1. Elishia Selby Lighting roles ProductionArts
06/11/15
Lighting roles
Lightingis usedto helpthe audience know where tolook, create the appropriate mood,shift
emphasisfromone stage areato another,reinforce the style of the production,make objectson
stage appearflat or three dimensional,blendthe visual elementsonstage intoa unifiedwhole,to
setthe scene,toportraycharacters as good/evil,tohelpunderstandwhere theyare (time of
day/temperature) etc.
A lightingplotis a visual representationof wherelightshang.
The lightingdesignerreadsthe scriptnotinganylightingideasforeachof the scenes.
Theythenshare these ideaswiththe directorandsetdesignerandcollaborate the desired
‘look’forthe show.
The plan theythenmake fromthese ideas isofteninfluencedbythe placementof the set.
The lightingdesigneralsoattendsrehearsalstogeta feel forcuesandsee the placementof
actors inorder to have the correct areaslit.
The lightingdesignerworkswith the director,choreographerand designteams e.g.set,
costume,soundetc.anddiscusses theirinterpretationof the play.
Whenthe showis upand running,the lightingdesigner’sjobiscomplete.Now the jobof
lightingpassesovertothe lighting operator.
The lightingOperator’s jobisto make sure that everyaspectof the productionrunsas the
designerhadintendeduntil the productioncloses.
Theyare the electrician whooperatesthe lightboard.
Dependingonthe scale andtype of production,theymaybe responsibleforconventional or
automatedlightingfixtures,insome instances,controllingvideo/visuals aswell.
The lightingoperatormay,insome cases,alsobe the lightingdesignerforaproduction.
The lightingengineer/technician’sjobistorig the stage and locationsetsas well as
controllingthe lightswithinatheatre.
In a theaterproduction,lightingtechnicianswiththe lightingdesignerandmaster
electrician.
Lightingtechniciansare responsible forthe movementandsetupof a varietyof piecesof
lightingequipmentforseparationof light/shadow/contrast/depthof field/visual effects etc.
They may be in charge of layingelectrical cables,wirefixtures,installingcoloreffects/image
patterns,focusingthe lights,andassistingincreatingeffects.
A lightingtechnician's rolesinvolve safelyhandling/riggingandworkingwithobjects which
may be veryheavyandget veryhot,in whichpersonal protective equipmentmaybe worn
e.g.gloves.
