LIGHTING AND SOUND FOR THE STAGE

The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to techniques and methods used to realize lighting and sound plots , with particular attention paid to the technical skills required to prepare, set, and run lighting and sound equipment in production.

The student should be able to prepare and execute a simple light plot and sound plot, and set up and run the equipment for it, by semesters end.

Texts:

Required:

Theatrical Design and Production     by J. Michael Gillet

Various Handouts provided through semester

Suggested:     

Stage Lighting Revealled     by Glen Cunningham

Sound Check              by Tony Moscal

Course Materials:

6 or 8 in. Adjustable wrench

1 or 2 3.5" HD Floppy disks

Drafting Equipment: (suggested)

• .5 mm mechanical pencil
• White drafting eraser
• T square (at least 24")
• 45 degree or 30-60-90 degree triangle
• Architect's scale rule
• Drawing/drafting paper, 2 - 28" x 24" or 1 - 24"x36"
• "1/4" scale PLAN lighting template, USITT standard
           -or-
  Geometric shapes drafting template for creating CIE symbols

We can make an order for templates if desired

You may also use a CAD program to complete this project.

Grades:
Grade will be based on labratory projects, on quizzes, and on production work.

Projects:
There will be 12 laboratory projects spaced throughout the semester. Projects are due ON TIME.

Quizes will be given approx. weekly, and will be based on the previous class discussion.

Production work may be completed one of three ways:

--20 hours of work time on stage to hang and focus shows.

--Working on a running crew as lighting or sound crew.

--Work as assistant to the production lighting designer.

Strikes will also be required, but will not count against work time.

Grading will be based on the standard format:
95 - 100 (A); 90-94 (AB), 85 - 89 (B); 80 - 84 (BC); 75 - 79 (C); 70 - 74 (CD); 60 - 70 (D); below 60 (F).

As productions will be an integral part of lectures, attendance at performances of Heidi Chronicles and Picnic will be required.

1. Electricity lab: (5 points)
Using parts supplied:

• Draw up and create a three lamp SERIES circuit and measure the voltage across each lamp and all the lamps together.
• Draw up and create a three lamp PARELLEL circuit and measure the voltage across each lamp and all the lamps together.
• Properly wire a PBG to Stage Pin adaptor. Orientation will be assigned by instructor.

2. Bench focus an Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight.
Demonstrate how to change a lamp in a Fresnel, an Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight, and a PAR can. (5 points)

3. On the Fredric March stage, given a sample light plot, hang and cable a temporary electric batten. Set instruments properly, and calculate counterweight required. (5 points)

4. Create a simple light plan on paper or CAD of a single area to present a mood or atmosphere effect, then set and save in color a visualization of the lighting layout using Virtual Light Lab program. (5 points)

5. Set up miniature single area light plots in the light lab demonstrating: (5 points)

• McCandless lighting
• Broadway lighting
• Key, fill, backlight
• Additive color mixing

6. Using whatever instruments are hung at the time, create on the Impression light board and save to floppy disk (provided) a series of cues as follows: (15 points)

1. Patch a set of at least 12 channels and create the following sequence of cues:
   • Fade from black into a "look" in 5 seconds.
   • Crossfade to another "look" in 8 seconds.
   • Segue to another "look", leading with a new "look" up in 4 seconds;
     following with the old "look" out in 5 seconds.
   • Add a three light chase.
   • End the chase.
   • Crossfade to your first look in 6 seconds, with an Auto-follow to your second look in 6 seconds.
   • Bump to a single "Special".
   • Fade to Black in 8 seconds.
2. Save your sequence to floppy disk and hand in to Instructor.

7. Prepare a light plot for an assigned scene. (20 points)

The plot should include:

Plan

Section

Instrument AND/OR Dimmer schedule

Equipment list

Some form of Magic Sheet.

   The scene will be selected by the instructor, the Theatre will be the Fredric March Theatre, and a set design will be provided. (20 points)

SOUND PROJECTS:

8. Set up a portable PA system consisting of a small mixer, a "talent" microphone on a stand, a cassette deck or a CD deck, an amplifier, and two speakers. Speakers should be set up as mono or stereo, depending on capabilities of the amplifier supplied. Get sound from all sources. (5 points)

9. Set up a dynamic microphone, a PCC microphone, and a wireless microphone on the Fredric March Theatre sound system and get sound from each through the house cluster.
(5 points)

10.Do ONE of following options: (5 points)

--Dub three different sound effects from CD (music AND sound effects library CDs) to a CD-R to create a three cue sequence. Prepare a sound cue sheet and play back on cue through the Fredric March Theatre house cluster.

11. Dub three different sound effects from CD (music AND sound effects library CDs) to the hard drive of a computer using a Sound editing program (such as Audacity, Audition, or Pro Tools) to create a three cue sequence. Transfer to the sound system's Macintosh computer. Prepare a sound cue sheet (paper or electronic) and play back on cue through the Fredric March Theatre house cluster. You may use either Qlab or Quicktime as your playback program. (10 points)

12. Create a five cue sequence utilizing at least three different sources. At least one cue must be a layered cue utilizing more than one source. Prepare a sound cue sheet and play back on cue through the Fredric March Theatre house cluster. (15 points)