I treat a lighting show backup as ready only when I can restore it. Before load-in, I save the approved show and keep 3 copies: one on the console, one on removable media, and one off-console - with at least one offline and physically separate.
Here’s my backup checklist:
After every approved programming change, I update the copies and repeat the checks. I keep the prior known-good revision until load-out and get readiness approval before load-in.
Lighting Console Backup Readiness Checklist
Save the master file before load-in and after any patch, cue, preset, macro, or media change. Also save before making changes or opening another show to avoid losing unsaved work.
Check the fixture patch and cue lists against the production paperwork. Then verify presets, palettes, groups, macros, effects, playbacks, timecode, and all required media and fixture library files. Record the console model and software version. Keep the original file before saving in newer software - the converted file may not reopen in the older version.
Use the console’s built-in Save or Save As command rather than copying a working folder. On MA Lighting grandMA3, use Quick Save or Save As through the Backup menu. Confirm the destination, completed save message, and timestamp. Enable autosave where supported, but use it as a recovery aid - not an independent backup.
Choose a filename that lets staff spot the correct show at a glance:
Name files
Event_Venue_YYYY-MM-DD_v03_APPROVED.
Keep the sortable date, use underscores, and stay within the console’s filename limit. Document abbreviations so another operator can identify the event and venue without guessing.
Increase the revision number after every saved programming change. Add APPROVED only after the designated approver signs off. In the backup register, record that person’s name and role, the exact filename, console model, software version, and approval time. Use U.S. date and time format for staff records, including the time zone:
10/19/2026 3:00 PM ET
Keep earlier approved revisions instead of overwriting the only known-good file. Next, duplicate the named master file and record who owns each copy and where it is stored.
Once the master file is approved, create three copies: the console file, a working external copy on approved removable media, and a recovery copy stored off-console. Keep at least one copy offline and physically separate. Two USB drives beside the console don’t count as separate backup locations.
Follow the console’s export rules, use a dedicated backup drive, and wait for confirmation before removing it. Check that the export includes all required assets.
Assign one person to each copy so staff know who updates it and who can release it. Before the event, fill in the matrix with actual staff names and named alternates.
The owner is accountable for the copy. The custodian currently holds the drive. Record both if they’re different people.
Copy Purpose Owner Location Who updates it Who may access it Console copy Live operating file Jordan Lee, operator; alternate: Casey Ruiz Console internal storage Operator saves after approved changes Operator and lighting lead Working external copy Load-in and programming fallback Casey Ruiz, lighting lead; alternate: Morgan Patel Labeled USB in lighting case Lighting lead copies each approved revision Lighting team only Approved recovery copy Emergency restoration Morgan Patel, production manager; alternate: Taylor Kim Locked production office cabinet Production manager replaces it after approval Production manager or designated technical lead
Add these assignments to a backup register so staff can find the right copy under pressure.
For each copy, record its filename, revision, approval status, location, owner, save time, included assets, and verification status. Track three states: copied, read-back verified, and restored and tested. Include the tester’s name, verification time, and any exceptions.
Update independent copies after approved milestones: patch completion, cue completion, technical rehearsal, and final approval before doors. Keep the prior known-good revision until the event ends.
Store the register and recovery instructions where staff can access them offline. Record each drive’s label, custodian, authorized users, and the person responsible for returning it to production storage. At shift changes, hand the drive and register to the named alternate. Use the register and recovery instructions to guide backup testing in the next step.
Check the backup register to identify the approved recovery copy. Test that copy before major changes, and test it again after programming changes, console software updates, patch changes, cue revisions, or show merges.
Safely eject and reconnect the media, confirm it’s readable, and load the file on a spare compatible console or supported offline editor. Keep output disabled or disconnected. Do not merge, overwrite, or save changes to the working show.
Check that the restored patch, fixture profiles, cues, timing, presets, palettes, effects, macros, playback assignments, and required resources match the approved show. Compare representative cues against the approved programming notes. Record what the offline test does not verify: output, network behavior, and full console recovery.
| Verification check | What to record |
|---|---|
| Filename and revision | Match the filename, revision, date, and approval status to the register |
| Location | Confirm the approved recovery copy’s actual location |
| Readability | Confirm the file opens or copies without errors |
| Test environment | Console model or supported editor, software version, and output isolation |
| Test-load result | Success or failure; confirm the working show was preserved |
| Contents confirmed | Checked show data, required resources, and anything not validated |
| Verifier | Tester’s name |
| Date/time | U.S. date, time, and time zone |
| Status | Tested, Failed, or Untested - Do Not Use as Primary Recovery Copy |
After testing the file, write down exactly how to restore it. Include the approved filename, console model and software version, required resources, backup locations, owner contacts, recovery order, exact loading steps, and the person who approves rollback. Coordinate any interruption to lighting output.
Put one person - usually the production manager or lighting systems lead - in charge of updating every instruction copy. In the load-in packet, give the exact document path and physical location. Don’t leave the team with a vague reference:
“see production folder.”
Keep the instructions with the production documents, on the labeled recovery USB, and offline on the production manager’s laptop or tablet. Where supported, also keep a copy on the primary console - but never make it the only accessible copy.
Assign a recovery lead and alternate. Both must locate the approved backup and instructions, confirm credentials and media access, and initial the register. The production manager confirms readiness and approves rollback when time permits.
If verification fails, mark the copy Failed, Missing, or Outdated and notify the lighting programmer and production manager. Create and verify a new copy before marking it approved.
Share assignments and instruction locations through the event packet and team messaging. Match the recovery lead and alternate to the owner names already listed in the register.
After testing and before load-in, have the production manager approve readiness. Check that the latest show file is correctly named, copied to separate locations, tested, and stored with accessible recovery instructions. Confirm that both the recovery lead and alternate can restore the show without depending on a single device or staff member.
Any approved programming change resets the backup check. Save a new revision, update every backup copy, retest the recovery file, and record the change in the register. Label earlier approved versions as superseded and keep them until load-out.
A copied file isn’t enough: both the file and the restore process must work.
Use virtual visualizers to test show files, build cues, and check workflows. For playback content, compare file hashes to confirm that backup files match the primary files.
The backup playback laptop should have the same fonts, codecs, and software versions as the main machine. Before the event, update the backup laptop’s operating system and drivers, clean its air vents, and check that it has reliable power.
Follow your contingency plan and escalation hierarchy. Switch to the next backup path listed in your patch map or failure drill procedures. If the issue lasts more than 60 seconds, alert the lead coordinator or AV lead by department radio.
Use the recovery instructions stored at front-of-house and backstage to complete the swap. If you use Quickstaff, record any updated show-critical instructions or staffing changes in the event record.
Follow your established escalation path: the Event Director or Producer approves run-of-show changes, and the AV Lead handles the technical work. Send all urgent instructions over the dedicated show-call radio channel. Require a read-back for every instruction that changes the show.
For staffing or scheduling changes, use Quickstaff to update assignments and notify the team in real time. Keep roles and instructions in one place.
