Technical management and recruitment
Work organization, schedule, control data processing
General budgetary knowledge, french theater rules
Management of documents, technical requirements
Prompt book, cue sheet, light cue sheet
Lighting conception, use of lighting control desk
Light set-in, focus, strike, follow-spot, etc...
Certified for high-work, light-lift licence
Certified BR H1V
Pragmatism, rigour
Practical spirit, autonomy
Good interpersonal abilities
A good team-player
Musician: music theory / sight reading
I.T. skills: webdesign (dreamweaver, Flash Mx, etc...)
Languages: French (mother tongue) English (fluent)
Lighting designers know how to make the best use of the
subtle and powerful medium of light, creating effects that
can be changed at will to match the mood of the action.
At its most basic, stage lighting functions to make the
actors and their environs visible to the audience.
But it can also be used to:
Evoke the appropriate mood
Indicate time of day and location
Shift emphasis from one stage area to another
Reinforce the style of the production
Make objects on stage appear flat or three dimensional
Blend the visual elements on stage into a unified whole
The Designer's work
The lighting designer begins by reading the script to
be produced noting the type of light it calls for in each
scene. Designer and director share their ideas about how
light could be used to enhance the production concept at
their first meeting. Early meetings with the set designer
are also important because the set and lighting designers
must collaborate on how to achieve the desired "look"
for the play. The plan for the set may influence the placement
and direction of the necessary lighting instruments, so
flagging any potential problems in this area as early as
possible makes sense. Lighting designers attend rehearsals
to get a feel for the lighting cues and to plan how to light
the actors as they move from place to place on stage. When
the blocking is set, the lighting designer can start to
work out which lighting instruments will be used and where
each one will be located.
Planning tools
The planning tools lighting designers use include:
Paintings and photos showing the mood and style of specific
lighting techniques and are gathered through research
A lighting plot: a scale drawing of the stage and set as
seen from above showing the planned layout of each lighting
fixture to be used
A vertical section plot: a cross-section of the stage and
set drawn to scale showing the vertical sightlines and the
height and position of each instrument
An instrument schedule: a chart that lists each lighting
instrument separately along with the details of its type,
wattage, purpose, filter color, the dimmer it will be plugged
into and the ciruit that will control it
A cue sheet: a complete list of the various lighting effects
the designer has planned for the show and when they occur
Light control
Lighting designers usually combine both direct and indirect
light to illuminate the actors and objects on stage. Direct
lighting comes from a definite location and illuminates
specific areas; indirect lighting washes over the entire
area to be lit and doesn't appear to come from any one specific
location.
The amount of light needed to clearly illuminate an object
on stage depends on the object's:
Reflective properties
Color
Contrast with its surroundings
Size
Distance from the person looking at it.
There are four properties lighting designers can control
to create a vast array of effects:
Intensity. The brightness of light. Everything in the range
from the faintest dim glow to the most blinding glare can
be created with stage lighting. Contrast has a great impact
on how bright a light will appear to be to the audience,
with a single flashlight on an otherwise dark stage appearing
to be bright, while a strong spotlight shining on an already
brightly lit stage may appear dim.
Color. The color an object on stage appears to be is determined
both by its actual hue and by the colour of the light that
illuminates it. Filters or gels on lighting instruments
make it possible for designers to tint stage lighting in
colors that flatter the actors' faces, cast a warm glow
over an entire set or heighten the colors of scenery and
costumes.
Distribution. Light can be distributed in different ways
on stage. The form of light may vary from a soft unfocused
glow to a sharply defined beam that casts dramatic shadows.
The beam of light from an instrument may be directed through
a piece of metal called a gobo that shapes it into a pattern
such as the broken effect of light coming through the leaves
of tress. Light may also be directed at an object from any
angle, giving rise to an infinite variety of light and shadow
combinations, each with a different look and feel.
Movement. The intensity, color and distribution of light
can be noticeably altered as quickly or slowly as the lighting
designer and director deem fit while the play is being performed.
For example, a scene that starts in the diffuse and rosy
light of dawn can end in the brilliant golden beams of full
morning light. This capacity for change over time is called
the movement of light. It offers a kind of flexible expressiveness
that is unmatched by any of the other visual elements of
production.
Collaboration
The lighting designer will meet with the director and
the design team (set, costume, lighting and sound designers),
to discuss the details of the set and the director's interpretation
of the play. The set, costume and lighting designers also
meet and work together to ensure the creation of a unified
look and feel for the production. A lively exchange of initial
ideas and first impressions helps clarify the steps that
each person needs to take in this intensely collaborative
process.
Once the show opens, the designer's work is essentially
complete. Now it's normally the job of the stage manager
and light crew to make sure that every aspect of the production
runs just as the designer intended, time after time, until
the production closes.
version
française
