Marker Cues

A Marker Cue is a point-in-time annotation on a Timeline. Marker Cues produce no visual or audio output and do not change playback state. They serve as readable signposts and, when named, as jump targets for Control Cues.

What Marker Cues Are

A Marker Cue has no duration. It marks a single moment. When the playhead passes through a Marker Cue, the output does not change. The marker is visible in the Timeline editor and serves two roles:

  • Annotation — a name and description that explain what happens at that point. Scene changes, technical reminders, and show-calling prompts are typical uses.
  • Jump target — a named Marker Cue is registered as a jump target. A Control Cue with To Cue behavior references the name to move the playhead to the marker.

Markers carry no rendering or playback logic. Add, move, or remove them at any time without affecting show output.

Creating a Marker Cue

  1. Position the playhead at the desired point on the Timeline.
  2. Right-click the Timeline and select Add Marker Cue.
  3. The Marker Cue appears at the playhead position on the selected layer.
  4. With the marker selected, set a name, description, and optional countdown or count-up timer in the Cue Properties panel.

Place Marker Cues on a dedicated layer for annotations. This separates markers from media and Control Cues and makes them easy to find.

Marker Cue Properties

Every Marker Cue has these properties.

Property (UI)PurposeDefault
NameA short identifier. When set, the marker becomes a named jump target.None
DescriptionA longer text field for notes, stage directions, or technical details.None
Count DownA countdown timer. It counts down to zero at the marker's position.Off
Count UpA count-up timer. It starts at zero at the marker's position.Off

Name and Description are optional free text. A marker with no name and no description is valid. It appears as an unnamed marker for visual reference.

Count Down and Count Up Timers

A Marker Cue can carry a Count Down timer, a Count Up timer, or both. Each timer has one property: Duration.

  • Count Down — counts down to zero, reaching zero at the marker's position. This gives operators advance warning. For example, a 10 s countdown on a scene-change marker counts "10... 9... 8...".
  • Count Up — starts at zero at the marker's position and counts upward. Use it to track elapsed time after an event, such as a hold or intermission.

The Duration field is optional. With no duration set, the timer is not active.

Count Down and Count Up timers are operator-facing references. They do not pause playback, trigger actions, or produce output.

Markers as Jump Targets

A named Marker Cue is registered as a jump target alongside named Control Cues. A Control Cue with To Cue behavior specifies a target cue name. The playhead jumps to the matching marker.

The mechanism works as follows:

  1. Give a Marker Cue a name, for example "SceneB_Start".
  2. Place a Control Cue with Jump set to To Cue and Target Cue set to "SceneB_Start".
  3. When the playhead reaches the Control Cue, it jumps to the marker named "SceneB_Start".

Both named Control Cues and named Marker Cues serve as jump targets. Markers carry no playback side effects. Jumping to a marker moves the playhead without a play, pause, or stop action.

Jump target names should be unique on a Timeline. If two cues share a name, the search picks the nearest match by time, which may not be the one you intend. Use distinct names for every named marker.

Use Cases

Scene change notes. Place a marker at each major scene transition with a name like "Scene 3 — Forest" and a description noting any technical requirements. Operators scanning the timeline can instantly see the show structure.

Technical reminders. Mark moments where specific technical actions are required — projector shutter changes, audio level adjustments, or lighting cue coordination. A description like "Check projector 4 focus after this transition" keeps institutional knowledge on the timeline rather than in separate documents.

Operator prompts and show calling. In live performance workflows, markers serve as the show caller's reference points. Names like "GO LX 42" or "GO SFX Thunder" align WATCHOUT's timeline with the show caller's cue sheet.

Countdown references. Attach a countdown timer to a marker placed at a critical moment — the start of a live segment, a pyrotechnic cue, or a performer entrance. The countdown gives operators a precise, visible warning as the moment approaches.

Structured branching. Name markers at the start of each content branch. Control cues elsewhere in the show can jump to these named markers based on operator input or external triggers, creating non-linear show flows without duplicating media cues. See Control Cues for jump behavior configuration.

Conditional workflows. A Marker Cue carries a condition like any other cue. See Conditional Cues for expression syntax.

Best Practices

  • Use consistent naming conventions. Establish a naming scheme before programming begins and document it for the whole team. Descriptive names like "Act2_Scene1_Start" are far more useful than "Marker 7" when debugging during tech rehearsals.
  • Apply department prefixes. When coordinating with lighting, sound, and stage management teams, prefix marker names with department codes: LX for lighting, SFX for sound effects, VFX for video effects, GO for show-calling action points. This makes it immediately clear who needs to act at each marker.
  • Place markers ahead of critical moments. Position markers slightly before the event they annotate — not exactly at it. This gives operators time to read the marker and prepare before the action is needed. A marker 2–5 seconds before a manual GO point is a common practice.
  • Keep marker text short and operational. The name field should be a quick-read label, not a paragraph. Put detailed instructions in the description field, which operators can expand when they need more context.
  • Reserve a dedicated marker layer. Keeping all markers on one or two layers prevents them from cluttering media and control layers. Name the layer something obvious like "Markers" or "Show Notes.".
  • Name every marker that might be a jump target. If there is any chance a marker will be referenced by a control cue, give it a name immediately. Retroactively naming markers and then updating all referencing control cues is error-prone.
  • Audit jump targets after edits. When renaming or removing named markers, verify that no control cues still reference the old name. Orphaned jump target references will silently fail during playback.
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