lighting

• lighting rig

  structure that holds the lighting equipment

  
• wash


  light which covers the whole stage or large area of it (cool, warm, etc)

  
• strobe


  lighting device that gives short, bright bursts of bright light

  
• spotlight


  lamp that projects a bright light onto an area on stage, usually focusing on a performer (hard-edge or soft-edge)

  
• diagonals

  lights projected down at roughly a 45 degree angle

  
• gobo

  a metal, glass or plastic cut-out attached to a lantern to project patterns, e.g. leaves, stars, swirls, waves, etc

  
• follow spot


  lamp that produces a bright beam, which can be operated to 'follow' a performer

  
• downlight or top-light


  light from directly overhead

  
• cue timing

  time taken for a lighting change, e.g. counts until blackout occurs or how long a cross-fade takes
• lighting plot

  similar to an architectural plan to show where the lights will hang- shows position, type of lighting fixture and gel colours
• filter or gel


  a coloured piece of plastic inserted into a case on a lantern to alter the colour of the light

  
• pyrotechnics


  special effects that create dramatic effects, e.g. fireworks, explosions, flashes, etc

  
• house lights

  lights in auditorium which are usually on while audience is being seated and then dimmed when performance is about to begin

  
• blackout

  switching off all stage lights- sudden or gradual
• backlighting

  lighting projected from a source upstage. It highlights the outline of actors or scenery and separates them from the background

  
• lantern

  a lamp and reflector in a box which produces lighting. There are different types of lantern, e.g. profile, fresnel and flood

  
• fade

  gradually bring up or diminish lights
• floor lighting

  lanterns placed on low stands, often used to cast shadows

  
• practical lights

  working onstage lights that are used in the set, e.g. desk lamps, torches, candles, etc
• smoke, fog, haze machine

  a piece of equipment which uses a gas to produce clouds or mists

  
• led lights

  powerful and colourful lights that don't require gels and are energy efficient

  
• footlights

  low lights placed on the downstage edge. Popular in Victorian theatres and sometimes now used to create period lighting effects

  
• moving light

  either a lighting fixture moved manually by an operator, or a computer-operated fixture which is moved remotely
• what can lighting be used to represent?

  STYLE of performance (naturalistic?), LOCATION (indoors, outside), ERA (time period)
• how can lighting be used in a naturalistic play?

  colours tend to be neutral and evenly spread, and support other design areas such as sunlight coming through the window, etc (passing of time)
• how can lighting be used in an abstract play?

  It would be more symbolic, focusing on expressing emotions (strong colours= powerful atmosphere). It may represent characters or locations rather than a physical set (ambiance)
• how can lighting be used to convey location?

  • whether it's indoors or outside
  • type of location (garden, palace, railway station, etc)
  • activities that take place there
• floodlight


  provides a lot of light to a wide area- useful for general lighting of stage areas and backdrops but not specific characters
• Parcans


  Versatile (flexible use) lamp that provides a narrower focus than a floodlight- best used for lighting large areas and providing intense colours (but not focusing on specific performers); a type of lantern that produces an intense beam of light
• cross fade


  one light fades out while next lighting state fades in (good for smooth transitions)
• side light

  lights scene from the side to produce an abstract effect (can be used to imply diff. location or use shadow to create mystery)

  
• up-light

  light positioned to face upwards onto performer, which can direct shadows (used to build suspense, tension or for horror scenes)

  
• fresnel


  a lantern that creates a soft beam of light
• ultra-violet (UV)


  when used with fluorescent costumes or set pieces, it can create spectacular effects on stage
• cyclorama


  a large white drape or screen that is positioned upstage and can be lit using floodlights to create a block of colour, eg to represent the sky