What would a Director say when they want to play from a pre recorded music source, but they do not want to hear the audio?

• A. Silent Roll
• B. Mute Roll
• C. Play Roll
• D. Dead Roll

Answer: (D)

In this kind of cueing, you’re distinguishing between starting a pre-recorded track and whether its sound should be heard. When a director wants the track ready and timed but not audible, the cue used is a dead roll. It means you begin the playback device and lock in the timing, but the audio output is kept effectively silent—no sound reaches the room or performers. This lets lighting, effects, and other cues stay perfectly synchronized with the track without the audience or actors hearing the music yet. The other options imply actual audible playback or a less precise way to indicate silence, whereas a dead roll specifically communicates starting the track while keeping the audio dead.