Thanks for the advice! Now as far as planning goes, is there any good resources for this? I am self taught at this
point (3rd year doing lighting for this
theatre or any at that) because the tech teacher was more of a shop teacher the 2 years i had him!
Ah. I got on here and started learning. I was self taught until I started working as the ME of a college theater with a TD who really knew what was up. Books I like are "
A practical guide to Stage Lighting" by Steve Shelley, and a couple others out of Focal Press. I personally feel there is no substitute for trying things out, seeing if they work, and making them better. For example, when I was just starting off, I saw some shinbusters on a show I went to at the local Ballet, and decided I would try them out for my next dance. During focus I played around with them until I found a way I liked them (I had all
sunday to work and 3 buddies to help me out). Turns out I had re-invented the wheel and that was how everyone else used them anyhow, but the learning and testing things got me to a
point where now I have a
boom set up that I know works well, and that Im comfortable with. I also have a way I do front light, which I learned from a pro designer, then refined until I liked how it worked. Its not
McCandless, but its sort of like it (some textbooks
call something similar "Jewel" lighting because of how it makes the eyes look). Are these all the "right" way to do things? Not at all. Am I an expert in lighting the
stage? No. But I developed ways that work for me and the people I work for, and did most of that via trying things out and failing a lot. I really dont know of a good
book that actually "teaches" lighting design well. I took a class on it, and now am working on getting into a BFA program closer to home for design because I like it so much. But you have to try stuff.
One thing you might do at this
point in your life is get into the habit of collecting artistic work that inspires you or has a look you want to replicate. Everything you pull up, write a
bit about it, why you like it, how it feels, what the story it tells is. Sort of like Pintrest for theater, I guess. Plus its a decent excuse to order the European version of Vogue, which is much better. This will teach you two things: How to develop your eye and how to talk a bunch of art-jargon about whatever your doing. Some designer will probably jump on and criticize that thought, but honestly, I find half of doing art is being able to describe why it means something. Anyone can
throw some lights up in a specific way. Why are YOU throwing those lights up IN THAT SPECIFIC WAY? Can you tell me WHY your doing it? Its not an exercise in lighting but describing what your doing.
Anyhow, to solidify your designs, get out the good
ole pencil and paper. I wish you could buy cheap sketchbooks of grey paper for this, but draw out your set,
trace it a bunch, and for every scene make a couple of sketches and use white and black chalk to show highlight and shadow. Blend it out and fill in with some colored pencil to show what color the lights are, and take the opportunity to show if there is texture or not in the light. After doing this, figuring out where to put lights ought to be fairly easy, and choosing color will be a matter of looking at
Apollo's
swatchbook (they
send you free ones still so I like their company. Also they have fun names. A Hint: Submissive Lav. is a VERY nice color. Not as nice as the Dominant Lav. That ones a
bit mean) and choosing the color that is right for your picture. I like to have a board that I take apart a
swatchbook and put all my colors on, have a lighting
plot with systems colored in, and inspirational photos around the
plot. Just note, its not always a great idea to use LOLCats and penguins for these. Use some that make you feel like the show (preferably of models and trees and lions and otters and whatnot, not other shows). Then I can show this to the director and they kind of see where Im headed with my design, and I can hang it on my wall and look at it while I stare at my computer
monitor and draft. Of course, you should maybe think about
hand drafting occasionally so your good at it... Seriously, it makes your handwriting better.
Anyhow, once you have sketches, inspirational photos, and a color pallate, you can make a
light plot and
send it to the PHE. Then they can hang it, you tell them how to focus it, then you
cue it. Then they open the show and you get the final 1/3 of your fee. Or your credit for class. Or a pat on the back and a slice of cake. It all depends.
