens everywhere is inaccurate, although it may happen at most places.

 

 

My own experience in education is that leaving a room with a big red button in it that is labelled DO NOT PRESS, just means you can take bets on when, not if it gets pressed! At your school, it obviously works. I wish it was the same everywhere.

I agree completely, however I do not feel that this is necessarily a bad thing. I am the first to admit that it would probably be me that pressed that button, out of curiosity http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif I believe that people don't learn unless they are afraid to make mistakes - I can remember the very first time I was asked to run lights: I had only had the briefest of tours around backstage and I knew nothing about dimmers, desks, or even lanterns! I managed to get some lights on by reading the manual and by seeing a switch that looked like it was wired into some big silver boxes on the wall, that looked important and didn't look switched on (I was in y7 at this time!). Okay, I didn't know what they did but I have learned by trying. Being honest, a school of all places aren't going to leave a button accessibly by students unless it is essentially harmless - okay it may cause hassle or annoyance, but it was a safety hazard then it wouldn't be that easy to get to! I think that by pressing that button, you are learning, and that is what schools are for. Granted, they may prefer you to learn in a more conventional manner, but I learn better by doing things and observing the outcomes.

[pdwyse]

I spot op'd for a comedian in a large pro venue a few weeks back and there were perhaps 20 cues or so in the whole (VERY long) show. The spots hardly moved all night. Which left us very open to idle chatter. And under the circumstances we indulged ourselves - even to the point of running a book on what time said comic would finally finish the show.

But that said we were always ready to jump back into the swing at a moment's notice should anything untoward happen.

 

Not Ken Dodd was it?

[singer/SM]

In case anyone was wondering (I doubt it) to go back to *my* OP (not *the* OP) I've just finished the three night run of the show at school. No comms required, no cues missed or bodged, no emergencies. Things went wrong, of course, actors fell over (!) Radio Mics fedback when the actors walked too far, the lighting desk crashed at one point I think but nothing that comms would have helped.

 

You can call it good luck or good rehearsal, take your pick!

[paulears]

So when the lighting desk crashed, how did the people backstage know what was happening, when it would come back on, and where abouts to pick the show up from? I'd have thought an idea example of where comms would really have helped. You also said "the lighting desk crashed, I think" - if I were running the show, I'd want to know?

[pdwyse]

This does seem to be a glaring classic example as said above of a need for comms. No matter the standard or location of the production, be it school, amdram or professional theatre.... a show needs to be controlled by a single person and have communication between the other departments. If there was a health and safety issue or indeed a safety issue within one of the technical departments, no matter how much rehearsal you have before the show goes up how are you going to deal with an emergency?

[willdoweuk]

trivial persuit over the comms is good fun on long cue-less scenes.

[Bobbsy]

trivial persuit over the comms is good fun on long cue-less scenes.

 

Only as long as it doesn't take away from the crew's concentration on their jobs. Just because there isn't supposed to be a cue doesn't mean that fate doesn't throw things your way. For LX, actors can step off their marks and need an extra light crept in so you can their face. Or a lamp can blow mid-scene requiring you to improvise.

 

For sound, if there are open mics there's a need to be monitoring and tweaking constantly--and never assume the cast won't accidentally miss two and a half pages of dialogue requiring you to play that all-important door bell way before you expect to.

 

I guess it comes down to whether you just want to "get by" and have a good time--or try to be as professional as possible and learn from every show. Most of the students in here get annoyed if their "experience" isn't recognised...but Trivial Pursuits on cans is just another example of why they're not taken seriously.

 

(This isn't to say I haven't seen professionals act foolishly as well--but there's a fine balance between "having a laugh while doing your job" and "oops...what the heck do we do now...where are we?". I suspect Trivial Pursuit may cross that line.)

 

Bob

[pdwyse]

I am a sound operator professionally and except pre show, beginning and end of interval and post show I wont be on cans unless flashed anyway.......

 

 

separate to that I think that playing games and chatting on cans is fine when the crew know that when its work time (I.e DSM has a cue) or there is an issue...... as a collection of pro technicians you cannot tell me that 5 weeks into a panto run there is still cans silence in the long slop scenes etc.

 

As long as there are clear rules for silence during cues and DSM or Duty tech etc have clear command for calling silences then I don't see an issue for occasional chatting etc.

 

Paul

[rossmck]

I am a sound operator professionally and except pre show, beginning and end of interval and post show I wont be on cans unless flashed anyway.......

 

I've noticed that's often the case with sound ops - imagine it lets you hear the show better ;)

 

separate to that I think that playing games and chatting on cans is fine when the crew know that when its work time (I.e DSM has a cue) or there is an issue......As long as there are clear rules for silence during cues and DSM or Duty tech etc have clear command for calling silences then I don't see an issue for occasional chatting etc.

 

Most places have worked simply on "no chatting on a standby" rule and it's worked fine... everyone has the (rather odd to outsiders I guess) ability to stop dead in the middle of a sentence when the DSM calls a standby and resume the chattering again at almost exactly the same point once the cue(s) have ran and there's another gap in the cueing sequence.

 

One DSM I worked with didn't like talking on cans at all so started the show with "Standby LX 1 through 142, Fly cues 1 through 27 ..." ... ah well ; )

[Adam L F]

Sorry to butt in on your very interesting conversation here :P But thought I’d post my views on the use of cans. From touring theatres perspective, all operators and DSM should be on cans constantly throughout the show, regardless (obviously if something goes wrong a simple “off coms” would suffice as long as the operator returns promptly once the problem is fixed and hasn’t vanished in the middle of a cue!). NEVER talk through a standby, the DSM is got and shall smite you down if you speak whilst in a standby (once again, unless in an emergency). ASM and SM generally wonder around popping on when they know when their cues are and are ready and waiting to go.

 

 

 

There can be some exceptions though, for example the Sound Operator doesn’t need to be on coms the whole time, and generally does have a script in front of them for making mics live, but being on coms for the top of the show and for house clearance is a given.

 

 

 

I’m sure everyone can admit to a bit of coms banter too, me not being the exception to this rule, it’s always fun to have a little giggle with eachother now and again!

 

 

[pdwyse]

amen brother!..... cans banter is always done! but as you say silence on stand by and DSM is in charge!

[WiLL]

 

My own experience in education is that leaving a room with a big red button in it that is labelled DO NOT PRESS, just means you can take bets on when, not if it gets pressed! At your school, it obviously works. I wish it was the same everywhere.

 

 

I have a big red button on my lighting desk in my educational venue that says PANIC, it's there to distract the idiotic 'I wonder what that does?' button pushers out there from all the other buttons on the desk. This only works however because it is a fake button that does nothing except make the pusher look a bit of an idiot.

However I have found that instances of the DBO button being pressed have dramatically decreased since I glued it on.