Light Plots from the Concrete to the Abstract:
Step Three – Expanded Light Plot & Paperwork Project
By M.C. Friedrich

The overall objective of Step 3 is to expand the skills learned in the basic light plots and paperwork projects of Steps One (http://www.theatreface.com/group/lighting/forum/topics/from-the-con...) and Two (http://www.theatreface.com/group/lighting/forum/topics/step-2-from-...).

It will be helpful to the student, if prior to this project they have experience with a real light plot, participating in a hang. Before, the students first worked with a single-area plot, then a small 4-area light lab plot to generate additional paperwork; now, in this project students work independently to create a full-size, multi-area plot with attending paperwork. This is not yet design work but further application of the techniques used to generate light plots, hook-ups and magic sheets.

The project goals for Step 3 are more complex and detailed, including:
#1 – Centerline Section: Understanding its purpose in instrument placement and electric trims.
#2 – Light Plots: Drafting a full one using the McCandless method and USITT lighting graphics standards.
#3 – Instrument Selections: Making appropriate choices based on location and prior explorations in photometrics.
#4 – Color Key: Development through choices that enhance and complement the set/costume color palette provided.
#5 – Hook-Up: Generating one based on the plot created.
#6 – Magic Sheets: Creating both types of magic sheets introduced in Step Two.

Instructor Preparations

Instructors should include specific design parameters and handouts to aid the students. These particularly include those things related to design choices the students have yet to learn and belong in a design course.
• Specify parameters based on earlier projects or for simplicity’s sake:
o McCandless method – This was introduced in Step One.
o USITT lighting graphic standards
o Proscenium theatre –The single audience perspective is a good place to begin. Using one’s home theatre so the students can visit the real thing is critical to their understanding. This is the concrete to the abstract philosophy again.
• Set/costume color palette. This can be different for each student. My favorite easy resource for this is Living Colors: A Designers Guide to 80 Essential Palettes from Ancient to Modern Times by Augustine Hope & Margaret Walch (ISBN-10: 0811805581). I can just choose one color palette from this book for each student.
• 8½ x 11 groundplan of the set with scenic elements labeled as a reference for the student.
• Centerline section of the theatre with set, ¼” scale, electrics positions labeled. Refer to the note below about drafting by hand or CAD.
• Groundplan of the theatre with set, ¼” scale, electrics positions labeled. The students will hand draft directly on this. Remind the students that this is an exploration and when they get to do a full design, the plot will not have lines through the instruments and will be fully drafted by hand or CAD.
• Blank hook-up. The students will create their own magic sheets, referring to the project introducing this earlier.
• White model available as reference and a photograph of it to give to students.
• Optional (but nice): black & white photograph of the realized set.
• NO SCRIPTS. In the past, I have included an assigned script as part of the project to include learning to analyze a script and generate a cue list. I gave the students a randomly arranged list of light looks as an aid in creating a cue list. I believe this was more confusing than helpful to the primary purpose of the project – understanding the light plot. So I have eliminated this in my lighting technology class and cover this in the lighting design class where it is more appropriate.

OTHER SUPPLIES:
• Lighting template
• Mechanical pencil
• Eraser
• Gel swatch book

The project approach is, as close as is reasonable, in the order of a realized production. This is a prelude to when the students are introduced to lighting design and apply this plot and paperwork process in their design work. The earlier projects were accomplished in just a few class periods; this one takes a couple of weeks.

The Set Design
I have found most useful is some sort of a box set in a proscenium setting. Because I have one, I use an interpretation of The Globe Theatre from a Shakespeare production we did. It is not ideal with the 2-level section up center but I have the students ignore lighting the extreme upstage underside. We do discuss where lights could be placed for this and some do so in class. I set out the ½” scale white model to which the students may refer at any time during this project. I give them a handout with just a small groundplan on it (Figure 3-1, left) with a photo of the model and a black and white photo of the production (Figure 3-2, mulitple pics in a powerpoint slideshow) to keep with them since there is significant homework in this project.

Visiting the proscenium theatre is the most effective way for the students to understand the ¼” scale centerline section (Figure 3-3, left) and groundplan (Figure 3-4, right) I hand out. They lay out their copies on the stage floor and locate the actual architectural elements and lighting positions. We discuss the set’s position as well, noting sightlines. I encourage the students to visit the theatre often as they define lighting areas and choose positions for instruments. Many mimic my action in explaining the McCandless method in Step One, where I stand on the “X” and point to the appropriate lighting position. It works.

Define Lighting Focus Areas
We discuss the optimal size of the areas based on flexibility of control, lighting intensity, the set, and directorial choices. I guide them toward the 8’ to 10’ focus area. I have discovered tidier students get frustrated tracing and erasing areas on their plot as they identify optimal focus area placements. So I give them a pattern of a 10’diameter circle with an 8’ diameter circle inside to copy on tracing paper (Figure 3-5, left). The students make as many as they want, cut them out, and arrange them on the top of the groundplan until they are content with their coverage. The students then lightly pencil in these areas on the groundplan (Figure 3-6, right). It is handy to see the coverage and find the holes but I remind them it makes a messy plot with extra lines so encourage them to erase the margins once they have alphabetically labeled the center of each area.

Identify the Color Key
The students review the McCandless method and create a color key (warm key, cool fill, cool down) to complement the set/costume palette. I assign individual color palettes to each of the students from the book, Living Colors. (Figure 3-7, cover shot in the attached zip for download. ) It gives them an opportunity to make individual color decisions as part of a review their color mixing that was discussed as part of the course work much earlier in the semester. It is a little bit of a design choice but also a test of their controllable properties assignments.

Instrument Placement – Arrows First
The students first choose the placement of their lighting instruments, just penciling in arrows with a letter of the focus area being identified (Figure 3-8, left). They also refer to the centerline section to set the trim heights of the electrics (Figure 3-9, right). The students rediscover the need to make choices of placement to maintain a necessary 18” center to center positioning. Also, as arrows overlap or, once again, instruments cannot be hung in non-existent positions, adjustments must be made.

Instrument Choices
Appropriate instrument choices are the next step and these replace the arrows. The students test their ability to make good photometric choices based on where the instrument needs to be placed. I do not make the students work from an actual instrument inventory list. That is another level of difficulty I leave to their first realized design. As before, the students insert the appropriate USITT graphic standards symbol to represent the instrument. So for each and every arrow:
1. Draft the instrument symbol. (3-10)











2. Add the dimmer/channel symbols. (3-11)











3. Add notation information. (3-12)












4. Insert an instrument key. (3-13)








5. Insert a notation key. (3-14)






6. Insert a color key. (3-15)






Hook-up completion, the students discover, is virtually identical to the earlier projects. There are just more (Figure 3-16, an excel file in zip file to download). On this project the students do decide which instruments will be in which channels. Now is when the students find out the dimmer information is only added when the plot is hung. So I have them leave this blank.

The Magic Sheets are the final part of this project. For practice, I require both a shorthand hook-up version and a shorthand plot version. Again, if they refer to their earlier exercises, the students realize they are building on what was already learned. These just have more information.

We don’t learn from our mistakes; we learn by correcting them. This is a complex project for the beginner. The students will make mistakes. When students turn in any of these projects for grading, I note in detail the errors they’ve made and give it back to them. My students can make corrections and turn it back in to make up points lost.

Captions for the Figures of Step 3

3-1: Small groundplan of the set.
3-2: Photographs of the white model and complete set.
3-3: Centerline section of the proscenium theatre and set
3-4: Groundplan of the proscenium theatre with the set
3-5: Pattern for tracing paper circles to represent focus area sizes. Students make as many as they want.
3-6: Light focus areas are penciled in to identify holes and confirm even coverage.
3-7: Living Colors: A Designers Guide to 80 Essential Palettes from Ancient to Modern Times by Augustine Hope & Margaret Walch (ISBN-10: 0811805581).
3-8: Arrows penciled in to define instrument location.
3-9: Trim heights noted on the centerline section.
3-10: Drafting instrument symbols over the arrows. Erase arrows.
3-11: Add dimmer/channel symbols.
3-12: Complete notation for that instrument.
3-13: Instrument key added.
3-14: Notation key added.
3-15: Color key added.
3-16: Blank hook-up.