From Breakdown to BG List
The EXTRAS on each scene in the breakdown drive the Background tab. G-Casper Pro turns them into role groups, drafts a call for each group from the day's scene order, and updates the groups when the breakdown changes. You still decide who is booked and when they are called.
- Role groups are built from the breakdown's extras
- BG call times are drafted from the scene schedule
- Update from Breakdown brings the groups back in line after the breakdown changes
Role Groups From the Breakdown
A scene with 8 SCHOOL KIDS, 6 OFFICE WORKERS in its extras has two roles. On the Background tab, G-Casper Pro makes one group per role across the schedule. The group is named with its count, such as 8x SCHOOL KIDS. The count is the most any one scene needs, and the group lists every scene the role is in.
- USS imports create the groups during the import, one per scene and role
- Other imports fill the breakdown's extras. The groups are built the first time the Background tab opens
- Roles match when their names match after the count is taken off and case is ignored. SCHOOL KIDS and School Kids are one role. SCHOOL-KIDS is another
Auto-Draft BG Call Times
With Enable Auto-Draft on in Globals, each background group on the CS Front gets a drafted CALL. It is worked out like a cast call: the start of the group's first scene, less the blocking lead and the default makeup time, and never earlier than crew call.
- Drafts show at half opacity in empty CALL cells only
- Hover the cell and click the green check (Approve draft time) to keep it, or pick a time from the list
- A draft held at crew call carries an amber !
- Drafts recalculate as the schedule moves. A saved time is never replaced
Update from Breakdown
Update from Breakdown is in the Add menu on the Background tab. It also runs by itself when the breakdown changes. It compares the breakdown's extras with your groups:
- A role new to the breakdown becomes a new group
- A group's count and scene list are set to what the breakdown now says
- A count never drops below the number of performers already booked in the group
- A group whose role has left the breakdown is kept and listed, with an option to restore it
- A blue bar under the toolbar in List view sums it up: updated, added, kept above breakdown (people booked), removed from breakdown