For relatively complex events or projects involving a number of technical or artistic participants, it becomes essential to establish the chronology of their implementation (a cue-to-cue). This scenario of the event’s progress will then be followed to the minute, or even the second, during the dress rehearsal and the event.
The person designated for general coordination (stage manager) will be responsible for tracking this cue sheet: he/she will verbally indicate to the technical team members when to move to the next cue, using the designated telecommunication tool for the event (ClearCom, DISCORD, etc.). The stage manager will thus be in charge of advancing the event, one technical cue at a time. A copy of this sequence must be given to each operator involved in executing this series of actions.
Such a cue-to-cue can be represented in two ways:
Vertical: each row indicates the temporal cue number and the scheduled execution time (HH:MM:SS);
Horizontal: each column indicates the expected action, for each specific control room (stage, lighting, sound, video, broadcasting, stage direction, etc.)
Here is an example of the sequence for the start of a telepresence event broadcast on the web:
| Cue | Schedule | Duration | Action | Audio Control | Video Control | Stand-by | Telepresence Control | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19:15 | 00:15:00 | Connect to web broadcasting platform | Telepresence stage 1 | Broadcast test | |||
| 3 | 20:00 | 00:03:00 | Welcome speech | Micro Mr. X | Wide shot + mobile of venue X on Mr. X | Shot on Mr. Z | Stage 1 | Explanation of the sequence |
| 4 | 20:03 | 00:00:15 | Transition/movement | Silent | Wide shot venue X + mobile venue Y | Shot on Mr. Z | Stage 1 | |
| 5 | 20:03 | 00:06:00 | Presentation Mr. Z | Micro Mr. Z + Mr. X | Wide shot on Mr. Z | Shot on Ms. X and Y | Stage 1 | Reading of the presentation text |
| 6 | 20:09 | 00:00:15 | Transition/movement | Silent | Slide (image) | Shot on Ms. X and Y | Stage 1 | |
| 7 | 20:09 | 00:03:30 | Verbatim interview reading | Micro Ms. X and Y | Wide shot on Ms. X and Y | Mr. X and Ms. Z | Stage 1 | Reading excerpts from work X |
| 8 | 20:13 | 00:00:15 | Transition/movement | Mr. X voice-over | Slide (image) | Mobile shot venue X and Y | Stage 1 | |
| 9 | 20:13 | 00:03:10 | Reading text X | Microphones of Mr. X and Ms. Z | Wide and mobile shot venue X | Ms. X, Y, and Z | Stage 1 | Reading excerpts from work X |
| 10 | 20:16 | 00:00:30 | Transition/movement | Silent | Slide (image) | Mobile shot 2 venues + Stage 2 | Stage 1 | |
| 11 | 20:16 | 00:15:00 | Interview Mr. X and Ms. Y | Microphones Mr. X and Ms. Y | Interview editing | Mr. X and Ms. Y and Z + Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Interview |