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Develop knowledge and skills in the basic technical elements of lighting
Develop knowledge and skills in the basic technical elements of lighting
Student VET entertainment resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 11 and 12 VET entertainment
What will I learn?
What will I learn?
You will:
experience stage lighting procedures, processes and documentation
discover colour mixing and basic lighting design
- Lighting installation
Lighting system
Lighting system
A simple lighting system consists of:
power
lanterns
dimmers
cables
consoles.
Watch the video 'How to series: Lighting for theatre' to see how a lighting system is connected.
How to series: Lighting for theatre
Duration: 08:22Task
Task
Create a diagram of how to connect a simple tungsten lighting system – include lanterns, cables, patch panel, dimmer rack and lighting console.
Create a diagram of how to connect a simple LED lighting system – include lanterns, cables and lighting console.
Lights can be installed on permanent or portable lighting truss, as well as on the floor. When installing any lights for a production, there are common procedures to follow:
checking lights and power
rigging
patching
focusing
plotting.
Watch the video 'How to rig a light' and record the steps in rigging a light.
How to rig a light
Duration: 05:15Patching lights is the process of plugging in the lights and assigning how they will be operated – this can be done as hard or soft patching.
Hard patching is the physical plugging in of tungsten lights to a patch panel system and then connecting to the dimmer rack.
Soft patching is the process of addressing LED lights and then connecting to the lighting console through the DMX cable or splitter.
Focusing a light is the process of moving the light beam to the exact position on the stage required. This could be in combination with other soft-edged lights to create an even general wash on the specific position for a hard-edged spotlight or gobo pattern.
Watch the video 'Goodstock Greenwich Theatre get in' and see the focus session as a time-lapse.
Goodstock Greenwich Theatre get in
Duration: 00:33Plotting sessions are when the lighting cues are finalised and plotted for a production with the director, lighting designer, technician and stage manager.
Watch the video 'How-to series: Plotting session' and record the key information about a plotting session.
How-to series: Plotting session
Duration: 06:15Task
Task
Using the equipment you have at school, set up your own simple lighting system.
Make sure you follow all safety precautions and are working with equipment that is currently tested and tagged.
Rig and patch your lights correctly. Attach any accessories, including colour gel you have if using incandescent lights.
Address your LED fixtures and experiment with all the colours and effects it has.
Focus the lights on a piece of set or another person.
Plot some cues to a song or piece of text and practise your operation of the lighting console.
2. Colour mixing
2. Colour mixing
Colour is used to create mood and to highlight objects in a production. The positioning of the lights and choice of colour have a strong impact on achieving the required effect and mood.
Watch the video 'Colour mixing' with Lincoln Gidney as he discusses additive and subtractive colour mixing.
Tasks
Tasks
Explain why colour is one of the most powerful tools in lighting design and how it is used to convey meaning to the audience.
Define additive and subtractive colour mixing and identify different production situations when you would use each effect.
Discuss the different colours being used in these 2 images and the effect they have.
'Macbeth' – NSW Public School Drama Company Production 2019
'Macbeth' – NSW Public School Drama Company Production 2019
3. Documentation
3. Documentation
Key lighting documentation includes:
lantern schedule – a specific list of fixtures used in a production, including the type of light and accessory details
lighting plan or plot – a scale plan showing the lanterns on specific lighting bars, including the dimmer number or addresses, gel, accessories and any focus notes
lighting cue sheet – an outline of all lighting cues for the lighting operator, including details of faders, intensity and action or dialogue for each cue.
Watch the video 'WICKED Lighting: Lighting plot' to learn how they approached their lighting design and documentation.
WICKED Lighting: Lighting plot
Duration: 03:27
Lighting plan example
Lighting cue sheet example
Prompt copy
Prompt copy
For a stage production, the master copy of the script or score is known as the prompt copy. It is the stage manager's script and contains all the actor moves and technical cues. It also contains all the relevant information for the production, including contact lists, venue information, show information, emergency procedures, show reports and so on. It is commonly referred to as the 'bible' of a show.
It is created and used throughout rehearsals and used by the stage manager to control the performance as they call the cues for the show.
A prompt copy is usually laid out so that the script is on one side of a folder or book, and the cues are on the opposite side. These cues included could be actor blocking, lighting, sound, props, set, vision, pyrotechnics and follow spot.
Prompt copy example
Tasks
Tasks
Create a lighting plot of the lighting rig you have in your school. Make sure you document all the light positions, patching/addressing and focus direction.
Using a short script, design some lighting cues and complete a prompt copy and cue sheet for the scene.
4. Lighting cues
4. Lighting cues
In productions with a stage manager, they will call the lighting cues with the specific action or dialogue by saying:
LX cue 15 ... GO.
'LX cue 15' would be said before the cue and then the lighting operator will activate lighting cue 15 on the word 'GO'.
There may also be a ‘standby’ call before the upcoming cue or group of cues to alert all crew before the actual cue is called.
Spot operator cues might be called by the stage manager or the lighting console technician. If the follow spot operators have a good FOH (front of house) view and rehearsed cues, the stage manager may only call special follow spot cues when required.
Watch the video 'Stage manager calls "cues" for Hairspray' to see how the lighting cues are called in a production.
Stage manager calls 'cues' for Hairspray
Duration: 06:18Task
Task
Using the prompt copy and cue sheet you created for the shot scene, work in pairs to call and operate your scene.
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