% Hussein-Lighting-Charts-Format-v2.tex
% Hussein Esmail
% Created 2021 08 14
% Updated 2021 08 14
% Description: [DESCRIPTION]

% This file can be found at https://husseinesmail.com/guides/all/

% =========================== Variables ===========================
\newcommand{\myAuthor}              {Hussein Esmail}
\newcommand{\mySubject}             {How I Made Proper Lighting Charts in 2021}
\newcommand{\myKeywords}            {Lighting, Diagrams, Theatre, Guide}
\newcommand{\myCourseDateCreated}   {August 17, 2021}
\newcommand{\myTitle}               {How to Make Proper Lighting Charts v2}
% =========================== Variables ===========================

\documentclass{article}
\title{\myTitle}
\author{\myAuthor}
\date{\myCourseDateCreated} 

\usepackage{hyperref}	    % Information used for PDF metadata
\usepackage{longtable}      % Tables that can go past 1 page
\usepackage{calc}           % Used for LX counter variable
                            % https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/93865/236070
\hypersetup{
    colorlinks=false, 
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    pdftitle={\myTitle}, 
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}
\newcounter{lx}
\setcounter{lx}{0}

% =========================== Shortcuts ===========================
\newcommand{\comment}[1]{}                          % Multiline comments
\newenvironment{itemize*}{\begin{itemize}\setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}{\end{itemize}}
\newenvironment{enumerate*}{\begin{enumerate}\setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}{\end{enumerate}}
\newcommand{\note}[1]{\hline{} \textbf{Note} & #1 \\ \hline{} \\ }
\newcommand{\LX}[7]{
    \textbf{-Lx-} & \ifx&#1&\setcounter{lx}{\value{lx}+1}\arabic{lx} \else#1\fi \\
    \ifx&#2&\else \textbf{Page} &#2 \\ \fi
    \ifx&#3&\else \textbf{Time} &#3s \\ \fi
    \textbf{Line} & \ifx&#4&\textbf{[None]}\else#4 \fi \\
    & \hspace*{1cm} \underline{\textbf{Cue here.}} \\
    \textbf{Line} & \ifx&#5&\textbf{[None]}\else#5 \fi \\
    \ifx&#6&\else \textbf{Desc} &#6 \\ \fi
    \ifx&#7&\else \textbf{Note} &#7 \\ \fi \\
}
% =========================== Shortcuts ===========================

\begin{document} % Official beginning of the document. 
\maketitle
\newpage
\tableofcontents
\newpage

\section{Introduction}
This document explains how I make lighting charts at the time of this document
being written. Currently I type them in \LaTeX{} or Microsoft Excel/
\href{https://www.libreoffice.org/}{LibreOffice Calc}. They depend on the case, 
and in the future I might make a program that converts one of the formats to 
the other, and vice versa.

This document was made using \LaTeX{}, a typesetting format. All section titles 
in the Table of Contents can lead you to the actual section when 
double-clicked. You can read here 
\href{https://www.husseinesmail.xyz/articles/is-latex-better.html}
{why I made this in \LaTeX{}}.

\section{Why is this important?}
You might be asking why this is important? During practices or dress
rehearsals, we make and modify our own lighting charts. This is not entirely
necessary, but it is easier to keep track of things if we write them down. This
document describes my format on how to do so. Don’t think that you must follow 
this if another format works better for you. Just make sure that other people 
can also understand it if they have to use your notes.

\section{Getting the Template}
To get this template, you can go to \href{https://husseinesmail.xyz/guides/all/}{https://husseinesmail.xyz/guides/all/} and download the template under ``How to Make Proper Lighting Charts''. 

\section{Using LaTeX}
In the past I have made my lighting charts in Microsoft Word. I have now been 
tying to move my process over to LaTeX, and that means typing my lighting 
charts in that format too. In LaTeX, it can number functions automatically 
(useful for counting cues automatically), make a Table of Contents 
automatically (useful for going directly to a scene and its first cue in it), 
and many other things that isn't really necessary in this template like 
automatic citations, and more.

The main concept about LaTeX is that (almost) everything is a command. A 
command looks like this:
\begin{verbatim}
    \commandname{}
\end{verbatim}
In this case, the command only has 1 argument, since it only has 1 set of 
brackets. I have defined my own commands, which are: 
\begin{verbatim}
    \LX{Lx num}{Page num}{Time}{Line 1}{Line 2}{Description}{Notes}
    \note{Note}
    \newScene{Num}{Title}
\end{verbatim}
Here I wrote what goes in which arguments. Almost all of the arguments in the 
commands I created are optional. That means if you have nothing to put in that 
specific field, you can just have a set of empty brackets. The only ones that 
are currently not optional are: the scene number in 
``\textbackslash{}newScene\{HERE\}\{\}'' and the note in 
``\textbackslash{}note\{HERE\}'' (because if you have no note but you are
writing a note command, I see no point in that). If you leave the Lx num blank 
in ``\textbackslash{}LX\{HERE\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}'', it will count 
automatically for you. This is useful if you are planning cues, but not if 
there are already cue numbers set in your lighting board with their own 
numbers.\footnote{However, in some lighting boards you can set it to renumber 
the cues properly, in which case you would get the same auto-generated numbers 
here} The count starts at 1\footnote{Unless the starting number is changed 
in \textbackslash{}myLXcounter in the variables section}, and goes up by 1.

\section{Formatting}

\subsection{\textbackslash{}Lx\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}\{\}}
\subsubsection{\{Lx number\}}
This section is how to use the 
Usually when people have a list of items, they are numbered in the order they
appear. Well theatre has something similar too. It is referred to as the ‘cue’
but written as ``Lx'' (for the specific convention of ``lighting cue''. The x 
means cue). For example, if the Stage Manager says to go to 
``Cue 37'', you would look for Lx 37. This means that whenever we write our 
lighting cues, they must be numbered. 

\subsubsection{\{Page\}}
Normally you might also choose to note in your script when each cue happens 
as well. Either way, this ``Page'' section comes in handy. If the Stage 
Manager or Director chooses to continue from a specific line on a specific page, 
you can refer to your lighting charts what the lights need to be at that moment.
It can also tell you when there is a break between cues so you are not ready 
to do the cue for a long time.

\subsubsection{\{Time\}}
This section is how long the duration of the cue takes, if it is faded or if 
you have to do it manually. If it is just programmed into the lighting board 
and you don't have to worry about it, you can leave this blank and this part 
of the cue won't be printed.

\subsubsection{\{Line\} \textrightarrow{} \{Line\}}
This section would be when to perform the cue based on what line a person says. 
If you are writing the lines in the LaTeX template, and you have to perform 
the cue between ``I want some'' and ``pizza with mushrooms.'', you would write 
it like this:
\begin{verbatim}
    \LX{}{}{}{I want some}{pizza with mushrooms}{}{}
\end{verbatim}
\newpage
If this cue were printed, it will show up like this:
\begin{longtable}{l|p{\textwidth}}  % Table start
    -Lx-    & 1 \\
    Line    & I want some \\
            & \hspace*{1cm} \underline{\textbf{Cue here.}} \\
    Line    & pizza with mushrooms \\
\end{longtable}
The reason why I formatted it this way is because it's easier to see where to run the cue. If it was all on one line like it used to be, it would look like this: \textbf{Cue: [line before cue] $\rightarrow$ [line after cue]}
\subsubsection{\{Desc\}}
This section is if you have a description of the cue, for what it does, Simple 
as that. This is useful for finding when something happens but you don't 
remember the cue or page it's on. If you had ``Red wash'' in the description, 
you could find the words ``Red wash'' in the PDF or .tex document and you'd 
find it. It's also nice for listing all instances of something all together. If
you have no description, this section won't show in that cue.

\subsubsection{\{Note\}}
This section is for your personal notes. If you have no note, this section 
won't show in that cue. 

Examples:
\begin{itemize*}
    \item ``Redo''
    \item ``Go over at tech run''
    \item ``Fix this''
    \item ``Changed on board. Retype this.''
\end{itemize*}
$\ldots$ you get the idea. 

\subsection{\textbackslash{}note\{\}}
This command is if you have a note, but isn't assigned to a specific cue. It 
could be something to prepare for if something is done by a cast member, where 
a sound cue would be, a personal note, etc.

\section{Ways to write changes}
This section only applies if you plan to write the channel numbers and
intensity percentages on your documents. It can be used to reference if 
something goes wrong with the lighting board, but it also takes up space on the
page when you are running through the show.

I know of two ways to write channel numbers and intensity percentages (will be referred to as ``cue'') in lighting charts. The first is to only 
write what changes in each cue, and the other is to write all the lights that
are on in a given cue. There are pros and cons to both, and here's what they 
are.

\subsection{Only writing changes in each cue}
The benefit to this is that it's faster to read during performances, but the
downside is that if the director wants to start at a certain scene, there may
be lights that need to be turned on that aren't listed in the current cue.

\subsection{Writing all instructions on all cues}
The benefit for this is that it's easier to switch to specific scenes, but 
they are slower to read during performances because there will also be cues
that are already on.

Note that if you are using specific channel numbers, they only work if you are 
at the same theatre.  A solution to this would be to write stage locations, but
we will go into that later on. If you are using submasters on the lighting 
board, you can simply write \textbf{SUB 1}. If you are using multiple 
submasters at the same time, it would look a little like this: \\ 
\textbf{SUB1@100\%, SUB2@50\%}

I recommend refraining from using multiple submasters during individual cues,
because that would defeat the use of them; which is to have all the lights you
need in one fader. The goal is to make it something like this: \\
\textbf{SUB1@100\%}

\subsection{When there are no changes}
If there are no changes in something but you still need a new lighting cue, you
would write ``[NONE]" in the spaces where no change occurs. For the BASIC
lights, it would look something like this: \\ \textbf{[NONE]}

\section{Stage Locations/Other Theatres}
If you are making lighting charts that you know will only be performed at your
own theatre, then this section isn’t as necessary. Some examples of this
scenario can be the school talent show, and the winter and spring showcases.

However, if there is even a possibility there will be performances at a
different theatre, I recommend that you write this section. This section is
used to make submasters at new theatres. I won’t go into why, but please, if
there is one thing you need to know out of this entire document, MAKE SURE YOU
WRITE DOWN STAGE LOCATIONS FOR LIGHTS FOR EACH CUE!

Since words like ``Downstage'' or ``Stage Right'' take up a lot of space, we
use abbreviated terms.

\begin{tabular}{r l} 
    Term    & Name 
	\\ USR  & Upstage Right 
	\\ USC  & Upstage Centre
	\\ USL  & Upstage Left 
	\\ SR   & Stage Right 
	\\ CS   & Centre Stage 
	\\ SL   & Stage Left 
	\\ DSR  & Downstage Right 
	\\ DSC  & Downstage Centre 
	\\ DSL  & Downstage Left 
	\\ AL   & Apron Left 
	\\ AC   & Apron Centre 
	\\ AR   & Apron Right
\end{tabular}

\section{Example Lighting Chart}
\begin{longtable}{l|p{\textwidth}}  % Table start
    \LX{}{2}{}{}{}{House lights}{When people enter, before show}
    \note{When the admission period ends. Show starts here.}
    \LX{}{2}{4}{}{The first line in the script}{Blackout}{Before the show starts}
    \LX{}{2}{4}{This is the line before.}{This is the line after}{Some description}{This is a note.}
    \LX{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
    \LX{}{2}{4}{This is the line before.}{This is the line after}{Some description}{This is a note.}
\end{longtable} % Table end

\section{Contact}
If you have any issues with \LaTeX{} or my templates, please don't hesitate to send me an email at \href{mailto:HusseinEsmailContact@gmail.com}{HusseinEsmailContact@gmail.com}.

You can also see my website here at \href{https://husseinesmail.xyz}{https://husseinesmail.xyz}.
\end{document}
