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Stage
Lighting
Most
important
features of
Stage Shows
and Events
From :
ExhiCon
Events Sept.
2005 issue.
Lighting has
become one
of the most
important
characteristics
of modern
stage shows
and events
.Its hard to
imagine a
stage show
without
proper
lighting and
lighting
effects
everywhere
we see large
amount
entities on
the stage
which need
to be
highlighted
on proper
time so that
it evolves
out the
beauty of
stage and
its other
compositions
.Stage shows
and events
have
propagated a
lot of
potentialities
for the
creative
capability
of industry
professionals.
This had
such an
effect on
the whole
show that
Modern stage
lighting has
become a
flexible
tool
in the
production
of
theatre,
dance,
opera
and other
performance
arts.
Several
different
types of
stage
lighting
instruments
are used in
the pursuit
of the
various
principles
or goals of
lighting.
Stage
lighting has
several
functions,
although to
allow for
artistic
effect, no
hard and
fast rules
can ever be
applied. The
functions of
lighting
include:
-
Illumination:
The
simple
ability
to see
what is
occurring
on
stage.
Any
lighting
design
will be
ineffective
if the
viewers
cannot
see the
characters;
unless
this is
the
explicit
intent.
-
Revelation
of form:
Altering
the
perception
of
shapes
onstage,
particularly
three-dimensional
stage
elements.
-
Focus:
Directing
the
audience's
attention
to an
area of
the
stage or
distracting
them
from
another.
-
Mood:
Setting
the tone
of a
scene.
Harsh
red
light
has a
totally
different
effect
than
soft
lavender
light.
-
Location
and time
of day:
Establishing
or
altering
position
in time
and
space.
Blues
can
suggest
night
time
while
orange
and red
can
suggest
a
sunrise
or
sunset.
Use of
gobos to
project
sky
scene,
moon
etc.
-
Projection/stage
elements:
Lighting
may be
used to
project
scenery
or to
act as
scenery
onstage.
-
Plot
(script):
A
lighting
event
may
trigger
or
advance
the
action
onstage.
-
Composition:
Lighting
may be
used to
show
only the
areas of
the
stage
which
the
designer
wants
the
audience
to see,
and to
"paint a
picture".
While
Lighting
Design is an
art form,
and thus no
one way is
the only
way, there
is a modern
movement
that simply
states that
the Lighting
Design helps
to create
the
environment
in which the
action take
place while
supporting
the style of
the piece.
"Mood" is
arguable
while the
environment
is
essential.
Qualities of
Lighting:-
The four
main
qualities or
properties
of lighting
are
intensity,
color,
pattern and
focus.
Intensity
Measured in
lumens
and
foot-candles.
For any
given
luminaire
(lighting
instrument
or fixture),
this depends
upon the
power of the
lamp, the
design of
the
instrument
(and its
corresponding
efficiency),
the presence
or absence
of
color gels
or
gobos,
distance
from the
area to be
lit and the
beam or
field angle
of the
fixture, the
colour and
substance to
be lit, and
the neuro-optics
of the total
scene (that
is, the
relative
contrasts to
other
regions of
illumination).
Color
Color
temperature
is measured
in
Kelvin,
and gel
colors are
organized by
several
different
systems
maintained
by the color
manufacturing
companies.
The apparent
color of a
light is
determined
largely by
the gel
color given
it, but also
in part by
the power
level the
lamp is
being run at
and the
color of
material it
is to light.
As the
percentage
of full
power a lamp
is being run
at drops,
the
tungsten
filament in
the bulb
glows orange
instead of
more nearly
white. This
is known as
amber drift
or amber
shift. Thus
a 1000-watt
instrument
at 50% will
appear far
more orange
than a
500-watt
instrument
at full.
Pattern
Pattern
refers to
the shape,
quality and
evenness of
a lamp's
output. The
pattern of
light an
instrument
makes is
largely
determined
by three
factors. The
first are
the
specifics of
the
lamp,
reflector
and
lens
assembly.
Different
mounting
positions
for the lamp
(axial, base
up, base
down),
different
sizes and
shapes of
reflector
and the
nature of
the lens (or
lenses)
being used
can all
affect the
pattern of
light.
Secondly,
the
specifics of
how the lamp
is focused
affect its
pattern. In
ellipsoidal
reflector
spotlights
(ERS) or
profile
spotlights,
there are
two beams of
light
emitted from
the lamp.
When the
cones of
both
intersect at
the throw
distance
(the
distance to
the stage),
the lamp has
a sharply
defined
'hard' edge.
When the two
cones do not
intersect at
that
distance,
the edge is
fuzzy and
'soft'.
Depending on
which beam
(direct or
reflected)
is outside
the other,
the pattern
may be 'thin
and soft' or
'fat and
soft.'
Lastly, a
gobo
or break up
pattern may
be applied
to ERSs and
similar
instruments.
This is
typically a
thin sheet
of metal
with a shape
cut into it.
It is
inserted
into the
instrument
near its
aperture.
Gobos come
in many
shapes, but
often
include
leaves,
waves, stars
and similar
patterns.
Focus,
position,
and hanging
Many stage
lights hung
on a
batten
focused in
several
directions
Focus is a
term usually
used to
describe
where an
instrument
is pointed.
The final
focus should
place the
"hot spot"
of the beam
at the
actor's head
level when
standing at
the center
of the
instruments
assigned
"focus area"
on the
stage.
Position
refers to
the location
of an
instrument
in the
theater's
fly system
or on
permanent
pipes in
front-of-house
locations.
Hanging is
the act of
placing the
instrument
in its
assigned
position.
Lighting
designer
Using
lighting to
affect the
audience's
senses and
evoke their
emotions.
The lighting
designer is
familiar
with the
various
types of
lighting
instruments
and their
uses. In
consultation
with the
director
and the
scenic
designer,
and after
watching
sufficient
rehearsals,
the LD is
responsible
for
providing an
Instrument
Schedule and
a Light
Plot. The
Schedule is
a list of
all required
materials,
including
color gel,
gobos, color
wheels, barn
doors and
other
accessories.
The light
plot is
typically a
plan view
of the
theatre in
which the
performance
will take
place, with
every
luminaire
marked. This
typically
includes
approximate
focus (the
direction it
should be
pointing), a
reference
number, any
accessories
required,
and the
specifics
(or channel
number) of
its
connection
to the
dimmer
system or
lighting
control
console.
A Lighting
Designer
must be
accustomed
to working
around the
demands of
the director
or head
planner.
Practical
experience
is required
to know the
effective
use of
different
lighting
instruments
and
color
in creating
a design.
Many
designers
start their
careers as
lighting
technicians
in theatres
or amateur
theatre
groups.
Often, this
is followed
by training
in one of
the many
vocational
colleges or
universities
around the
world that
offer
theatre
courses.
Many jobs in
larger
venues and
productions
require a
degree from
a
vocational
school
or college
in
theatrical
lighting, or
at least a
bachelor’s
degree.
Lighting
instruments
In the
context of
lighting
design, a
lighting
instrument
(also called
a luminaire)
is a device
that
produces
controlled
lighting as
part of the
effects a
lighting
designer
brings to a
show. The
term
lighting
instrument
is preferred
to light to
avoid
confusion
between
light and
light
sources.
There are a
variety of
instruments
frequently
used in the
theater.
Although
they vary in
many ways
they all
have the
following
four basic
components
in one form
or other:
-
Box/Housing
- a
metal or
plastic
container
to house
the
whole
instrument
and
prevent
light
from
spilling
in
unwanted
directions.
-
Light
source
(lamp).
-
Lens or
opening
- the
gap in
the
housing
where
the
light is
intended
to come
out.
-
Reflector
- behind
or
around
the
light
source
in such
a way as
to
direct
more
light
towards
the lens
or
opening.
Additional
features
will vary
depend on
the exact
type of
fixture.
Most
theatrical
light bulbs
(or lamps,
the term
usually
preferred)
are
tungsten-halogen
(or
quartz-halogen),
an
improvement
on the
original
incandescent
design that
uses a
halogen gas
instead of
an inert gas
to increase
lamp life
and output.
Fluorescent
lights are
infrequently
used other
than as
work lights
because,
although
they are far
more
efficient,
they are
expensive to
make dimmed
(run at less
than full
power)
without
using
specialized
dimmer
ballasts
and only
very
expensive
models will
dim to very
low levels.
Most
instruments
are
suspended or
supported by
a "U" shaped
yoke, or 'trunion
arm' fixed
to the sides
of the
instrument,
normally
near its
center of
gravity.
On the end
of such, a
clamp (known
as a
hook-clamp,
C-clamp, or
pipe
clamp—pipe
referring to
battens)
is normally
fixed, made
in a "C"
configuration
with a screw
to lock the
instrument
onto the
pipe or
batten from
which it is
typically
hung. One
secured, the
fixture can
be panned
and tilted
using
tension
adjustment
knobs on the
yoke and
clamp. An
adjustable
c-wrench,
ratchet (US)
or spanner
(UK) is
often used
to assist
the
technician
in adjusting
the fixture.
Most venues
ensure crew
and
performer
safety by
attaching a
safety
cable/chain
(a metal
wire or
chain with a
locking
carabiner)
to the
fixture. In
the event
that the
fixture's
clamp(s)
were to
fail, the
cable would
arrest the
fall of the
fixture
before it
could come
in contact
with a
person. Some
larger
fixtures can
weigh over
100 lb
(45 kg) and
are
suspended
very high
above
performers
heads. Many
venues place
strict
guidelines
regarding
the use of
safety
cables.
All lights
are loosely
classified
as either
floodlights
(wash
lights) or
spotlights.
The
distinction
has to do
with the
degree to
which one is
able to
control the
shape and
quality of
the light
produced by
the
instrument,
with
spotlights
being
controllable,
sometimes to
an extremely
precise
degree, and
floodlights
being
completely
uncontrollable.
Instruments
that fall
somewhere in
the middle
of the
spectrum can
be
classified
as either a
spot or a
flood,
depending on
the type of
instrument
and how it
is used. In
general,
spotlights
have lenses
while
floodlights
are lensless,
although
this is not
always the
case.
Lighting
control
Lighting
control
tools might
best be
described as
anything
that changes
the quality
of the
light.
Historically
this has
been done by
the use of
intensity
control.
Technological
advancements
have made
intensity
control
relatively
simple -
solid state
dimmers are
controlled
by one or
more
lighting
controllers.
Controllers
are commonly
lighting
consoles
designed for
sophisticated
control over
very large
numbers of
dimmers or
luminaires,
but may be
simpler
devices
which play
back stored
sequences of
lighting
states with
minimal user
interfaces.
Consoles are
also
referred to
as lighting
desks or
light-boards.
For larger
shows or
installations,
multiple
consoles are
often used
together and
in some
cases
lighting
controllers
are combined
or
coordinated
with
controllers
for sound,
automated
scenery,
pyrotechnics
and other
effects to
provide
total
automation
of the
entire show.
See
show control.
The lighting
controller
is connected
to the
dimmers (or
directly to
automated
luminaires)
using a
control
cable (e.g.
DMX512)
or network,
allowing the
dimmers
which are
bulky, hot
and
sometimes
noisy, to be
positioned
away from
the stage
and audience
and allowing
automated
luminaires
to be
positioned
wherever
necessary.
In addition
to DMX512,
newer
control
connections
include
RDM
(remote
device
management)
which adds
management
and status
feedback
capabilities
to devices
which use it
while
maintaining
compatibility
with DMX512;
and
Architecture
for Control
Networks
(ACN) which
is a fully
featured
multiple
controller
networking
protocol.
These allow
the
possibility
of feedback
of position,
state or
fault
conditions
from units,
whilst
allowing
much more
detailed
control of
them.
With the use
of modern
gadgets and
technology
stage
lighting is
evolving out
more rapidly
as a
profession
and expert
industry
professionals
are making
rapid pace
and progress
with every
passing day
to create a
more better
set up for
providing
wide variety
of effects
and features
on the stage
shows and
events
.Experts
like Sam
Kerawalla ,
Dhiren
Merchant ,Viraaf
Pocha, Atul
Sonpal have
created a
marvelous
feat in this
industry in
Indian event
lighting
industry
.This is to
be noted day
by day more
and more
people are
turning
towards this
trade to
display
their
creative
skills in
the event
lighting
industry
.Since there
is a need to
provide more
and more
professionals
in this
industry
because more
and more
people are
turning
towards
event
management
.Be it
exterior or
interior
events,
stage
lighting has
become one
of the most
important
feature of
stage
nourishment
and typify
certain
qualities
which need
to stand out
for the
proper
relationship
with the
audience. |