Introduction
1) The Lighting Design Process
- The Process
- Art Reference, Inspiration & Communicating Ideas
- Lighting Design Paperwork
- Lighting Words & Phrases
2) The Lighting Rig / System
- The Lighting System – Patching and Connecting
- Dimmers, Watts and Fuses
- Fault-Finding
- Stage Rigging Positions
- Types of Lantern
- Using LEDs
- Electrical Practicals
- Tidy Rigging – Cable Coiling & Taping
3) Focussing Lighting
4) Colour
5) Texture & Effects
6) Plotting Lighting & Control
- LX Cues – for Theatre and Music Events
- Software Lighting Control
- Visualisation
- Controlling Lighting With Timecode
7) Running the Show
Campaigns
- Save Stage Lighting (2018)
History / Evolution
LSI: Heritage Pathways - Production Lighting (April 2024)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International
Lighting People
Further Information:
- Lighting Practitioners
- Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms: Lighting (Beginners)
- Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms: Lighting (Advanced)
- Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms: Lighting (All)
- Lighting for TV and Film
- Theatrical Consumables
- The Lighting Team
- The Lighting: Bertholt Brecht
Bookshelf – Additional Interest
Stage Lighting for Schools, Colleges and Technical Institutes (February 1939)
[Archive Viewer]
From Roger Fox Collection
On Inertia - A History of Tracking vs Presetting in Lighting Controls (February 2021)
[1.17Mb PDF]
From David Bertenshaw Collection
Amazon Shop
2020
Productivity Through Wellness for Live Entertainment and Theatre Technicians
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Productivity Through Wellness for Live Entertainment and Theatre Technicians
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
2018
Performance Lighting Design: How to Light for the Stage, Concerts, and Live Events
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Performance Lighting Design: How to Light for the Stage, Concerts, and Live Events
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
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 |