Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Lighting Terminology
DIMMERS
CONTROL BOARD
COLOR FILTERS(GELS)
ADDITIVE COLOR MIXING
FOLLOW SPOTS
GOBO
AUTOMATED OR INTELLIGENT LIGHTING
VALUE SKETCH
LIGHTING SCORE
LIGHT PLOTS
FLOOR PLAN PLOT
Outline
I. Lighting does much more than make the other elements of theatrical production
visible, but it is often ignored unless it is clearly inadequate or obtrusively obvious
A. Sound also makes its greatest contribution when designed for careful integration with the production as a
whole
a. Frontlight
b. Backlight c. Crosslight (sidelight) d. Downlight
e. Uplight
3. Lights may be directed at one area, or may be distributed evenly or unevenly over the entire stage
E. Movement refers to perceptible alterations in any of the other controllable factors
1. The control board may create apparent movement in intensity, color or distribution
a. This may be accomplished by dimming and brightening selective instruments
2. The focus of lighting instruments can be moved from one area of the stage to another, and their color
filters can be changed as well
a. Physically manipulated by an operator follow spots
b. Automated lighting instruments (computerized movement control)
3. Movement allows light to change moment by moment in accordance with the shifting moods and
development of the dramatic action
a. The designer must know what each instrument can do, the types of lamps, electrical cable, and
connectors that are needed, where instruments are to be mounted and plugged in, and a host of
other details
7. Social and cultural historian
a. The designer must know what role light played in various periods in the past
b. Be aware of what illuminants (candles, oil, torches, etc) were available, how each was used, and
what qualities of light each generated
c. The designer needs to know the conventions that governed stage lighting in each period
8. Stage director
a. The designer must keep in mind and unify the entire stage picture
b. Must be attuned to the overall needs of each scene as it develops moment by moment
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
2. General illumination
3. Special effects
Specific illumination is confined to a limited area
1. Used principally for the acting areas
2. Spot lights are the principal source of specific illumination
a. They combine a reflector with a lens to help concentrate the beam of light
b. A single spotlight can only illuminate a small segment of the stage
c. Lighting designers generally divide the stage into small areas, and focus several instruments to
illuminate each area
3. Where instruments are mounted to achieve desired distribution depends in part on the type of stage
a. For the proscenium stage lights typically are:
i. Mounted in the auditorium to light the front of the stage
ii. Mounted over the stage on battens
iii. Mounted at the side of the stage on vertical pipes
iv. Mounted on stands or on the floor
b. For the thrust stage lights typically are:
i. Mounted above the acting area and audience
ii. Mounted on vertical pipes out of sightlines
c. For the arena stage lights typically are:
i. Mounted above the acting area and audience
d. For the flexible stage lights may be mounted almost anywhere
General illumination
1. Spreads over a much larger area than specific illumination
2. Serves three functions on the proscenium stage:
a. Lights the background elements (cyclorama, ground rows, drops)
b. Blends acting areas and provides a smooth transition from the acting areas to the background
c. Enhances or modifies the color of settings and costumes
3. Can not be confined to a small area, but its direction can be controlled
a. Footlights point upward and backward
b. Borderlights point down or to the side
4. Striplights and floodlights are the primary sources of general illumination
a. These contain a reflector, but no lens to concentrate the light
5. Plays a minor role in arena stages, as there is no background to light
6. May play a larger role in thrust stages
7. For a flexible stage, all the illumination may be general
Special effects
1. Out-of-the-ordinary demands such as projections, fires, fog, bright rays of sunlight, etc.
In making light plots, the designer considers each type of instrument separately and then as a part of the
whole
After the light plots are complete, an instrument schedule is made
1. A chart that lists for each lighting instrument:
a. Its specifications
b. Mounting position
c. Color filter
d. Focus
e. Circuit into which it is plugged
f. Dimmer to which it is connected
I.
Initially developed in the 1980s for rock concerts, automated lighting has proved the most
significant change in stage lighting in the past 25 years.
The initial intelligent lighting instruments could pan and tilt, thus changing their focus
VII.
Newer models remain stationery, with a rotating mirror mounted in front to redirect the beam
of light
Lights can now be programmed to dim, douse, zoom, and change gobo patterns, color, and
focus on cue
Automated lighting helps solve Broadway theatres problems of inadequate space in which to
hang instruments
Lighting designer Jennifer Tipton succinctly notes a truism in respect to using automated
lighting, Technology is always as good as the person using it. Always. And only as good as the
person using it.