Light Changes Everything

The world must have been a pretty grim place before God dramatically summoned ‘Light’. Much like show producers today expect us technicians to recreate that experience with a fraction of the energy at Gods disposal.

Wonder how God’s accountants responded when they got the generator bill for the power that sparked the Black Hole to spit out our universe.

The Drama Continues. Much thunder and lightning emanating from the accountants side of the table. And the shaking Lighting director wondering how he can produce twice the impact at half the budget.

But guys - let’s focus on the bright side. The show producer has sent you on a delightful journey of figuring out what lights to put where, getting everything all cabled up and then playing on some computer to make all those lights create some magical effects. Be Grateful that they are allowing the kid in you to play to your heart’s content - as long as you keep the grown ups amused.

But this is serious business.

It’s in our hands to make it all come together and work, or flounder like a wet diwali cracker.

Those dancers and actors and compares and clowns and models and performance artists - they been working for years to get to that stage. And we light guys sit in the dark back corner and allow those performances to be SEEN.

Remember - Bad Lighting is SEEN. Good lighting just disappears so naturally into a scene that nobody notices it. All that hard work just so we WONT get noticed. Where ‘s the satisfaction in that?

There is plenty. Gotta do it to know it, buddy. It’s our un-understandable secret.

None of that has changed over years. But just look at all the tools we have these days.

It’s fantastic. You can’t be God, and create light - at least not yet. But you can shape it, colour it to dawn or dusk, make jungle patterns, move it about as gently as the sun moves across your window or as violently as a tropical thunderstorm. All at the flick of a button. And the best part for lazy old fellows like me - all of this can be planned from within your own study sitting on your favourite chair sipping beer and stopping for a healthy snack now and then. Who knows the next generation of Lighting Designers will be free of all diabetes, blood pressure, twisted back and shoulder muscles once we are removed from programming at 3 am crouched on a chipped flight case, wrapped in layers of stinking sweaters or sweltering in muggy heat.

So what is this relationship we develop with the machine. In today’s world I don’t think it’s possible to make a good living without some mastery over a machine of your choice. (Clarify - Reaching level 20,457 at Candy Crush does not count). In our case it the operating board, sound desk or video console. And there are dozens of brands and variations available.

For us operators, we need to meet the one that’s right for you. Ive been married to one for decades. Some of my colleagues change their loyalties faster than I changed girlfriends (Before I met you, dear wife). Fortunately boards don’t have friends who gossip about your shortcomings or chase you with a machete to cut off your .... (A colleague once confided - ‘much rather lose my nuts than my fingers. I could program in peace without the urge to run home at bedtime’.)

All of this sets us up for that eternal conundrum.

Do you know and master the show VS Do you know and master the equipment.

What makes for a more successful and fulfilled professional. I hope you are with me ?

In that half hour rehearsal you get (If you lucky!) Do you absorb every music break, model turn, compère intro point, scene end mood OR, do you learn all the layers associated with each button. Program a dozen variations to the basic and time the speed with which the board responds to your command.

What you do will mirror your personality. And if the manufacturers can capture your responses digitally and compile them - we may move to more symbiotic, intuitive and interactive layouts and responsive systems.

Will that lead to better shows or lazier lighting designers all delivering sloppier more generic shows ? A few columns ago I wondered if these were the best or worst of times.

How both our manufacturers and our designers respond to this challenge will define the results.

I have met many board designers. 90% of them are engineers. Some of them who are inspired or briefed by great designers produce good work. Only very few board designers are both creative and engineers who have their fundamentals cast in stone. They can anticipate what a work bench tweak can produce on stage without going into an elaborate testing process. Those guys make the Great Boards.

To sum up - Know the show or know the technology ?

In an ideal world every operator has his eyes on stage and fingers on the board. He knows where everything is and will pick up that sideways glance each singer will give a lead guitarist as he launches into a guitar solo. The faster you pick up that glance, and the faster you respond - the smoother and tighter your show. Are your wiggly lights still wiggling when the music suddenly breaks? Or are your lights still building as the drummer crashes from opening aalap into the song structure.

You do what’s right for you. But share your process with both manufactures and performers.

Only then will we see the best of shows.