Intro to Stage Lighting Stagecraft

Four Functions of Stage Lighting Visibility Naturalism Composition Mood

Four Functions of Stage Lighting Visibility- The function of providing visibility needs little further discussion except to point out that it also implies keeping light off parts of the stage that should not be seen. 

Four Functions of Stage Lighting Naturalism- Provides a sense of time and place. Sometimes called "realism", but that's not always accurate, since not all plays - and certainly very few ballets, modern dance pieces, and operas - are realistic.

Four Functions of Stage Lighting Composition- Must reveal actors, objects and scenery in proportion to their importance, by building a visual picture. The act of painting a picture, in this case, with light.

Four Functions of Stage Lighting Mood- or atmosphere, is the recreation in the audience of the appropriate emotion. Many designers err in paying attention to mood to the point where visibility is sacrificed.

Lighting Instruments Strip Light Scoop Leko Fresnel Follow Spot

Lighting Instruments Strip light- One of the most basic types of lighting fixtures. They usually consist of row of lamps. Can be used with colored glass lenses or gels to make lights different colors.

Lighting Instruments Scoop- a large, simple lighting fixture with a dome-like reflector and no lens. The result is a wide, soft-edged pool of light good for general lighting. However, since scoop lights do not have a mechanism for cutting down the size of their beam, they are rarely used for more specific lighting needs.

Lighting Instruments Leko or Ellipsoidal reflector spotlight (ERS) are the most varied and utilized type of stage lighting instrument the beam can be shaped to the profile of an object. Can focus (softness or hardness) of the beam of light projected by the unit. A set of brackets on the end of the lens tube for the insertion of gel frames, a color changing unit, gobos or any variety of accessories.

Lighting Instruments Fresnel- is a common lantern used in theatre, which employs a Fresnel lens to wash light over an area of the stage. The lens produces a wider, soft-edged beam of light, which is commonly used for back light and top light.

Lighting Instruments Follow Spot- Used to highlight and follow a moving performer. Produces a beam strong enough to project at a distance.

Lighting Illumination Front Down Side Back Background

Front Lighting Used for visibility. Lights are hung out front to focus on individual acting areas. Follow spots are examples of movable front lighting.

Down Lighting Used to tone and blend lights, providing shadowless lighting when used with other types of illumination. These filler lights hang down over the acting areas.

Side Lighting Often used in musicals to accent arm and leg movements. Lights are hung on ladders on the sides of the stage.

Back Lighting Used to add a halo effect to the actor’s head and shoulders and visually helps to separate actors from scenery. Lights are focused from behind the actors.

Background Lighting Used to focus on the background or scenery and to silhouette actors.

Color and Emotion Every color has some kind of emotion tied to it, and color is just one way that we can express mood with stage lighting.

Lighting Vocabulary Intro to Stagecraft

Vocabulary Barndoor- Four-shutter rotatable device which slides into the front runner of Fresnel and PC focus spots to shape the beam and reduce stray scatter light. Cue- The signal that initiates a change of any kind. Lighting cue is a change involving light intensity alterations.

Vocabulary Frost- A diffuser filter used to soften a light beam. Board- Contraction of switchboard or dimmerboard. The central control point for the stage lighting.

Vocabulary Gate- The optical center of a profile spot where the shutters are positions and where an iris or gobo can be inserted. Gobo- A mask placed in the gate of a profile spotlight for simple outline projection. Also used, with softened focus, to texture the beam.

Vocabulary Pan- Horizontal (left/right) movement of an instrument. Strobe- Device giving a fast series of very short light flashes under which action appears to be frozen.