Welcome to a series about How to Program using Sidus Link Pro. There are files I’ve made to help this whole process including a free Viz file. Download them WITH THIS LINK now! Check out the video below, then come on back for a little more content (and context) I couldn’t fit into the video.
A Little More About Patch and Prep
Patch is the foundation of your entire project. DO NOT rush through it. Double check everything before Truck Prep, then check every fixture as you go. I cannot stress this enough. If you don’t have the right patch, nothing is going to go well.
Strategize the order of your patch. If you are making your Truck Pack patch and you know what your Gaffer’s most-called lights are, put them in first. You’ll save a LOT of time scrolling if you do that. Highly recommend.
Channel vs Fixture: I’m an older programmer, so I still use the word channel describe a light I’m controlling. The current term is Fixture. I’ll ry to teach myself to stop saying channel, but since there is more than one older lighting person out there…try to keep in mind that they both mean the same thing.
You can export a CSV file of the patch from Sidus Link Pro. The Fixture Report you downloaded from me was done this way, then imported into Numbers (I like Macs.). This then becomes both paperwork and a database to use a Mail Merge to create labels. I really like Weatherproof labels as the text doesn’t run and the labels are very hard to rip. They are expensive, so if you can’t do that- use paper labels, but put down a piece of gaffe tape under and cover the paper label with clear tape to protect it.
If you are new to your Gaffer and/or DP see if you can draw them into a conversation of how they like to work. If it’s possible to buy a programmer who has worked for them a couple drinks or a meal to get helpful info- DO IT. Knowing your Gaffer helps you all the way through, but it really helps during prep so you set things up right.
If you have tips or questions- go ahead and leave them in the comments! Let’s make this a community effort.