CX Magazine - The News Magazine for Entertainment Technology

2400 watts

With our average 240 volt power grid, 2,400 watts will draw 10 amps. This is the rated capacity of a circuit, unless it's a 15 or 20 amp circuit. You need to do head math about your loads: 4 x 650w lights = 2,600 watts, which you might just get away with depending on the age and tolerances of the breakers.  If you're going to overload a circuit like this, try only running the channel to 85 or 90%.

Mark it up

Always label both ends of all the cables - that way you give yourself a fair chance when it's troubleshooting time.

Flash it out

Don't fly the rig until you've checked that everything works.  Check the Tag, and plug the thing in and energise the lamp. Do a quick check of the mechanicals - shutters, Fresnel lamp slide, barndoor.  It's easier to fix it on the ground than it is to fly it back in.

Don't look at the lights

When you're calling the focus, look at your shadow instead.  You can still see if you're effectively lit, you can see how the spill is going to look and if it's washing out the screen or whatever, and you don't have to go blind in the process.

Do a patch sheet

A proper one that includes all the DMX, dimmer and power information you need.  Don't try and figure it out at the gig - it frequently turns out badly.  And take it to the gig with you - the best patch sheet in the world is no use if it's sitting at your office when you're on the gig.  It's equally useful when you have it with you, in an electronic form, stuck inside a laptop with a dead battery.

Don't leave dark patches

Everywhere you look these days there's someone with a video camera - it's the way of the future.  Get the camera people to pan across the stage and check for dark spots, as the camera shows them up much more than the naked eye.  If there's a dark spot on the stage, the presenter will stand in it.  No idea why.  Basic law of nature.

Label gels

Trying to match gel colours by holding them up next to each other is futile and makes you look like an idiot.  Just label them properly when you cut the sheet and they'll never give you any trouble.

Think about the shadows

As well as illuminating things, light casts shadows.  Think about where the shadows will fall, whether you want them there, and how to eliminate them if you don't.

The laws of physics don't change

Light always travels in straight lines, and it keeps going until it hits something.  And no, the universe doesn't care how you feel about this.  Just accept it and get on with it.

The darker the colour, the darker the stage

Dark coloured gels absorb a lot of the output of lamps - some of the denser blues let through less than 1% of the light that goes in.  If you need to light a stage in a dark colour you're going to need a lot of lights, and you're going to need a lot of replacement gel too, because all the light that's absorbs gets turned into heat and used for burning the colour out.

Balance the phases

Get as close as you can to balancing the load across the three phases of your supply.  The further out of balance the loading is, the more strain gets placed on the neutral wire and the more likely you are to overload it and burn the place down.  Gensets also don't take particularly kindly to unbalanced loads.

Learn to leave it alone

There are times when flashing, whirling multicoloured lights are great.  And there are times when they are not.  Learn to differentiate between the two and know when it's best to just set it and sit on your hands.

Save some for later

Don't throw everything you've got at the support band's first song.  Try to save the big effects for the headline act, especially towards the end.  Come up with something new in each set or your audience will get bored.

Don't smoke too much

Fair enough, smoke and haze show up beams really well, but they also diffuse light all over the place and make it harder to see.  I've also seen more than one video recording of an event where everything looked grey and washed out because of all the smoke in the room.  Beams can be fun, but there's plenty more to good lighting.

Light and shade

All the lighting systems we use for shows include intensity controls.  If we're just going to run things flat out all the time we may as well just use switches.  Intensity controls are there for a reason - try it sometime, you might like it.

Remember it can kill you

The thing about lights is that they run on mains voltage, which will kill you as soon as look at you.  Make absolutely certain you can't be exposed to live power - in other words, unplug it.  Don't rely on the microswitch or the console operator to keep it isolated, they're both capable of failing.  Only handle energized equipment when it's absolutely necessary.

SO BE CAREFUL

Don't grab a light to move it until you've ensured it is not alive with active fused to earth. When moving any live light be careful: lights are hot, heat and live wiring are enemies. It could go wrong at any moment..

Light the audience

Some performers and presenters like to see the audience, others don't.  If you get the first sort and you don't have audience lighting in place, it will be you they don't want to see again.  It's easier to turn it down than it is to rig it midshow.

But don't blind the audience

Audiences don't like being blinded, so think about the angles and intensity of your audience lighting.  The only time the audience should get it full in the face is when you've hit the blinders or strobes - and let's be honest, overdoing these will piss your audience off as well.

Stay off the screens

If you spray light all over the projection screens, it is a safe bet that it won't be long before an irate projector guy comes after you, probably armed.  These guys get justifiably upset by this - after all, it is someone else's carelessness making them look bad.  While you're at it, try not to light the PA either.  The audio guys think it's OK, but no-one else really wants to look at it.

Back up the show

All modern lighting consoles give you some way of saving your show - maybe a disk drive, maybe a USB port - doesn't really matter.  Use it.  Don't be the kind of person who gets left gaping in slack-jawed horror when the console crashes, taking half a day's programming with it.  If you're using primarily conventional lights and dimmers, it may be worth writing down levels during the tech run.

Obedient, not intelligent

Just because there's a computer in it doesn't mean it's intelligent.  One of the most frustrating things about working with intelligent lights is that they're not intelligent enough to interpret the difference between you giving them a command and you stupidly pressing the wrong button.

Showstoppers

Last issue we talked about showstopping buttons on audio consoles.  Lighting gear has them too - controls or combinations of controls that can kill your light output or simply turn it into something other than what you want.  The problem is that you can't quarantine them the way you do on an audio console, because you probably need them for the show.  Just think about what you're about to do before you do it.

Match your colours

Especially when using CMY colour mixers.  Very few things look as wrong as one mismatched light in a colour wash.  And use colour temperature correction if you're combining tungsten and discharge lamps.  If you've got vision cameras to deal with, have a look through one to see what effect your colour correction is having.

Keep it clean

Dirt on lenses stops light getting through.  A little bit of dirt blocks a little bit of light, enough dirt will block all of it.  I once fixed a venue's ‘hasn't worked in years' followspot by taking the lenses out and giving them a good going over with some soapy suds.  A tip though - don't use aggressive chemical cleaners or you'll peel the coating off the lenses.  If you wouldn't use it on your camera, don't use it on your lights.

Which way up?

Make sure you hang lights the right way up.  Some lamps like Parcans aren't affected, but if you hang theatre lamps the wrong way up you're going to go through more bubbles.  And burn yourself when you try to use the focus knobs on top of the light.

Safety it

Under no circumstances should a light ever be hung up without a safety chain or cable.  Make sure this is fixed to a suitable load bearing point, not round the plastic handle of a 40kg moving light.  And safety yourself - if you're going up with the lights, make sure you're properly attached.  After all, you're more likely to fall off than they are.  Harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels and so on are there to keep you alive.  Learn to use them and use them properly.

BE CAREFUL WITH THE LAMPS

Most lamps (globes, bubbles) react poorly to oily fingers, so always handle the globe with gloves. Lamps can also explode, so wear goggles or a safety shield when handling them.  Discharge lamps (any lamp that has a start circuit) can explode if used beyond rated hours. Always reset lamp timers when changing, and if the show or company has a logbook, keep it up to date.

What will it do?

Point a 1000 watt Fresnel into an audience and they will squint. A 500 watt Fresnel on a front bar at 15 metres is futile. Know your basics before you start!

Communicate with the creatives

I know, it's no fun trying to interpret someone's bizarre request for a scene to look ‘Thursdayish', but if you don't delve into what they want, they'll send you back to do it again when you produce something they don't like.  Remember, it's their vision.

Err on the side of caution

If you're not sure you've got enough lights to light the stage effectively, use some more lights.  If you're not sure you've got enough power, use lower powered lights.  Better safe than sorry.

Don't forget about heat

Pretty much everything involved with lighting makes plenty of heat and there are a few things you should be doing about it.  Don't let cables rest against lights or the insulation will melt.  Same goes for binding too many cables together and leaving no way for heat to escape.  Make sure that vents and fans are clear of obstructions so they can do their job.

COMPLEXION

Surprise pink is your friend when lighting a lectern. Primary green is not suitable for lighting our darker skinned brothers. Think about enhancing the appearance of our on-stage brethren, not making them disappear or look sickly.

WEIGHT

Don't just weigh the lights and the truss - how much will the cables weigh? If the looms are falling 6 metres from the truss, add the weight of the 6 metres as well.  Put in an extra chain motor to support the cables if need be.

OOPS

If the curtain is closed, is there worklight on stage? Do your worklights appear on a cue where they are not wanted? And is there a hot button or hot cue you can fall on if something unexpected happens and you need fast light on stage?

BE BOLD

The late and great Roger Barratt used Par 64's at front of house in theatre, and two 5k fresnels out front with barndoors. Why? Just in case a little extra wash was needed to kill shadows. He was prepared to innovate.

LEG WARMERS

As soon as dance enters the script, be ready to light those feet from either side, down low. Sounds easy, but stray wash and shadows are a big deal.

MOOD

Atmosphere is much more important than specification, a great production doesn't care how it is lit as long as all the fundamentals are met. They are spelled out in this article, but remember to work with the director and the scenic designer.

BANG

When the circuit breakers fail, how dark is your stage? If you've got follow spots, counsel the operators to go wide if the rig fails. If not, consider some emergency fixtures on a straight power circuit - especially if this is a corporate gig. See below.

CORPS V. AUDIENCES

Audiences boo and hiss and demand refunds when shows go arse up. But corporate clients sue and seek damages plus rude legal costs. Always take all possible precautions, but take extra ones if the gig is for a top 5 bank or law firm!

SPRINKLERS

The spec sheet might say that the sprinkler head needs 60 degrees direct heat before it discharges 2,000 gallons of rancid water all over the audience, but assume the worst and keep all lights well away from sprinklers.

HEAT PROOF

It isn't. Nor are flame retardant drapes. There have been some terrific fires caused by lights on drapes, and then there is the unedifying scramble of liability. Was the drape treated with retardant properly, or even at all?

ROOF PANELS

Acoustic false roof panels might be Canite or even Polystyrene. They burn bad, and emit toxic fumes while doing so. One light is all it takes, so keep hot stuff away and avoid calamity.

CABLES

When planning a rig think about cable runs, including three phase power feeds. Every hire shop will tell you about frantic calls for more cables, with transport and labour surcharges. On outdoor shows plan to keep cables out of low areas where water can gather. If the cable has a nick or cut then the area will become live, a condition that can cause you to become dead. Outdoor gigs require a lot of planning.

SPARES

You need enough spare lamps for the rig, and you need to keep them safe and accountable. Lose one and be shocked at the bill. Be clear whether you pay for replacing failed lamps: some rental agreements require this, others do not.  While you're at it, put in spares of anything else that might need replacing - fuses are the most obvious thing.

GELS

Did you spec the colour medium you need, and is there a colour frame for every fixture? Nothing looks worse than gaffed gels on front of lights, and the heat will get to the gaff tape eventually as well.

HOOKS

And bolts. And nuts, and shifters. Without them, it's another trip to the rental shop. Lantern bolts are specialised and are called ‘set screws' as they are threaded all the way and plated. Hardware shops do not usually sell them.