Angle Color Visualization

[TupeloTechie]

I am participating in the International Thespian Festival In about a week and I have entered into a Lighting Design "Individual Event," one of those "Superior, Excellent, Good, or Fair" style of competitions. I have most of it done, however there is one required document that I am not sure what all to put on it, I thought you guys might be able to help.

The Description:

Provide a one-page document, Angle Color Visualization. Visually show the colors used in the design and the angles you chose for all major components of the design (specials are not required to be noted). Minimum size: 8.5" × 11". Maximum size: 18" × 24". Notes on the document should justify the choices made.

So what all should I put here? I was thinking Color Keys, Examples of Gels and gobos used, and a sketch or two?

 

[JD]

This is outside my area of expertise so take this with a grain of salt. Judging by the title, I think they are more interested in how the angles of your lighting effect the objects they hit on stage. For example, outside of a special effect, you want to have pretty even cancelation of shadows and color shadows unless there is show intent. Although there is a school of thought (warm and cool from opposing sides) that heads in the opposite direction, in most cases you do not want effects that may distract from the focus of the performance. As this is a design contest, they may be looking for how well you can visualize the impact of where you decided to place elements, and what gels you have used to produce the intended outcome. I think if I have misread the concept, you should end up with a good list of correct answers

 

[Charc]

My understanding: Derek referred to this as a Lighting Key in a recent thread. I referred to it as a simply a Key. (Shelley refers to it as a Key, and I got my nomenclature from him, though not all agree.) The program directors are referring to it as an Angle Color Visualization. If you have Shelley's Designing with Light then you should be familiar with the section on Keys.

 

[TupeloTechie]

I am well aware of what a key is and whatever one calls it, it is pretty much the same thing. However, I do not think that the Angle Color Visualization is the same thing as a key (I may be wrong) as it says it could be 18"x24", that would have to be a VERY complex and non realistic key.

oh and charc, Shelley's book is A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, I believe it was Gillette who wrote Designing With Light.

 

[Charc]

I am well aware of what a key is and whatever one calls it, it is pretty much the same thing. However, I do not think that the Angle Color Visualization is the same thing as a key (I may be wrong) as it says it could be 18"x24", that would have to be a VERY complex and non realistic key.

oh and charc, Shelley's book is A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, I believe it was Gillette that wrote Designing With Light.

Haha, wow, good call on the books. My mind has just been done-zo today.

I fail to see how the size of the paper dictates the realism of the key. They may think you're including multiple keys per piece of paper, and using oversize paper may make it easier for you, if you can see all your different Angle/Color Visualizations at one time.

 

[Grog12]

See the recent magic sheet thread to see what Charc is talking about.

 

[derekleffew]

...My understanding: Derek referred to this as a Lighting Key in a recent thread...

I believe Derek called it a "Color Key", not a lighting key, and not to be confused with a "Symbol Key". Derek was taught that with a color key, the longer the arrow the lower the angle of elevation.

Also TupeloTechieKid, "I believe it was Gillette that wrote Designing With Light." As much as it pains me, should be who; as inanimate objects take that, and persons take who.

 

[midgetgreen11]

I found a thread on this from a while ago, but was confused as to the responses. I am presenting my lighting design for our fall play Anatomy of Gray in front of a panel of judges. Among the things required are: A plot, a "conceptual visualization," an "Angle Color visualization," Channel Hookup, and a section drawing.

The only component I've never heard of or is not explained well, is an "Angle Color Visualization."

The description is as follows: "Provide a one-page document, Angle Color Visualization. Visually show the colors used in the design and the angles you chose for all major components of the design (specials are not required to be noted). Minimum size: 8.5" × 11". Maximum size: 18" × 24". Notes on the document should justify the choices made."

Is this asking for a rendering?


Thanks in advance.

 

[SteveB]

I found a thread on this from a while ago, but was confused as to the responses. I am presenting my lighting design for our fall play Anatomy of Gray in front of a panel of judges. Among the things required are: A plot, a "conceptual visualization," an "Angle Color visualization," Channel Hookup, and a section drawing.

The only component I've never heard of or is not explained well, is an "Angle Color Visualization."

The description is as follows: "Provide a one-page document, Angle Color Visualization. Visually show the colors used in the design and the angles you chose for all major components of the design (specials are not required to be noted). Minimum size: 8.5" × 11". Maximum size: 18" × 24". Notes on the document should justify the choices made."

Is this asking for a rendering?

Thanks in advance.

Essentially - Yes. Probably wants to be called an "Angle AND Color Vizualization". Was it possibly explained in "Lighting Design" class ?.

I would assume a frontal elevation, as a couple of major scenes represented, each showing the different major color palettes used (I.E. - the warm daylight scene, the dusk scene, the night scene, etc...). PITA, as you now need to know how to render with watercolor and a paint brush, or maybe a line drawing with hi-liners. Or a WYG or VW/ESP Vision or better yet, Sketchup.

Steve B.

 

[midgetgreen11]

A) We don't have a "Lighting Design" Class, everything I know I've learned from reading on my own/working hands on.

B) Does anyone know where I might find a free tutorial on rendering with Vectorworks 2008?

 

[SteveB]

A) We don't have a "Lighting Design" Class, everything I know I've learned from reading on my own/working hands on.

B) Does anyone know where I might find a free tutorial on rendering with Vectorworks 2008?

Sorry, the attempt at sarcasm came across as criticism. I put quotes around the "Lighting Design Class" as I suspected your situation, so apologies in order.

As to learning VW rendering ?. Check the Vectorworks Tech Forum - Vectorworks 2009 by Nemetschek North America - Realize Your Most Inspired Visions for information, post your questions over there, as the users have lots of experience in VW.

My take on Renderworks is it will do what you want, but you have to be decent at 3d to get elements of the initial design into the program, so it comes down to how comfortable you feel with VW. Many folks use ESP Vision as the rendering engine for up to VW 2009, though the buzz is that rendering in 2009 is much better. If I were in your shoes and I knew I was going to use VW a lot down the road as well as doing rendering, then I would invest the time, which it would take a lot of.

I personally would do it in Sketchup, which seems to be a simpler program to get up to speed on.

Good luck with it.

Steve B.

 

[rochem]

I could be wrong here, so my apologies in advance if I am. But the way I learned it, an Angle Color Visualization was similar to a lighting key. So for example, you would have a small diagram of the stage where you noted the approximate direction each light was coming from and its color. Then you did this for most of the major scenes, or as many as you felt like including. To me this makes more sense then just a rendering, because a rendering doesn't really clearly show the exact angles and colors, it just shows the final result.

What I'm thinking is somewhat similar to this, about halfway down the page, called the lighting key.

 

[erosing]

These might help you get started a bit as well.

VectorWorks Tutorials for Theatre

Out of curiosity, what is the panel of judges for? Competition, College Interview?

 

[midgetgreen11]

Its what they call an "Individual Event" at an edTA (Educational Theatre Association) conference, and they give you the basic "good, fair, excellent, superior" rating scale, and written and verbal feedback on how to make designs better. If I receive a superior rating at this conference at the Northeast Theatre Festival in Connecticut, then I can present it at the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska.

 

[gafftaper]

Yeah I've never heard the term "angle color visualization". My guess is that they just want something like a key or magic sheet, like Charc posted.

Is there anyway you can ask for a better explanation or example from previous participants?

 

[TimOlson]

there's an old method of lighting for stages that use a cool color coming from one direction (maybe stage left on the front truss), a warm color from stage right, and one or more colors for backlight. I'm using this as an example only, you can put your color wherever you want.

how many different colors do you use in your design? do they come from foh or upstage? from booms or hi sides? from sl, sr, or straight shots?

each combination of color, location, and angle hopefully has a reason behind it. did you choose to put the front light at a very steep angle to keep eyes in shadow? was there something in the material you're lighting that caused you to choose this location (color, angle)?

it seems to me this is the kind of info they are looking for.

peace, Tim O

 

[icewolf08]

there's an old method of lighting for stages that use a cool color coming from one direction (maybe stage left on the front truss), a warm color from stage right, and one or more colors for backlight. I'm using this as an example only, you can put your color wherever you want.

I have a feeling you are thinking the McCandless Method. The part the everyone remembers about his method is the 45˚ x 45˚ front light in amber and blue.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program. I kinda side with Charc on this one. Having never heard of an Angle Color Visualization, Charc's drawing (which I have heard of) makes sense.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I have a feeling you are thinking the McCandless Method. The part the everyone remembers about his method is the 45˚ x 45˚ front light in amber and blue.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program. I kinda side with Charc on this one. Having never heard of an Angle Color Visualization, Charc's drawing (which I have heard of) makes sense.

to add another nod in charc's direction, that kind of chart would make sense with the stipulation that you don't need to include specials.

 

[erosing]

Alex, I'm going to stick my head in and say that I don't think he was reffering to the McCandless Method. Only because he mentioned backlights, which would be part of the Pillbrow Method, if I remember correctly. The McCandless Method uses lights at 45º*and top light, not backlight.

 

[isquint]

Yea, I also think "Angle Color Visualization" refers to what I call a "Lighting Key" which is a simple breakdown of the angle and colors used for your areas, or something similarly important.

Something like the image at the end of my post. What do others think?

Charc has it correct. It would behoove you to include a gel sample at each angle. That way colors are easy to see.

Good Luck!