Comparing and Contrasting Lighting in different genres

Own Lighting Designs

A2 Drama Exam

Focus Notes

A lighting designer creates focus notes for riggers to be aware of exactly how many lights are being used. This document informs them of not only the lantern used. But the gel required (if applicable) what the light is aiming to light and the exact location of it to focus.

Colour Call

A lighting designer uses a colour call to inform riggers of the required gels for each light. For example in the colour call below, 4 CCT Fresnels require gel 444. This will work as a working document and should riggers run out of a specific gel, they will edit the document informing the designer of the changes that had to be made. This is usually deciding on a gel that most resembles the desired.

General Washes for Different Types of Staging

End On

Key features that should be remembered when lighting an end performance space are:

• Backlighting to bring performers off the back curtain.
• Front lights are placed at 45 degree angles from the backlights.
• When lighting each section of the space, the lanterns will be placed in 'triangulation'.
• The triangles will overlap to avoid pathciness on the stage
• The same make of light must be used for the general wash to avoid patchiness
• The colour in the backlight is usually a dim blue colour

 

In the Round

Key features to remember for lighting In The Round are:

• There is no backlighting
• Each section of the space is lit from 4 corners at 45 degree angles from the centre of said space
• The 'square's will overlap to avoid patchiness on stage
   

 

Traverse

Key things to remember when lighting a Traverse performance space are:

• The space is lit similar to End On with the lights in triangulation at 45 degree angles from the backlight
• As there is no end to be considered to be the front. The backlighting will start at both ends and meet  in the middle

 

 

 

Thrust

Key things to remember when lighting a Thrust stage are:

• It is a combination of end on and in the round.
• The end of the space is to be lit as though it is end on. In triangulation at 45 degree angles from the back light.
• The rest of the space is lit 'In the Round' from all 4 points/corners from the centre at 45 degree angles.