Ld dir&focus

1Ken Coker

Sept 2005

University of Derby School of Arts, Design and Technology

Division of Electronics & Sound

BSc Sound Light and Live Event TechnologyStage Three

Live Event Techniques

Lighting Design

Direction & FocusDirection & Focus

2Ken Coker

Sept 2005



Introduction

• This lecture will cover:– Why the correct positioning of lights is

important– How this creates a basic method of lighting

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Sept 2005



Direction and Focus

• The most vital decisions in lighting design– Where we place the instruments– What we point them at– How we adjust the beams of the

instruments

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Sept 2005



Direction and Focus

• Where we place the instruments

• What we point them at– Creative decisions

• How we adjust the beams of the instruments– Technique, although should be considered

at the design stage

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• Front light, side light, top light, back light, three quarter back light– all describe lighting positions

• Lecture will look at these terms more precisely.

• The example of theatre is used– could be any performance environment

Direction and Focus

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Sept 2005



The Objectives of Stage Lighting

• Selective Visibility

– “Each member of the audience must be able to see clearly and correctly those things that he is intended to see.”

– Richard Pilbrow, Stage Lighting Design, 1997

• (From the first lecture)

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Lighting the Performer

• Unlike television or film, the audience at a live performance can look at the entire stage– In TV/film the camera shot tells the viewer what to

look at • One function of lighting is to direct the audience

where to look

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Sept 2005



• Generally we wish to make the performer/s distinct from the background– Ideal would be lighting for performers independent

of lighting for scenic elements.– Often desirable to highlight features of the set– Usual to try and stop spill and shadow as this is

distracting and visually undesirable.

Lighting the Performer

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Top Light

• The most natural place to put an instrument it may seem– Fixtures in rooms generally in the centre

above.

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Sept 2005



The Method

• A method of lighting the theatre stage was first codified by Stanley McCandless– McCandless, Stanley, A Method of

Lighting the Stage. 4 Ed. New York: Theatre Arts Books, 1958.(first ed 1934)

• Not the only way, but a good basis

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Sept 2005



The Method• McCandless proposed that :• The stage be broken down into areas

– 3m-4m wide, depending on luminaires available

• Each area is lit from two sides– 900 apart– 450 from the horizontal

• One unit in a cool shade • The other in a warmer shade• All units to have separate dimmers

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Sept 2005



The Method

• Added to these two basic positions

• Light from where the audience is– lower angled front light

• Light from the back– adds form and atmosphere

• Light from the side– emphasises form

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The Method

• Motivating light– any light source used onstage,cf Othello

• Motivated light– any lighting required to give the illusion of

light coming from an offstage source

• Specials– lighting required for a special effect; often

merely a single luminaire.

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Sept 2005



Top Light• Unit 5• May seem a

natural position, but creates heavy shadow under eye sockets, nose, chin.

• Dramatic but not helpful for definition.

http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~pacshop/lab/lab.html

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Sept 2005



Top Light

http://lupus.northern.edu:90/wild/th241/ld02a.htm

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Sept 2005



• Unit 2• A useful position• Shows the important

features of a face• Looks relatively natural• Danger of flattening

features• Can “merge” figure into

back ground

Front Centre


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Sept 2005



Front Light


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Sept 2005



• Unit 3• Start of the modelling

process• Good for features

– At least on one side

• Does not flatten figures into scenery

• Can, depending on elevation and angle, miss any scenic elements.

Front SR


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Sept 2005



• Unit 1• Complements Unit 3• Slide 10:

Each area is lit from two sides– 900 apart– 450 from the

horizontal• Frequently only

imperfect positions available.

Front SL


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Sept 2005



• Unit 4• Not great for facial

features– Shadows of nose etc

• Good for revealing form• Note emphasis on body

shape

Definition of flower vase on the SL side.

Side SL


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Sept 2005



Side SR

• Unit 6• Complement to unit 4• This is high/pipe end

side light• Can be varied in

position from Pipe end to shin


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Side/ Cross Light

• The figure on the left is side lit by two lamps. One mounted on a boom in the stage left entrance and the other hung on a boom in the stage right entrance. Notice the edges of the figure are well lit, but the front of the body is in shadow.


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• Unit 8• Dramatic• Often a heavier colour

than front/side light• Emphasis on shape

Backlight


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Backlight


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Sept 2005



• Unit 9• Not good for features• Excellent for form• Dramatic• Useful dance angle

– Remember benefits of seeing beam

SR ¾ BL


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• Unit 7• Complement of Unit 9• Often used in

– contrasting

– complementary colour

SL ¾ BL


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Uplight

• Another dramatic position

• Used for effect• Throws large

shadows behind figure– Depending on

closeness of unit


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All• Balance is the essence• Often trying to give

sense of light direction– Can be achieved by

balance of

– Key

– Fill

– Backlight

– COLOUR

– We will look at this in a future lecture.


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Plan


The Plan

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References

• http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~pacshop/lab/lab.html

• http://lupus.northern.edu:90/wild/th241/ld02a.htm

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