PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

Lighting a Production:
Analysis: First step in lighting, analyze the play.
You must undertand the play.

Three readings:
First reading: emotions
	* Read the script, and make note of how it affects you.
	* Touchstone to the audience; 
        sense of how audience will react first time to play.
Second reading: structure
	* Then start again, answer certain questions:
		+ --That is play about; the Theme?
		+ --What is the mood or moods created?
		+ --How are these communicated in the play?
		+ --What are the relationships between characters?
	* Journalistic approach:
		+ Who (is who)?
		+ What (happens)
		+ Where (the location for the play, external and internal to characters)
		+ When (the time and timeline of the action)
		+ Why (the motivations of the action and the characters)
		+ How (pattern and progress of the plot)
You should be able to answer:
	* Describe the dramatic question.
	* How it is answered?
	* What KIND of a play is it?
		+ Comedy
		+ Tragedy
		+ Melodrama
		+ Farce
		+ Satire
		+ etc.?
	* What is the conflict, between who, how resolved?  What caused it?
	* Who's play is it?  Who is (are) the major character(s)?
	* What motivates them?
	* What are the required settings; what kind of world is it, what is it's probability?
	* What are the dominant moods and atmospheres?

These are same questions that must be answered by the director, the actors, 
and all the designers.
You are going to be creating the world in which this play will occur; 
You need to arrive at your own understanding.
Third Reading: Technical aspects of the play
Note where specific effects are called for by script:
   Time of day, changes of scene or location,
     motivating action of characters, etc.
Process begun here continues through entire show process.

Concept
The idea around which your work will revolve.
This idea is the Concept.
Not just What you will do but HOW.
Decisions:
	* What mood and atmosphere you will try to create.
	* How realistic or unrealistic you will need to be.
	* What style you will follow.

Style: the way something is done, as separate from its substance.
Ranges from :
	* Realism (the world as it is in reality)
	* Selective Realism (selected pieces expressed realistically)
	* Expressionism, (the world of emotion expressed externally)
	* Impessionism (the essence of the world with the detail removed)
	* Surrealism (the world of the inner mind beneath emotion, the world as Symbols. 
        Also, placing realistic objects in unreal situations).

This is developed with other artists in team.
     Theatre the collaborative art.
Concept: a statement of what you are trying to achieve and create, 
     a goal and means to follow.

With the Concept firmly in mind, you then proceed to create a light plot 
to realize it.

The Light Plot
Consists of the paperwork required to hang, focus and cue a show.

Paperwork:

Drawings:
Plan and Section
	* Plan:  Top view, with set, electrics, light instruments, instrument data, key.
   Done in scale with accurate positions indicated.
[Sample plot]
	* Section:  Side view of Plan, in scale, giving vertical information
   Esp.useful for ploting vertical angles and coverage.

Schedules
All needed information CAN be shown on a light plan, so that no other info is needed.
Usually easier if info is organized by task as well.
Schedules: information in tabular form.
	* Channel Schedule, aka Hookup
		+ Patch often made from this list, convenient
		+ Pertinant info listed in Channel or Dimmer order Each Channel listed 
in turn with instruments, dimmer/circ, function, etc.
	* Instrument Schedule
		+ List organized by Position and instrument; numbered in instr. order.
		+ Most useful for trouble shooting problems on the floor.
	* Equipment Schedule
		+ List of equipment required to hang the show, similar to a parts list in carps
		+ Especially needed for rental situations What you need, but not what to do 
              with it.
	* Cut list
		+ List of all color media needed, organized by number and frame size.
		+ Common sizes: 6.25" x 6.25"; 7.5" x 7.5"; 10" x 10"
		+ Color sheet size = 20" x 24", so:
			- 6.25" x 6.25" = 12 cuts/ sht.
			- 7.5" x 7.5" = 6 cuts/ sht.
			- 10" x 10" = 4 cuts/ sht.
	* Magic Sheets
		+ Designers cheat sheets, may be as individual as the designer and/or show
		+ Contains the minimum info needed to quickly locate the required channel 
              during focus and especially when cueing.

PRACTICE:

The Lighting Crew
Lighting Designer
[Union: USA (United Scenic Artists), now a division of the IA]
Responsible for Lighting Design and Plot
Developes Concept and methods for realizing it.
Writes light cues and determines looks of the lighting.
Assistant Lighting Designer- may help generate paperwork, helps draft plans.
Generates schedules.

PROFESSIONAL STAGE PRACTICE
ELECTRICAL CREW:
[Union: IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), the IA]
Master Electrician: in charge of the electrics crew.
Electricians: hang equipment and does hands-on focus.
Light board operator: programs cues and runs control board during performances.
Followspot/ Lamp Operators: Run manual follow spots during performances.
Deck Electricians: place, connect and focus anything electrical during performance; 
    connects but do not place practical props.
House Electrician: handles tie-ins to the Company Disconnect (Bull Switch). 
    May be attached to the House rather than the Crew.
Sound Department: technically part of Electrics, but semi-independant.
PROFESSIONAL CINEMA PRACTICE
Lighting Director (LD)/ Director of Photography (DP)
Electricians: handle electrical lighting equipment (that plugs in) or is directly 
    attached to lights.
Gaffer: Chief Lighting Technician, CLT
Best Boy Electric: Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Second Electrician
Electricians: Set Lighting Technicians, Lamp Operators, Third Electricians
Grips: handle non-electrical lighting equipment
Key Grip: Head of grip department
Best Boy Grip: Assistant Key Grip
Grips: handle grip equipment directly.
Dolly Grips: handle and move camera dollies during a shoot.

The Process:
	* Design the plot
	* Hang the plot
	* Circuit and cabling
	* Patching
	* Focus
	* Cuing and programming; rehearsals
		+ Set "pictures"
		+ Dry Tech (Cue-to-cue)
		+ Full Tech ("wet" tech)
		+ Dress Rehearsal (Full Dress)
		+ Final Dress Rehearsal
		+ Opening Night and Performances
	* Running the show
		+ Crew call: at "half hour" or before
		+ Run the show
		+ Post-show shut down
	* Strike after last performance

©2000, Mick Alderson