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[bensblogbook]

Focus Notes

[jakeayrisblog]

Lighting techniques

There are many different techniques used in lighting design and operation. Some techniques used  include:

Fades: Fades are when the lights dim or brighten over a set period of time, this is a lot more subtle and aesthetically pleasing than lights just going on or off.

Cross-fades: Cross-fades are when as one lighting state is fading out the next is fading in at the same time, this is useful as it means that the audience are not looking at an unlit stage every time the lights change.

Snaps: This is when there is no fade to a lighting change and the lights change instantly, this is used for dramatic effects.

Black-outs: Black-outs are when the stage is in complete darkness, this can be useful if large props or bits of set need to be moved around the stage or if you don't want the audience to see the actors entering or exiting the stage. It may also be used if you only want an actor to be heard and not seen.

Down-light: When the lantern is above the stage pointing down, the most common position used.

Up-light: When the lantern is lower than the actors or objects being lit, it catches facial features in a different way that is useful for creating dramatic effects.

side light: When the lantern is to one or both sides of the actors or objects being lit, it can create a different feeling to a location and can be used to show that the light source is coming from a particular place in the scene's setting (eg. an open window/door)

Front-light: When the lantern is in front of the actors or objects being lit facing towards them, this is the most common position for a lantern as it lights the stage well and allows you to see everything clearly.

Back-light: When light is coming from behind the actor or object and into the audience, used for dramatic effects as you can only see silhouettes.

Scrim lighting: Scrim is a material that is opaque when lit from the front and almost transparent when lit form behind, this is useful for changing locations easily and making characters appear on stage without the audience seeing them enter.

Washes: A wash is when you have use group of lights to combine their beams and cover a large area, this is very common for creating settings and moods. 

Cyc washes: This is when you focus lights on a cyc to change the colour of it, this is very useful for creating settings and moods. 

Gobo's: Gobo's are metal discs with holes in that you can put in front of a lantern to create a pattern or image with the beam. This is useful for adding texture to a state and setting locations.

Intensity: The brightness of the beam. you can create different effects by lighting something brightly or very dimly.

Beam size: The size of the area that the light covers, changing this changes what is lit onstage.

Specials: This is when you have a light focused on one specific thing to make it stand out in a lighting state.

Follow-spots: Follow-spots are lights that are not rigged in a position but are manually moved and operated live during the performance, these are useful as they can follow an actor as they move ensure that they are always lit. 

[jakeayrisblog]

Lx 20th June

Today we came in only to find that we would not be plotting today. This was because the second act had not been worked or blocked yet. We waited until the actors went on lunch and then used the free time in the space to refocus a couple of lamps and change one of the window gobos so that they would both match. Then we went home.

[jakeayrisblog]

Lx 16th June

Today we focused the rig for “Oh what a lovely war.” I called the focus, whilst the others took turns up the tallescope focusing the lanterns. We did bars 2 and 3 easily, bar 4 was a bit more tricky because of the thrust, but we managed to do it using the tallescope where we could get it and the zarges where we couldn't.

The lamps on either end of bar 5 we managed to reach by climbing the front structures. However we couldn't get to the middle of bar 5 or bar 6 Because of the raked stage, so we had to use a technique called bounce focusing.

We also had to bounce focus bar 1 as the only ladder we have that can reach it has gone missing.

Bounce focusing is when you lower the bar to ground level, then attempting to guess the focus of the light without being able to see our in position. You then have to fly the bar back out to see if you got it right, if not you have to lower it and try again. Bounce focusing is not the preferred way of focusing, nor is it good industry practice, but we couldn't find any way around it.

To do this focus I learned to use the riggers remote, which allows you to perform basic operations on the desk without having to be near it, this was helpful as it meant we could have everyone down on the stage helping instead having to keep someone by the desk.

The actors did not come in today as plotting has been pushed back to tomorrow.

[jakeayrisblog]

Guide to focusing

Focusing is the process of pointing the lights in the desired locations and adjusting the shape and size of the beam.

When focusing lights, the only light turned on should be the one your focusing, this ensures you can see the whole beam without it being affected by other light sources.

Point the light in the direction you need it, this is usually on a specific part of the stage/set. You may need too loosen the bolt on the top and or side in order to get it where you want it. Once it's in position, tighten the bolts again to ensure it doesn't move out of place. For some lights, such as par cans, this is as much as you can do to it.

Next, adjust the light to give a sharp hard edge to the beam (this is not compulsory but it helps as you can make sure its focused exactly where you want it, however some lights, such as par cans are unable to do this.) This is usually done by loosening a knob on the side of the lamp, you should then be able to move either the bubble closer to or further the lens or the lens closer to or further from the bulb, depending on the type of light. No tighten the knob so stop it from moving out of focus.

Now you can use the shutters or barn doors (again, depending on the type of light) to change the shape of the beam and not light certain things. For example, on the fashion show we wanted to light the top of the catwalk but not the apron, so the beam shape was changed to have a flat bottom that lined up with the edge of the rostra.

Once all this is done, you may want to soften (or blow out) the edge of the beam. This is done by loosening the knob and adjusting the position of the bubble/lens again. Or you could leave it as a hard edge, it depends on what the designer wants.

Now either move onto the next light, or put up other lights that have already been focused to see how they interact with the one you have just done. This is helpful when trying to create even washes over a large area as you can see any parts of the are that have been missed.

[jakeayrisblog]

Lx 3rd June

Today we rigged and focused in the venue. Ollie (Our designer) went home ill so we had to do our best without her.

There are four bars in the venue, one has four source 4’s on it , one has two 1k fresnells and two source 4’s, one has 2 500w fresnells & a par can on it and the last one has four par cans and two source 4’s.

We have rigged and gelled them and focused what we could as we are having problems with the dimmer pack.

Also today we had another production meeting for Oh what a lovely war, the notes I made were:

General notes: Same seating as dance show - 148 seats available. Tickets cost £10, £8 concession, tables cost £10 per ticket and you must buy all five seats for the table. Using 2 projectors, one for video and one for song lyrics. Due to budget and time limits the will be no aerial work.

Lx notes: Possibly using follow spots. Colours scheme - reds, golds and ambers.