GCSE Lighting

[Sherminator99]

Hi What is involved in a gcse lighting coarse I have been on Edexel wesite but it doesnt really specify

 

do any of you know?

 

 

 

 

 

Sherlock

[paulears]

There is no GCSE lighting course from Edexcel, or any of the other boards. Lighting is a tiny part of the GCSE Drama specification, and frankly - pointless, because there is nothing in the spec to teach apart from understanding the difference between profile, Fresnel and flood lighting equipment. It's one of the options, and usually what happens is that students who can't get on with the rather limited acting section can opt to do lights, sound or stage management. However, the mark scheme is written to not require any technical in depth understanding. Students who do it might have a lighting plan with maybe half a dozen lights on it, and then because of the stupid Health & Safety misunderstanding in most schools, there is no focusing, rigging or cabling - it's just shoving a few faders up and down at the right moment.

 

You get to do a little proper lighting in Level 2 BTEC courses, but even they are very thin on what needs to be done. Probably a good idea in a school where drama may be taught by somebody who knows very little about performance or shows, but knows lots about commedia dell'arte and Shakespeare.

 

As a guide, somebody doing GCSE Drama this year might be looking at World War 2, and the lighting just needs to flash in time with the sound persons explosions - that's it!

 

GCSE just isn't suitable for studying and doing lighting, until you are somewhere where you can climb a ladder.

[J Pearce]

Looking at your location, get into your school theatre and use that resource. Post 16 you could explore the courses at Amersham College.

 

You can't do much real lighting work until post 16 because of H&S and depth of study. That said, if you are also an actor taking GCSE drama and taking the lighting option could be a good foundation to move on from. But GCSE drama is a drama course, not a tech course, even if you do the tech option.

[vinntec]

If you are interested in helping with some real lighting, why don't you contact your nearest "little theatre" - which are amateur owned and run? I think Abbey Theatre is not far away from you? You won't be allowed to do anything dangerous until you are 16 and probably have to be a youth member but - if you are willing to be lighting dogsbody - you can learn a lot about lighting real shows for the paying public.

 

Also, as someone else has already pointed out, why not get involved in your school's 500 seat theatre? There must be a permanent tech so start by having a word with them (or the teacher/person responsible for it).

[SamDram]

As the guys above have said, there is no GCSE Lighting course...only an option within the GCSE Drama course, should you decide you do not want to act. And if lighting is something you are interested in, do not expect it to be fun at this level. As paulears said, it is literally just following a cue sheet and moving faders with maybe some input as to what fixtures are used.

Personally, I would say do the acting part of the Drama GCSE, get an idea of what being on stage is about, which will help you become a better lighting designer, then take up lighting after you have more time to study it. It's a subject within itself. Not a drama spin-off.

But obviously, its up to you! http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[danburns]

Just to build on what vinntec has said, as the technical manager of another "little theatre" (the Apollo on the Isle of Wight - think we are in the same hub?), we have a couple of members in the technical team who are (or have recently been) under 16.

 

They are (under direct supervision) permitted to help rig and focus when it has been declared safe, and work bloody hard! One of them said to me "I've learnt much more here about lots of things than I've learnt at school" - partly because we try to treat everyone the same, but also have time when it's quiet to explain why and how things work, and equally, why some things don't. Luckily, I don't have to follow the national curriculum, and they can have one to one supervision when it's needed.

 

You won't be allowed to do anything dangerous until you are 16

I try not to let any-one do anything dangerous - but I do understand what you mean!

 

 

 

Edited: to fix quote tags.

[paulears]

Moderation: The topic branched off into much discussion on the legality of under 16 work experience and theatre license issues - the new topic is here.

Cheers

Paul Mods