Cue Signs
Event LED Signs provided an innovative cue sign system for the British Military Tournament 2011 held at Earl’s Court
– the largest display of military theatre held anywhere in the world. With over 700 participants plus 100 horses, battle re-enactments,
military vehicles and the famous Field Gun Run, the cue system needed to give multiple
instructions simultaneously to areas backstage, at arena entrances and to performers within the arena.
Flexible sign sizes mean the cue signs are not limited to a simple red or green display. They can also show complex cues to give
instructions to performers getting ready, waiting in standby, or give the command to enter the arena.
At the tournament cue signs varied from two metres wide to just 8cm square, depending on their location at the event.
Feedback Feature
The show opened with soldiers descending from each corner of Earl’s Court on zip lines,
a dramatic effect that required complete synchronisation from the four corners.
A feature is available to enable the cast to press a button
when requested by the sign, which immediately informed production control that they were all rigged up and ready to fly!
Innovative Software
Our software enables an image of the arena or site to be overlaid by the cue signs themselves, giving a fantastic spatial
and visible reference.
The ‘wysiwyg’ screen layout shows an exact copy of what is being displayed on each sign, and what the next cue step will display.
The screen shows the signs exactly as they have been set up - with scrolling or static messages. If a sign is used with the feedback
facility, coloured squares indicate the status from that sign. Green - OK to go, or red - not ready yet!
The software allows complex scenes to be easily defined and controlled with one click of the mouse. Editing is quick and simple.
Variable Sign Control
Multiple signs can be programmed to change at the click of a mouse. Each cue step can change all, some or none of the signs.
The images below show the Household Cavalry Regiment waiting for the signal to enter the arena. Once the performers are in position, the
red light holds them in place until the instruction is given to change to green - go, go, go!