Continuing from last week, when I introduced two key words for DPs and Gaffers to use for important info we need about whether something is in sequence or not, I’d like to introduce three more words. On my last film, the DP would tell me to record something. Since he never before had told me to record anything, I knew that he was trying to tell me something different. What I eventually understood is he wanted me to make a Preset that could be reused instantly at any time. So, I’d like to introduce three more words for Programmer and Gaffer/DP consideration: Preset, Cue, Handle.
Programmers will probably instantly get where I’m going with this. What we record to determines what future use it has. Is it comprehensive storage, or an incredibly useful building block? Is it ready to deploy any moment on set? For the Gaffers and DPs- here’s some definitions.
Preset– this is a reference container. It holds the specific data you may want to reuse at any time as we build looks. Think of it as a clever building block that fits anywhere you may want it to go. If you want something stored in a way that it can be reused to do anything- Preset is the key. If this doesn’t go too into the woods- a Preset can be used to make a Cue or a Fader/Handle/Submaster. Since it’s a reference, it is easy to use and reuse in a bunch of different ways. And that means it can fairly easily be used each day of a show and even across shows. Presets are great for “I love this combo of CCT and green tint”, “That moving light in the gobo and at the color and zoom” or “Literally every parameter of these light(s) needs to be available for instant recall”.
Cue– a cue is pretty much what every look turns into. Every time we do an establishing shot- it’s a cue. Every turn around where we adjust levels slightly- becomes a cue. It’s a container for storing EVERYTHING that the lighting setup was. While it’s super powerful and easy to jump to a cue on any given day, it has some limits for future use. It’s sometimes tough to have an efficient conversation about which exact scene/turnaround you may want recalled on a subsequent day. This is because there is no standardized way to number/name cues and turnarounds across our industry. Since it is comprehensive that makes it a little unwieldy for easy future use.
Handle/Fader/Submaster– This is essentially a look/cue on a fader. It typically only contains one cue (not a sequence) but is the perfect solution for things you will need throughout your production. Examples are: Muzzle flashes, Driving effects like Head lights, tail lights, street lights passing. Explosions. Fire effects. Cop light effects. Anything that you may need at any time and you’d like to start from a “play it now” place. My gaffer ADORES handles. Creatively, it’s how he thinks for everything that is not the established look and key/fill adjustments. It’s diverse and powerful. It also can be used across productions.
It’s obvious to any programmer reading this right now that I’ve omitted a LOT of fine detail about these three terms (Record Targets as we call them in Eos). But I believe the law of diminishing returns will kick in quickly if I go much further. I truly believe these three keywords cover an immense amount of territory and sharing them will help all conversations.
What keywords do you discuss with your collaborators? Would love to see them in the comments.
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Mark LaPierre is a programmer in film and television based out of Albuquerque. He grew up in live entertainment and has been a designer/programmer for musicals, concert dance, live music, circus and corporate. Mark is a proud member of IATSE, an ETC Eos trainer and an enthusiastic trainer of many other platforms and subjects. If you enjoy his content, please consider commenting on his posts on the website to appease the Algorithm.