Nightclub & Bar Convention Presentation from 2012 by Michael-Paul "Jack Kelly" James. Discover idiosyncrasies, strengths, & the relationships of design’s most powerful ally & night’s most viscous adversary, lighting. Expand understanding of how light works to create greater impact on décor and the nightlife experience. Key concepts that keep guest present & drinking!

1. Presentation & Photography by Jack Kelly for Nightclub & Bar

2. Night Meet Light
Presentation & Photography by Jack Kelly of Eye Dialogue
Presented at Nightclub & Bar in Vegas on March 13, 2012
Discover idiosyncrasies, strengths, & the relationships
of design’s most powerful ally & night’s most viscous
adversary, lighting. Expand understanding of how light
works to create greater impact on décor and the
nightlife experience. Key concepts that keep guest
present & drinking!

3. Why Lighting?
• What are the fundamentals of light and how can I
use them effectively?
• What does can lighting do to enhance décor?
• How many different ways can I light an object and
what is the difference?
• How does lighting effect my bottom line?
• How can I get the greatest impact with my budget?
• How do I create a memorable experience?

4. The Basics
Additive Color Mixing and Its Effect
• White light is the summation of all colors
• The root colors of light are Red Blue & Green (RGB)
• Cyan Magenta & Yellow are a combination of 2
colors darkening the third (Additive Color Mixing).
• Colored Objects only can reflect certain wavelengths
and absorb others.
• Pure red can only reflect red.
• To bring a color out of its surrounding use light
complimentary to that color.

5. Color Temperature : Kelvin
• Color temperatures over
5,000K are called cool
colors (Blueish White)
• Color temperatures under
3,000K are called warm
colors (Amber White)
• Warm gray| Cool gray
6% yellow | 6% blue.

6. Four Lighting Effects
Lighting Design has 4 visual characteristics to light an
object with the relationship to the path in mind. Each
effect provides a unique experience for the eye.
• Indirect light Blurs Shadows Through Diffusion
• Direct light Creates Strong Shadows
• Beam Effects Reveal the Path of the Light
• Blinders Directly Manipulate the Eye

7. Indirect Light
• Bounces off another surface to light a subject often
referred as reflected light. The source is usually hidden
from the viewer. Indirect lighting can have a mystical
effect with an illusive source. [Light Box]

8. Direct light
• Focuses on the subject. The fixture is not typically in the
line of sight when the viewer examines the subject.

9. Beam Effects
• Emphasizes the path from the source to the subject. Only
visible when air particles are present. [Lasers, Gobos,
Spots]

10. Blinders
• Focuses on the viewer, suddenly constricting the pupil of
the eye, darkening the surrounding area until the pupil
widens. [Literal, String, TV]

11. The Angle of Focus:
The Fixtures Relationship to the Subject
Fixtures can encompass a sphere around an object. 3 major
changes happen as the light moves in relation to the
viewer.
• Narrow Focus: Front Lighting: 0◦ to 20◦, 160◦ to 180◦
• Key Light: Front Lighting: 20◦ to 160◦
• Back lighting: All lighting tilted towards the viewer

12. Narrow Focus
• A source of light perpendicular to the line of sight,
creating shadows & emphasizing texture. [Uplighting,
Downlighting]

13. Key Light
• Lights a subject from the eye of the viewer creating a
flatter look. It often adds ambient light to the space do to
reflected particles in the air & the angle of the indirect
light reflecting back onto the viewer.

14. Back Lighting
• Lights the subject from the rear. Source & the viewer face
each other. The subject is in between. This causes the
edges of the subject to glow, while the other areas remain
darker except in translucent materials.

15. The Bug Dynamic: Controlling Focus
It is natural to look at the brightest object in a scene. Using
human nature the designer can control what is noticed and
what is ignored. Keeping focus on décor & entertainment
assures greater success.
• Voyeurs want to watch without being seen. Creating dark
space gives them a comfortable environment to enjoy
themselves
• Exhibitionists want to be visible. By focusing the light into a
specific area, they have a natural habitat to entertain receiving
the attention they desire.
• Seducing Clients to Entertain can be tricky. By putting the
darkest space next to the dance floor, one can pull charlatan
exhibitionist posing as wall flowers to the edge hoping to pull
them into the spot light.
• Pin spotting is used to bring emphasis to small objects of
interest bringing attention to the décor or style of the venue.

16. Control Your Light
Understanding Side Effects & Impact Zones
• Don’t fill space with Light Trash. If the entire room is
evenly lit the space is boring without direction nor interest,
Focus is lost. [Tight Focus]
• Light above the eye line. The most effective space for light
is where everyone can see. Keep it above the guest heads,
especially for beam effects.
• Don’t light everything all the time. By making objects
disappear and reappear with light, the guests continually
reanalyze the space. The act of reassessing a space engages the
viewer, peaking their interest.
• Keep the focus on the décor and entertainment
assures a unique experience. The guests are similar
throughout the club world, the difference is the venue not the
fashion.

17. TV or Not to TV.
• Ambient light brightens the venue detracting
from the effect lighting. Ambient light demands
brighter effect lighting, increasing the cost of
operation and fixture cost.
• TVs are a blinder which contracts the pupil
requiring brighter lights to create impact. TV
watchers will be less prone to notice the light show.
Solution: lower the brightness or play dark videos.
• The more ambient light the more the guests are
distracted by each other losing focus on the
experience.
• If guests can see each other, they reason that they
can be seen. If guests become more self conscious,
they are more likely to become embarrassed or
constrain themselves from becoming entertainers.

18. Color the Bar, White the Bottles
Alcohol & Entertainment is First Priority
• Clarity is important. Guest should be able to read
what is advertised. Light bottles with white light allowing
faster decisions for better sales and ease of purchase.
• Confusion frustrates the consumer discouraging
them from consuming.
• Coloring the surrounding area increases the value
of white light. By creating a picture frame of interest, the
value of the clarity of white light increases.
• The Power of Suggestion: If the light at the end of the
tunnel reads Vodka, then they are more likely to buy
Vodka.

19. Excess & Absence: Creating Style thru
Extremes.
• Discover the standard. Establishing a baseline provides
valuable insight for manipulating guests’ expectations.
• By creating extremes the space becomes conversation
worthy.
• The venue doesn’t have to be better only remembered.
• Leaving out or exceeding what everybody expects creates
buzz and conversation starters about nightclub experiences.
• Add dynamics by brightening and darkening spaces can be
achieved through programming and space management,
creating the illusion that the space is transforming.
• Facilitating the community experience with conversational
topics about the space is an indirect form of advertising.

20. The Power of Programming: The Power of
Subtlety, Progression, and Impact:
• Play It Slowly, Give Guest Something to Notice. Keep your
best moves in your pocket waiting till their interest is waning.
• Sticking to color themes creates mood. Keeping a room a
single color or family of colors creates a feeling.
• Changing color themes creates dynamics and musical
themes. The moment the room changes grabs everyone's
attention, reengaging the guest; best employed during musical
transitions.
• Keep potential hidden. Do not color scroll or use cheap
tricks except for short burst at the end of musical builds.
Refrain from prolonged crazy tricks until just before last call.
Give them something to remember. Make guest want to stay
till the end.

21. No One Notices a Model’s Friends
• Trying to do too much weakens effects: approach
budgets with honesty.
• Establish the baseline necessary for operation to set
as the lowest level. This allows creative freedom for
excess without compromising the light show.
• Create brazen effects and ridiculous creations
providing the greatest possible impact with remaining
resources.
• Only the jealous look to a dark wall or point out the
unattractive friends. The rest of us just want to see
what’s hot!

22. Summary: Night Meet Light
• Basics of Additive Color Mixing & Its Effect
• Four Lighting Effects: Indirect, Direct, Beam, & Blinder
• Angle of Focus: Narrow Focus, Key Light, Back Lighting
• Understand Bug Dynamic assists control of guests’ focus
• Facilitate two types of guests: Voyeurs & Exhibitionist
• Make the best use of light by understanding side effects
& impact zones
• Focus attention with white light using the power of
suggestion
• Use Excess & Absence to manipulate guest expectations
• Play it slow with powerful programming
• No One Notices a Model’s Friend

23. Presentation & Photography by Jack Kelly for Nightclub & Bar