---
url: "https://docs.on-book.app/pro/user/features/lighting.md"
description: "Track your lighting cues and follow spot assignments in one place."
---

# Lighting

> **Human verification required.** Lighting cues and follow spot sheets need review before tech or show use.

> **Track your lighting cues and follow spot assignments in one place.**

***

![Lighting Cues — On Book Pro](../../assets/screenshots/lighting/lighting-hero.png)

## Overview

The Lighting tool provides a dedicated workspace for Stage Managers and Lighting Designers to build, manage, and print:

* **Cue Builder** — A scene-grouped lighting cue list (LX Q numbers, descriptions, cue lines, and notes)
* **Follow Spot Setup** — Define your follow spots, assign operators, and document positions
* **Follow Spot Assignments** — Per-cue pickups with character, action, frame/color, size, and intensity

The Lighting tool is available in the **Designer** workspace and requires the `EDIT_LIGHTING` permission.

***

## Getting Started

1. Navigate to the **Lighting** tab in the sidebar (tungsten emoji\_objects icon)
2. Choose a subtab:

| Subtab | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| **Cue Builder** | Create and manage your LX cue list |
| **Follow Spots** | Set up spot operators and build per-spot cue sheets |

***

## Cue Builder

The Cue Builder provides a traditional theatrical cue list for lighting.

### Understanding Cues

Each cue entry includes:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Cue Number** | Your custom numbering (LX Q1, Q10.5, etc.) |
| **Scene** | The scene the cue belongs to |
| **Description** | What the cue does (e.g., "Blackout", "Warm wash DS") |
| **Cue Line** | The line or moment that triggers the cue |
| **Notes** | Additional notes for the board op or designer |

### Adding Cues

1. Click **+ Add Cue** in the toolbar
2. Fill in the cue number, description, and other fields
3. Select the **scene** the cue belongs to
4. Press **Enter** or click outside to save

### Editing Cues

* Click any field in the cue row to edit it inline
* Changes auto-save immediately
* Press **Escape** to cancel an edit

### Deleting Cues

* Click the **delete** icon on the cue row
* Deleted cues are soft-deleted (recoverable via undo)

### Scene Grouping

Cues are visually grouped by their assigned scene, organized under Act headers. This mirrors how your cue list flows during the show.

### Reordering Cues

* Drag and drop cues to reorder within a scene
* The sort order determines the print order

### Cue Numbering Conventions

On Book Pro doesn't enforce a numbering scheme — use whatever works for your production:

* Sequential: `LX Q1`, `LX Q2`, `LX Q3`
* Point cues: `Q10`, `Q10.5`, `Q10.7`
* Department prefixed: `LX 1`, `LX 2`

***

## Follow Spot Setup

Before creating follow spot cues, define your spots.

### Adding a Spot

1. Switch to the **Follow Spots** subtab
2. In the **Spot Setup** section, click **+ Add Spot**
3. Enter the spot details:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Label** | Spot designation (e.g., Spot 1, SR Spot, Center) |
| **Operator Name** | Who is running the spot |
| **Position** | Where the spot is located (e.g., "Booth", "Catwalk SR") |

### Editing a Spot

* Click any field in the spot row to edit inline
* Changes save automatically

### Deleting a Spot

* Click the delete icon on the spot row
* **Warning**: Deleting a spot removes its assignment from all follow spot cues

***

## Follow Spot Assignments

Follow spot cues define what each spot does at each moment in the show.

### Adding a Follow Spot Cue

1. In the **Follow Spots** subtab, scroll to the cue list
2. Click **+ Add Cue**
3. Fill in the cue fields:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Cue Number** | Your follow spot cue numbering (FS Q1, etc.) |
| **Spot** | Which spot (selected from your Spot Setup) |
| **Character** | Which character to pick up (dropdown from cast) |
| **Action** | What to do (pickup, fade, blackout, iris, etc.) |
| **Frame** | Gel frame or color (R33, L201, etc.) |
| **Size** | Beam size (full, waist, head, tight, etc.) |
| **Intensity** | Brightness level (0–100) |
| **Scene** | Scene the cue belongs to |
| **Notes** | Additional instructions for the operator |

### Editing and Deleting

* Click any field to edit inline
* Click the delete icon to remove a cue (soft-delete with undo)

### Drag-to-Reorder

Drag cues to adjust their order within a scene.

***

## Printing

### LX Cue List Report

Generate a professional print-ready LX cue list:

1. Click the **Print** icon in the action toolbar
2. Select **LX Cue List** from the report type dropdown
3. Click **Print**

The report includes:

* Project header with show title
* Cues grouped by Act and Scene
* Columns: Cue #, Scene, Description, Cue Line, Notes
* Total cue count and generation date

### Follow Spot Sheet Report

Generate a landscape-oriented follow spot operator sheet:

1. Click the **Print** icon in the action toolbar
2. Select **Follow Spot Sheet** from the report type dropdown
3. Click **Print**

The report includes:

* Spot roster summary (spot label, operator, position)
* Cues grouped by Act and Scene
* Columns: Cue #, Spot, Scene, Character, Action, Frame, Size, Intensity, Notes

***

## CSV Export

### Exporting Lighting Cues

1. Click the **Download** icon in the action toolbar while on the Lighting tab
2. A CSV file downloads with columns: Cue Number, Scene, Description, Cue Line, Notes
3. Open in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet application

### Exporting Follow Spot Cues

1. Click the **Download** icon while on the Follow Spots subtab
2. A CSV file downloads with columns: Cue Number, Spot, Character, Action, Frame, Size, Intensity, Scene, Notes

***

## Tips for Success

emoji\_objects **Start building your cue list early** — Even rough cue numbers help establish the flow before paper tech

emoji\_objects **Use consistent numbering** — Pick a scheme and stick with it across the production

emoji\_objects **Link cues to scenes** — Scene grouping keeps your cue list organized and makes printed reports much more useful

emoji\_objects **Set up spots before cues** — Define your follow spots first so they appear in the cue dropdowns

emoji\_objects **Print for the booth** — The Follow Spot Sheet report is designed to hand directly to your spot operators

emoji\_objects **Export for the LD** — CSV export lets you share cue lists with the lighting designer in their preferred format

***

## Related Guides

* [Show Structure](./show-structure.md) — Acts, scenes, and characters
* [Sound](./sound.md) — Sound cues and mic pack assignments
* [Features Overview](./overview.md)

***

*Last updated: February 8, 2026 (initial release)*