Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability...

38
Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo At The Rose Center Theater Kathy Cannarozzi Harris Theater Teacher Mission Viejo High School Saddleback Valley USD

Transcript of Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability...

Page 1: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo

At The Rose Center Theater

Kathy Cannarozzi Harris Theater Teacher Mission Viejo High School Saddleback Valley USD

Page 2: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

The Rose Center Theater

A 400 seat community theater in Westminster with a proscenium stage. It produces 4 musicals a year and

hosts a variety of community events.

Page 3: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Lighting Designer’s Responsibilities

To meet with directors of each production to find out what their needs are for their event.

To create lighting designs to enhance the production so that the performers can be seen, to set a mood and to focus the action on stage.

The designer must have artistic abilities and

technical skills.

Page 4: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Experience

Chris Caputo has been a freelance lighting designer for 25 years in the Southern California Area.

As a designer at The Rose, he

often has new events coming into the theater every week which need his lighting expertise. These can be dance concerts, orchestras, award shows or a beauty pageant.

Page 5: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Experience

The Rose Theater Curtain Call Dinner Theater West Covina Playhouse Camino Playhouse San Juan Hills High School Mission Viejo High School Industrial lighting design California State University, Fullerton Saddleback College

Page 6: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Curtain Call Dinner Theater

Anything Goes design by Chris Caputo

Page 7: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

How he got started…..

He was an actor/singer at Mission Viejo High School in the 1980’s. In his junior year, they needed someone to design the set for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and he volunteered.

Began to design other sets in high school including Skin of our Teeth and Our Hearts were Young and Gay

Hired by the school district as a student theater manager – to work when outside groups would rent the theater. His job included running the lights and microphones.

Page 8: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

First Designs….

While in High School he designed the set and lights for The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Page 9: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Education

Decided to major in college in set and lighting design at Cal State Fullerton 2 yrs and transferred to University of California at Irvine where he graduated with a degree in theater.

While he was in college he was given the

opportunity to design lighting for productions and also was hired by area high schools to design sets and lighting.

Page 10: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Skills

Chris is also the technical director at The Rose Theater and designs and builds the sets for the 4 musicals produced each year.

The ability to design a set and lighting are great skills to have together as they often compliment each other.

In lighting, he must also have expertise in electrical engineering.

Page 11: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Skills needed to be a designer

work as a team member collaborate ideas learn to compromise stay in budget communication skills problem solve be creative research skills ability to analyze a script knowledge of electricity art/drawing computer design and programming skills

Page 12: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Valuable Courses

Valuable courses to take in high school – theater, geometry, physics, drafting, architecture, drawing, 3-D art, art history, English, history, music.

Valuable courses to take in college – theatrical design, drawing, stagecraft, art history, dramatic literature classes, theater history, lighting design, directing, business, marketing.

Page 13: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

A day in the life….

A designer must be able to attend meetings with

production staff and communicate design ideas, adjust and collaborate.

A designer needs time to read and analyze a

play and understand the mood of the piece and the intent of the director’s concept.

Page 14: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

A day in the life….

A designer needs time to research the various periods, types of lighting and special effects for each scene.

. After designing a light plot, the designer

works with the light crew to hang the lights.

Page 15: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

A day in the life….

Lighting designers work irregular hours, particularly if they’re working on an upcoming play or other performance that requires hours of rehearsal setting the lighting. They often work late at night.

They are usually expected to be present at

performances and openings, which typically happen at night.

Page 16: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designing phase

First, he reads the play and takes down notes about the places, time of day, mood, time of year and any special lighting effects required by the play.

Next, he looks for some pictures

that might help to see the look that is needed such as moonlight or fire.

Page 17: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Moonlight

Picture of moonlight

Moonlight in “Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler” design by Chris Caputo

Page 18: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Picture of fire

The Triangle Factory Fire Project design by Chris Caputo

Fire

Page 19: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Creating a light plot

A light plot, is a document similar to a

construction set) blueprint used to illustrate and communicate the lighting design to the director and other designers.

Page 20: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Light Plot

The light plot specifies how each lighting fixture should be hung, focused, colored, and connected. This can be given to the lighting crew to hang.

Page 21: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

The Lights

Chris has to know all of the different types of lighting fixtures such as fresnels, ellipsoidals, scoops, spotlights and intelligent lighting (lights that move).

Page 22: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Color

Knowing and Understanding color theory and light is very important to a lighting designer. He must choose the color gels for each light

Page 23: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Creating the lighting cues

After watching rehearsals for the production to get some idea of where the actors are moving in a scene or dance number, Chris meets with the director to determine where the lights need to change during a dry technical rehearsal.

At this rehearsal, the stage manager, assistant director

and director are working together to create the cues on paper in the script. Then the lighting designer can begin to program the lightboard.

Page 24: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

The Technical Rehearsal At the technical

rehearsal, Chris works to program the board as the director sits next to him and they go cue by cue with the actors to light the show.

Page 25: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Performances

Chris is usually present at performances “running” the board. This means that he is working with the stage manager during the show operating the lightboard. He often is supervising a community member or student who is working on the lighting crew.

Page 26: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Job Opportunities

As a freelance designer, Chris works at various theaters but he has to be able to market himself and budget his time.

In the Southern California area there are more

opportunities to work than in other areas of the country so there are more jobs in lighting design available. However, it is a competitive field.

Page 27: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Carousal

Page 28: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Man of La Mancha

Page 29: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Oklahoma

Page 30: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

The King and I

Page 31: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Singin’ in the Rain

Page 32: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Beauty and the Beast

Page 33: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

Crazy for You

Page 34: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

The Odyssey - underworld

Page 35: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

The Odyssey

Page 36: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Designs by Chris Caputo

The Odyssey- the heavens

Page 37: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Salary

The current labor statistics state the average yearly salary is $40,000.

This varies from professional theater to community theater.

But on the bright side…Lighting designers

can negotiate their own per show rate based on their experience.

Page 38: Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo · Theatrical Lighting Designer Chris Caputo ... ability to analyze a script ... Man of La Mancha . Designs by Chris Caputo

Credits: Photography Chris Caputo, Kelley Moody, and DSM Photography