From the Concrete to the Abstract - STEP 1 - TheatreFace

Ah, at the Freshman level thi…

2009-04-14T21:01:12.789Z

Ah, at the Freshman level this certainly makes sense. I'm just aware of how we "who have been doing this for awhile" were taught in a very parochial manner and that the modern world of entertainment requires a so much broader base of knowledge for our students to find employment. Thanks for writing the article and being willing to enter into this brief dialog.

Thanks for your observations…

2009-03-25T14:38:01.696Z

Thanks for your observations on television lighting, Bob. I agree with your other comments as well. What is probably not clear in the article is that I use this in my lighting technology class for incoming Freshmen which is a prerequisite to the lighting design class so the goals and how I approach the information is a little different than in my design class. Therefore I do control how much information is presented for the students to digest. If anyone chooses to introduce plots and paperwork in a design class many of the specifics you mention (other positions of lights, other definitions of key & fill, variety of uses of color, and going beyond McCandless) would certainly be appropriate there. Prior to this project, as I do state in the article, I teach detailed lessons in the controllable properties and functions of light which addresses many of points you mention. The focus of these three lessons is the comprehension of the light plot and corresponding paperwork so I simplify and limit the information given to what is specifically relevant for clarity. Color, science and art, on all levels is one of my favorite topics and I assure I most certainly do not give it short shrift. It is just not emphasized in these projects.

My background is in Theatre l…

2009-03-11T15:30:08.810Z

My background is in Theatre lighting (over 30 years designing and educating) and I find your methodology clear and concise however I have a couple of caveats. I also teach TV lighting, which while there are many similarities there also are some differences that should be noted by modern students of lighting as they may find work anywhere in the entertainment industry, not just theatre. First your definition of 3-point lighting. How you define it I refer to as "dance" lighting -Heavy side light to model the body with front fill to allow facial recognition. In Photography (Still,TV,film etc) the 3 points are defined as Key, Fill, Back. Key: main source of light (shadow casting), Fill:lessens shadows (reduce contrast/ gives pleasing picture), Back: provides illusion of 3 dimensionality/ separate "talent" from background. I was never taught these definitions in Theatre Design but I have found this way of looking at light helped my own designs. (you could also equate Key to McCandless 'warm' and Fill to 'cool'.) Not that your definition is "wrong" it's just that your students should be aware that there are other meanings. Just like is it the Cove or Slot or Balcony rail or FOH or ? position? It depends on the venue and what they call it.
Other comments- (and this may be because you are concentrating on beginning students and SD readers) the difference between "top" light and "back" light. Yes generally in theatre we need to be satisfied with "top" as the actors keep moving(!) but it can also be unflattering due to the highlights as it hits the facial plane and "back" light is preferable *when possible* due to the depth it gives a picture. Although the stage is physically 3 dimensional, how we light it can change how the audience 'perceives' the actual depth of the picture.
My third comment regards you giving short shrift to choosing color. The question I hear most often is "how do i choose a color" and I *always* have trouble answering it! Yes I can talk about reflectance and how colors can pop or neutralize the picture; lighter colors are safer for front lighting, saturated for sides and back; psychological reactions to colors; mood of the piece, etc. However to me the choosing of colors is so subjective, based on experience I guess my standard advice to students is that gel is cheap. Don't be afraid to try a color; if it doesn' work it can easily be changed! The important piece of advice, especially for young designers is to experiment with new positions/fixtures/colors. McCandless is a great starting point; but not THE LAW. The designer must *critically* look at the 'picture' they have created to ask if it's right for the piece and collaborate with the Director and other designers to insure that all of the visions are consistent. Whether they realize it or not, Lighting defines what the audience sees! I have seen beautiful lighting enhance an otherwise mundane setting, just as I have seen inappropriate lighting draw attention away from the show and "ugly-fy" wonderful sets and costumes. And I just realized that the last few sentences are way beyond what you covered in your articles but I will leave them out there for discussion as it seems to be only you and I at this point!

Hi Reader! Let me know if you…

2009-03-03T22:52:10.991Z

Hi Reader!
Let me know if you have questions about this. I found writing this as an article is much harder than just walking through it in my classroom!
-MC