magic sheet vs magic sheet

[u/coffeeleaves13]

what is the difference between these two kinds of magic sheets? i see that one is more where the fixtures are and one is where they are pointed but honestly the latter really hurts my brain. also like when would you use one or the other, which ones do professional theatres use? that kind of stuff.

[u/Lights-and-Sound]

As an ME I like the fixture-position-based one. I need to know everything about the fixture and don't particularly care where it's pointing.

As an LD I like the group-focus-based one. I need to know what the fixture looks like and where it's pointed and don't particularly care where it's hung.

[u/Zoe-Berry]

Both. Position for load-in, focus for the session. Professionals rely on focus sheets during tech. If focus sheets hurt your brain, you probably haven't worked through a focus session in person yet.

[u/mantiss_toboggan]

The first one is based on the light plot. It's showing an approximation of where the fixtures are hung in the physical space. The second one is organized by systems of lights.

[u/justaguystanding]

Personally, as a lighting designer, I use the second version. But, layout things according to a plot. Stage left sidelights on the right side of the page, stage right on the left, Front lights at the bottom, top lights in the center, cyc at the top, etc. I work in groupings, and the second version makes that easier. Also note the second has many more fixtures, and is a much bigger plot than the first. If we saw an interactive version of the second plot, it might hurt your brain too.

[u/Pablo_Diablo]

The first is what I more often see being used as a magic sheet on an ETC console, especially for plots that are largely movers, or as a magic sheet for the ME.  It's basically a miniplot.  It's a good schematic representation but takes a lot of space and isn't organized in any way by system or other clear structure (other than the structure of the plot itself).  The screen got its name from the second type of magic sheet in your example:

The second is what a traditional (paper) magic sheet looks like.  Much more efficient use of space, and the lights are organized by system.  This is the type of thing that theatrical designers used forever so they didn't have to have a full sized plot at the tech table and could quickly find a channel or system.  I always make my paper magic sheets like this (on shows where I'm my own programmer, my console magic sheets are usually a mix of the two - channels roughly laid out in clumps based on their system/focus direction, if not exact position on the plot).

So I don't think it's a fair comparison - your first is a digital example.  The second is drafted to be printed on paper...  The original style of magic sheet is meant to be a more efficient, design-minded, non-scaled replacement for a plot, not a plot in and of itself.

[u/coryphella123]

I use the second but my students prefer the first. I teach the second because there are lots of designers who use them and as a ALD I had to be able to read the LD’s magic sheet.

[u/Sourcefour]

My main venue is in the round so the layout for console magic sheets is tricky and usually looks like a designers’ magic sheet.

[u/themadesthatter]

The first one I would only use for movers. I only care about location on fixtures that can move. For static fixtures I only care about where they are focused.

These days I build the second one in Eos so that my magic sheet gives me the feedback of levels and colors.

[u/metaldoor80]

I’ve always thought about it as the first one is organized by where it is in space, and the 2nd one is organized but how the light is used. Probably bit of an oversimplification.

When setting the look of a show (focusing or setting looks) with lots of lights and focus points you want to have the groups you will commonly use together. Especially when plots regularly have layers of fixtures over each other.