Cue the Crew: How Communication Devices Bring Shows to Life

Watching a live production can be entertaining and captivating. I mean, isn’t that the goal for every producer & the reason why an audience is even in attendance? To be entertained! All jokes aside, as the audience indulges in all of the moving parts, lights, and sound cues throughout the production, there is a village behind the scenes working hard to make the magic happen. In order to have that effect on your audience, you will need to have your crew working in sync with one another. Therefore, communication is mandatory!

It truly requires clear direction and direct orders to be given, as well as the utmost cooperation from everyone, whether they are backstage, front of house, or anywhere else on set. Everyone is able to execute their individual tasks in sync with each other thanks to the use of communication devices, aka "comms." These communication devices can be used either wirelessly, or hardwired to one another. When referring to means of communication, there are multiple devices available that can do the trick. However, from my personal experience, there are two brands I see used more commonly in environments such as concerts, seminars, or arenas. These two brands are Clear-Com Free Speak 2, or Riedel Bolero. Both of these systems operate using wireless belt packs with headphones and antennas strategically placed around the area of operation.

Some of the basic phrases we use over comms are from the 10-code system. The 10-code system, also known as the 10-signals, are abbreviations used to shorten common phrases in radio communication. Here are some of the more frequently used codes:

10-4: Affirmative

10-7: Out of service/not available

10-8: In service/aavailable

10-10: Negative

10-14: Information

10-20: Location

10-21: Call Me

How the AV world came about using the 10-code system is unknown to me. I can only assume since the code was widely used in law enforcement agencies and CB band radio transmissions for years, this style of communication etiquette found its way into our field as well as many others.

The most used code is definitely the 10-20 code. You will hear, “What’s your 20?” Meaning someone is asking for your location. Imagine asking what someone's “20” is, and you hear a toilet flush over the comm and a reply, “My 20 is the restroom.” Trust me, it happens. I just hope they washed their hands before they hit the reply button, because I might be the one that has to put away all of the units at the end of the day.

Aside from the 10-code system, we use phrases to communicate and execute certain tasks. Typically there is a show caller or technical director that’s giving orders for the technicians to execute, using phrases such as: standby, take, go, hold, & fade. A show caller may call on a tech and say, “Standby," then give the task to be done. It’s understood by the tech to only get ready to execute the task but not act on it until the show caller says “take” or "go." A show caller may even call on multiple technicians at the same time and say "standby," then tell each technician what their task is. In this case, everyone will be ready and standing by to execute their specific task once the show caller says "take." This is how all of the moving parts of a production are manifested in sync. It can be a lot to absorb and keep up with at first, but with repetition you get used to the rhythm of this process & it ultimately makes operations go smoothly.

On the flip side, when using means of communication on television and film sets, especially when shooting over a large area, teams tend to use 2-way portable radios. Even though these are technically discontinued, the industry standard is the Motorola CP200(d). This handheld radio can be clipped to your belt and used with a headset/mic attachment. When teams are in the field, the functionality of having multiple channels to communicate on with simply the turn of a knob makes it much easier to designate channels for certain roles and to switch channels to relay messages to certain groups or individuals.

For example, channel 1 can be a “party line." This is a channel where everyone on the team can chat. Channel 2 might be for producers and clients only. Channel 3 for camera operators. Channel 5 for sound mixers, Channel 7 for lighting and grip and so forth.

It’s a good practice to have the team broken up on different channels. It can easily become a nightmare if everyone is consolidated to one channel, as communication can become convoluted. When that happens, orders can’t be given or received properly. Also, it might rub a producer or director the wrong way when people are supposed to be focused on work, yet start to talk about things unrelated to the job. When a direct one-on-one conversation needs to happen without the full team, you can easily switch to an adjacent open even-numbered channel for a moment.

A film set may look like chaos to the untrained eye, and many times, it likely is! However, it can be avoided when communications are implemented, by using clear communication, and by giving direct orders, tasks, and commands. With these steps in place, your team will find it much easier to execute a successful event or show.

Whether I’m working a front-of-house audio gig in a ballroom setting, or a television shoot in the middle of a desert, I’ve learned to appreciate the use of comms and radios. As a spectator, one might give all the props and praise to the performers or speakers at the event you are attending, but in reality, there is a collective group of people working in sync behind the scenes to deliver the production you’ve come to see. Next time you are in attendance at a live event, take note of the dynamics of the lighting, listen to the different sound effects and music, and witness how all the props, chairs, and scenic pieces are always in the right place, at the right time. All of this is possible thanks to a collective group of people, communicating effectively to make your experience flawless.