Design References for a beginning designer

[JonCarter]

OK, gentlemen, I have a question for you. I have a granddaughter in her freshman year at a well-known NYC area college. This young lady has been acting since she was five, first in area children's theatre productions, then graduating to adult companies in the area and directing shows in the childen's theatre she had formerly acted in. She has served as ASM for the local opera company and worked with various imported directors, SMs and leads for five years before leaving for college. She is obviously more familiar with what's in front of the set than behind, although she has assisted the crews at various times (and,, even though being on "that other side of the biz," not been attacked by any of them.)

The problem now is that she has been asked to design lights for a student production and asked me for assistance. Of course, the first thing I told her (other than 60-yer-old experiences) was to find and read McCandless, both his 'Method' and 'Syllabus," and that if she did she might be old-fashioned but she wouldn't be wrong. I also told her to buy a case of beer for the tech crew at the plant she'll be designing in. I would like to give her some more current references. What does the hive suggest? Many thanks in advance.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Pilbrow's book Stage Lighting Design

 

[microstar]

A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting by Steve Shelley

 

[Benjamin Fink]

Both of these are great suggestions and if your granddaughter is planning to go into lighting design, I have read and would absolutely recommend both. If she's just starting to explore it as an option, I might suggest Designing With Light by J. Michael Gillette, which was the textbook I used for my undergrad. It doesn't go into as much depth as the other two books recommended above, but for a first-time designer, it's pretty straightforward and cheap. (I was able to find used copies of an older edition online for around $10-15.) Otherwise, if there's a lighting design class at her college, she can probably borrow a copy of that textbook from an upperclassman.

In addition to the case for the crew, she would probably do well to find a designer or two who've worked in the space and take them out for drinks to see what the challenges are in that space and which positions work well for different purposes.

 

[JonCarter]

Bill, microstar and Benjamin, thanks very much for our suggestions. I've gotten her a copy of Shelly's Practical Guide for an early Christmas present which I'll ll look give her when she's home next week. for Thanksgiving. I've looked it over and it looks much more advanced than what she'll need but will make a good reference. Her primary interest is the acting/directing side, but knowing how things work will be a help for her.

She's been asked (ordered?) to design lights for a student show and has three weeks to put something together. This will be a 4-5 character one-act piece in an arena plant w/minimal set and props. My guess is that visibility and some degree of plasticity and maybe a cue or two will be the extent of it., but we'll see. Benjamin, I think your idea will be most helpful for her. I suggested she buy a case of beer for designers and tecchies who've worked the plant where she'll be designing.