Circus Lighting

[Franklinscott57]

Hey CB,

I was working a small circus the other day, as part of their local run crew, and was surprised at the poor tech quality. I got to talking with the circus owner about it, and somehow ended up being offered a position as their next tour's lighting designer.

I'm really considering it, as they are planning on upgrading their lighting system, and this would be a fun opportunity to try some new things. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with any classic circus-like designs, as I work primarily concert events.

Does anyone have good examples of circus lighting?

Thanks

 

[FatherMurphy]

I'm not sure there is a standard 'circus' lighting method, it kind of depends on the show itself. Some, like the Cirque shows, are more theatrical, and others are more on/off, with maybe some color washes. It also depends on if it's a traditional arena/tent show that's in the round, or if it's touring proscenium theaters. Budget is also a factor, as is how many days the average setup is.

The circuses I'm acquainted with tend to prefer 'cheap' and 'bulletproof' for lighting rigs. If the show has been touring without a technician for a while, don't be surprised if your new boss is technology-challenged and you have to do considerable education to get him to pay for what you want. Also, you're probably going to be on your own for figuring out everything you need, from fixtures to cable to power distro to roadcases. Remember to check all your ratings, and make sure you've left some headroom, so you're not maxed out all the time.

You might have to go cheap to start with, in order to get a decent sized rig in the air, but plan ahead for upgrading to 'real' gear, and make sure you don't block yourself into a corner because something basic is too cheap or incompatible.

Sounds like an interesting first job - could be a career, or could be good for a lot of war stories to tell in bars.

 

[derekleffew]

Circus | PBS

 

[kiwitechgirl]

I would think that for certain acts, visibility and lack of shadows could be absolutely critical - acrobats or tumblers, for example, are going to need to see exactly where they're landing! Sounds like it could be a fun gig though - good luck!

 

[DiscoBoxer]

One suggestion I would have is to ask to meet the people you will be working with directly and start a dialog about budget and expectations before you sign on. There might be a reason as to why they don't already have someone. Maybe it was because they grew and are looking to up their quality or that someone tried to do exactly what you envision and were shut down. It's good to have as much detail about the role before your stuck on the road in difficult situations, where expectations far exceed the resources available to you.

I don't remember the name of the circus, but there was one I saw 2 years ago in San Diego that was really trying to incorporate "new media" into the traditional ring style circus and I thought they did a fantastic job with "concert style and theatrical lighting" plus video....then there are shows like Cirque Du Soleil of course.

Good luck!

 

[mstaylor]

I have worked with circuses of all sizes. The first thing to worry about is covering the ring or rings. One I worked with a while back had gone to all LED PARs. He could run the whole thing on very little power.
One thing to remember is being a head electrician on a circus means you have all the outside power too. Make sure you understand all of your job before you take it.

 

[Franklinscott57]

It's a generally small circus, and in a three ring type of format. At the moment, all they are working with are PAR64's and some cheap "disco" type lights, but the owner (Shirley) has expressed great interest in switching over to a lot of LED fixtures. Mainly, as Taylor said, becuase of how little power they consume compared to conventional fixtures. Shirley tells me that right now they average about 300amps of electricity per show. She's not too happy with that, as not all venues can provide that kind of power.

The toughest part of this job for me, I feel, is going to be having the responsibility of choosing the new fixtures that the circus will use. I'll need fixtures that I can incorporate into many designs, but that have a low cost (as it is not a huge circus). Also, I'll have to consider that when I leave - these fixtures will have to continue to suite the circus' needs. Something like fixture selection is a new responsibility to me, as I usually just work with what I am given. And, since they are upgrading this summer (after Lord knows how many years), my guess is that they will not want to have to upgrade from shotty fixtures to better makes of the same type anytime in the near future.

Who are some of the better, low(ish) cost, manufacturers?


Thank you all for the advice and examples.
I'll be sure to keep CB updated on this, as I may run into some more questions.

 

[highschooltech]

Honestly some of the coolest fixtures I've worked with recently are the Colorado Tri-Tour Pars. They have a really decent punch, seem rock solid, and go for around $500 a pop. Another plus for a show in the round is that they are a Tri LED fixture which means that the front of the fixture looks like the color on the stage.

 

[PeteEngel]

The fixture decision part is the least of your worries. If you've never lit acrobatic artists or animals you have quite the learning curve ahead of you. Consistency (of all types) is required when people are flying, and animals don't take it well when there is a perceived change (even if there isn't an actual change). All it takes is 1 skittish horse to see a fixture not previously installed and things get interesting fast. But if you are worried about fixtures, remember that most LED fixtures have an exposed LED face (multiple color LED's at the front of the fixture) and that for the most part they exhibit a sharp visual signature that people find painful when looking directly at them. multiply that by however many fixtures you have and then add someone doing a tightrope or flips...If you plan on trying to go to work with a small circus (that probably runs on a shoe string budget) then you will also be laying out power to all of the trailers and animal holding areas as well as the lighting right for the show. Get your head into power distro right away. Remember, documentation is your friend, but communication with artists and animal handlers keep everybody safe! Expect to (and require) training sessions and animal walk thru's whenever new equipment is integrated into the system. Just adding lights and saving money on electrical isn't the end of the discussion. You have a large initial investment in fixtures, determining what gear and cabling from the existing rig is compatible, what to do with the old gear, determining change out schedule in case everything can't be done at once, etc etc etc. It is fun, but it is also a gig with heavy safety requirements and responsibilities so keep it serious. Require a list of responsibilities and make sure the pay equals your responsibilities and then some. Do you get hotel and per diem? are you required to pay for your own food and lodging? what are the rules about travel day pay? etc etc etc.

 

[jstroming]

Hopefully you didn't think the tech quality was poor on my show Scott!!! Except for the drunk guy on Load-Out ;-) HAHA.

 

[Franklinscott57]

Jeff?

Na man, good technology. That bossman though, I dunno about him...

 

[jstroming]

LOL it was nice working with you. I emailed you my info via PM.