Design

batten. If it takes 18-20 ERSs to provide the front light your director wants, then that's what it takes, although that sounds excessive. If the FOH is a "bad throw angle" (What does that mean? Can you elaborate?) putting more lights there isn't going to help. One method of lighting the stage calls for each 8-12' acting area to be lit with two lights, each 45° up and 45° out (imagine the diagonals of a cube). With a 50' wide stage, this would take 10 fixtures.

A bad throw angle means to me any way that the FOH is in such an akward possition that its hard to get light upstage, also it means i have trouble determining the size barrel that should be used. i can get an exact measure ment at somepoing maybe.
also could you elarborate on youre method please
thank you
 
A bad throw angle means to me any way that the FOH is in such an akward possition that its hard to get light upstage, also it means i have trouble determining the size barrel that should be used. i can get an exact measure ment at somepoing maybe.
also could you elarborate on youre method please
thank you

You don't do upstage fronts from your overhead electrics?
 
A bad throw angle means to me any way that the FOH is in such an akward possition that its hard to get light upstage, ...
Ideally the FOH Cove/Catwalk/Beam position should provide a 45° angle of elevation to the dowstage areas, making it impossible to clear the proscenium header to light the exteme US areas. Hence, as waynehoskins suggests the First Electric, or on deeper stages the Second Electric is used for US frontlight.

...also it means i have trouble determining the size barrel that should be used. i can get an exact measure ment at somepoing maybe. ...
I don't see how this can be the fault of the lighting position. A buddy, along with a fifty-foot tape measure, plumb bob, and line-level can easily solve this problem. You need to determine the horizontal distance from a reference point on stage (usually the plaster line); and the vertical distance (height above stage level). Then apply the Pythagorean Formula to calculate throw distance. Looking up a fixture's M.F. (multiplication factor) from the manufacturer's cut sheets will tell you which fixture will provide the desired pool size. More math will help you determine the intensity of different fixtures. Here is a link to an Excel workbook; it does not however, and will never, include Altman Shakespeares.

...also could you elarborate on youre method please ...
It's not MY method, it is A method, as published by Stanley McCandless in 1932. Type "McCandless" into the search box.
 
ok so i will use the first/second electric for upstage lighting and i will also find my throw angle as well as search mccandless although i have heard of some of his methods before so thank you very much, i never really thought of using the first electric...shows what a noob i am
another question i have is does anyone know what WYSIWYG is? as well as continued diesign tips, thank you
 
another question i have is does anyone know what WYSIWYG is?

It's short for "Much More Work Than It's Worth". :)

What You See Is What You Get. It lets you see a visualization of what your cue will look like, given that you've given it the CAD drawings of the space, the set and the light plot, and given that you have either movers, or have your conventionals focused exactly as you've told it.

My advice is to learn on paper. Set up a light lab if you can, a place where you can experiment with fixtures and color and all that stuff.

McCandless's book is one I need to get for the bookshelf. His Method is a good one, but I find I don't use "area fronts" as much as I used to, opting instead for straight fronts in addition to sides. Not that there's anything bad about area fronts: just don't fall into the trap of thinking that fronts must be done that way.

Learn how to design by The Rules, and then learn how to break them. :)
 
McCandless's book is one I need to get for the bookshelf. His Method is a good one, but I find I don't use "area fronts" as much as I used to, opting instead for straight fronts in addition to sides. Not that there's anything bad about area fronts: just don't fall into the trap of thinking that fronts must be done that way.

Learn how to design by The Rules, and then learn how to break them. :)


alright well the whole WYSIWYG thing is good to know, any programs that will help me make a plot on the computer then? also, what books are there out there and how do i get ahold of them, and what are the rules you speak of haha.
 
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.
 
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thank you for your post ship that gave me alot of insight as to many of the things i can do as a designer. i have a problem that you might be able to help me with. my director always complains about specials. what she wants is a special that show the face of an actor in one spot and she usually has a lot of those spots set up, and frankly i dont know how to make a special showing the front of an actor without spilling light everywhere
any tips?
thank you
 
thank you for your post ship that gave me alot of insight as to many of the things i can do as a designer. i have a problem that you might be able to help me with. my director always complains about specials. what she wants is a special that show the face of an actor in one spot and she usually has a lot of those spots set up, and frankly i dont know how to make a special showing the front of an actor without spilling light everywhere
any tips?
thank you

Use a steeper vertical angle than 45 and a tighter fixture than you normally would for facelight.
 
I think Kliegl just introduced a model with these shutter things.
 
I'll need to go get upgrade kits for my scoops, ASAP!
 
What?! I go to work and miss out on the news of the century! Shudders, how ingenious. Maybe they're named because when you hear about them you shudder with anticipation? I'm amazed. Thank you Kliegl Bros, thank you.
 
I've heard that some Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights contain blades called framing shutters that you can use to shape the beam and keep it off of things you don't want lit.

Perhaps this is late breaking news from Century-Strand, as shared with us by their resident bad-boy, posting under the alias of LekoBoy.

Probably Strand's version of Hellboy.

I can picture a beast hidden away in the bowls of the Strand laboratory, 2 shutters sticking out of his head where his ears should be, ellipsoidal reflector embedded inside his skull, Century wrench grafted onto his right fore arm, not super intelligent though, as Strand's marketing folks have decided to skip that end of the market.

Valiantly going forth to fight the evils of patent infringement

SB
 

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