lighting one side of the stage
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4949
Printed Date: 10/31/25 at 5:26am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: lighting one side of the stage
Posted By: peacock
Subject: lighting one side of the stage
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 11:58am
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I am a non-techie director working outside the USA. We rent a theater with limited lighting, really old. I have a play that has two scenes running at the same time, so I need to be able to light one side and have the other side dark. We did the same thing a couple of years ago, but a lot of light spilled onto the supposedly dark side. How can I do this so that the dark side is as dark as possible? Would it be best to light more from the side than overhead? Please try to make your explanation "user friendly." Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: Spectrum
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 2:21pm
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I would think using 'barn doors' (little side flaps on the instruments to limit the fan out of a light beam) and focused lighting (and avoiding 'general coverage' or fresnel lighting where possible) would help limit the spill over. Something else to consider is the color and position of reflective surfaces (e.g. flats, furniture, clothing, floor color, etc.), since brighter and lighter colors will reflect and/or scatter light into the ‘dark part’ of the stage. I’ve done zone or area lighting before, but I’m certainly no ‘pro’ at it. What do some of you more experienced folks say? ------------- Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 7:25pm
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A good point about light bouncing off surfaces Spectrum. I'd use profile {[ellipsoidal] hard edge} lanterns by utilising the beam shape masking blades, to define the hard edge area division, these can be focussed from the 'Y' position front of house bar or from the Perch's. With the Fresnel [soft edge] lanterns they can be used to smooth out the zoned area, as suggested using barn doors [masking] depending on the size of the zone or just cross light the Profile lanterns. Also watch out for any light spill that may creep in from other areas of the theatre, such as exit lights ect. ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 2/01/11 at 7:33pm
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It's definitely going to depend on your angles and reflective qualities of floor/furniture/etc. in general I'd say to keep the right side of the stage lit and keep spill off the left side you'd be best aiming your light from the opposite diagonal (SL end of lighting pipe aimed at SR side of stage).
------------- Geoff Ehrendreich Waterloo Community Playhouse Waterloo IA |
Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 2/01/11 at 8:31pm
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Not a lighting solution, but you could play one scene in front of a scrim and one scene behind the scrim. That allows you to keep the sets in place. ------------- _____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people |
Posted By: PaulyWally
Date Posted: 2/03/11 at 1:27pm
I agree with using ellipsoidals for this purpose. You can use ellipsoidals with shutters to confine the light exactly how you want it. Otherwise, barn doors and luck. |
Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 2/03/11 at 10:41pm
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Ellipsoidals do allow you to control the light very precisely You can add donuts to sharpen the cut, or top hats (snoots) to reduce the spill.
As has been mentioned earlier, light bouncing off of items in the set. Even a black floor will bounce an amazing amount of light.
If the actors on the dark side can freeze, the audience will soon forget all about them. ------------- David M |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 2/04/11 at 3:36am
This is a very good piont David!
From the very fist blocking the luvvies need to rehearse being still by refraining from rapid movements or reacting to what is going on stage in any way. Even coughs, sneezes. picking their noses or scratching their nether regions!  ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: gelcat
Date Posted: 3/18/11 at 2:00pm
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actually, depending on the venue, you may or may not be able to change the rep. hang much - and if the place is really old, there may or may not be ellipsoidals in the hang - you may do very well in investing in a couple of rolls of black wrap to be able to block light from particular areas. Just make sure you're not covering any ventilation holes on the instruments. ------------- www.actorsguildonline.org Actors Guild of Parkersburg Parkersburg, WV |