Theatre Chapter 10

Fresnel

A flood light which produces a large, almost uncontrollable wash of light.

Sound Recordings

A list is made of all nonmusical sound effects required Developed by sound designer and director Recordings are made and the sounds arranged in order of appearance in script During the performance, an operator controls the recordings

Gel

A sheet of plastic (or color media) used to color a beam of light.

Ellipsoidal

A spot light which produces a small (up to 12' diameter) highly controlled, pool of light.

History of Lighting

First 2,000 years of theatre history, it took place mostly outdoors during the day §Playwrights used the imagination to suggest nighttime, or shifts of lighting §Playwrights also used language in place of lighting §Around 1600, theatre began to move indoors ▪Candles and oil lamps were used for illumination §1803, the theatre in London installed gaslights §1879, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb

Electricity

In 1880, London's Savoy Theatre became the first theatre to use electricity. In 1882, The Bijou Theatre in Boston was the first in the United States.

Sound Technology

Microphones Shotgun mike General mike Body mike Loudspeakers Placement is an art and science

Objectives of the Lighting Designer

Provide visibility Help establish time and place Help create mood Reinforce the style of the production Provide focus onstage and create visual compositions Establish rhythm of visual movement

Understanding Sound Reproduction And Sound Reinforcement

Reinforcement: amplification of sounds produced by a performer or a musical instrument

The Sound Designer

Responsible for arranging and orchestrating all the aural aspects of a production Consults with director to determine sound requirements, including sound effects and amplification

Sound In The Theatre

Sound reproduction: advantages and disadvantages Amplification Should it be used for singing? How loud should it be? Should speech be amplified? Sound effects

The Lighting Plot

The light plot is the lighting designer's primary working drawing. It is a plan (top view) of the stage showing where each lighting instrument (spot or flood light) is located. Instrument type Color Focus Dimmer

Lighting Designer Responsibilties

evelop a cue list Specify what lighting instruments will be used and where they will be hung Determine the color and focus of each lamp Determine which instruments will be ganged together on the same dimmer Draft a light plot and cue sheet Supervise the hanging and gelling of instruments Focus the instruments Create compositions for each lighting cue

The Lighting Designer's Resources Part 2

Types of stage lights Automated or moving light

The Lighting Designer's Collaborators

Assistant designers and others who help create the light plot A master electrician Moving light programmer Lead spot operator

Elements of Light

Intensity Color Direction Distribution Movement

Gobo

Is a physical template slotted inside, or placed in front of, a lighting source, used to control the shape of emitted light.

Lighting Controls

Lighting changes, or cues, are arranged ahead of time Black-‐out: all the lights are shut off at once Fade: lights dim slowly Cross-‐fade: one set of lights come down while another comes up Split cross-‐fade: lights that are coming up are on a different fade count from the lights coming down

The Lighting Designer's Resources

Types of stage lights Floodlights, strip lights, and border lights

Understanding Sound Reproduction And Sound Reinforcement

Understanding sound reproduction and sound reinforcement Sound reproduction: use of motivated or environmental sounds Motivated sounds: a sequence that announces the arrival of a character Noise of a car crunching on gravel A car motor turning off Environmental sounds: noises of everyday life that help create verisimilitude in a production Street traffic in a city Crickets in the country