Intro to Lighting in Design and Practice

By Caitlin Hall

Unit Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate the understanding of lighting principles by designing a light plot for a production.

Level: Beginning/Intermediate Technical Theatre

Previous Experience: Beginning set design

2014 National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.a. Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a

drama/theatre work. TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work. TH:Cr3.1.I.c. Refine technical design choices to support the story and emotional impact of a

devised or scripted drama/theatre work. TH:Pr5.1.I.b. Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design for a

drama/theatre production. TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work. TH:Cn11.2.I.b. Use basic theatre research methods to better understand the social and

cultural background of a drama/theatre work.

Big Idea: How we look at the world can change as we learn to view it through a different lens.

Essential Questions: What happens when theatre artists use their imaginations and/or learned theatre skills while

engaging in creative exploration and inquiry? How do theatre artists transform and edit their initial ideas? What can I do to fully prepare a performance or technical design? How are the theatre artist’s processes and the audience’s perspectives impacted by analysis

and synthesis? In what ways can research into theatre histories, theories, literature, and performances alter

the way a drama process or production is understood? How can understanding how lights work in a production change the way that theatre artists

process and understand theatrical performances?

Key Knowledge and Skills: Develop a concept Create a lighting plot Observe lighting in everyday situations Create an instrument schedule Create a channel hookup

Hang and focus lights for a show Create a short pitch presentation for their design

Authentic Performance Tasks: Develop an original design concept – Application Describe lighting from everyday situations – Explanation Create a lighting plot supporting their concept – Application, Interpretation Create paperwork associated with a lighting plot – Application Pitch their lighting plot to the class – Perspective, Empathy, Self Understanding Hang and focus lights for a show - Application

Lessons:Lesson 1 — Lights: an Introduction to InstrumentsObjective: Students will be able to identify different types of lights and their purposes by filling out an equipment worksheet.

Lesson 2 – Caring For Your FixturesObjective: Students will be able to clean and maintain different lighting fixtures, including changing lamps, cleaning lights, and checking cables.

Lesson 3 – Starting the Lighting Design: ConceptsObjective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of design concepts by selecting a conceptual idea for their lighting design, with supporting artifacts.

Lesson 4 – The Dos and Don’ts of Lighting DesignObjective: Students will be able to choose appropriate lights, colors, and effects for their lighting designs, as demonstrated by a collaborative quiz.

Lesson 5: Learning to DraftObjective: Students will demonstrate their ability to use drafting tools to draw their lighting design by working on their design in class.

Lesson 6: Drafting WorkdayObjective: Students will set a goal of what they want to accomplish on their project that day in class and work on their projects.

Lesson 7: Paperwork is Your FriendObjective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the importance of lighting paperwork by creating Instrument Schedules and Channel Hookups for their designs.

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Lesson 8: PresentationsObjective: Students will show their understanding of the principles of lighting design by presenting their concept and lighting design to the class.

Lesson 9: The Hang (Optional)Objective: Students will be able to read and hang a light plot.

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Lesson 1 — Lights: an Introduction to Instruments

Objective: Students will be able to identify different types of lights and their purposes by filling out an equipment worksheet.

National Standards:TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Cr1.1.I.a. Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.

Resources: 1 fresnel, 1 par, 1 ellipsoidal, several barrels, gels in frames, gobos in frames, cables, copies of worksheet for the class

Prepare before class: Have lights and equipment set up at the front of the classroom.

Hook: Ask the class if they know the names of the fixtures on the stage. These are the basic units of lighting work and design. Hand out worksheet (see end of lesson) to students.

Step 1: FresnelsShow students Fresnel. Point out housing, lamp, cable, lens, reflector, yoke, c-clamp, and gel clip. The Fresnel is used for wide pools of light; usually in general washes across the stage and top light. Barn doors can be used to cut light off of legs, scenery, and other areas.

Step 2: PAR cansShow students PAR. PAR stands for Parabolic Aluminized Reflector. Point out the differences between the Fresnel and the PAR, namely the style of lamp base, lens and how the light sits in the housing. Lenses are interchangeable on most PARs, specifically on Source Four instruments. They usually range between Extra Wide and Narrow, and the difference lies in the shape of the lens, which changes the light pool shape. You can also use barn doors on PAR lights.

Step 3: EllipsoidalUse Source Four ellipsoidal, if available. Point out differences between the ellipsoidal and other lights, namely the shape, shutters, barrel, and focusing abilities. Explain that this is due to the shape of the reflector, which is an ellipsis that has a point of focus in the housing. When you move the lens, you move it closer or farther away from that point, bringing it in or out of focus.

Show other barrels. The different degree of barrel indicates how wide the beam of light coming from the instrument is. This means that a 10° barrel will let out 10° of light, and a 90° barrel will let out a full 90° of light. This is important, because it changes how it is used in the space. Using a light with a 10° barrel in a small space can be impractical if you are trying to creating acting areas, because it will not let out enough light, while using a 90° in a large space would let out too much light that could either a) spill out into the space, or b) become diffused and ineffective. The most common barrels used in the size of spaces we have in this school are 26°, 36° and 50° barrels.

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Step 4: CablesExtension cables – Depending on the space you are in, extension cables are often sold and made in different lengths. Longer cable lengths can be upward of 100’, and can be as small as 6”. Anything smaller than 5’ is called a jumper. Here we use two types of cables, Edison and twist-lock. If you want to change between the two you need an adapter. There are more connector types, the most important one being stage pin, which looks like a flat box with three cylindrical pins sticking up out of it.

Two-fers and three-fers – Sometimes to conserve dimmers, we will plug two lights into the same outlet. This is accomplished through using a two-fer. It is important to check and make sure that the lights you are using can be two-fered, so you don’t blow a fuse or damage your equipment, but connecting two pars or ellipsoidals usually isn’t a problem. Part of the job of a master electrician is to know the demands of the lights on power and make sure that we don’t put too much electrical load on a system. When lights are two-fered together, they cannot function independently. That means if you bring up that dimmer, two lights will turn on.

Dimmer doubler – The only way to change this is by using a dimmer doubler. Dimmer doublers are able to split the dimmer voltage output and let lights be controlled independently of each other, but they need to use a special 77V lamp in order to do so. We also have to take a couple extra steps while programming at the light board and on the dimmer rack, which controls the intensity, or brightness, of the lights.

Step 5: Gels and GobosGels: These are plastic sheets used to color light. They come in a variety of colors. Some gels are clear, but have texture. These are called frost, and are used to change the quality of the light, usually to make it softer or look out of focus. Frost can also stretch the light in different directions, much like the lens of a PAR. Gels are put into gel frames, then slipped into the light right at the font of the lens. Gel frames should be securely clipped in place. Gels got their name from their original source material, thin sheets of colored gelatin.

Gobos: These are discs of metal that have holes cut in them to let light through. Demonstrate to the students how the gobo is inserted first into the gobo holder, then into the gobo slot. Glass gobos should be put into a glass gobo frame, then put into the larger accessory slot. Never put a glass gobo into the gobo slot on a light. It will get stuck.

Conclusion: Questions and AnswersLet the students come up and look at the lighting equipment and ask any questions they might have. Ask them questions about the lights to assess comprehension.

Note: Make sure to ask students questions throughout the lesson. If they know information about the lights, let them talk about them, providing correction or supplementary information where necessary. You may consider asking more advanced students to introduce the lights and their functions, rather than doing it yourself.

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Name: __________________________________Lighting Reference Sheet

Fresnel

PAR Can – Label the diagram.

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Source Four Ellipsoidal

What are the different types of cable connectors?________________________ _________________________ _________________________

What are two-fers?

What does a dimmer doubler do?

Define “gel.”

Define “gobo.”

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Lesson 2 – Caring For Your Fixtures

Objective: Students will be able to clean and maintain different lighting fixtures, including changing lamps, cleaning lights, and checking cables.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.

Resources: A space with lights to be cleaned, vinegar water (10% vinegar), rags for cleaning, spray bottles

Hook: Take students into the cleaning space. Show them how lights are hung on the electric with a C-clamp. Make sure to include using safety cables, he set screw, use of shutters, etc.

Step 1: Clean lights Take a rag and spray bottle and spray vinegar water on the rag. Wipe down the light, removing the barrel. Try to get as much dust as possible out of the light. Do not clean the lamp inside the light. Pass out materials and let the students clean lights.

Step 2: Instrument Quiz As students clean the lights, have them explain the fixture they are cleaning to a nearby student. Their partner can ask them questions about the fixture. They should be able to identify the different parts of the light, such as the lamp, body, yoke, clamp, and reflector.

Step 3: Other maintenanceWhile cleaning the light, check the rest of the fixture, including the cable and the lamp. Make sure the cable isn’t damaged, and that there is a lamp in the light. DO NOT TOUCH THE LAMP. NEVER touch the lamp with your bare hands. Only touch the base. The lamp will explode if it has any hand oils on it, even if you use gloves. If you think you may have touched the lamp, get alcohol and a rag and wipe it down. Your hand oils are bad for lamps. Remember that. Show students how to change a lamp.

Step 3: ConclusionReview these questions:What do you use to clean lights?Why is touching a lamp bad? What should you do if you touch a lamp?

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Lesson 3 – Starting the Lighting Design: Concepts

Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of design concepts by selecting a conceptual idea for their lighting design, with supporting artifacts.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.a. Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.TH:Pr5.1.I.b. Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design for a drama/theatre production.TH:Cn11.2.I.b. Use basic theatre research methods to better understand the social and cultural background of a drama/theatre work.

Materials: Computer hookup and projection, iPads

Hook: Have a picture displayed from a production that you know the concept for (I will use my design for The Last Five Years). Explain the concept of the show (the stage was a memory clock, so we started every scene lighting the space where the actor stood (12, 1, 2, etc.), then we confined the light only to where they needed to move on the stage, keeping the rest of the stage dark, like the edges of a memory).

Step 1: What is a lighting concept?If you have not taught about concept yet, define it for the students as a focusing idea for the design of the show. How does a concept affect a design? What about specifically a lighting design? Often lighting design concepts are related to the concept of the show, but they don’t have to be the same thing.

Conclusion: Take the rest of the time on the iPads to research ideas for your concept. By the time you leave today I want you to send me your concept and two inspiration photos pictures in an email. Make sure to cc yourself on the email so you also have a copy. If you finish, share your concept and reasoning for it with another person in the class. Discuss their concept and help them refine it. You should focus on what you like about the pictures you find and how you plan on implementing the idea in your design.

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Lesson 4 – The Dos and Don’ts of Lighting Design

Objective: Students will be able to choose appropriate lights, colors, and effects for their lighting designs, as demonstrated by a collaborative quiz.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.

Materials: Computer hookup and projection, examples of different lighting positions (either a video like “Practical Technical Theatre: Lighting Design” by Interactive Educational Video LLC, or photos that display the look), gel books, flashlight, set model

Hook: If available, take students to a theatre space with lights to show students about the lights. If not, stay in the classroom and have a discussion, bringing in as much practical work as possible. Ask: What about a light can we control?

Step 1: Discussion and LectureIntensity – We can raise and lower the intensity of the light depending on requirements of the scene. Lower intensity means less light is being produced by the lights (20% rather than 80%). If you don’t have a theatre in which to show the students lights, you may consider showing them two different wattages of lights to illustrate the difference between low and high intensity.

Shape – Pass out shape-based gobos to the class. Have them discuss how they would use that particular gobo in a lighting design. On ellipsoidal fixtures shutter cuts, irises, and specialty gobos all change the shape of the light. On a Fresnel or a PAR can, you can use barn doors to shape the light.

Texture – Now pass out texture gobos to the class, like leaf or construction breakups. Gobos can change the texture of the light, creating breakup on stage and making things more interesting to look at. Acts like spatter on a set.

Color – Different colors produce different effects.Activity: Use a model set (must be colorful) to demonstrate how color affects scenery. Have students use gel books and flashlights to test different colors of gels on the model, noting how complementary and analogous colors affect the look. Let all the students have a chance to experiment, perhaps bringing other model sets to show different effects.Note: if you do not have model sets, various fabrics of different colors will do.

When we see, light bounces off of objects and reflects into our eyes. The wavelength of the light is what determines color, with long wavelengths being red and short ones being violet. Various colors change the way things look on stage – for example, if you shine blue light on a red object, it will look purple. Let’s look at the color wheel for light (draw or display):

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https://www.d.umn.edu/~mharvey/th1501color.html (This is a great resource!)As different colors of light mix, they create different effects.When red and green mix, they make yellow, blue and red are magenta, and blue and green are cyan. As these lights hit colors on stage, they mix and reflect differently in people’s eyes. Add the color wheel for pigment:

http://www.theworkingwardrobe.com/men_/the-working-man-simple-rules-for-color-coordination/

Explain the different circles on this diagram.

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Complementary colors turn to grey – if you have a green wall on the set and shine red on it, it will turn a weird grey brown. Not attractive. This can be used to your advantage, however. In a production of Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella at BYU, the lighting designer and costume designer worked together to create an effect that would help Cinderella change from a sad, drab young girl into a vibrant beauty, all with a 20-30 second fade of the lights from a complementary color to an analogous color, bringing out the colors of her costume and makeup. The audience was none the wiser to how she transformed in front of them, on stage.Green is not flattering on people, except for Elphaba in Wicked. Use ambers for white people, and lavenders for black people. These tones best compliment skin colors.The shadow of a light is the complementary color. This means that an amber light will have a blue shadow, which is why it is so effective to use amber and blue as a pair on stage. It gives full light, while supporting what we usually see.

Ideally in this step the students figure things out on their own as they experiment with the gel books. Use the lecture notes as side-coaching if needed.

Placement – Depending on where you place lights, different effects are achieved.Front light: straight on – flattens out the face

Key-fill – two lights from 45° angles, creates the most natural shadowsBack light: pops the actor out from the backgroundSide light: emphasizes the lines of the actor/dancer’s body. Lengthens the lines. Top light: Dramatic look. Makes actors look shorter. Eerie look.Bottom light: Another dramatic look. Heightens actors. Eerie look.You can have light come from any corner and it combines features of these lights.

The best way to teach about placement is to go into a theatre space and play with lights. If you have this kind of space available, go in and let the students experiment with the lights. Then tell them about the specific kinds of light designers refer to in theatre. If this is not available, flashlights are also a great tool for teaching about light placement.

Step 2: Quizzing in the DarkRules: Divide students into two teams. Give each team a flashlight. When I ask a question, the first person to turn on their flashlight will give an answer. If they do not answer correctly, the other student will have a chance. If both answer incorrectly, they will have a chance to confer with their team for help. All students need to try to answer at least one question.

How can a designer use intensity to influence the audience?How can I use shape in a lighting design?How do I change the shape of an ellipsoidal?How do I change the shape of a PAR can or Fresnel?What is a situation in which a designer would want to change the shape of my light?What is a situation where a designer would want to change the texture of a light?What is the easiest light to change the texture of?How can I use color in a lighting design?Define complementary color.What happens when you shine the complementary color of light on a set piece?

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Define analogous color.When should I use analogous color in a design?What colors are best for skin tone?What is the purpose of key-fill?What does back light do?What does side light do?What does top light do?What does bottom light do?

Note: It will be necessary to review these principles throughout the course of the unit. If you think your students are struggling in their designs, feel free to return to this lesson and try some of the activities again.

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Lesson 5: Learning to Draft

Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to use drafting tools to draw their lighting design by working on their design in class.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Cr3.1.I.c. Refine technical design choices to support the story and emotional impact of a devised or scripted drama/theatre work.TH:Pr5.1.I.b. Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design for a drama/theatre production.TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.

Materials: Rulers, stencils, gel books, electrical plot for theater

Hook: Have a lighting plot displayed on the projector screen. (Any from http://mktheatredesign.com/blog-post-page/page/3/). Ask if anyone knows how to read the plot, have the students come up and see how much they can figure out from what they see. What is on the plot? How can you tell? What do you notice about it? What do you see?

Step 1: Go over the defining features of a light plot, if the students have not already identified them. These include the key, various instruments, how electrics are labeled and measured on the plots, and how the plot looks with the stage around it. Give each student a drafting stencil. Let them compare their stencil to the marks on the screen so they can figure out what each thing means. If they have questions, answer them. Truthfully, designers can change what different marks mean on a plot as long as their key explains it. Lighting plots have to be measured exactly, so make sure students know the

Step 2: Hand out rubric and plots papers for the Lighting Design project. (You can use the plot below, or your own theater’s dimensions.) Review the requirements with the students.

Step 3: Let them start designing! The rest of class is so they can start working on their projects. Have the students start by dividing the stage into areas, then encourage them to focus on lighting placement and figuring out a group of lights, either all of the facelight or all of the lights for one or two areas, before the end of class. Have each class member choose a partner for today so they can answer each other’s questions. If neither knows the answer, then they can ask the teacher.

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Rockapalooza Lighting Design RubricWelcome to the team, Lighting Designer! As your Producer, I am happy to have you working with us on this project.

PART 1 (Due ________):We just had a meeting with our directors, and here is what they want:

- 13 lighting areas in total: five in the front, and two rows of four in the back

- Shin-height and mid-height side lights- BRIGHT colors!- Find a way to light the trusses on stage- Two moving lights

Your task is to design a light plot that meets these requirements. You all have a concept for the show that will help you with this design. Use that concept along with this information to help you make decisions about your plot.

Here is your designer’s checklist, or what you will actually be graded on:

o A Key and Scaleo Scaled placement of lights with any additions like barn doors

drawn ino A legend, which includes the unit number, channel, and gel

color, and individually labeled lightso Labeled electricso Soft goods marked out (make sure we know where the curtains

and cyclorama will be)o Precise, NEAT drawing and writing

75 Points – Each task is worth 12 points

PART 2 (Due __________):Your Master Electrician has requested:

o An Instrument Scheduleo A Channel Hookup

This paperwork will help your show run smoothly and be the best it can be.50 Points – Each piece of paperwork is worth 25 points

PART 3 (Due ___________):You will pitch your plot to the producer and fellow designers. Here is what we expect to see:

o Slides with your inspiration photos, emailed to the producer BY ___ AT MIDNIGHT

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o Your light plot (completed in Part 1)o Your paperwork (completed in Part 2)o A brief explanation of your concept, how it is realized in your

plot, and what you learned about being a lighting designer from this project

25 Points

Good luck, Designer!

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Lesson 6: Drafting Workday

Objective: Students will set a goal of what they want to accomplish on their project that day in class and work on their projects.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Cr3.1.I.c. Refine technical design choices to support the story and emotional impact of a devised or scripted drama/theatre work.TH:Pr5.1.I.b. Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design for a drama/theatre production.TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.

Materials: Rulers, stencils, gel books

Hook: Designing WarmupThe purpose of these activities are to get students thinking about lights outside of theatre. Here are several possible prompts, in case you have multiple workdays in your unit. This activity should be done at the beginning of each workday.

Ask students to write a paragraph describing the lighting in their favorite room of their house. Side-coaching questions: Where are the sources of light? Are there any windows? What is the quality of light? What do you like about this lighting?When students are finished writing, have them share with another student in the class.

Ask students to think about an important moment in their life. What was the lighting like? If they don’t have a specific moment, ask them to think about a strong memory. Share with your partner how you would light this moment on stage. Side-coaching questions: What was the mood? Did the light contribute to that mood? How? Where were you? What were you doing? Where do you need to put the lights in order to make it feel like your memory?

Describe how you would light a sunset on stage.

Step 1: Setting GoalsHave each student set a goal for what they want to accomplish today. Encourage them in the earlier workdays to start with placement, then move to color at the end, evaluating the fixtures they have chosen once they reach the color step to see if they need more or fewer lights.

Step 2: WorkdayGive the students all but the last five minutes of class to work on their projects. Check in with them from time to time to see how their designs are coming. Answer questions, but let them make the big decisions about their plot, as long as they line up with the requirements for the assignment. If the students can go to the space they are designing for, let them.

Step 3: Goal Evaluation

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Have the students take the last few minutes of class to evaluate their goal. Did they meet it? Was their goal too ambitious, or was it too easy? Did they make good progress on their assignment? Have the students write down their reflection and turn it in before they leave.

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Lesson 7: Paperwork is Your Friend

Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the importance of lighting paperwork by creating Instrument Schedules and Channel Hookups for their designs.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.a. Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Cr3.1.I.c. Refine technical design choices to support the story and emotional impact of a devised or scripted drama/theatre work.

Materials: Rulers, stencils, gel books, Channel Hookup, Instrument Schedule

Hook: Designer Warm-upHave students pull out their light plots so you can check their progress, while they talk in small groups (3-4 students) about how they would light a sunset on stage. After you check the plots, ask them to share their ideas of how to design a sunset.

Step 1: LectureBring out the Channel Hookups and Instrument Schedules. Go through each column of information as listed here:Unit # — Starting from the left side of the page, each fixture should be numbered starting at one. Each electric has its own set, making a battleship-style setup (i.e. Check 2nd Electric, Unit 6).Position — The electric, beam, or boom where the light is hung. (i.e. 4th Electric, 1st Beam FOH, SR Boom 1.)Purpose — Where the light will be focused on stage. Does it go to a specific area? Is it a texture light? Write down a two-three word description of what the light does. Type –– Write down what kind of light it is. Is it a 19° Source Four Ellipsoidal, or a 6” Fresnel? You can also write what lamp the light needs in this area.Color — The color identification number, selected from a gel book. (Ex: A2020, R05, L201, etc.)Gobo — The Gobo identification number, selected from a gobo catalog. (Ex. R79096, A2258, etc.)Dimmer — The “street address” of the light. Where you have plugged the fixture in. Channel — A part of an organizational system for designers to help them in programming.

It is possible there may need to be more information given about dimmers and channels to explain how they work. If possible, take your students to your school light board and show them how to patch a light. Explain that the board is the brain of the lights. Channels are how the board/designer organizes the lights into manageable, easily remembered systems. The brain/lightboard then tells the dimmers, which are like the nervous system, how high the intensity of the light should be. Then the lights turn on, acting out what the dimmer told them to

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do, much like how a muscle moves as a result of the nervous system’ transmission of a command from the brain.

Step 2: WorkdayGive students the rest of the day to work, side coaching with questions like “what do these lights do?” and “Point out to me all the lights for this area on stage.” If the plot has been drawn correctly, the only new information on the Channel Hookup and Instrument Schedule will be how the lights are channeled. Everything else should be able to be copied over. This is an opportunity for the students to check their design work.Note: Another activity you can do with your students: Ask them to look at another person’s light plot and try to figure out their system as a lighting designer.

Another workday may be necessary for students to complete the plot.

Homework: Students will need to finish the plot at home. Also, they should send their concept inspiration photos to the teacher in the form of slides before the day of the presentation.

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Lesson 8: Presentations

Objective: Students will show their understanding of the principles of lighting design by presenting their concept and lighting design to the class.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.a. Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.TH:Pr5.1.I.b. Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design for a drama/theatre production.TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.TH:Cn11.2.I.b. Use basic theatre research methods to better understand the social and cultural background of a drama/theatre work.

Materials Needed: Computer hookup and projection equipment

Presentations: Today is the day! Students should have their plots out and ready to present. Go in the order of students on the PowerPoint presentation. Students will answer three questions in their presentations: What is your concept? How is it realized in your plot? What did you learn about being a lighting designer from this project?

Have each student show the class their work, asking questions when necessary. Encourage the students to ask questions about their peers’ projects, and also let them make comments about the work. (i.e. What they like, what they wonder about, clarification, etc.)

When the student finishes their presentation, have them turn in their plot and paperwork to you.

The rubric is included.

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Student:

Area Notes Grade

PlotA Key and ScaleScaled placement of lights with any additions like barn doors drawn inUnit labels, which include the unit number, channel, and gel colorLabeled electricsSoft goods marked out (make sure we know where the curtains will be)Precise, NEAT drawing and writing

   /75

PaperworkInstrument ScheduleChannel Hookup

   /50

PresentationSlides with your inspiration photos, emailed to the producerA brief explanation of your concept, how it is realized in your plot, and what you learned about being a lighting designer from this project

   /25

Total    /150

Lesson 9: The Hang (Optional)

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Objective: Students will be able to read and hang a light plot.

National Standards: TH:Cr1.1.I.b. Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theatre work.TH:Re9.1.I.b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.

Materials Needed: A theater, C-wrenches, lighting fixtures, a plot and paperwork

Hook: Select one of the student’s projects, either by democratic process or by teacher’s choice, for hanging in your theater. Take the students into the theater and divide them into teams.

Step 1: Have each team go to a different area in the theater with instructions on how to hang the lights. You may need to make copies of the plot, or have the students take pictures of the section they are supposed to hang with their phones. Have them hang the lights, making sure to plug them into the correct dimmers. Be sensitive of students who have an aversion to heights.

Step 2: After the lights are hung, divide the students into two groups: one for putting color in the lights, and the other for programming. They will switch partway through the lesson. Show the programming students how to patch channels using the Channel Hookup, demonstrating how now when we enter the channel into the board, the light turns on. Have each student patch a couple of lights. The color group should take the instrument schedule and the plot and install color into the lighting fixtures.

Step 3: FocusHave the students divide into their hang groups again to go focus the lights. Show them how to focus before sending them off. Keep one student on the ground to run the board.

Note: It is okay, and very normal, if this process takes several days.

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