Need Help Getting Back Into It

[A3nEm4]

Hi all,

I am a returning light designer that has been out of the game for about 5 years. I worked at a night club in Palm Beach for over 8 years, starting as a porter and moving to the booth. I was always good with music but things like hearing incoming songs, lighting designs/speeds, and color schemes came surprisingly natural when I started lighting. Once I made it to the booth it was essentially 8 years of craziness.

The problem with this job was that the night club was not good about giving their employees hours. I never learned how to fully program patterns and timing into the console or the physical workings of our $150k lighting system. We would used a Hog lighting console, take pre determined patterns, edit said speeds of individual lights within patterns, and give the new pattern a spot on the board list.

Since this was a night club there were never any specified song lists, the idea was to hear a bass line coming in and have the next pattern ready to go. To get more creative we gave patterns, colors, and Gobos their own spots on the board. I could cycle patterns, colors, and gobos on the fly to create the visualization I wanted. I would also use the console to constantly manipulate individual lights during the show for drops and other sudden song changes.

The reason I made you sit through all of that was to give an understanding of where I am coming from. I know lights....but I don't know lights. I would like to have the ability to get back into lighting on a professional level and work my way up to high energy EDM type shows. I feel I had the most fun and was at my best whenever we went into our EDM sets.

It was hard to find answers to these questions below within the search, the newest thread on WYSIWYG was 2015. Any information or help would be greatly appreciated.

1. What is the best WYSIWYG for practicing and learning how to program lights correctly since I don't have anything else at my disposal?

2. Best resources for learning color schemes and industry wide techniques?

3. The best Books/Articles to familiarize one with the physical aspect of lighting?

4. Any social media/YouTube personalities that would provide valuable knowledge?

5. What type of lighting do you work in?

 

[GoboMan]

To answer a few of your questions...

I work primarily in theatre and musicals, but I have also been in the DJ circuit and have programmed light shows in my mobile lighting rig. I also work as a Master Electrician and have experience in sound mixing and operation.

I subscribe and religiously read several monthly trade magazines which consist of Stage Directions, PLSN, FOH, and Lighting & Sound America. All of these subscriptions I receive free and didn't cost anything to sign up. They are great resources for me to know what's going on with current technology, new fixtures being released, and what other designers/artists are doing in the lighting world. I have learned a lot of useful information related to design, operation, and capabilities that I have used in my own designs and creations.

I also make a point to attend LDI in Las Vegas every year. As much as I enjoy visiting Vegas, that is not the primary reason I go. I go to talk to people and see the new technology first-hand. It is extremely beneficial to me to visit many companies, both big and small, and talk to the representatives. Not only do I learn about new technology, but you can make great connections that will help you down the road. In addition to the actual exhibit hall at LDI, I also try to take a class or two while I'm there. Two years ago, I took a 2-day training course on the MA Lighting GrandMA2 console. The year before that, I did the High End Systems Hog4 training. At the most recent LDI this year, I attended several lighting seminars and lectures, and also did a Vectorworks skills course. These courses weren't free (or cheap), and it can add up if you are on a budget, but the knowledge I receive from these courses and seminars every year are more than worth the money I spent. As LDI approaches every year, I always look at the course offerings to find a class that I can attend to help me grow as a designer and lighting technician.

In regards to being able to practice at home, my GrandMA2 training comes in handy, as I use the MA3D software offered by MA Lighting to practice at home. The GrandMA2 onPC and MA3D visualization software is free to download and you get full access to each. I am able to build virtual stages, sets, and lighting rigs on my PC, and then I can use the onPC software to design, program, and operate light shows. The visualization output is great, and you can get a fantastic representation of what your lights would look like in real life. Not only do I get to practice and perfect my designs and try out new ideas, but I also get to keep my skills as a programmer (particularly on GrandMA2) sharp and retain that knowledge.

As far as learning about color schemes and techniques, I literally just watch other people's shows and designs. I'm constantly watching YouTube videos of light shows and taking mental notes. One of my favorite TV shows to watch is "America's Got Talent", because each act gets their own lighting design, and I love to watch the lights and gain ideas and inspirations that I can take with me to my own future shows. I can just say to watch, watch, and watch some more. Every designer is different, but you can start to see some similarities and common practices as you watch more shows.

Hope this helps! And welcome back to the lighting world!