Light

Top Hat

A lighting accessory used in various instruments that reduces spill coming out of the light as well as minimizing glare. The lights shining on the Act Curtain in Hairspray had Half Hats on them to reduce glare in the audiences' eyes

Strip Light

A lighting unit consisting of a row of lamps to create a wide, even wash of light Useful in lighting backdrops

Unmotivated Lighting

A more abstract technique based on a designer's reaction to a mood or "feeling" within a play.

Litho

A more complex form of a Gobo which is made out of glass. It uses dichroic colors, which reflect color instead of Gel Color which either allows light of a certain color to pass through or absorbs unwanted color as heat. The overall result is a highly-detailed image with beautifully saturated and vivid color

Cyc Light

A multi-circuit lighting fixture with several high intensity lamps Provides a powerful punch of light with a vertical spread for lighting backdrops and cycloramas

Fresnel

A spotlight with the ability to change the beam size from a tight spot to a floodlight / soft edges and even spread of light

Motivated Lighting

A technique used to support realistic lighting sources; such as a candle, streetlight, or the sun.

C-Clamp

Hanging hardware used to attach lighting instruments to a pipe.

Relfector

In an ERS, the rays of light converge at two Focal Points . The Primary Focal Point being at the source (or the lamp itself) and the Secondary Focal Point just before the lens of the instrument, due to the nature of the ellipsoidal shape.

Selective visibility

Manipulating light to draw focus to a person or group of people and/or scenic elements. Often used to show importance or draw the audience's eye to a specific location.

Parcan

PAR - Parabolic Aluminized Reflector Produces a strong, harsh beam of light / Oval-shaped with soft edges

Unmotivated vs Motivated

Refers to lighting techniques that either support realistic light sources or respond to a mood or "feeling."

Responsibility

Responsible for the design of the lighting and special electrical effects associated with a production.

Electrics Crew-Master Electrician

Responsible for the planning, budgeting, and staffing the lighting department for a production. -Runs crews through light hang, focus, and tech rehearsals. -Maintains the lights throughout a productions run.

Lamp

The light source which consists of a filament, bulb (envelope), and a base.

More on Motivated Lighting

can be affected by many environmental factors like season, weather, & time of day

movement

can refer to the physical position change of lights through automated lighting or actors/crew members moving lights physically. May also refer to the timed duration of a light cue which creates a sense of motion onstage.

Color

gels/color media, lamp type, dimming an instrument

Intensity

the level of brightness a light reflects off performers and or stage elements

Distribution

the maker in which light falls on a surface. it is influenced by direction, quality and shape/size

USITT

united states institute for theatre technology

Barn Doors

A lighting accessory used primarily in Fresnels that allows the light to be shaped on four sides

Half Hat

Also known as an Eyelash The difference is that Half Hats allow for more controllability and are shorter in length.

Practicals

Candles, lanterns, fireplaces, lamps

Texture

Created by using Gobos in certain lighting instruments or by shining through scenic pieces. A Gobo is a pattern, usually cut into a thin stainless steel plate. It is placed into an aperture of an Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight which projects the image.

ERS

ELLIPSOIDAL REFLECTOR SPOTLIGHT A.K.A. - ERS, Leko, Source 4 , or Ellipsoidal

SHAPING LIGHT WITH AN ERS

Shutters, gobos, beam quality, barrel size

Shutters

On an ERS, 4 movable metal plates that allow the beam to be shaped linearly.

change hookup

*a chart, arranged by channel? that gives specific info about each light *modern paperwork software like lightweight has revolutionized lighting industry *w/ minimal setup time, entering in lighting data has been made easier thru interlgration w/ digital drafting software like vector works

Lighting Designer's Goals

- To influence the audience's perception and understanding of what they're seeing; - to selectively illuminate the stage; - to sculpt, mold, and model actors, setting, and costumes; and - to create an environmental atmosphere that is supportive of the play's Production Concept - to convey environmental circumstances of the scene

Electrics Crew

-Hang Crew -Hangs and circuits lights. -Focus Crew -Focus and trouble shoot lights. -Show Crew -Board Operator - runs the lighting console. -Deck Electrician - runs/trouble shoots lighting onstage. -Spotlight Operator - runs the follow spot.

Electrics Crew Programmer

-The technician working directly with the lighting designer to program the lighting console. -Only programs the lighting. Not on show crews.

Robotic Light

Also known as a moving light A "smart" automated lighting instrument in which the entire body changes focus Some are able to change color, gobo, utilize shutters, rotate textures, iris in and out, change from a spot to flood like a fresnel, and much much more!

I-Cue

Lighting accessory made by Rosco, consisting of a moving mirror that allows the designer to redirect the beam of the light via the lighting control console. A cost-effective alternative to the high rental cost for moving lights.

Followspot

Lighting instrument with a high- intensity output usually controlled by a followspot operator to selectively highlight a person or group of people.

Booms & Ladders

Lighting positions widely used in dance & musical theatre lighting to provide highlight to the actors form. Also used in creating unique special effect lighting.

Photometrics

The data lighting designers use to calculate the field area and intensity of a specific lighting fixture. Understanding the type of instruments required, where to place them in the theatre, and how many you need to light an acting area, performer, or scenic piece. Certain factors such as Lamp, Throw Distance, and Angle are important in deciding which lens is right for the job

Commenting on action

Through research, reading the play several times, and having discussions with the production team, the designer begins to establish a mood or overall aesthetic for the play. They interpret general sensibilities and ideas from the playwright's writing, apply the design team's/directors' concepts and develop lighting moments. Lighting that Comments on the Action is often Unmotivated.

Reinforcing the action

While commenting on the action gives the designer a broader degree of freedom in interpreting the play through lighting, reinforcing the action focuses on keeping the playwright's message in mind. There is a clear theme at hand. While keeping the actors lit is usually most important, reinforcing the theme is equally vital. Lighting that reinforces the action is often Motivated

Practicals (2)

Working light sources onstage. Design of these sources usually falls to the scenic designer or props department. The lighting designer certainly has a say in the discussion; most importantly lamp types and wattage, as well as the controllability of the practicals.

Light Plot

a drafted top view plan in scale that details all the pertinent info required to fully implement the lighting design for production