Lighting


Leatherman Wave Plus Pocket Tool
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Everbeam Head Torch
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Introduction  

1) The Lighting Design Process

2) The Lighting Rig / System

3) Focussing Lighting

4) Colour

5) Texture & Effects

6) Plotting Lighting & Control

7) Running the Show

Campaigns

History / Evolution


LSI: Heritage Pathways - Production Lighting (April 2024)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International

Stage Lighting in the Nineteenth Century (Tabs - 1968)

Adieu to Snuffing Candles (Tabs - 1957)

Lighting People

Further Information:

 

Bookshelf – Additional Interest


Stage Lighting for Schools, Colleges and Technical Institutes (February 1939)
[Archive Viewer]
From Roger Fox Collection

A Method of Lighting the Stage (1947)
By Stanley McCandless
[External Website]

The History of Stage and Theater Lighting (1929)
[External Website]

Stage Lighting On A Shoestring (1961)
[Archive Viewer]
From Strand Archive

Lighting for Television (1980s) 
[17Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Lighting the Amateur Stage 1 (1984)
By Francis Reid
[7.7Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Lighting the Amateur Stage 2 (1984)
By Francis Reid
[9Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

On Inertia - A History of Tracking vs Presetting in Lighting Controls (February 2021)
[1.17Mb PDF]
From David Bertenshaw Collection

 

Amazon Shop

2021

Show Networks and Control Systems
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2020

Concert Design: The Road, The Craft, The Industry
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2020

Productivity Through Wellness for Live Entertainment and Theatre Technicians
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2020

Set Lighting Technicians Handbook
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2020

Shaping Light for Video in the Age of LEDs
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2019

On Being A Lighting Designer
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2019

The Spotlight Operators Handbook
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2018

Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light
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2018

Performance Lighting Design: How to Light for the Stage, Concerts, and Live Events
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2018

The Prop Effects Guidebook
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2017

Introduction to the Musical Art of Stage Lighting Design
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2017

SketchUp for Dummies
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2017

The Right Light
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2016

Concert Lighting: The Art and Business of Entertainment Lighting
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2016

Teaching Introduction to Theatrical Design
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2016

The Automated Lighting Programmer's Handbook
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2016

The Theatre Riggers Handbook
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2015

Entertainment Electronics
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2014

Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician
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2014

Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century: Compilation of Work on Rigging Practices, Safety, and Related Topics
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2013

Light (Readings in Theatre Practice)
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2012

Film Lighting
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2010

Light Fantastic: The Art and Design of Stage Lighting
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2009

A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting
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2008

Entertainment in Production: Volume 1 1994-1999
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2008

Stage Lighting Design: The Art, the Craft, the Life
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2007

The Followspot Guide
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2004

Lighting and the Design Idea
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2004

Theatrical Design and Production
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2002

Focus on Lighting Technology
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2002

Stage Lighting Explained
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2002

The Stage Lighting Handbook
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2000

A Practical Guide to Health and Safety in the Entertainment Industry
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2000

Essential Guide to Stage Management, Lighting and Sound
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2000

Lighting Techniques for Theatre-in-the-round
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1999

Stage Lighting Design: A Practical Guide
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1997

Stage Lighting: Step-by-step
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1994

Lighting and Sound
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1958

A Method of Lighting the Stage
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External Links

Access Equipment

Aluminium Access Products Tallescope manufacturers [UK]
Genie Lifts and Access Equipment [Worldwide]
Slingsby Access ladders [UK]
Zarges Access ladders & towers [Germany & UK]

Control Systems

RC4 Wireless DMX
RDM Protocol About the Remote Device Management enhancements to DMX512

Designers

Andrew Gardner
Ben M Rogers [London, UK]
David Hersey
David Howe
Durham Marenghi
Graham Walne [UK]
Luc Lafortune
Marcin Michna [Poland]
Natasha Katz
Patrick Woodroffe
Paul Pyant
Paule Constable
Richard Pilbrow Theatre Projects
Sean Hennessy [NY, USA]
Teegan Lee [Australia]
Tim Routledge [UK]

Discussion Forums

in 1: the podcast The Lives of Theatrical Designers
Podcast: Casting Light
Podcast: Light Talk
Podcast: Light Talk with the Lumen Brothers
Podcast: Lighting Nerds
Podcast: Production Meetings Essential listening
Podcast: The Light Side Luke Stratton
Podcast: Theatrewolf History and Innovation in a wide range of technical theatre areas
The Blue Room Technical Discussion Forum [UK]

Effects

Ellumiglow EL Wire Electro-Luminescent Wire [Oregon, USA]

Equipment

101 Uses for Gaffa Tape (Photo gallery)
101 Uses for Gaffer Tape (List)
Ironclad Performance Work Gloves [Los Angeles, CA, USA]
Lighting Stencil from Stage Electrics [UK]
Pockit Utility holsters & accessories for your tools [USA]
Setwear Gloves, belts, bags [CA, USA]

Events

LDI Show (Lighting Dimensions International) [Las Vegas, USA]

Health & Safety

ESTA Fog / Smoke [USA]
Health & Safety Executive [UK]
Online Sign Free Printable Safety Sign Maker
RU Safe? information and guidance about safety in small venues [UK]
The Yellow Book - ABTT Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment Safety standards and guidelines for venues. [UK]
Theatre Safety Blog

History

Ancient Lights Vintage Lighting Equipment Hire [UK]
National Theatre panel of Lighting Designers discuss their craft [London, UK]
The Backstage Heritage Collection [UK]
The Lighting Archive invaluable archive of paperwork from designers such as Ken Billington and Jean Rosenthal
The Magic Lantern Society [UK]
The Strand Archive Information about equipment produced by Strand Lighting / Rank Strand / Strand Electric
Theatre Lighting Archive Video interviews from long-serving members of the lighting community in South Africa [South Africa]
Theatrical Lighting Database From the New York Public Library [NY, USA]

Installation

Cable Organizer Cable Raceways [USA]
MTX Engineering Metalwork and Accessories [UK]

Jobs

Gallowglass Event Crews in UK & Mainland Europe [UK & Europe]
Parents & Carers In Performing Arts [UK]
Mandy.com (formerly StageJobsPro) Theatre and Stage Jobs for UK Professionals [UK]

Manufacturers

ADB Lighting Control and luminaires [Belgium]
Altman Lighting Inc. Luminaires [USA]
Artistic Licence LED fixtures & control [Middlesex, UK]
CCT Lighting Luminaires [UK ]
Clear-Com Headsets [USA]
Eartec Wireless Headsets [USA]
Glasson Electronics LED Festoon & Lamp Control
High End Systems Moving Lights [Texas, USA]
James Hutton Lighting F650 Fresnels, PC650 PCs and P650 Profiles [Birmingham, UK]
LEDJ LED products
Lee Filters Colour List
Luminex (IT Networks for AV) [Belgium]
MA Lighting grandMA range of lighting desks [Germany]
Robert Juliat Luminaires, Dimmers, Followspots [France]
Rosco Filters
Selecon (part of the Philips Group) Luminaires, Lighting Control [Worldwide]
Strand Lighting (part of the Philips Group) Luminaires, Lighting Control [UK/USA]
Strong Entertainment Lighting Followspots [USA]
Vari*Lite Moving Lights [Texas, USA]
Zero 88 DImming and lighting control [Wales, UK]

Moving Lights

About the Moving Light Programmer blog entry from Ross Williams
RSC Lightlock Rigging automated lighting on easily movable or flown structures [UK]

Practitioners

Josef Svoboda
Linford Hudson, Followspot Operator

Products

Vari*Lite VLX Wash Light LED wash light [USA]

Resources

Allan Chapman & James Insurance Public Liability Insurance etc. [UK]
An Introduction to Stage Lighting
Animated Knots [USA]
Crew Cover Insurance Public Liability Insurance etc. [UK]
Doodsons Entertainment Public Liability Insurance etc. [UK]
https://scenicandlighting.com/colorlab/
La Playa UK Public Liability Insurance etc. [UK / USA]
Light Lab - Mulvaney Studios
Load-In International Live Touring Industry magazine [UK]
Matt Kizer Online Gobo Lab
Matt Kizer Online Light Lab Dance Lighting
Matt Kizer Virtual Swatchbook (Rosco)
Multipoint Suspension - not as easy as it seems Essential reading!
Theatre Digs Booker Touring Accommodation Finder [UK]
Wrightsure Insurance Public Liability Insurance [UK]

Research

Colour Temperature
StageWork Resources about the backstage work of the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep [UK]

Shows

Aida on Broadway - Natasha Katz goes Egyptian
The House of Dancing Water interview with Luc Lafortune

Smoke

Antari
Look Solutions [Germany, Europe]
LSG Low Smoke Generator from Le Maitre Carbon Dioxide input required
LSX Low Smoke Converter from Le Maitre
Martin (Jem)
Rosco
Smoke Factory [Germany, Europe]
Theatre FX [USA]

Software

Alien Stagecraft Tablet EOS Remote
AutoCAD Viewer
Autodesk AutoCAD
Autodesk Fusion 360 CAD Free for students & startups
Baxel Data - Cue Player Software for Windows
Bluebeam Markup, annotate and share drawings [USA]
CAD 4 Theatre CAD training [UK]
Capture Lighting Visualisation Software [Sweden]
Drafty App for lighting, sound & video designers [USA]
Entec USB DMX interface DMX output from computer
FollowSpot Manager
GarageCube LED and Video Mapping [Switzerland]
LD Assistant Lighting design & event planning
LD Calculator
Lightconverse Visualisation [UK]
Lightwright
Luxart Conception (Microlux software)
LX Free Free download for Mac from the maker of Maclux Pro
LX Series Range of LX software for Mac from the maker of Maclux Pro
Maclux Pro Mac LX design software
Mitti Video Cue Playback
Modelbox CAD drawings of UK venues [London, UK]
Modelbox Lighting Symbols Free download
Moving Light Assistant Paperwork
Omnifocus To Do List management
QLC+ (Q Light Controller+) Cross-platform lighting control
ShoFlo Collaborative Show Calling Software [USA]
SketchUp 3D modelling and design
StageHand Gel Reference
TimeLord - Media Timecode Player Optimised for use with grandMA2
TurboCAD range 2D and 3D CAD
Vectorworks
Vibrio Lighting Control for iPad
Virtual Magic Sheet - West Side Systems [USA]
Vivien - Cast Lighting Event Design & Planning Software
WYSIWYG Lighting visualisation
Zacview Visualisation for theatres [Germany]
 Projection Mapping >> HeavyM Easy Projection Mapping software [France]
 Projection Mapping >> MadMapper Video & Light Mapping Software

Suppliers

AED Group
Audio Light Systems [Edinburgh, Scotland, UK]
Barbizon Sales
DS Lighting Sales [France]
Flints Theatrical Chandlers Tools and Supplies [London, UK]
Full Compass Supplier [UK ]
Gear Source Europe Secondhand / Used Equipment [Kent, UK]
Lite-Trol Service Co Ltd. Service, Repair & Modifications to lighting [NY, USA]
OPTI Kinetics Truss
Planet DJ Lighting, Sound & DJ Equipment [NV, USA]
Pro Sound & Stage Lighting Sales [CA, USA]
SLX Lighting, Sound, Scenic Hire and Events [UK]
Stage Electrics Lighting & Sound Equipment Sales [UK]
TMB Electrical. lighting and rigging equipment
Total Solutions Group Trussing & Rigging [Birmingham, UK]
Ultralight Spares for Strand Lighting equipment [UK]
 Effects >> Wildfire FX Ultraviolet effects [Los Angleles, CA, USA]
 LED >> Brother, Brother & Sons LED lighting [Denmark]
 Gobos >> Apollo Design Technology Gels, gobos, scrollers [USA]
 Gobos >> Goboland Gobos [International]
 Gobos >> Goboplus Gobos [UK]
 Gobos >> Projected Image Gobos & Projection [UK]
 Colour Media >> GAM Great American Market [USA]
 Colour Media >> Gray Glass Devon Theatrical Lighting Filters [USA]
 Colour Media >> Lee Filters [USA]
 Colour Media >> Rosco Laboratories Rosco Supergel, Cinegel [USA]

Unions / Associations

AAPTLE Alliance of Associations & Professionals in Theatre and Live Events [UK]
ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians) Training, Advice, Membership [London, UK]
Actors Equity [American actors and stage managers] [USA]
ALIA Australasian Lighting Industry Association [Australasia]
ALPD / A.L.P.D. - Association of Lighting Production and Design UK Association for students and professionals [London, UK]
BECTU Broadcasting, Entertainment & Cinematograph Trade Union (UK) [London, UK]
IATSE International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees [USA]
PAM (Portail des Arts de la Marionette) [France]
PLASA UK Professional Lighting & Sound Association [UK]
Skillset [London, UK]
USITT United States Institute for Theatre Technology [USA]

Video Resources

Backstage at the Royal Opera House - The Opera Machine Full access to 21 cameras backstage for Act III of the Ring Cycle