Observations

As I'm nearing the end of my rehearsal process and moving closer to tech, I just wanted to list a few observations I've had regarding a paperless rehearsal:

• Reports, blocking, and line notes are much easier- Because I can update my documents at the source, I cut out the step of having to transfer the information that I've written down, risking forgetting small details that came up at the time.
• Finding information is quicker- any questions that arise during rehearsal can be easily solved by shooting out an email, searching for information online, or checking documents on the production website.
• People distrust that you are paying attention- Although the work that is being done on my computer is the same that would be done on a printed script in a binder, people in the room are less willing to believe that what I am looking at on the computer screen is a copy of my blocking script and that I am not simply surfing the internet.
• Distractions are more difficult to ignore- Because I am working from my personal computer, I find that I am often distracted by reminders of other tasks that do not involve Still Life. Every so often I have to work harder to remain focused than I normally would if I were working off of a computer that wasn't my own or out of a binder.

Overall, I think it has been a smooth rehearsal process as far as the switch to paperless is concerned. I feel that it will prove more beneficial as we move into tech and performances, but we will see!

Paperless Prompt Book

As A Number is getting ready to go into tech tomorrow, I am putting the final touches on my prompt script.  When starting this process, there were a few things that were a priority.  The first criterion was the ability to quickly edit the placement content of the cues is one of the most important things during a tech process.  The second factor is the ability to output to a form that can be easily distributed (the “got hit by a bus” contingency”).  Third, I wanted to be able to track the changes that were made during the process (that is lost by not having those marks that never go away after you erase a pencil mark).

In sticking with the same idea of using tools that many people have access to, I decided to use Microsoft Word again.  However, the “comments” function that I used for the blocking script was not agile enough to be edited quick enough in tech.  Instead, I used a combination of lines and text boxes to make a completely editable cue placement system.

In experimenting with possible situations that may come up in tech, I found that this electronic editing system actually proved more efficient in real time than the paper/pencil/erasing version that would be used in a standard prompt script.  Also, it eliminates the sometimes hours of necessary “go back and clean up your book” time and instead allows you to save at the end of tech and deal with the more interesting and important issues that may arise.

The prompt script was one of the things I was most worried about doing without the use of paper.  However, with this system I have in place, I can see the tech process actually being expedited by this paperless solution.  We will see how it goes!