Movie vs Theatrical Lighting

[Tyler]

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[Esoteric]

Wow, I don't really know of any good sources other than my old lecture notes. I will tell you there are a HUGE variety of differences beginning with who is in charge of the lighting in each forum, continuing with how lights are set, and ending with their use with everything in between.

Mike

[Footer]

A good resource is find pictures of movie sets from the set looking out. That can tell you a lot. Biggest thing is, as long as the lens does not see the light, you can put it there. There are plenty others, do some googling. I don't know of any legit resources however.

[Grog12]

1. Frenels are more versital than ERS's in Movie lighting.
2. Barndoors are used to hold color.
3. Gel slots are used to hold the screens that dim the lights

There's more but I can't think of them right now.

[Van]

Use the search button. This subject has been hit a few times here. I think you can reliably quote a poster from CB in the bibliography of your paper. As stated there are HUGE differences in lighting for Theatre and lighting for Cinema.
Fixtures names, fixtures sizes, Geling techniques, < very rarely do you use 1/4CTO in the theatre>. Power consumption / total loads, In theatrical setting you have 100's of lamps each running at 575 watts, In cinema you might 3 lights running at 5.75 K each. Cabling, and distibution, Theatre you can use a SOCA cable about 1 1/2" in diameter and power 8-16 fiztures. Cinema you run 5 wires of 2/0 to a panel and provide power for fixtures, motors, SPFX, and craft services.

[techieman33]

Originally Posted by Van

Cabling, and distibution, Theatre you can use a SOCA cable about 1 1/2" in diameter and power 8-16 fiztures. Cinema you run 5 wires of 2/0 to a panel and provide power for fixtures, motors, SPFX, and craft services.

That heavy cable is still going into a theater, you just don't see it in the conduit.

[Van]

Originally Posted by techieman33

That heavy cable is still going into a theater, you just don't see it in the conduit.

Exactly my point. In the Theatrical setting you are not usually responsible for providing all you own Big Distro, with the exception of traveling shows, and Concerts < but then I said Theatre didn't I ? > In the Cinema world you are typically Required to provide your own distro in addition to often having to provide your own power, i.e. a Gennie of some sort.

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I have a paper to write and I wanted some info on the differences between theatrical lighting (for theater shows) and lighting for films. I need to include online sources. Please let me know if you know of any good information on the internet about the differences.

Thanks!

Just to touch on some differences

- As others have stated, movies tend to use a ton of temporary and portable power, as the electrical department may well be providing electricity to every user on the set - catering, makeup, construction and painters, all before the shooting crew arrives at the location. I vividly recall seeing the electrics staging location for Spiderman I, when it shot in NYC, at the Nat'l Guard armory in Brooklyn, a 360x 190ft interior space with 4/0 feeder cable stacks, all about 3-4ft high, filling the armory. That's a whole lot of feeder cable.

- Theaters, as stated prior, also uses a lot of power, it's just part of the building infrastructure, so is out of sight, out of mind.

- Film is a lot of "as you go" lighting, I.E., the gaffer and the electricians, in consultation with the Director of Photography, discuss how a scene should be lit, the Gaff and the Elec's rig the gear, often limited to ground based stands and they light away. Rarely is anything on a dimmer, as dimming changes the color temperature of incandescent lamps. Lot's of fresnels, HMI's and open faced gear is used, soft lights, chinese lanterns, etc... Intensity changes are made with metal netting (scims) that reduces intensity without changing color temperature. After the scene is shot, all is struck and you move on to the next scene, with a different rig and equipment setup.

- Theater is a lot of rig in advance from a plot prepared from a Lighting Designer, who has gone to rehearsals, consulted with the Scenic and Costume designers, as well as getting direction from the Director. The LD then prepares the plot, arranges rental of gear, gets all delivered to the theater (if renting) where it is rigged. Then a plotting session is run, levels are set on a console controlling dimmers and movers, scrollers, etc... rehearsals are run, etc... with a stage manager calling cues to a console operator. Works for legit theater, musicals, opera.

- Film and TV lighting is a slave to the needs of the cameras and is less about providing for a "concept" that has a total image composition. The requirements of the film and/or TV cameras, dictate certain lighting levels be maintained, as well as appropriate color temperature of the lighting sources, so the CAMERA can capture the image, and with choices made for camera usage (camera movement, lens choices, angle of shot, duration, etc..) and subsequent editing, allow for for a mood to be established on-screen.

- Theater has a live audience that sees everything, so it's up to the designers to establish a "Concept" of the location, time, mood, etc... as (a) complete composite image(s) including changing of scenic and costume elements, sound effects, as well as lighting cues that changes what the audience thinks is the time and location and keys the audience attention to particular area's on the stage, all things a close-up on a camera does as directors choice, as example.

Hope this helps.

Steve B.

[Footer]

Movies are a "just throw something at it" type of thing. To cover most shoots, most production houses carry grip trucks. These come by the ton, and the heavier the truck, the more crap you get.

Truck Packages - DR&A, Inc. - (615) 256-6200

[Esoteric]

Yeah, good responses so far, and no one has even talked about "lighting" outdoor shoots.

There is a reason why lighting for movies was a seperate course in college.

Different techniques, different tools. Another example no one has said is that spill is not even thought about on movie sets most of the time. Also when was the last time you saw an LD on a theater show walking around with a photometer?

There is enough differences to... Write a paper on!

Mike