Lighting design

[Matthew Robinson]

Hello,

 

I'm lighting a concert next week. It's a prize giving concert and people are variously playing the piano/keyboard and singing. For musical theatre songs, I plan to create more of an atmosphere with the lighting (for piano, keyboard, Pop-music, classical singing, I'm just illuminating their area so that they can be seen). I've designed the following, but wanted to ask your opinion:

 

Good Morning (Singing in the Rain)

A profile (possibly with a break-up gobo) shining down. Starting at 0% and gradually raising to about 100% throughout the song to symbolise the sun rising + followspot.

 

Do-re-mi (The Sound of Music)

Just followspot, perhaps sun (see above) at during the teaching of Do-re-mi, then dimming out when taught? I wass thinking this because they were taught on the mountain.

 

Bibbidi- Bobbidi- Boo (Walt Disney's Cinderella)

Just followspot, there's not much that this song really merits in terms of LX effects IMO

 

I don't know how to love him (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Blue wash (cold colour to signify sadness) OR red wash (warm colour to signify love/lust). I'm unsure, most videos on Youtube have a blue wash. + followspot

 

I'm just a girl who can't say no (Oklahoma)

Just followspot, I considered snap to white (asymetric floods on back bar) during the chorus, but I think a snap to black on the last 'No' is more appropriate (fading back up for applause).

 

I got rhythm (Girl Crazy)

I was thinking snap to white during the first big band note, other than that, just a followspot.

 

Betrayed (The Producers)

I was thinking blue wash with a hint of red, the exact amounts depend on what looks 'right'. During the memory scene, snap to yellow, then fade back to blue/red quickly for the rest of the song. Followspot.

 

On my own (Les Mis.)

I was thinking blue wash (cold) at about 10% so as to provide colour, but still have the dark atmosphere that the song requires. Followspot, but only just so that the singer can be made out.

 

Thanks in advance for any comments you make

 

Matthew Robinson

[LXbydesign]

So, basically, its all being lit by a followspot with a bit of blue or red or white on stage. Hardly lighting 'design' is it?

 

A blue wash on 10% wont even get seen!! Ok im being picky but you know what I mean. Its a bit hard to give opinions really when we have no idea of what the set (if any) looks like , size of stage / performance area etc etc.

 

This type of question comes up time and time again - and its a bit boring now! Its a bit like asking a blind man to describe what he see's in front of him.

 

You should be directing these questions towards the director or person in charge of the show. It makes no odds to us what your ideas are!!! AFTER the event, if you posted up some pictures and then asked for comments etc, then thats better!! We can then give helpful advice about what you could do better or not do again, for the next one!!

 

Cheers

[Bobbsy]

Well, just thinking out loud:

 

I'd probably more brightly light the stage with slightly warm washes for the "happy" and "comedy" numbers: Good Morning, Do-Re-Mi, Bibbity-Bobbety, and Girl Who Can't Say No. Maybe some break up gobos or slashes of light on the back ground to add some depth. This will make your moody washes for the ballads stand out more when you get to the ballads.

 

However, to slightly contradict myself, I'd also not over-think it. This is a concert, not a realistic play so the main thing is just that the performers can be seen. Also, you mention people playing the piano etc. Don't forget that they will want to see their keyboard (and likely music stand) easily and without too much contrast.

 

Bob

[Just Some Bloke]

What LXByDesign said!

 

I applaud you for trying to design some lighting rather than just putting an open white wash up, but you haven't really succeeded, I'm afraid.

 

Let's look at these one by one

 

for piano, keyboard, Pop-music, classical singing, I'm just illuminating their area so that they can be seen

Look at some pop music concerts on YouTube and see if any of them just illuminate the area. I'll save you the bother: the answer is no! <_<

Good Morning (Singing in the Rain)

A profile (possibly with a break-up gobo) shining down.

Shining down where? Are we talking top light? I can't see that working.

Starting at 0% and gradually raising to about 100% throughout the song to symbolise the sun rising + followspot.

Ah, so you must be talking about a circle on the cyc to symbolise th sun? If so, then it would need to be a moving head or moving yoke to actually rise up. If you want it to just fade up then that's not what a sun does. Why don't you just take a look at a sunrise then try to replicate that, bearing in mind that over the 3-4 mins it takes to sing the song the sun wouldn't actually appear to do much at all! Create a nice look for the cyc and leave it (blue at the top, amber at the bottom?)

Do-re-mi (The Sound of Music)

Just followspot, perhaps sun (see above) at during the teaching of Do-re-mi, then dimming out when taught? I was thinking this because they were taught on the mountain.

So the sun goes out during the day on a mountain, does it? Not sure about that.

Bibbidi- Bobbidi- Boo (Walt Disney's Cinderella)

Just followspot, there's not much that this song really merits in terms of LX effects IMO

Stop thinking about "effects" and think about "looks". Make the stage look nice then put your singer into that.

I don't know how to love him (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Blue wash (cold colour to signify sadness) OR red wash (warm colour to signify love/lust). I'm unsure, most videos on Youtube have a blue wash. + followspot

Ah, well YouTube must be right then. If that's what everyone else does then that must be correct. How to design lighting: see what everyon else does and do the same. Now we can all be lighting designers. You take my point, I hope?

I'm just a girl who can't say no (Oklahoma)

Just followspot, I considered snap to white (asymetric floods on back bar) during the chorus, but I think a snap to black on the last 'No' is more appropriate (fading back up for applause).

So we can only have one snap per song?

I got rhythm (Girl Crazy)

I was thinking snap to white during the first big band note, other than that, just a followspot.

I'm bored now.

Betrayed (The Producers)

I was thinking blue wash with a hint of red, the exact amounts depend on what looks 'right'. During the memory scene, snap to yellow, then fade back to blue/red quickly for the rest of the song. Followspot.

 

On my own (Les Mis.)

I was thinking blue wash (cold) at about 10% so as to provide colour, but still have the dark atmosphere that the song requires. Followspot, but only just so that the singer can be made out.

As LXByDesign said earlier, 10% of a blue wash isn't worth bothering.

As Bobbsy says, don't over complicate things but just give your audience something nice to look at.

 

I'm sorry to come across as a bit negative, but my main point is the one where I said you should hink about "looks" rather than "effects". Variety shows such as this are normally lit with a selection of colour washes that can mix together to give lots of nice "looks". Some break-up gobos will help ring the changes from time to time and a follow-spot lighting the performers is certainly a perfectly valid way of doing things.

 

Once again, congratulations on trying to design lighting, and just a little change in the way you go about that should give you a decent show at the end of the day. Let us know how it went.

[Ynot]

Actually eric (JSB) I'd say you made TWO rather pointed points there.

The first being your extremely valid "Looks" comment, and the other about being bored fairly early on.

 

To the OP: Basically, don't worry too much about changing the lighting states during a song. yes there will be some there which might cry out for a definite contrasting state to highlight some portion of the number, but don't be tempted to go overboard. And don't be tempted to follow one flashy number with another... and another...

 

Don't be afraid to use simple states and leave them as they are - find something that works with the song being sung and stick with it. Symbolism of things like your rising sun are fine in principle but will likely be completely lost on 95% of the audience. If you HAVE to have a sun, just have it up on the cyc but don't change it.

 

If you have enough profiles available, have a variety of different gobos at different angles - on the floor, on the cyc, on the cyc from an acute angle, from the floor, pointing up over the audience's heads... That sort of thing.

 

And again, as has been said, use MIXES of complimentary colours as backgrounds on which to place your performers. Use backlight (again in different colours, perhaps) to give them some depth, side light to give some modelling.

 

No-one here can tell you what's going to look best on your stage with your kit - that's down to you and whoever is directing the concert.

[LXbydesign]

Exacatly as JSB said!! I didnt mean to sound like a grumps either. Here we go advice!.......

 

Just make sure you have your cyc nicely lit top and bottom ( if possible),

 

that you have 2 or three general colour washes on stage, made up of back, side and top coverage,

 

that you have some nice bright facelight for the bigger cast numbers ,

 

that you can have a couple of gobo breakup washes - usually a medium or leaf break up and a linear break up is nice

 

and finally, if you have dance numbers - you could put in some shinbusters along the sides - or even just 2 or 4 along the front to light different angle and create interesting shadow on the cyc.

 

And so with all of these componants, sit down and create some nice looks and save each one into a submaster.

 

If you want to program a Q stack then you can just record a Q from the active sub..

 

 

Dont forgwet as well as nice colour - you want to create some bright states for a full cast that wont need the follow spot, and then some moody coloured states which will require the turn to be lit by the follow spot.

 

Things like pianos etc would usually require a dedicated 'special' of some sort - be it a fresnel or profile. Dosent matter. Just give it a special and use a colour that will compromise your rig but also allow the pianist to read his/her music!

 

HTH

 

 

Dom

[themadhippy]

A nice sunrise look is a snow flake gobo "badly" focused low on the cyc with a split yellow/pink gel,that'll be £49.67 for my part of the desing please

[LXbydesign]

A nice sunrise look is a snow flake gobo "badly" focused low on the cyc with a split yellow/pink gel,that'll be £49.67 for my part of the desing please

 

...and if you had LED batterns, top and bottom, you could do a wonderful ''timelapse'' sunrise sequence on the cyc!

[Just Some Bloke]

A nice sunrise look is a snow flake gobo "badly" focused low on the cyc with a split yellow/pink gel,that'll be £49.67 for my part of the desing please

Ah, so it was you who designed that show I saw a few years ago, was it? :D

[themadhippy]

Ah, so it was you who designed that show I saw a few years ago, was it?

Nope, think it was an touring opera company were I first saw it and was so impressed I bought the company I stole the idea.

[paulears]

I always work with two aims. If the performers are really good, and can hold the audience with what they're doing, then it's a case of drawing attention to the - pulling focus, so the audience watch them. What goes on in the background just 'looks nice'. The other option is when the performers are, er, a bit lacking - and the last thing you want to do is highlight their deficiencies. In this case, the idea is to provide enough light to see them, and then make the performance area as stunning and interesting as you can.

 

Somebody mentioned Jesus Christ Superstar, I think. A head and shoulders followspot, on it's own could look stunning if the singer is excellent, and sings with passion. If they are difficult to listen to, then smoke in the air, crossed beams of yellow on a blue washed stage and a star cloth would be better.

 

Lighting design, when done properly, should make the audiences experience better - when done badly, it detracts from this experience. As the designer, you just need to be able to support the performers.

 

On an up tempo song, maybe the lights go flashy flashy. You have two choices. The simple, pre-programmed chase that runs fast or slow, whatever was programmed. Or maybe a chase activated by bump style buttons, that can be 'played', almost like a music keyboard, so you run the lighting as almost a musician - so if the music goes bum, bum, bam bam bam - so can the lights and lights that come on with the beat are much better than a 'technical' solution. So maybe with your varied programme - you have many options.

 

None are really flashy flashy, but many have scope for change. I Got Rhythm has definite hit points where perhaps colours can change.

George Gershwin - I Got Rhythm Lyrics

Album: Gershwin Songbook 'S Marvelous

 

Listen to I Got Rhythm

Play I Got Rhythm for free.

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Intro (BUILD TO BRIGHT SLOWLY OVER FIRST TWO LINES)

Days can be sunny,

With never a sigh ;

Don't need what money can buy.

Birds in the tree sing

Their dayful of song,

Why shouldn't we sing along ?

I'm chipper all the day,

Happy with my lot.

How do I get that way ?

Look at what I've got :

SNAP RED

I got rhythm

I got music

I got my man/girl

Who could ask for anything more ?

SNAP BLUE

I got daisies

In green pastures,

I got my man/girl

Who could ask for anything more ?

SNAP RED

Ol'Man Trouble,

I don't mind him.

SNAP PINK

You won't find him

'Round my door.

SNAP BLUE

I got starlight,

I got sweet dreams,

SNAP RED

I got my man/girl,

BUILD BRIGHT

Who could ask for anything more ?

Who could ask for anything more ?

(bis)

 

This will be a nice contrast with the darkness and steady states of some of the other songs.

[Matthew Robinson]

Thank you all for your guidance.

 

In terms of the sun, I was thinking of a profile or two with break up gobos shining approximately downwards through haze U/S. Unfortunately, the age old school building (it's not a school event, but it is held in a school)/ haze/ fire-alarm problem has surfaced. It's too late for this year, but hopefully it can be sorted for subsequent years.

 

It's a studio space with no cyc, as well, which rather puts paid to your advice on cyc lighting, and in terms of the dancers, AFAIK the exam board doesn't do dance exams (so, no, there's no need for the shin busters). Also, LXbydesign, it's all solos.

 

Thanks again, it's given me at least some food for thought!

[LXbydesign]

Great!! So that actually makes your life easier!!

 

The talant is lit by the spot - thats it and then all you have to worry about is some nice states!.

 

Another point. If it is just a soloist and maybe they might just stand CS looking pretty - then try and use a profile for a backlight on them. makes such a difference, particually if its being filmed. Dont use a dark colour though. Use something like a lavendar or a steel blue. Soft focus on the beam.

 

(Waiting for the attacks - but in situations like these movers are useful as so long as programmed nicely - you can get more 'looks' variation without having to have more generics / dimmers / power etc!)

 

Have fun!

[maxjones2000]

I always work with two aims. If the performers are really good, and can hold the audience with what they're doing, then it's a case of drawing attention to the - pulling focus, so the audience watch them. What goes on in the background just 'looks nice'. The other option is when the performers are, er, a bit lacking - and the last thing you want to do is highlight their deficiencies. In this case, the idea is to provide enough light to see them, and then make the performance area as stunning and interesting as you can.

 

Somebody mentioned Jesus Christ Superstar, I think. A head and shoulders followspot, on it's own could look stunning if the singer is excellent, and sings with passion. If they are difficult to listen to, then smoke in the air, crossed beams of yellow on a blue washed stage and a star cloth would be better.

 

Lighting design, when done properly, should make the audiences experience better - when done badly, it detracts from this experience. As the designer, you just need to be able to support the performers.

 

On an up tempo song, maybe the lights go flashy flashy. You have two choices. The simple, pre-programmed chase that runs fast or slow, whatever was programmed. Or maybe a chase activated by bump style buttons, that can be 'played', almost like a music keyboard, so you run the lighting as almost a musician - so if the music goes bum, bum, bam bam bam - so can the lights and lights that come on with the beat are much better than a 'technical' solution. So maybe with your varied programme - you have many options.

 

Sorry if a bit O/T Paul, but this something that has been baffling me for ages! How did you think up the colours for the song you did as an example in your post (not quoted as its long)? Its the thing I'm really struggling with doing this Performing Arts Course, I just have no idea on how (as such) to think up the ideas. Could you maybe explain your thought process?

 

thanks :)

[themadhippy]

Dont know about anyone else but for me its how the piece feels,happy sad,romantic,hot ,cold etc and what colour portrays that feeling,then what colours complement or clash with it,falling that a face full of psychedelic chemicals