Does technical training hamper creativity?

[Just Some Bloke]

It seems to me that the best results in theatre always come from collaboration.

 

The LD always needs to collaborate with the Director, Designer, Chief LX, Production Manager and many others. Thus, in an ideal world the LD could come up with ways of lighting a show without knowing how to achieve them, becasue he/she could rely on the Chief LX to specify the kit. Unfortunately, in the real world the first thing they would come up against would be a budget. There's no point in someone coming back a week later with the answer "yes, we can do everything you want at a cost of "£5,500 a week" if the budget is £800. That's a waste of someone else's time and no production company is going to want to pay for that time. They'd prefer an LD who knows that their ideal design is unaffordable.

 

This brings us back to Dmills's point about compromise. The LD needs to know that if they can't get a 40 head rig of ML washlights, then maybe 12 washlights and 30 scrollers will do a similar job for a lower budget. Or maybe 8 washlights, 20 scrollers, 10 LED battens, 4 moving yokes and 6 LED birdies would work. They need to know the pros and cons for each way of doing it. Maybe an alternative could not only be cheaper but also open up other possibilities they'd not originally thought of. And then there's the amount of power available. If you wanted 125A 3-phase and have got 63A single phase then maybe LEDs and moving heads are the way to go rather than a Par can rig. Thus it goes on.

 

Certainly, if any of the kit goes wrong we shouldn't expect the LD to be able to fix it. But we should expect them to know what it does, how much it costs to hire and how much power it takes. When did you last hear the designer say "I've come up with a picture of the set design. Don't know how you're going to make it, whether it will fit in the venue or how much it will cost but that's not my problem". That's not the real world.

 

Going back to my original point about collaboration: the reason the Chief LX doesn't just put a few washes up and mix them together for a plot, is that the LD becomes the link between the rest of the design team (including the Director) and the technical team. The LD needs to understand the Director's language and to be able to translate that for the LX boys. He/she also knows what will work and what won't and can explain this to the Director (e.g. "yes I can light that bit in backlight but when the leading man picks up the book you won't be able to tell which book it is and I think, from what you've said before, you see that as important"). The LD as interpreter, if you like, not just designer.

 

To sum up: as an LD myself, I'd love to just come up with the ideas and let someone else make them happen then just turn up for the plotting. Unfortunately that's not how it works. I have to make it fit to a budget, in the space and to the power and number of channels available. It's my job. Anyway, making something good out of a small budget or limited power, or few hanging points is a challenge I really enjoy. I wouldn't want to miss that feeling of "not only did it look good, but I was fighting an uphill battle to get it that way!".

 

Good thread. :)

[LeeStoddart]

Good thread. :)

Hear hear.

 

It's interesting to hear the views expressed but it seems to me that we are mainly of the opinion that a knowledge of the practicalities is at least useful if not essential.

[Ken Coker]

Dear All

 

Interesting set of replies: I might well contact some of you by PM as part of this degree I'm doing. Do keep them coming. I have to write to the ALD today, so I'll suggest a seminar topic for PLASA - naturally it will be open to all not just ALD members.

 

Cheers

 

Ken

[Guest lightnix]

Looking at your current signature, Ken, it would appear that you may have inadvertantly answered your own "question" ...

Practice without theory is blind... - Friedrich Engels

 

...or was it just a wind-up in the first place? :huh: :huh:

[TNVS2]

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'd be interested how many lighting design applicants/students eminate/have a strong background in 'design' rather than just in the 'technical' side of things?

Is there a difference in the result for 'designers' who have been taught the technicalities as opposed to 'technicians' who have been taught about design?

How much can you teach creativity? As with the example student above you can certainly help a non-technical person put their creative ideas successfully in practice.

I'm sure we've all seen good and bad designs from coming from both angles - I certainly have.

Just tossing some ideas about!

I encourage people to put protocol to one side for a moment, stand back from the situation, and think about it.

Use all that you know, use the left side, and right side of your brain, the creative, and the technical.

There, you will find a solution, and the fantastic idea that no one else has thought of yet! (be quick). the lighting industry is moving at an alarming rate, and is a combination of what is possible, (the tech side), and the effects and emotions we want to achieve, (the artistic side).

 

And, then, stand back, look, and think for a short while.

K.