Disco & Lighting Effects

Discos and dance clubs make huge investments to feature the latest lighting and special effects. Club-goers flock to discos not only for the music, but to experience the elements of fun, excitement and atmosphere that disco lighting brings.

Function

Disco lighting serves as an added attraction and enhancement to dance music. Popular discos are known for 

their particular effects, and use them as marketing and advertising tools to draw new customers.

History

Disco lighting effects began in the 1920s, during the "dance hall days." Electric lighting was new at the time, and club owners made the best use of it by installing colored filters to create intimate and exciting moods.

Development

With the growing popularity of rock concerts in the 1960s and 1970s, lighting companies began experimenting with new lighting effects and techniques. As disco music became the dominant musical form, the industry blossomed; creating lighting effects to excite dancers and club-goers, and enhance the nightlife experience.

Types

Numerous types of lighting and effects are in use today, including strobes, color washes, spot lights, moving scanners, lasers and projectors. Other popular effects are mirror balls, fog machines, foamers, bubble makers and confetti shooters.

Future

Disco lighting and effects of the future will feature improvements in recently developed LED bulbs and intelligent moving light fixtures. Lighting manufacturers are also working on 3D holographic projectors and safer, more advanced laser systems.

Guidelines for great stage design:

Not to use black backdrop: If using drape or a curtain as backdrop, not to use black or very dark colours. Must try to break-up the black background with other stage elements. These will help create separation between the speaker and the background on your video recordings.






Absence of clutter: Clutter -- power cables, multiple laptops, projection rigs distracts the eye. Want audience to be able to maintain full attention to the talks and performances.



Decoration: Without a little decoration, your stage will look cold and flat. An interesting art piece, technological artifact or intriguing piece of furniture on stage (consider an object that speaks to event's theme) will give your event a distinct personality, and accent the talks on stage.



Easy entrance and exit: Make it easy for onstage host and live speakers by offering a simple way to get on and off of the stage. No need for a green room all live participants should enter the stage from the audience. This approach saves time and makes transitions smoother.



Layered lighting: Flat lighting will make even the most exciting performance dull to look at. Even if venue only has fluorescent lights, you can avoid the "lecture hall" look by using floor lamps and placing them at the foot of the stage.





Well-placed screen: Place projection or video screen where the audience won't have to turn their heads to see it but also where it won't interfere with the live speaker.

VARIATION IN STAGE LIGHTING ACCORDING TO NECESSITIES

• ·       Stage Lighting for Plays

Stage lighting for theatrical plays is designed not only to create moods, but to illuminate the performers' facial expressions and movements. Theatrical lighting is also designed to simulate room lighting, day and night, or changes of time or location, and to add special effects. Overhead and front lighting is the preferred layout for plays and other theatrical work, and subdued floor lighting is often present.

Best Theatrical Lighting Methods

The best theatrical lighting methods employ diffused and filtered Fresnel-type lighting fixtures, mounted on elevated stands or trusses, placed above and in front of the stage. Back and floor-mounted wash lights are used to reinforce the overall lighting scheme. Pastel colors are favored to simulate natural light, with more intense colors added for special emphasis. Fixed and follow spotlights are used sparingly.

• ·       Stage Lighting for Concerts

Concert lighting provides mood, effect, highlight, and enhancement lighting. Back and side lighting is the main design feature of concert lighting, with the addition of special lighting effects to surprise, delight, and enhance the audience experience. Modern concert lighting employs heavy use of washes, moving fixtures, projectors, blinders, LED effects and other specials. Follow spots are also used to highlight performers.

Best Concert Stage Lighting Methods

The best concert stage lighting methods employ PAR-type flood and wash lights, mounted on raised stands or lighting trusses, placed behind the performers and the sides of the stage. One or more fixtures of each desired color is used, with the fixtures aimed toward the performance areas. White or colored spotlights are mounted at the front of the stage, above the performers. In larger venues, follow spots are used, which are operated by technicians located at the rear of the hall. Specials are placed to achieve maximum audience visibility of the lighting effect.

• ·       Stage Lighting for Presentations

From political speeches, to award shows and seminars, stage lighting is often transparent. Its main purpose is to illuminate the speaker, and create a lighting mood that is comfortable for the audience, and is not distracting to the event or speaker. Carefully placed washes and fixed spotlights, filtered with muted whites and subdued colors, are a typical design. As in other lighting setups, programmed dimmers control the light intensity of each unit to achieve the desired effect.

Best Presentation Lighting Methods

Best presentation lighting methods include the use of filtered Fresnel and PAR flood and wash lights, mounted on elevated stands or trusses, and placed above and in front of the speaker and stage area. Floor lighting is sometimes added for illumination reinforcement.

photo shoot for primark summer collection

Unveiling of the Primark Spring Summer 2013 collection at their Russell Square Press Office. 

Lots of Wireless LED Lighting was used to highlight animation boards and the clothes themselves with a giant wall projection.

About Stage Lighting

Stage lighting is an integral part of any performance. Whether it's a music concert, play, comedy show, or presentation, lighting enhances the experience. In situations where stage lighting is not a focal point, such as in a play or presentation, it is often taken for granted by the audience.

Stage Lighting Types

• ·         Stage wash lights flood specific areas of the stage with soft-edged, color-filtered light.

• ·         Fixed spotlights use hard-edged light to highlight performers or objects on the stage.

• ·         Follow spots are manually operated by technicians to follow a moving performer across the stage.

• ·         Used primarily in music concerts, specials are used to create special effects during the performance. Crowd "blinders," strobe lights, scanners, LED panels, projectors, and other light-emitting fixtures can be used as specials, as can wash and spot lights when employed in a no typical fashion.

• ·         LED screens can act as special wash lighting, or programmed to display designs, images, and pictures.

•   Projectors are another common special effect, used to project videos, images, pictures, designs, and colors across the stage or onto screens. 

How to create CHARACTER to your Set Design?

• ·         COLOR: a visual attribute of things, effects and intensity of hues and saturations, additive or subtractive from the appearance. It creates, depth, contrast and even gives warm to cool gradient of tones within the hues and saturated colors.

• ·         TEXTURE: feel of a surface (depends on the type of surface desired), fabric or the quality to what it may feel or look like of something. The texture is viewed as a characteristic of its (object) appearance or the physical composition/visual appearance.

• ·         DIMENSION: length, width and height of the form or shape, which is required to understand the proportion or magnitude/structure or size.

• ·         FORM: Outlined shaped, visual appearance to compose or represent by the structure's characteristic or shaping.

• ·         SCALE: a reference point of origin where the measurement of an object begins. It is incorporated to support the dimension and form of the object(s). It can create depth or bring and object towards the foreground versus background.

study photoshoot set up

This are kind of photo shoot set up developed by the art director to carry out various photo shoot .I am studying and exploring this kind of various set ups and build one of such kind for a fashion photo shoot by a ma student of photography.

Type of Lighting Is Used for Wedding

A wedding reception is generally the most anticipated aspect of a wedding. After all, so much thought, effort and money goes into making the reception celebration fun, relaxing and memorable for the newlyweds and their guests. From flowers to centerpieces, each detail is well thought out to set the ambiance. In addition to traditional details, many couples are opting to utilize lighting to add drama or life to their venue. Effective placement and types of lighting will enhance the visual dynamics and set the mood for the event.

Accent Lighting

To draw attention to one particular object or a number of design elements throughout an event space, use accent lighting. Accent lighting will highlight, up-light or provide a background of color to specific areas such as an entryway, draperies or flower arrangements. Colored lights can be used in accent lighting to tie in the scheme of the wedding or to add dramatic flair. A lighting specialist will visit the event space to determine the ideal placement and color of accent lighting.

Gobo Lighting

Custom lighting becoming more popular at wedding receptions, it is becoming common to see a couple's wedding date, last name or monogram in lights on the dance floor or floating around the room. This type of lighting is called Gobo Lighting. A gobo, meaning "goes before optics" is a plate with a custom design cut out, similar to a stencil, that is placed over a beam of light which projects the image onto large surface.

Atmospheric Lighting

With careful planning and consideration, atmospheric lighting can transform a wedding reception from fine to divine by adding a dramatic sea of color. Atmospheric lighting generally covers the entirety of a room with a specific color or with gradual color changes. A lighting specialist will take into account the presence of natural light as well as the room's lighting options when determining usage of atmospheric lighting. Since this type of lighting changes the color of all aspects of the reception, atmospheric lighting is commonly tied together with accent lighting to add definition and enhance the overall aesthetics.

Spot Lighting

As its name implies, spot lighting highlights a specific item, person or spot at a wedding reception. Spot lighting provides a beam of light which will draw attention to an important area of the venue. Many couples use spot lighting to display their cake, first dance, speeches or other important happenings at the reception. Generally spot lighting is a white light, but couples may have the option to incorporate color. Spot lighting is widely used for signifying a special moment at the event,and it is not uncommon for spot lighting to be offered by a DJ or band playing at the event.

Lighting Positions on stage

Lighting Positions consist of 5 main positions of lighting an object on stage. There is definitely more lighting positions. As an introduction to lighting, these 5 position covers enough for informational purposes. 

1) Front Light- The key and fill light is the primary lighting source in a scene. It represents the motivating light source for a specific area or scene on the stage. Front lighting involves a method of light referred to as McCandless Theory of lighting; this theory was developed by Mr. McCandless in order to properly light an object/actor by the means of light mimicing natural daylight. McCandless theory involves the light source projected from a front position at a 45 degree angle; one light should be warm (to mimic the sun's light, while the other light should be cool to mimic the sky). This detection of lighting the performer using natural light and McCandless theory eliminates any possible shadows from the faces, which will cause proper lighting and not distract the audience so that they may focus on the dialogue and action of the character(s).

2) Side Light - Side lighting is used to accent the side of the face, arms, mid-torso, legs down to the shin of the body. The movements of the performer are highlighted from a direct side light source. Full side lighting is composed of shin light (bottom), mid torso (middle) and neck to head lighting (top). The lights are mainly used to reveal form of the body, and are used to enhance the performer, especially dancers.

3) High Side light - this light is from an over head and at an angle of 30-60 degree angle approximately. This form of lighting is to accentuate the top side of the head, neck, shoulders, arms and mid torso. High side light is used as an additional form to objects/actors. It is also used in dance lighting to help shape the form of the body from another perspective angle.

4)  Back Light - is used to help the performer or object to be separated from the background and not blend in. Back light also shapes the performer and or object so it is individualized and reveals its natural form. Back lighting creates a depth which makes the performer become more three dimensional. This will also help pull the performer out from the scenery or backdrop.

5)  Down Light - is used to sculpt the top of the head, shoulders and adds light to the form if it is extended or wide. Down light is great for washing an area on stage by the means of covering that area with light coming straight down from the top. Down light is mainly used to wash or flood an area on stage with light in a soft or harsh manner.

AIMS IN LIGHTING A SHOW ON STAGE

People who go to watch a play may rarely pay much attention to the lighting itself, but it has a profound effect over the visual and emotional appeal of the play. Proper and effective lighting requires both artistic and technical skill; like the score of a movie, it is designed to reinforce the emotions and actions being acted out to increase the production's overall efficacy.

• Visibility

The first, most basic purpose of stage lighting is to ensure that the audience can see the actors, as well as any props or background that’s significant. Lighting has to be bright enough and in the right place so people from every part of the theatre can see the action in adequate detail.

• Dimension

The reason stages aren’t only lit from the front but top, sides, back and even the floor, is to give it depth and dimensionality. Lighting only from the front would make the stage look flat. The use of shadow and contrast emphasizes particular shapes and forms, as well as the layered aspect of a stage setup. This is particularly important in plays when shadows and other dark enclaves emphasize fear and mystery.

• Focus

Just as movies use close up shots to focus the audience’s attention on a particular part of the action, plays use lights to focus your attention. Lights tell you where you’re supposed to look and what person or part of the stage is the most important at that moment.

• Setting

Lights give key clues to the setting of a scene, like what time of day it, for instance, or the atmosphere of a particular room. Harsh electrical lights conjure up the feel of a modern doctor’s office, while a scene from a historical play would use soft lighting reminiscent of candle light.

• Composition

Directors always build the composition of any on stage scene carefully, placing scenery, props and actors in just the right spots to achieve the overall visual effect desired. Lighting is an essential part of that, making only the desired portions of the stage visible, in proportion to their importance.

• Mood and Style

Lights have a significant effect on the mood and style of a play. A scary scene, for instance, has lights from below to make the actors’ faces look harsh and strange. A fantasy sequence might feature multi-colored dancing lights.

• Pace

Lighting changes emphasize the pace and rhythm of a play. A quickly moving, chaotic story would have constantly shifting lights to reflect the shifting action. Sustained lighting indicates a sustained mood and more slowly unfolding scene.

EVOLUTION OF LIGHTING DESIGN

THE JOY OF LIGHTING DESIGN

One of the most rewarding professions today can be that of the lighting designer working in the arts.Every production or project will present new challenges, new obstacles, new human dynamics and new problems to solve.

Designing the lighting for a production fulfills the needs of the playwright and also meets the objectives of the director and other designers. And succeeded in your goals and objectives, that you have emotionally 'moved' an entire audience through the controlled and planned use of light.

Stage lighting is no longer a matter of simple illumination as it was less than 100 years ago. Today, the lighting designer is expected to be a master of art, science, history, psychology, communications, politics and sometimes even mind reading.

Ultimately the lighting designer must be an artist! He must understand style, composition, balance, esthetics and human emotions. He must also understand the science of light, optics, vision, the psychology of perception and lighting technology. Using these tools the lighting designer must learn to think, feel and create with his heart.

When it's good lighting design - you alone will know.

When it's bad lighting design - everyone will tell you!

·         EARLY STAGE LIGHTING

Stage lighting design is probably as old as formalized theatre. The early Greeks built their theatres as open air spaces and orientated them in relation to the sun, so as to use natural light for stage lighting. They would present their plays at different times of day, to take advantage of the different types of natural lighting. This type of planning was in essence, early lighting design. The Theatre of Dionysus (Athens, about 330 BC) and the theatre at Epidaurus (finished about 340 BC) are examples of these early public theatre facilities.

Lighting for the theatre developed over the centuries, using both natural sources then artificial sources. The sun, candles, torches oil, gas, electric arc and lime lighting, all have had a place in early stage lighting. During the Renaissance period in Italy, many of the principals of modern lighting design were firmly established.

·         MODERN STAGE LIGHTING

Modern stage lighting design began to flourish with the development of the incandescent lamp in the late 1800's. This invention allowed for the development of small, safe, portable lighting fixtures that could be easily placed anywhere around the stage, and then controlled by a remote electrical dimmer system. Previously during the gas lighting era, complex stage lighting did indeed exist however, it was limited by this awkward smelly technology, with its many inherent problems. During the gas lighting era, a great numbers of theatres were destroyed by fire.

During the early 1900's as stage lighting continued to develop, certain parallel lighting industries began to evolve, borrowing many basic principals from the field of stage lighting design. The modern fields of display, photographic, film and television lighting design all have evolved and developed from the fundamental roots of early stage lighting design. Today stage lighting design is recognized as a field merging science with art.

·         FUTURE STAGE LIGHTING

The future of stage lighting is tremendously exciting. After the electric filament lamp, stage lighting was revolutionized in the 1930's by the development of the ellipsoidal reflector (Leko) fixture. The development of the SCR dimmer in the 1960's provided another radical change. Now the automated lighting fixture (first introduced in the 1970's) is revolutionizing the lighting industry again. New technology has recently produced colors, never before seen in lighting design. New light sources are developing including; Xenon, Metal Halide, Fluorescent, Induction and Sulfur lamps. The use of fiber optics as a carrier of both 'light' and 'data' and the further development of liquid crystal projection technology are all part of the exciting future of entertainment lighting design.

Design software for the computer will continue to evolve and eventually allow the designer complete artistic 'interactive' control over his 'visual' technology. Lighting software now provides assistance with design, drawings and paperwork. Design software in the future will use both 'touch screen' and 'speech recognition' technology. 

What is macro for stage lighting?

Modern lighting for stage productions is controlled by computerized lighting consoles, commonly referred to as "light boards."Many light board manufacturers offer models that allow users to program macros into the computer that the board will remember for later use.

Definition

A macro is a series of functions or keystrokes that are programmed to be executed with the press of a single button or button combination. The way macros function on a light board is similar to the way they function in other computer programs such as spreadsheet software--the user must record the individual keystrokes or steps in the appropriate format and assign that function to an available macro button.

Purpose
Macros conserve time during commonly performed tasks, but because every theater has slightly different needs, the common tasks vary from theater to theater. Programmable macros allow individual designers, technical directors and production electricians to create shortcuts to their commonly performed tasks without depending on the manufacturers to anticipate their needs.

Uses

One of the common uses for a macro in stage lighting is a programmed command for a channel check. A channel check brings each light on to a low glow (generally 15 to 20 percent of full power) so the electrical crew can walk on stage and look up at the lights to see if any lamps are burnt out. While this command can be performed manually with a series of keystrokes to bring these channels up, it generally takes 9 to 10 keystrokes, whereas a macro uses just one. Other common functions include one-button saving to disk or turning off all lights except work lights.

Vedio below shows the test play of lighting dj before a musical show.

Objectives of Stage Lighting

    1.  Provide visibility -- let the performers and other elements be seen

    2.  Help establish time and place

    3.  Help create mood and tone

    4.  Reinforce the style of the production

    5.  Provide focus onstage and create visual compositions

    6.  Establish rhythm of visual movement

LIGHT SOURCE: IN THE MOOD? CREATING MOOD WITH LIGHT

One scene, many moods. Let the lighting do the work. The next time go to a movie or rent a video, pay close attention to the way the director uses lighting to help create the mood in a scene. lighting designers work very closely with directors to build a lighting scheme that adds to the drama of a scene and intensifies the emotions we often just attribute to the actors or the action. Lighting can make a scene feel happy, sad, mysterious or even dangerous.

This  we will talk about the various ways lighting is achieve, different emotional feels. 

• Light Quality

To master the art of altering mood with lighting you have to remember a few basic principles. The hardness or softness of light effects mood dramatically. The more diffused the light is, the softer and smoother it will look.  looking at a shadow cast by the sun, On a bright sunny day, the shadow is dark and the edges are very sharp because the sun is a strong, intense light. that is called hard lighting. On an overcast day, the shadows have very little definition and are soft at the edges. This is because a huge diffusion layer of clouds covers the sun. which is refered to as soft lighting.

How to control the hardness or softness of the light. light intensity is dependent upon its distance from the subject. If you double the distance of a light from the talent, you are decreasing its intensity by one fourth. If you halve the distance between the light and the talent, you quadruple the intensity of light. 

•  Controlling Mood

The quality of the overall lighting scheme and its effect on mood is often dependent on the relationship between the key and fill lights. If they are about the same intensity, the scene will be perceived as bright and happy. As the fill becomes less and less intense, the scene becomes more dramatic. The back light also plays a role. The more intense the back light, the more dramatic the effect.

STAGE DESIGN HISTORY AND CHANGE OVER PERIOD OF TIME

Aesthetics composition of a dramatic production as created by lighting , scenery , costumes , and sound. while elements such as painted screen and wheeled platform were introduced in by greek theatre of the 4th century bc, most innovation in stage design were developed in the italian renasissance theater , where painted backdrop , prespective architectural setting, and numerous changes of senery were common.italian staging was introduced in england in 1605 by inigo jones for court masques.

GREEK & ITALIAN THEATER 

In the 19th century staging was inflienced by the new naturalism,which called for historically accurate sets.In the 20th century simplified stage design focused attention on the actor. Stage design has been greatly affected by advances in lighting, from the use of candles in the renaissance to oil lamps in the 18th century and gas and electric lighting in the 19th century. Modern stage lighting , which employs computerized control boards to achive complex affects.can unify all the visual elements of a stage production.

19TH CENTURY STAGE 

20TH CENTURY STAGE

This makes a support to my examine area and study , due to this evolution over an era of time now in 21st century stage design has spotlight on lighting and its effects.

carcass.......final work and views

EXTERIOR VIEWS

                                                  INTERIOR VIEWS

                 BASIC THOUGHT OF OTHER SETS AND PROPS DESIGN.

CARCASS...lucys flat

overall stage plan
placing of all different sets on one stage

lucys flate technical drawing / interior views

1:50 scale model of lucys flat

entrance lobby of lucys flat

living / bed room of lucy

model (1:50)

CARCASS..........FINAL PRESENTATION

• CARCASS is a short film written by julius ayodeji.

• We are given 4 weeks time to complete the project, and presenting.

•  This will give an understanding of factual industry working tactic, also designer’s relationship with director and co-workers and key design skills for low budget production.

•  It is a futuristic film around 80-90 years from now.

•  This allows an immense amount of sovereignty in terms of designing and explores our own ideas.

•  The essential requirements by closing stages of this assignment:

•·        Script breakdown including all props

•·        Working sketch plan of all sets

•·        Elevation of one interior set (technical drawing)

•·        Exterior location modification

•·        Story board making of 1 scene

•·        2 major prop makes

•         LIST OF SETS REQUIRED FOR THIS FILM