Proper lighting angles... Spin
McCandless “A Method” 45 degrees and do you now get “proper” lighting angles in this space? How about spinning it 180 degrees with supplemental visibility lighting?
What’s the
play anyway, moody and gloomy, starry or sunny Italian sun? Lots of different scenes and looks that might require totally different looks or fill and key lighting. Certainly it could be said that no matter how bad for one
base scene, not all scenes would have problems in the
house.
Faced with that, how to solve the problems you have by cheating angles and or throwing out normal wisdom is part of your challenge following your look. Get that first for all the scenes/moments and looks, than worry about how to do it. Craig’s drawings and sketches for lighting design are amazing... anyone count on one or at best two hands how many of those designs were really realized? Make that sketch work towards your design following the design rather lamenting over a need for a new theater and not being able to work under these situations.
Overall, this show might be a
bit more of a challenge than you are ready for - would be a challenge for me or anyone else given such plays by this author frequently change settings locations and times much over that of a Ibsen box set or Greek tragedy that might be a
bit more easy to start with. I would recommend that you no matter how studied and trusted to be ready for it get an assistant designer with you who you can work with on the show. This person more than just re-drawing plots or writing
cue sheets helps you troubleshoot and problem solve this design. Much less in getting in lighting lab someone to focus while the other person studies even if just a bright flashlight in the coves in looking at what it adds or subtracts. A second designer to help on site you design the show as it were as a team effort. Your
vision and that of the director being key but if problems, a second head that helps
clear the
fog where appropriate.
Beyond this, follow the text
book rules in design first in getting that done. Unless the audience can see the actors, they won’t hear them. Time of day, location, mood
etc.
Base of light and much more in just making it function. At times when I didn’t get a concept and as said the sitting in on rehearsals often helps tremendously as with other advice on lighting design in the post, I found just following the steps of lighting design presented in the text books especially for me “The New Handbook o
Stage Lighting Graphics” by Warfel while dated these days worked for me but for the most part the standards in steps of lighting design are fairly well laid out these days in most lighting books and will keep you on
track in getting a design out with inspiration and specials to follow later in adding after that
base look and light is there in a step by step way.
Get the design done in your space following the steps and or with
base of light concept first. If that means you do a
wash of the area or
stage with a less than artistic
wash no matter the angle, and get your key and fill at more drastic angles if even side light with what’s able to be done from the front is just filler, just make it work. Want to see the talent’s eyes - that’s the key to them acting even if it means supplemental
foot lights on a low setting.
Key and fill, as said, spin them if needed as per time of day but dictated by situation. Natural from the front is a way but not the only way or intended to be a straight 45 from the front with a filler from the rear at all. Say
wing right for fill and
foh front key, than left side fill. Reverse that as needed for a few scenes. Perhaps for a few scenes as needed more a dance side light fill and key with front filler and lots of other choices. 45 is a goal but there is options in it also in say a high top key in being filled in with the same
gel persay from a lower front at higher or lower output by choice to blend. Can’t make a 45, perhaps a 20 degree with supplemental high or side blended in. Don’t have to be three instruments from a specific angle or direction, more a concept in achieving a natural look that can at times be worked around for
effect or need.
Art, no matter if turd on
canvas or people doing acrobatics in the air is art. Get the fundimentals going for the space or canvass it’s painted on. Work within the design teams’ concept and your own next. Than refine and make it work in worrying about say how to do that specific angle that will be ever so perfect or how to get that
effect next.
First concept or first
base of light with specials. Next the other, than worry about how. Later it will be a more natural process one hopes in either way but only with experience.
Hope it helps. I didn’t get to design a main
stage show at college. Could be I wasn't ready, could have been I was around less than others that worked their way up in the school as opposed to being a transfer student, cold have been I already had more design credits under the belt than most of my peers and others were given the chance instead, or any number of reasons I today totally respect in choice. Did my mainstage designs after college later. Only got do AD some shows and by that time I was already doing semi-pro work in Chicago. Really missed that chance to design main
stage on my own and especially will have loved to design for “The Adding Machine” one of the final shows on the main
stage done while I was at school. Love that
play... could have done it better I would hope in getting it more to my
image of the
play but those chosen didn’t do bad persay either - just differently. You are getting a chance I didn’t get. Will always remember the experience so make the most of it bad and good. Make art = that’s why we are here.
Possibly best in design theory type
broad concepts this topic have so far taken to not mention the specific
play at this time or in this post thread. For all in use as opposed to specific design ideas of "what worked for me when I/we did/saw that show" that might or might not work specific to your situation and design statement, more a in general guide to design I'm thinking more useful. Your show and every show and production unique.
Problems or specific details might be better as seperate posts I would think. For now the show in general is the thing and I say if you can't get
McCandless... tip it on its side and see what you get. Or cheat and supplement the angles in blending to the same concept - but that's overall general fill/key. Where are you going with the feel and look is art beyond visibility.