Positioning and cueing
In professional theatre, auditoriums, arenas, amphitheaters, colosseums, convention centers, performing arts centers, and community and school theaters, spot ops may use a special tool called a Telrad. A Telrad is a cue alignment tool that came from a telescope's finderscope. This tool device helps the operator to align the follow spot, before any light leaves the follow spot (with the dowser closed in a pre-cue position) or for location reference during stage shots where the spotlight might become hard to see due to overall illumination of the stage, or when two spotlights are overlapping their respective assigned subjects. The operator, when looking through a Telrad, will see multiple red ring circles (which can be dimmed to assist in low level lighting); this assists in aiming the follow spot. Especially for tight pick up cues where there is a high need for precision, with little stray light spilling over and onto the surrounding environment. Often times the placement location's distance and alignment of the Telrad's housing unit on the spotlight, in relation to the operator's eyes, will allow the rings to help align with the standard sizes of head shot, half body, full body shot. The spot light operator is able to use the device with both eyes open due to the Bindon aiming concept which the brain can impose the red reticle into the combined vision from both eyes. Prior to usage and availability of these red dot sight style devices, various methods were and are still used. Such as using a small piece of pipe visually limit the area seen to small area or making homemade out of various stiff wire (sometimes spent carbon rods from use in Carbon-Arc older Follow Spotlights) to create a crosshair style sights, similar to ones seen on early anti-aircraft guns. There were also sets of magnets, and various other items attached, used to create a sight pattern to assist in aligning the spot light. Another earlier method and still in use is to use a dry erase board, Sheets of paper placed on the wall, colored or white electrical (or gaffer's) tape , that are then have the light leak shape drawn upon them with a label. Making the original outline traces of the light leaks when the spotlight was in the correct position and was set up during rehearsals. Which the placement of these marks are located behind or above the rear of the spotlight to use. During normal operation these small amounts of light that escape the follow spot housing, moving as the rear's position changes in reference to the front lenses, which the audience does not see, nor are distracted by them. When the small light leak is aligned inside their cue marks on the board, paper, or tape, the spotlight would be in the predetermined position aligned relative to the pick up position. Allowing operator to pick up their intended cue more preciously, without having to ghost on (to slightly open the dowser to see the light on stage to confirm position, which can be disrupting to the audience or illuminate the stage when in blackout). These options aid the spotlight operator in finding their cue marks from distances far away from the stage. The usage of aiming devices for precision is used more in theatre style shows than in various musical concerts in arenas, amphitheaters, coliseums, etc. The various distances of spot light location set up positioning based on the venue's size and the spot locations may also affect the need for devices to assist in aiming.
The red-eye effect in photography is the common appearance of red pupils in color photographs of the eyes of humans and several other animals. It occurs when using a photographic flash that is very close to the camera lens in ambient low light.
Stage lighting is the craft of lighting as it applies to the production of theater, dance, opera, and other performance arts. Several different types of stage lighting instruments are used in this discipline. In addition to basic lighting, modern stage lighting can also include special effects, such as lasers and fog machines. People who work on stage lighting are commonly referred to as lighting technicians or lighting designers.
In theatre, a lighting designer works with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create the lighting, atmosphere, and time of day for the production in response to the text while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety, and cost. The LD also works closely with the stage manager or show control programming, if show control systems are used in that production. Outside stage lighting, the job of a lighting designer can be much more diverse, and they can be found working on rock and pop tours, corporate launches, art installations, or lighting effects at sporting events.
In theatre, the running crew are members of the technical crew who supervise and operate ("run") the various technical aspects of the production during a performance. While the "technical crew" includes all persons other than performers involved with the production, such as those who build and take down the sets and place the lighting, the term "running crew" is generally limited to those who work during an actual performance.
A spotlight is a powerful stage lighting instrument which projects a bright beam of light onto a performance space. Spotlights are controlled by a spotlight operator who tracks actors around the stage. Spotlights are most commonly used in concerts, musicals and large-scale presentations in which highlighting a specific mobile individual is critical. Spotlights are sometimes located overhead on catwalks. In some theatres, they may also be located in the control booth or purpose-built "spot booths" in addition to the catwalk.
A lighting control console is an electronic device used in theatrical lighting design to control multiple stage lights at once. They are used throughout the entertainment industry and are normally placed at the front of house (FOH) position or in a control booth.
A theatrical cue is the trigger for an action to be carried out at a specific time. It is generally associated with theatre and the film industry. They can be necessary for a lighting change or effect, a sound effect, or some sort of stage or set movement/change.
Ellipsoidal reflector spot is the name for a type of stage lighting instrument, named for the ellipsoidal reflector used to collect and direct the light through a barrel that contains a lens or lens train. The optics of an ERS instrument are roughly similar to those of a 35 mm slide projector.
The light board operator or moving light programmer, is the electrician who operates and/or programs the light board. Depending on the scale and type of production, the board op may be responsible for conventional or automated lighting fixtures, as well as practicals and, in some instances, controlling video as well.
A fly system, or theatrical rigging system, is a system of ropes, pulleys, counterweights and related devices within a theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly, quietly and safely components such as curtains, lights, scenery, stage effects and, sometimes, people. Systems are typically designed to fly components between clear view of the audience and out of view, into the large space, the fly loft, above the stage.
A parabolic aluminized reflector lamp is a type of electric lamp that is widely used in commercial, residential, and transportation illumination. It produces a highly directional beam. Usage includes theatrical lighting, locomotive headlamps, aircraft landing lights, and residential and commercial recessed lights.
Intelligent lighting refers to lighting that has automated or mechanical abilities beyond those of traditional, stationary illumination. Although the most advanced intelligent lights can produce extraordinarily complex effects, the intelligence lies with the human lighting designer, control system programmer, or the lighting operator, rather than the fixture itself. For this reason, intelligent lighting (ILS) is also known as automated lighting, moving lights, moving heads, or simply movers.
Stage lighting instruments are used in stage lighting to illuminate theatrical productions, concerts, and other performances taking place in live performance venues. They are also used to light television studios and sound stages.
The technical rehearsal or tech rehearsal is a rehearsal that focuses on the technological aspects of the performance, in theatrical, musical, and filmed entertainment.
A theatrical technician, also known as a theatrical tech, theatre technician, or theatre tech is a person who operates technical equipment and systems in the performing arts and entertainment industry. In contrast to performers, this broad category contains all "unseen" theatrical personnel who practice stagecraft and are responsible for the logistic and production-related aspects of a performance including designers, operators, and supervisors.
In theatre, an electrician is a person who works with the various aspects of lighting. Some of the positions among electricians include the lighting supervisor, master electrician, deck electrician, light board operator, moving light programmer, followspot operator, as well as simply electricians. This group is generally known as the "Electrics" Department or LX Department.
Vari-Lite is a brand of automated, variable-colour stage lighting systems. Their intelligent lighting fixtures are commonly used in theatre, concerts, television, film and corporate events.
A reflector sight or reflex sight is an optical sight that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view. These sights work on the simple optical principle that anything at the focus of a lens or curved mirror will appear to be sitting in front of the viewer at infinity. Reflector sights employ some form of "reflector" to allow the viewer to see the infinity image and the field of view at the same time, either by bouncing the image created by lens off a slanted glass plate, or by using a mostly clear curved glass reflector that images the reticle while the viewer looks through the reflector. Since the reticle is at infinity it stays in alignment with the device to which the sight is attached regardless of the viewer's eye position, removing most of the parallax and other sighting errors found in simple sighting devices.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to stagecraft:
Stage lighting accessories are components manufactured for conventional (non-automated) stage lighting instruments. Most conventional fixtures are designed to accept a number of different accessories designed to assist in the modification of the output. These accessories are intended to either provide relatively common functionality not originally provided in a fixture, or to extend the versatility of a lighting instrument by introducing features. Other accessories have been designed to overcome limitations or difficulties some fixtures present in specific applications.
