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Lighting for the Theatre |
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Stage lighting is different than any other type of lighting because you are working with creating or supporting dramatic scenes by using the special qualities that only light can deliver. A big part of your job is to communicate emotion by combining the light with human expression. This is an important task in any production and can sometimes mean the difference between an audience walking away spellbound - or disappointed. A spotlight coming on at the wrong time would ruin a tender moment between the leading man and lady, for example. By working with the elements of composition, mood, naturalism and visibility, you can control a significant part of the overall experience. Working with Composition, Visibility, and Naturalism: Lights, Camera, Action!What's the overall look of the stage when influenced by the lighting? This is Composition. What is the Form of an object? Composition concepts to understand include balanced vs. unbalanced, symmetrical vs. asymmetrical, simple vs. complex, fragmented vs. symbolic, etc. Whether you are lighting the stage evenly, revealing each object equally, or illuminating the actors only, you need to be cognizant of how the audience sees this. By building a visual image or picture, lighting composition should reveal actors, objects and scenery in proportion to their importance. What's the most basic and fundamental function of stage lighting? Visibility. To understand something completely, you need to be able to see it. And we aren’t referring to simply the intensity of light when we talk about visibility. Be aware that other things influence visibility, including contrast, size, color and movement. There are also some other things that are important to consider with visibility. These are distance and age. Naturalism is something altogether different. It provides a sense of time and place. Stage settings differ depending on many unique elements. The setting may be realistic or abstract, comedic, or dramatic. If time of day is important or the place is realistic, then MOTIVATION is often provided by sunlight, moonlight, firelight, lamplight, or other naturalistic stage sources. Style concepts could be one of many, including natural, realistic, surreal, minimalistic, impressionistic, abstract, modern, religious, or romantic. There are others, but these are the major ones to consider. How are you going to use the concept of naturalism in your next production? Capture the MoodFinally, there is the Mood. After everything else has been considered, there exists one major perception: the atmosphere. What type of environment have you created with your lighting? Are you getting inside the heads of your audience? Are you tapping into their emotion? Feelings of happiness, sadness, anger or any other emotion depend on psychological factors. You can deliver these elements by using the specific techniques of lighting. So, lighting for the theatre is a complex undertaking. It involves technical expertise, but a healthy dose of artistry and emotional communication.About Angstrom Lighting Angstrom Lighting offers the best stage lighting, theater or theatrical lighting, concert lighting, dj lighting, video lighting, party lighting, event lighting and lighting rental fixtures, lighting supplies, lighting equipment, lighting design and lighting education in the industry. Angstrom Lighting is located in Hollywood, California; additional information can be found at http://www.angstromlighting.com Click Here to see Additional Angstrom Lighting Articles Click
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