dunham stage lighting

STAGE LIGHTING

©2011

Dunham

ISBN10: 020546100X

The pages of this Sample Chapter may have slight variations in final published form.

9 A d v a n c e d E q u i p m e n t a n dP e r s o n a l C o m p u t e r s i n L i g h t i n g

A fter the appearance of electricity, theatrical lighting quickly evolved and rapidlybecame exponentially more complex through the benefits of technology. Whenlighting manufacturers provided us with piano boards, we brought on more boards

and operators; as they delivered presetting and electronic control, we discovered theneed to use more dimmers and wanted a more rapid yet accurate means of setting cues;when the manufacturers gave us computer control, we wanted even more lighting fix-tures and dimmers, and this time additional luminaire functions, including movinglights, were developed and added to our rigs. Now, we’ve come to the point that it’salmost impossible to keep track of all the data associated with a lighting design. Whatmay be even more amazing is that despite all the increased numbers in fixtures and data,we still set our cues in roughly the same amount of time that we have been using for thelast 20 or 30 years, becoming more efficient in order to maintain the sophistication thata lighting design now requires. While some of the technology introduced in this chapterrelates to creating specific effects, much of it has been developed simply to provide light-ing designers with more alternatives. Other materials in the chapter relate to additionalequipment and the means of controlling it, while much of the chapter introduces tech-nologies that allow luminaires to take on more than a single purpose. Creating multiplecolors, textures, and positions for a light form just a few of these possibilities. This flexi-bility traditionally resulted in additional units being hung for each new feature and wasthe reason lighting inventories during the 1970s to ‘90s increased so drastically. At somepoint, a limit was reached in the number of fixtures that could be physically mounted ina lighting position, and automated luminaires (moving lights) became an alternative toconventional fixtures.

A significant amount of lighting innovation can be credited to the concertindustry. It was here that the special needs of touring forced developers to look atalternatives to hanging hundreds of conventional luminaires for a show. It also wasone of the few areas of the industry where research and development (R&D) moneywas available. More traditional forms of entertainment had to wait until the price ofthe technology became more affordable. It’s now quite common to see automated gearon Broadway stages as well as other venues like road houses and nightclubs, regionaltheatres, and in spectacle productions like arena programs and ice shows. Many uni-versity theatres can also afford this gear and use it to introduce their students to thenew technologies. Despite this, automated lighting is still unaffordable for manyorganizations. The majority of the theatres that use this technology rely most heavilyon conventional fixtures while making selective use of the advanced equipment. Thisrestricted use isn’t solely attributed to the high costs of the equipment but also to thesteep learning curve associated with its use. There are also issues related to the highercolor temperature lamps and effects qualities of many of these fixtures, which can bringattention to the units and make them difficult to blend with conventional fixtures.

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144 CHAPTER 9 • Advanced Equipment and Personal Computers in Lighting

This has made them less desirable for theatrical applications in the past, though ironi-cally the same qualities made them attractive to the concert industry. There are nowvariations of this gear with smaller fans and incandescent sources that make them eas-ier to use in theatrical applications.

PRIMARY CONTROL OF ADVANCED GEARMost advanced gear was developed to produce some form of special effect. Some of theequipment isn’t that sophisticated and includes devices like color wheels, flicker devices,and animation disks that produce a shadow or color effect that is simply loaded into thecolor frame holder of an instrument. Many were nothing more than a disk with patternedholes that was rotated in front of a fixture’s beam by a low-speed motor. There are alsospecial effects projectors like GAM’s scene machines that produce similar, but moreadvanced, moving effects. For the most part, all these effects had a single AC motor thatwas simply plugged into a non-dim circuit. The effect would be turned on just prior to itsuse, allowing the motion to already be established as the fixture was dimmed up. In an at-tempt to control the effect’s speed, many of these effects include a potentiometer that pro-vides a way of presetting the speed of the rotation. Unfortunately, the speed is usuallychanged only by going to the instrument and changing the potentiometer’s setting.Because of this, many designers plugged these motors into a dimmer so that the speedcould be varied. This wasn’t the best practice, and designers had to take care that this didn’tdamage the motor or dimmer. Many other effects like fog or hazing machines, strobes,and pyro devices also had controllers that operated independently of the lighting system.

DMX ControlWith the advent of digital control and the acceptance of DMX512 as a standard protocol itbecame evident that lighting consoles could be used to control many more elements of ashow than just dimmers. As new equipment evolved, manufacturers capitalized on theDMX512 format and it wasn’t long before lighting consoles were used to control virtuallyany type of stage equipment. Foggers and hazers can be instructed to begin and end oncue, while strobe lights can be triggered while making adjustments in their speed and in-tensity. Even complex pyro sequences are now being fired through DMX signals and light-ing consoles. Power for the majority of these units is provided through a non-dim circuitthat powers any motors and lamps that are used by the units, and a separate control cableprovides the instructional information required for linking the device to the console.

In simple dimmer operations a designer assigns or patches a dimmer to a specificcontrol channel that then becomes the ultimate form of control for that dimmer. Theboard operator then uses that channel whenever they wish to make modifications to thelevel of that dimmer. In the day of analog dimming this was always a one-to-one assign-ment (dimmer 1 was assigned to channel 1, dimmer 2 to channel 2, 3 to 3 , etc.) and adesigner had to think about how they arranged their dimmers so that operators could runthe board efficiently. Load or capacity of the dimmers also played a role in the assignmentssince dimmers of the same capacity were grouped together in the dimmer packs. If dimmerassignments weren’t done properly, the operation of the board could become more com-plex, making the execution of some cues impossible. Designers also tried to make theseassignments in a logical board layout that kept dimmers with similar functions near oneanother (i.e., grouping all of the dimmers controlling a given color or area). As the numberof dimmers increased, a limit was reached in the number of faders that the electricianscould control. Digital control brought about the concept of soft-patching, in which dim-mers could be assigned to any controller or channel regardless of the load of the dimmers.This gave designers the ability to assign the dimmers based on the best organizationalmeans of arranging a light board. While dimmers may still be assigned to a one-to-onepatch, it is now far more common to use soft-patching to create a logical board arrange-ment for the dimmers. This is especially true where dimmer-per-circuit systems are in use.

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In basic principle, a DMX channel produces a control signal that sends bursts orpackets of digital information that identify both the particular channel and its intensityto a DMX-controlled device. In DMX512, the system is capable of controlling up to 512different channels. This is based on the principle of computers storing information inthe form of binary numbers, which are the product of a base-two numbering systemthat is used to represent whether circuits are turned on or off. In DMX control, one bi-nary number represents a specific channel, while a second number represents its inten-sity. While the control system is based on 512 channels, the actual levels are onlyrepresented through a numbering range of 0–256. This is because 256 is the highestnumber that can be represented with eight digits of binary code. Why eight digits?Because most microprocessors at the time that the code was written used 8-bit proces-sors. The levels are then equated to an intensity range of between 0 and 100% based on abinary number between 0 and 256. While this explains the individual levels, a consolealso needs to identify the particular dimmer with which the intensity level is associated.To do this, a designer must also assign each piece of gear like the individual dimmer packsor racks to a particular group of channels. This is usually done by turning a series ofaddressing switches on or off at the dimmers or other DMX controlled device. Theprocess of assigning the beginning channel to a DMX-controlled device is calledaddressing. The first channel of any multi-channeled device is the one that is actually as-signed and is called the starting address. Virtually all DMX equipment has only one setof addressing switches and a single starting address regardless of the number ofattributes that a unit may have.

While a dimmer has only one function (intensity), most specialty equipment hasseveral control functions, each requiring a separate channel assignment—an examplebeing strobe units that typically require three elements of control (intensity, duration, andspeed). More advanced gear, like media servers, may require several hundred channels.When making addressing assignments, each dimmer in a dimmer pack is automaticallyassigned a progressively increasing number until all of the dimmers have been assigned achannel. At that point, a new starting address is assigned to the second and any additionalpacks that are included in the control system (a six-pack would assign the next set ofdimmers beginning with channel 7, while a 48 dimmer rack would start the next set ofdimmers at 49). This same process holds true of all other DMX-controlled equipmentwith multiple attributes. Although a designer cannot rearrange the specific order of theattributes associated with a particular unit (unless reassigning them in the console), theydo assign the beginning channel, which coincides with the first attribute associated witha device. By assigning the strobe unit mentioned above to channel 30, what I have actu-ally done is set its first attribute (intensity) to channel 30, while the duration and speedattributes are assigned to channels 31 and 32. While soft-patch assignments are easilymade at the console through a keyboard, the equipment addressing must also be assignedat the device and needs to be matched to the channel assignment. If either one is not setcorrectly the equipment will not communicate with the console. The actual addressing isdone through one of several mechanisms that are located on the fixture. This mightinclude an independent LED display and keypad, a set of three numbered wheels (onewheel representing each digit up to 999), or a series of dip switches (miniature slideswitches) that are set in various combinations to represent the address.

All DMX addresses are in binary code that is simply coded into the system basedon the on/off positions of a set of eight switches that represent the address in a binaryformat. Zero is represented by all of the switches being in the off position while 1 is indi-cated by the last switch being set to the on position. Each switch actually represents adigit of the binary code (from left to right; 128/64/32/16/8/4/2/1) As the numbers in-crease, each progressive number is represented by turning on the next available openswitch and resetting any switches previously assigned to an on position back to zero (off).In this way, there is a constant rollover of switches as higher numbers are assigned to pro-gressively higher addresses. Continuing with the example, 2 is indicated by a rollover inwhich the second switch is turned on while the first resets to 0, 3 once again fills the first


position and is represented by both switches being on,while 4 causes another rollover where the third switch isturned on and the two previous switches reset to zero.Every number can be represented by a combinationof switches that are set to particular on/off positions. Whilethe sensitivity for most level assignments are adequatelyrepresented through the standard range of 0–256 (withthe exception of moving lights), even the early days ofDMX control saw the need for addressing more than

256 channels, and provisions were made for adding one more switch and digit of address-ing information. This led to the 512 (256 × 2) channels that have become the industrystandard. While you can determine which switches to set on and off for a particularaddress through following the rollover illustration or by using division techniques(Sidebar 9.1), most of us rely on tables that cross-reference the DMX channels with theappropriate settings of the addressing switches.

Most DMX devices provide not only switches for addressing a fixture but also asecond set of switches for making alterations to a unit’s personality. A personality sim-ply sets specific qualities to a unit. Unlike addressing switches, these switch functionscan vary considerably from one piece of equipment to another. Several features that areseen regularly in the personality settings include setting the fixture’s lamp to a power-saving mode, reversing the normal direction of a unit’s pan and tilt controls (used whena unit is mounted in a reversed condition), running a diagnostic/self-testing mode,setting attributes to high- or low-resolution modes, and placing the unit in a stand-alone mode (i.e., rather than using DMX, the unit uses an audio sensor to trigger its re-sponses). As lighting equipment has become more sophisticated, DMX512 hasstruggled to deal with the ever-increasing amount of data generated by this gear, and asone set of 512 channels becomes completely assigned, additional groups or universesare added to the system (each with another 512 channels). Many of today’s consoles aremanufactured with three or more universes and have the capacity to be expanded even

SIDEBAR 9.1 Binary Code and Addressing

Channel 46 = 32 + 0 + 8 + 4 + 2+ 0 Actual Numbers

32 16 8 4 2 1 Binary Digits Places

1 0 1 1 1 0 Binary Code

(1 is on , 0 is off)

SIDEBAR 9.2 Eleven Practical Tips for Setting up DMX Networks

1. Split data runs into logical subsystems so that problems canbe more clearly identified and troubleshot (e.g., data runs to specificlocations like each truss/electric or type of equipment like scrollers,automated lighting, dimmers, etc.).

2. Try to keep similar equipment on the same data run.

3. Use only data-compliant cable.

4. Keep data cables away from sources of electrical interferencelike electric cables as much as possible.

5. Never split a data signal by splicing cables together.

6. For protection, use an opto-isolator between the console andany DMX cable run or gear using DMX signals.

7. Use terminators at the end of any data run.

8. Use distribution amplifiers in any data runs that exceed1,500 feet—in some cases, even more frequent placements may berequired.

9. If possible, don’t mix different types of gear intermittently—if four scrollers are located along the length of a batten and a goborotator is placed on centerline, daisy-chain the scrollers first, then

run the data/power cable back to the rotator so that it is the last devicein the data run.

10. When patching DMX fixtures, first assign a one-to-one patchto any dimmers that share the same number as the channel thatwill be assigned to a fixture’s attributes. Try to avoid assigning anyattribute channels to a number associated with any existing dim-mers in a system—the circuit/dimmer may already be assigned toanother control channel, which can cause confusion in the controlof the attribute channel (e.g., if a facility has 200 dimmers, haveyour attribute assignments for the advanced gear assigned to chan-nels over 200).

11. As you set up your console and DMX equipment, take time tomake use of the various pan/tilt invert assignments that will allowyour encoders to function in a similar manner for all fixtures. Also,make full use of the setup features that a console can provide forpatching, assigning fixture numbers to moving lights, their associatedattributes, and how they are assigned to the board’s channels andencoders. It’s usually preferable to make these assignments at theboard rather than at the actual luminaire.

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SIDEBAR 9.3 Several Programming Tips for Working with Automated Lighting Gear

1. Take advantage of a console’s tracking functions when pro-gramming automated lighting equipment. This conserves storageand memory demands on the console.

2. Use block cues or hard blackouts to record all channels to alevel of zero at critical breaks in a program. This prevents trackinginformation from continuing past these points. For example, placethese at the beginning and end of each song for a concert or at theend of a scene in a play or musical. By doing so, cues can be editedthrough tracking instructions that track through all the cues up tothe block cue but not into future songs or scenes. In productions likeconcerts, where the order of the show may change from one per-formance to another, this becomes especially important since all ofthe attributes of a light must start with the same initial settings forthe beginning of a musical number.

3. Create a number of palettes before you begin the actual cueingof a show. Many programmers have a library of palettes that theystore on disks or flash drives and simply load them into a console aspart of their initial setup process. Create focus palettes for principleperformers and stage positions that are frequently used, colorpalettes that provide a variety of colors in a range of tints/saturations,a selection of gobo/texture breakup palettes, and a selection of effectsthat are tailored to the types of productions that you work on.Develop a manner of organizing these palettes so that you can accessthem quickly.

4. Use focus palettes whenever possible for defining focus posi-tions for moving lights. This is especially important for productionsthat tour and where focus positions will shift as the spacing of astage or the height of the trusses or other hanging positions areadjusted from one venue to another. By doing this, an entire showcan be quickly updated by simply redefining the focus points.

5. Use mark or move cues to preset scrollers, focus points, andother attributes ahead of the time when the effect is actually exe-cuted. This prevents the distraction of “live moves” where scrollersscroll through a series of colors or moving lights sweep to a newposition as they come up. Many of us create specific numberingsystems that clearly identify a mark cue. I personally try to use ei-ther a .2 or .7 assignment for many of my mark cues. You shouldalso label the mark and block cues if the console has the ability tolabel cues on your display.

6. Don’t use moving effects just because you have them available.Carefully consider if the effect will add to the performance. If the an-swer is yes, then go about working the effect into the show. If not, itmay be better not to use it. In theatre, subtle cueing is often more ef-fective than pulling out the stops and creating a distraction. Designersand programmers often speak of flash and trash, which relates to us-ing lighting predominantly for effect. The only problem with this is thatafter a while many of these designs seem to come down to just flash-ing and moving the lights around with no real connection to the event.

further. A lot of the gear can even provide bi-directional data or feed back to theconsole and operator.

Over the years designers have required more control of an increasing number ofdimmers and DMX gear, and console manufacturers have developed a number offeatures that aid operators in effectively controlling the many attributes and theirrelated channels. The most popular technique for doing this has been through creat-ing ways to group a console’s channels into common elements. There are severaldifferent levels of this type of control. The first technique is arranging the board intogroups of channels where dimmers with common functions are assigned next to oneanother. A second technique involves assigning channels to groups that share similarqualities. For instance, all of the warm area light might be assigned to a single groupor submaster, while all the cool area light would be assigned to another group. Inmore complex consoles that provide a page feature, many of the submasters andencoders may be reassigned by simply pushing a button. Another variation of this lay-ering is found on the more advanced consoles (palettes) that are popular in the con-cert scene. Palettes are nothing more than a group of pre-determined settings orpresets that have been stored in a console. These can speed up the programming of ashow considerably because a programmer only has to pull up a series of palettes to setthe basic elements of a new cue instead of programming each channel individually.Predetermined settings for color, focus and position assignments, moving effects, andgobo combinations form several of the more popular palette settings that many pro-grammers create before writing the actual cues for a production. Most automatedlighting consoles provide a means of creating and storing numerous palettes that arethen used for writing the majority of the show. A fairly common example of whenpalettes can streamline the cueing process is when a designer wishes to shift all of themoving lights to a given performer. Such a moment exists just before each sequence


of questions are asked in the television show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, when allof the moving lights sweep from the perimeter of the stage to the center podium wherethe host and contestant are seated. Two different position or focus palettes would beused to define the central and perimeter positions of each light, while color paletteswould be used to assign different colors to not only the sweep itself but also for bothbefore and after the effect.

SOPHISTICATED CONTROL OF ADVANCED GEARAs lighting has become more sophisticated, additional demands have been placed onconsoles in terms of the number of channels and universes that they must support. By theyear 2000, the DMX512 standard had been extended to the point that newer gear was tax-ing the efficiency of many control systems. In today’s environment, control consoles notonly are expected to control an increasing number of DMX devices but also are oftenlinked to other controllers (rigging, special effects, midi devices, etc.). They may also tie aconsole to its backup and can synchronize other control systems that are operated in con-junction with the lighting system. Due to this, several new standards have been intro-duced to equip DMX512 for the future.

The first advancement makes use of common computer networking conventionsto convert DMX signals to standard ethernet cables and routers. This allows for espe-cially rapid transmission of data throughout a networked system. The speed of an ether-net system is not only much faster than traditional DMX control, it more importantlycan carry a much larger volume of data and universes than traditional DMX systems.There is also no need to use a control cable for each universe. Most of the network hard-ware required for these systems is also readily available from computer or electronicsstores. Primary components of these systems still communicate through DMX instruc-tions, but the parts of the system that would be dedicated to long cable runs are replacedwith ethernet cables. The location of a connection/conversion between a network con-nection and a standard DMX interface is called a node. The resulting network allows forrapid bi-directional communication between the console, dimmer racks, and any otherequipment that is contained in the system. Several manufacturers have created their ownversions of networking through systems like ETC’s ETCLink and Strand Lighting’sShowNet systems. At present, most DMX-controlled equipment uses standard 5-pinXLR cable, and a node converts the networked cable back to the standard XLR fittings.However, some equipment has started to appear with ethernet ports that allow theseunits to be plugged directly into the ethernet.

Another technique for addressing the increased data demands was to build morein-depth protocols around the existing DMX512 standard. The first revision occurredaround 1990, while the current version, known as DMX512-A, was officially accepted inNovember of 2004. Two new variations in control protocol have more recently been in-troduced to the lighting community. Both are generating a lot of discussion, as they willbecome the primary protocols of the future. The first, ACN (Architecture for ControlNetworks), was adopted as a standard in late 2006 and consists of approximately three tofive different control protocols that are specific to various types of equipment in a light-ing network. These individual protocols are packaged and function together as a wholeunit—what some are calling a suite. More importantly, ACN addresses the networkingproblems of interchangeability, as manufacturers have once again developed their ownprotocols while shifting to the ethernet systems. It is thought that in the future ACN willnot only become the primary control network for lighting but also for nearly any othertype of entertainment control system as well. This might include hydraulics, lifts, rigging,and special-effects equipment. In fact, all of these systems could run under the umbrellaof a single ACN control system. The system also looks to alternative techniques of trans-mitting control data by providing standards not only for wired networks but also forwireless control and future carriers like fiber optics.

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The second aspect of the new protocol, Remote Device Management (RDM)functions as a link between DMX512-A and a fully implemented ACN network. Inreality, it is a specific protocol that builds on the standard 5-pin DMX networking. Firstit addresses some of the shortcomings of DMX512-A and then builds on it to provide anumber of improvements in the way that data is used throughout a lighting system.Several of the immediate benefits of RDM include a designation of how bi-directionaldata is exchanged between a console and a device that is plugged into the control sys-tem. This communication takes place along the two wires that have not traditionallybeen used for data transmission and provides bi-directional capabilities for futureequipment as well as backward compatibility for older equipment that can be supportedby the new protocol. More importantly, RDM has been developed so that it can providea “plug-and-play” feature that works like our personal computers. Electricians simplyplug a luminaire into a network cable, where the console, upon powering up, identifiesthe equipment and then goes on to determine the number and type of attributes thatshould be associated with the unit. It also automatically assigns control channels to eachof the unit’s attributes. This can virtually eliminate many of the burdens associated withsoft-patching, addressing and setting up a console. Most importantly, it ensures that theconsole and lighting equipment are communicating properly. While this sounds wonder-ful, skeptics point to the early days of Microsoft Windows plug-and-play technology, whencomputers more times than not failed to correctly identify and install new pieces ofperipheral equipment like printers. In reality, like with Windows, the worst that can happenis that we would have to continue to upload support files or use firmware for installingfixtures on our consoles. In time, the practice will more than likely shift to a relatively seam-less process. Also, through the bi-directional communication, more features will be incor-porated into many control systems. Information like lamp hours, housing temperatures,and homing positions might all be monitored by using this control system. While ACNdeals primarily with those aspects of control associated with the ethernet, RDM addressesissues related more to the traditional (DMX-based) elements of the control network. Bothare much more sophisticated than DMX512-A and will lead us into the next generation ofcommunication between consoles and the equipment that they control.

ACCESSORIES FOR CONVENTIONAL LUMINAIRESThe largest drawback of traditional luminaires lies in the fact that a fixture can only bededicated to one function at a time. This cannot be altered without climbing a ladder andchanging something at the lighting instrument. As the control problems associated withusing more luminaires were overcome, light plots grew exponentially with more andmore units being used in productions. Eventually, a point was reached where it was phys-ically impossible to squeeze all the lights into a given location, and innovators looked tomodifying a luminaire’s functions remotely throughout a performance, on demand.

ScrollersThe first devices that provided changes to conventional lighting instruments usually al-lowed a designer to change the color of a light. The earliest devices were effects relatedand included color wheels that placed a revolving disk of several colors in front of a light.Fire effects were often created through these mechanisms. Later devices, because of theirmanner of operation, are known as color scrollers and have a series of gels (a gelstring)taped together into a scroll that is loaded onto two rollers. A color is selected by movingthe gelstring to different positions along the scroll. A designer simply specifies the gelsand order in which they should be placed when ordering a gelstring. Most scrollersrequire a power supply that provides both the power and control data for the devices.Each scroller can be assigned to its own DMX address or may be operated together withother scrollers by having a shared DMX address. Each color or position is associated witha specific intensity level for the assigned channel. Even the simplest scrollers provide


12 to 16 colors while more sophisticated models can mix color by combining two overlap-ping gelstrings that are independently controlled. The dual gelstring units can typicallymix over 400 different colors.

For many years, more expensive automated lights have mixed a seemingly infinitenumber of colors through a color mixing technology called CYM mixing (also known asCMY mixing). CYM mixing allows a designer to manipulate three dichroic disks orleaves (cyan, yellow, and magenta) through individual channels that can mix the light tovirtually any desired color. In reality, each of the filters produces a new color throughbeing inserted to varying degrees into the optical path of the light. Some designers takeissue with this method of producing color because it can be difficult to project the samecolor uniformly throughout the entire light beam. Also, because the resultant color is aproduct of mixing, the colors aren’t usually as intense or saturated as those produced withfilters. On the other hand, in addition to providing so many colors, you can also cross-fade directly between colors, which can’t be done with scrollers. Another innovation incolor accessories involves placing a CYM mixing module in the body of an ETC SourceFour fixture. This accessory, called the SeaChanger Color Engine is produced by OceanOptics and brings full CYM mixing to any Source Four. The basic operation is much likeany other CYM mixing technology with the exception that a fourth disk (a green one) isadded to the cyan, yellow, and magenta plates. This provides more variety and strongersaturation in some of the colors that it produces. Both methods of modifying color areillustrated in Figure 9.1.

Moving YokesProbably the most desired variable that lighting designers want in their luminaires is theability to redirect a light’s focus. In the past, this required designers to commit to auto-mated lights that were often too expensive for many theatrical productions. The unitswere also quite large and could generate an incredible amount of fan noise, making themless than desirable for theatrical applications. This led to manufacturers experimenting

F IGURE 9.1 Color Changing Accessories a. Wybron CXI IT: A scroller with two gel strings that are used in combination to mix up to

432 different colors. b. Ocean Optic’s Seachanger Color Engine: An accessory that is placed in the optic path of a Source Four roughly at the

position of the gate. The accessory allows a full range of color mixing through inserting various combinations of four different color leafs into

the path of the light. Photo credit: a. Wybron, Inc.; b. Ocean Optics

a. b.

Automated Lighting 151

with the idea of creating an accessory that allowed traditional fixtures to be mounted in aspecialized yoke that could be repositioned by remote control. The result was the creationof a relatively inexpensive moving yoke accessory that allows a luminaire’s focus to beadjusted on command. The movements are completed through DMX instructions and aseries of servo motors that adjust the tilt and pan settings for the fixture. Moving yokeshave become a popular accessory and have seen widespread use in Broadway and regionaltheatres as well as in spectacle productions like Las Vegas revues and nightclubs. CityTheatrical’s AutoYoke® is one of the more popular moving yoke accessories that are avail-able to a designer.

Moving Mirror AccessoriesMoving an entire luminaire through a device like an AutoYoke® can create torque, result-ing in a lot of stress on the moving parts of a unit as well as movement in hanging posi-tions like battens that are not mounted rigidly. The forces have also caused problems inreturning to a specific focus point on a repeated basis. An alternative to moving the en-tire fixture is found in placing a movable mirror at the front of a luminaire. By movingthe mirror, focus can be re-directed in much the same way as moving the entire fixturewhile avoiding the problems of actually moving the lights. These devices are placed in aunit’s gel frame holder and are called moving mirror accessories. While moving mirrorsprovide less torque and stress to a lighting system, the fixture and accessory must bemounted in a position that results in the range of movement being more limited thanwith moving yoke accessories. The Rosco I-Cue Intelligent Mirror™ is an example of thistype of accessory.

Gobo RotatorsGobo rotators (or just rotators) provide an effect where shadow projections are ani-mated to produce moving effects. Fire and water effects are commonly produced withgobo rotators. In the simplest rotators, a single motor with an independent speed controlis plugged into a non-dim circuit, while more complex units have additional controls thatare powered by a special power supply. Each type of motion is usually controlled by aseparate channel. Gobo rotators are inserted into the gate of a fixture and some (doublerotators) may create composite effects by overlaying two different gobos on top of oneanother. Motion can then be initiated to either or both gobos. Not only the speed, but alsothe direction, of each pattern can be varied by making adjustments in the channel levels.Through indexing rotators, a gobo can even be instructed to stop at a specific point inits rotation, allowing gobos to be stopped in an upright orientation.

AUTOMATED LIGHTINGOne of the most important advances in the lighting industry has been the appearance ofautomated lighting. Developed primarily by the concert industry, the ability to movebeams of light freely throughout a venue while also providing numerous effects thatcouldn’t be created with traditional equipment is what drove the development of theseluminaires. Rental costs for additional equipment, transportation costs, and setup timeare additional factors that played a role in driving concert promoters towards automatedlighting. In the early days, many crews referred to these units as moving lights or wigglelights, while we now prefer to call them either automated or intelligent lighting. One ofthe first attractions to automated lighting came with its ability to replace a number of in-dividual specials. A fixture could focus on one person and later be redirected to anotherposition and focus. The effect of moving the light around a venue while producing colorchanges, beam zooming, and gobo-related effects soon led to automated lighting becom-ing an expected element of the spectacle of concert lighting. On the other hand, one ofthe dangers of automated lighting is in not letting it become a distraction and not to use


the units solely for effect. Every automated luminaire comeswith a predetermined number of attributes or features. Theactual number and type will vary from model to model andmanufacturer to manufacturer, but several of the most com-mon attributes associated with automated fixtures includeshutter, color (1 channel for dichroic filters, 3 for CYM colormixing), gobos (spot units only), intensity, pan, tilt, andspeed. Additional attributes might include a second color orgobo wheel (with or without rotation), zoom, and focus.Some will have both fine and coarse pan and tilt controls.Other units can have 20 to 30 attributes or more. Sidebar 9.4lists several choreographed moves that are popular in auto-mated lighting.

Due to the spectacle associated with automated light-ing, much of the initial development of these luminaires wasdirected towards producing effects. Features like number ofgobos, whether they rotated, number and range of colors,and strobing capacities as well as movement became impor-tant options for making comparisons between different lu-minaires. The fixtures also usually use short arc sources thatcut through the light of traditional luminaires, which alongwith their higher color temperature allows them to easily es-tablish focus when used with traditional fixtures. For all ofthe above reasons, plus expense, automated lighting wasn’tpractical for theatrical venues in their early years. They also

tended to be noisy (both servo motors and fans). By their very nature, these units are ex-pensive (many are $3,500 or more) and the more attributes that they provide, the pricierthey become. Even if used in a more subtle manner, the fixtures are heavy (typicallyweighing in at 25–50 lbs., with some weighing in at over 100 lbs.), which can create a fairamount of swing in the electrics.

While expensive when compared to conventional fixtures, the costs of automatedunits have dropped significantly over the years, making them affordable for organizationsand applications where they wouldn’t have appeared ten years ago. Sophisticated featureslike programmable shutters, composite gobos, and a number of effects have also beenintroduced to the fixtures. More importantly, their once questionable reliability has stabi-lized, and consistent performances can now be expected of them from show to show. Dueto influences like these, variations of automated luminaires have become popular invirtually all areas of lighting design. Most concert plots now contain a substantial num-ber of automated luminaires, and in some cases, shows are lit entirely by automated rigs.Industrial shows, awards shows, television programs, and even churches have come torely on these fixtures. The Tonight Show uses them, large spectacle events like the open-ing and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games use them, and sporting events like thehalf-time extravaganzas of bowl games rely heavily on automated lighting. In fact, I can’tthink of a recent television awards program that hasn’t made extensive use of automatedlighting. In architectural applications, automated fixtures and scrollers have even beenplaced in protective housings so that they can be used to light building facades and otheroutdoor features and events. Use of these luminaires is growing and we can assume thatwe will see continued growth in their applications.

Moving Heads (Moving Yokes)Moving heads form a specific group of automated lighting in which the actual luminaireor head moves. The earliest automated luminaires were primarily of the moving headvariety. The units were large and heavy due to the number of mechanical devices andmotors that were used to control the attributes of the fixtures. The company that led the

SIDEBAR 9.4 Common Automated LightingEffect Cues

Strobe Sequences Luminaires programmed to flash in rapidsuccession—flashing may be within a sin-gle fixture or could flash between multiplefixtures.

Color Rolls Luminaires moving through a series of colorchanges.

Chasing A series of luminaires turned on and off in asequence that forms a pattern.

Sweeps Moving the light from one location to anotherwhile the lamp is lit.

Fans A group of luminaires moving together eithertoward or away from a reference point—anexample being lights pointed straight down-ward and then moving upward and outwardaway from the stage.

Kicks A single unit sweeps from a downward posi-tion to an upward position where it is extin-guished as another fixture repeats the motion,moving much like a dance kick line.

Automated Lighting 153

F IGURE 9.2 Automated Luminaires (Moving Head) a. VL3000 by Vari*lite (a spot luminaire) b. Studio

Color 575 by High End Systems (a wash luminaire) Photo credit: a. Vari*Lite; b. High End Systems—a member of the

Barco Group

early innovations of automated lighting was Vari*Lite, Inc. They introduced the firstmoving head fixtures with the 1981 “Abacab” tour of Genesis. The fixtures were so revo-lutionary that Vari*Lite went to unusual lengths to guard the trade secrets of their tech-nology. For the first 10 or so years, the units could not be purchased and had to be renteddirectly from the company. In fact, only Vari*Lite employees were permitted to work onthe luminaires, and they even provided the technicians who ran and maintained theequipment as part of the rental agreement. It took several years before the competitionintroduced automated fixtures that didn’t infringe on the patent rights of Vari*Lite. How-ever, a key philosophical difference was introduced when other manufacturers allowedtheir fixtures to be purchased. Since then, companies like Clay Paky, Coemar, High End,Martin, and Robe along with Vari*Lite have developed numerous automated luminaires.During the early years, control of the automated lights was done through a special con-sole while all of the conventional fixtures were run through a traditional console. Morerecent models are operated using a standard console along with the conventional fixtures.

We also break the moving head luminaires into two additional groups (Figure 9.2).The first, spot luminaires, are used as spotlights and have beams that can be focused to asharp edge. Many of these units contain effect devices and one or two gobo wheels thatcan hold up to five or more gobos each. This allows the gobos to be composited on top ofone another or spun in the same way as a gobo rotator might be used. Many spot lumi-naires also have an attribute that allows the focus to be softened or sharpened on demand.In most cases, color is produced through CYM mixing although a color wheel withdichroic filters may also be used. Some of the more advanced luminaires even have shut-ters that can be positioned through DMX control. The second type of luminaires arewash luminaires. Unlike spot luminaires, these have a soft edge so that a series of themcan be blended together to produce washes. Another difference between these and thespot luminaires is the lack of features like gobo wheels and shutters.

Some of the accessories that are available for these fixtures incorporate featureslike laser pointers that allow easy focus spotting during programming and infrared sys-tems that can track a performer’s movements. Over time, manufacturers have worked tomodify the fixtures for theatrical venues and there are now units that work reasonably

a. b.


F IGURE 9.4 Martin MX-10Scanner Photo credit: Martin

Professional, Inc.

well for these more subtle applications. Improvements have included: substitution ofthe arc sources with incandescent lamps, the units have become smaller and weigh less,fan noise has been reduced, and the costs have dropped to within reach of more theatri-cal organizations. The Vari*Lite VL1000 is specifically designed to blend in with con-ventional fixtures while bringing the benefits of automated lighting to theatricalapplications. Another example of an automated luminaire that has been designedaround the needs of theatrical designs is the ETC Source Four Revolution (Figure 9.3).This luminaire is based on a modular design that allows several components or mod-ules to be added or taken away from the unit as needed. The heart of this luminaire isbased on the needs of silent operation and an incandescent light source that blends wellwith conventional fixtures. The basic unit also has a 24-color scroller assembly, a zoom-ing feature, and an internal dimmer. Other accessories that are available for the SourceFour Revolution include a remote controlled iris and shutter accessories.

Scanners (Moving Mirrors)Scanners or moving mirrors (Figure 9.4) are another form of automated luminaires.Rather than moving an entire head, only a mirror is moved to adjust the pan and tilt of amoving mirror luminaire. The mirrors are relatively small and light-weight, resulting in amuch more economical means of redirecting the light beam. The luminaires are also

hung in a stationary position that results in much less stress and movement being intro-duced to the trusses or battens from which they are hung. Scanners typically work betteras a spot luminaire because the focus is usually set only at the fixture itself. Scanners comein a variety of sizes and have many of the same attributes that are found in moving headluminaires. Pan and tilt, color, dimming, and gobo patterns are frequently provided inthese fixtures. The units also cost less than moving head fixtures, with the tradeoff beingthat the range of tilt and pan control is more limited. Despite this drawback, these lumi-naires are quite popular, and most designers have learned to work within their limitations.If more extreme angles are desired, the unit can be hung in a modified position that allowsthe light to hit those areas of a stage where required. Scanners have become very popularin bar and dance club venues due to their size and ease of maintenance. They’re so popularin nightclubs that many are equipped with audio sensors that change the attributes to thebeat of the music.

NON-TRADITIONAL SOURCESWhile the incandescent lamp has been the most popular light source for most theatricalluminaires, there has been increasing interest in using alternative light sources in theatricalproductions over recent years. Energy efficiency has driven the architectural marketstowards fluorescent sources, while the need for higher intensities and specific light qualitieshave led to the acceptance of many short-arc sources for several special duty applicationslike retail lighting or exterior applications such as street and roadway lighting. Even theatri-cal applications are making use of HID and other non-traditional light sources.

Ballasted FixturesIn theatrical applications, non-traditional sources are usually used to introduce a differ-ent quality of light to a stage. Qualities like color temperature and color rendering canvary considerably from one light source to another, and one of the most significant dif-ferences of non-traditional fixtures is that most of these units make use of arc sources—with the added requirement that a ballast is required for each unit. This also means thatelectrical dimming of these sources isn’t possible. If dimming is required, the units mustbe equipped with an accessory that functions as a mechanical dimmer. Lighting instru-ments that may have ballasts include HMI sources in fresnels, ERSs, and follow spots, andthey may use sources like xenon or other short-arcs for specialized effects. Most moving

F IGURE 9.3 ETC’s Source FourRevolution Photo credit: Electonic Theatre

Controls, Inc.

Non-Traditional Sources 155

lights also make use of HMI sources. High pressure sodium and mercury sources havealso been used in productions of major operas as well as other theatrical events. In archi-tectural and film productions ballasted fixtures are often preferred because of the redshift and changes in color temperature that dimming can cause. In these cases, intensityis controlled by varying the wattage of the source or placing filters or scrims over thefront of the fixture.

StrobesOther advanced sources include strobe lights, which are specialty lamps that can be setto a rapid on-off sequence that produces a stop-motion effect. Most strobes are equippedwith a high-intensity xenon lamp that creates a bright high color-temperature flash.Older models had an independent control unit that allowed an operator to manipulateboth the speed and intensity of the flashes. Contemporary strobes are controlled throughDMX signals that allow a designer to pre-program the intensity, rate, and duration of theflashes. More importantly, while these fixtures can still be used to produce standardstrobe effects, they can also be programmed to produce more random effects like light-ning flashes or explosions.

Fiber OpticsFiber optics have not made a strong appearance in theatre applications due to the rela-tively low intensity of the light that they produce. However, beautiful stardrops and othereffects are made possible through this innovation. Fiber optics have even been workedinto scenic, prop, and costume designs. There are two variations of fiber-optic cable thatare popular in entertainment applications. The first, end-emitting fiber, conducts lightthroughout its length until it emerges at the end of the fiber with relatively no light beingemitted from its sides. The second, side-emitting fiber, conducts light along its length butalso radiates it outward along its sides and glows like a neon tube. In fact, side-emittingfiber is used quite effectively to simulate neon signs. In either case, the fibers are joinedtogether at one end, where a manifold connects the bundle of fibers to a light source. Thesource is called an illuminator. In addition to the source, many illuminators also housedevices like color wheels and patterned disks that produce color variations and shimmer-ing effects in the light. The majority of the heat produced in these systems is confined tothe illuminator.

Architectural and display applications have made use of this technology for manyyears. Stars have been created in plaster ceilings and poster board displays, and evenmodel theatres may use fiber optics for creating illumination. Side-emitting fibers havebeen especially effective as a decorative element for lining objects like steps, buildings,and pool perimeters, while museums use end-emitting systems and specialized heads todirect light to heat-sensitive areas of a display. Particularly interesting uses of fiber opticsare as a design tool while making presentations and as an aid to educational lighting.Here, model theatres are outfitted with miniature fiber-optic heads and a control systemthat allows a set designer’s model to be lit on a miniature scale. LightBox (Figure 9.5) is aparticularly successful product that uses this technology.

LEDsA more recent innovation that is creating a lot of interest in the industry is the develop-ment of LEDs. In the past, these did not produce enough light to warrant their use in anyapplications other than as an indicator type of device (e.g., the power or signal strength in-dicators of electronic devices) where we observe the LEDs directly. Later developments ledto increased intensities that allowed LEDs to be put to more common uses like in trafficlights, signage, and large video screens like the ones found in Times Square. The intensi-ties of LEDs have continued to grow brighter and now produce enough light to be used asan actual source of illumination. More importantly, by creating clusters of differently


colored LEDs, additive color mixing is used to produce a variety of colors in the light thatemits from these units. Each color is controlled by a separate DMX channel. Typical colorsfor LEDs in these clusters include red, green, and blue (the primaries) but may contain upto seven channels of color (adding colors like amber, cyan, and possibly white). ETC’s Se-lador units use the primaries plus amber, red-orange, cyan, and indigo in its X7 LEDStriplights. The individual LEDs are mounted in clusters that are spaced regularly alongthe luminaire. These clusters in themselves do not produce much light, but through creat-ing an array of clusters, the light becomes strong enough to warrant packaging the arraysinto lighting fixtures. Some of these fixtures produce a compact source similar to a flood-light or soft-edged spotlight like PAR luminaires (Figure 9.6), while others function as lin-ear luminaires that are designed like traditional striplights. A typical control arrangementfor these units uses a separate channel for each of the LED colors plus an additional chan-nel for overall intensity and strobing functions. Striplight versions of LED units often haveseparate channel controls for each segmented array that is formed along a unit’s length.This allows the units to be used in complex chase effects. Two issues that are often associ-ated with the fewer channeled fixtures are the inferior color rendering and especially highcolor temperature of these units’ white light.

Companies that specialize in LED technology, such as Philip’s Solid-State LightingSolutions, Inc. (Color Kinetics), have become instrumental in developing luminaires thatprovide color mixing as part of a designer’s toolkit. The color rendering is improving andthe intensities of these units are now getting strong enough to be effective on stage,although they are still priced beyond the financial limitations of many would-be users. Onthe other hand, the units keep getting more powerful and the costs keep dropping, so it isonly a matter of time before we see them making regular appearances on theatrical stages.In applications where intensities don’t have to be as high, and throw distances not so great(e.g., museum, architectural, and display niches), these fixtures are already appearing innumerous applications. The LEDs have incredibly long life cycles, produce little heat, and

F IGURE 9.5 LightBox by Thematics A miniature fiber-optic model theatre using

LIGHTBOX Model Lighting System for Syracuse University. Scenic models are placed within

the structure and are lit by miniature fiber-optic heads that are scaled optically to actual stage

luminaires. The system can be colored and is controlled by a standard console that allows the actual

cues to be pre-programmed and simulated. Photo credit: LightBox Method for Model Lighting System for

Syracuse University

The Personal Computer 157

can provide full color mixing, while they are also rugged and can withstand many of theenvironments where traditional light sources don’t fare so well (extreme cold, for exam-ple). They can also significantly cut the costs associated with the energy for and mainte-nance of a lighting system. We are rapidly approaching a point where luminaires usingLED technologies warrant serious consideration as legitimate light sources. It is also hopedthat in the not-too-distant future a compact white LED will replace the incandescent lampas a primary source of lighting throughout much of the lighting industry.

A special variation in white LED technology has been created by Rosco in the formof its LitePad products. These illuminating panels come in a variety of sizes (3" × 3" to 12" × 12") and are lit from one side by a row of white LEDs. Like in side-emitting fiberoptics, these panels transmit light along the flat surface of the panel, which makes theman extremely compact light source for situations where there is no room for conventionalfixtures. These units also operate on a 12-volt system that can be powered by transform-ers or batteries and may even be plugged into a car’s cigarette lighter.

LasersLasers have typically been used only as an effect for entertainment purposes. The beamsare too well defined, directional, and concentrated for them to be considered as a practi-cal source of general illumination at this time. While some may be operated through thelighting console, most laser effects are both designed by and placed under the control of alaser specialist. In nearly all cases, this operator must have a license as well as a specificpermit for operating a laser during a given performance. These stringent rules are due tothe hazards that are associated with a laser’s operation.

THE PERSONAL COMPUTERLighting designers quickly discovered the advantages of using personal computers andbecame the first design discipline to use them as a regular part of the design process.Lighting, more so than any other area of design, deals with a huge amount of informa-tion or data that must be organized into a variety of repetitive yet different formats—a

F IGURE 9.6 An LED Wash Luminaire: Philips Solid-State Solutions’ (Color Kinetics)ColorBlast® 12 Powercore Photo credit: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, Inc.


task particularly well-suited to computers. Computers are now making a huge impacton all areas of design, and designers are using them for more complex applications allthe time. The only innovation that may arguably be more significant to the lighting in-dustry than the personal computer is the laptop computer. Laptops have made comput-ers easily accessible to designers, who can now take their work directly to the theatresand hotels for completing much of the design process. I personally carry a laptop almosteverywhere that I travel. Laptops have had such a profound impact on our professionthat it isn’t a bit unusual to see several of them on the design tables that are scatteredthroughout a theatre.

Computers and the lighting software that we use are evolving faster than anyonecan imagine. In many cases, there are exponential gains every year or two in the com-plexity and speed with which tasks can be accomplished by a computer. Computers thatwe couldn’t live without several years ago quickly become obsolete, and programs thatwere helpful 5 years ago may not even exist in the current market. Because of this,I have chosen to address just a few of the more popular applications that are importantto lighting designers. These are organized primarily by type of application, with themajor classifications being design analysis, computer-aided drafting(CAD), designpaperwork, control and off-line editing, communication, and visualization. In somecases, several applications work together as part of a suite which performs tasks inseveral categories.

Finally, there is the never-ending debate of Mac versus Windows and the PC(Personal Computer). Both platforms are used extensively throughout the industry, butmuch of the determination as to which platform a designer uses is personal. One majorconsideration that every designer must examine when determining which platform topurchase lies in choosing the software they will be using. Some applications will runseamlessly between both platforms, some will require some form of file translation withvaried degrees of success, and others may not be at all compatible between the differentplatforms. Some designers own and use both platforms. DOS PCs of the past tended tobe complicated to operate and more difficult to setup or install applications on, whileMacs had a much friendlier user interface. Much of this has changed with the Windowsoperating system. Windows PCs, on the other hand, tend to be more affordable, andyou often get more bang for your buck. However, because of their popularity and thenumber of different applications that they must address, they also have a reputation forcrashing and becoming infected with computer viruses. Many of these issues have beenaddressed, and the machines have improved significantly over the years. Today, theplatforms appear to be merging closer together in regard to their overall operation andfeatures. There are even Mac computers with Intel® processors, dual processors, or sim-ulation software that can be operated using either the Mac or Windows operating sys-tems. Other than specific software choices, most of the other considerations tend to bepersonal. As a rule, the computers that work best for any lighting applications shouldbe equipped with the fastest processor, most amount of memory, and largest hard drivethat you can afford. Other features that you will most likely want to invest in are aspeedy DVD/CD drive with recording features, a fax modem, ethernet port, and wire-less network options. While we previously used floppy drives for recording our data(31⁄2" or 51⁄4" in the really old days), we are now storing and moving data between ourpersonal computers and lighting consoles with USB flash drives, CD-ROMs/DVDs,and server options. A good optical mouse is also helpful for data input (especially forworking in CAD).

CAD and Drafting ApplicationsNext to using the computer for design paperwork, CAD or CADD (computer-aideddesign and drafting) applications form one of the earliest uses of computers in the light-ing industry. CAD is especially useful to a lighting designer because of the number ofrepetitive activities associated with creating a light plot. Light plots also tend to be very


mechanical and precise, making use of a number of straight lines, lots of lettering, andprecise spacings. All of these are managed quite easily in CAD. Mistakes are completelyerased and a final output will always appear clean and unmarred as a perfect print of thefinal plot despite the complexity of a design or drafting. More importantly, CAD pack-ages have tools like copy/paste and block commands that allow the repetitive tasks ofdrafting a light plot to be shortened extensively. There are also more sophisticatedversions of CAD programs that work in three dimensions which are known as modelingprograms. Full three-dimensional models with realistic materials lit by real-world pho-tometrics are now possible in CAD design. It is even possible to create images with a pho-tographic quality where the CAD image itself becomes the final design—a virtual design.Film sequences may also make use of mattes or models that have been created throughcomputer modeling or animation. Films like the Harry Potter series have made regularpractices of combining animated elements with the actual props, scenery, and actors.There are even feature-length films created entirely by computers (Toy Story, Ice Age,Shrek, and Up). The two most popular CAD programs currently being used in the light-ing business are AutoCAD and Vectorworks Spotlight.

One of the best features of CAD comes with the ability to copy elements of a draft-ing. This could mean copying an element as small as a single line but more often meansthat complex objects like lighting fixtures, scenic floor plans, master theatre plans, oreven entire drawings can be used as a reference and copied. More importantly, objectscan be copied between different drawings. Once an object is drawn, it never has to beredrawn again . . . it is simply copied and modified as needed. In a real time-savingmethod, entire draftings called prototypes or templates can be used as base drawings forother draftings. The tasks of redrawing the theatre, title block, key, and notation can beforgotten as a prototype for the entire drafting is copied and used to add specific detailsand luminaires to a project as needed.

One issue that must be dealt with when using CAD is how to create a physicalcopy or plot of the light plot. To plot a large-scale image of a light plot in the traditional1⁄2"=1'-0" or other acceptable scale requires a large format printer or plotter (often as wideas 36"–42"). Most designers do not own a plotter and must use a service to produce fin-ished copies of the light plot. The costs and availability of these services must be consid-ered, and even though times are changing, these services are rarely available 24 hours aday or on weekends—in smaller communities they may not be available at all. In a pinch,plots can be printed on a personal printer as a PDF file or as an assembly of tiled imagesthat are printed on standard paper and then taped together. On the other hand, an advan-tage to digital or electronic design lies in the fact that the draftings can be transmitted toother members of the design team through simply attaching the drawing files to an e-mail.

Design PaperworkDesign paperwork forms the area where lighting designers first discovered the powerof the personal computer. Before then, all of our schedules had to be completed byhand. In the 1970s and early ‘80s the total number of units in a lighting design wasn’tthat significant, but as the size of the rigs grew, the task of assembling all of the associ-ated paperwork became more difficult. As the shows got bigger, the potential for mis-takes grew, while the penmanship of the designer or assistant usually got worse. Sincemost paperwork follows the format of a table, it didn’t take long to discover that com-puters could generate the majority of the schedules and paperwork quite easily. Sincemany lighting schedules follow the format of a spreadsheet, a number of designerssimply used their favorite spreadsheet software to develop the schedules. The real ad-vantage to these applications comes in that all of the data is entered into the computeronly one time. Once entered, the software can manipulate the data to generate the in-strument schedules, hookups, and inventory lists that a designer needs for displayingthe lighting data. Also, if the paperwork needs to be changed, the data is easily editedand a new set of accurate forms can be generated by simply reprinting the forms.


There are a number of lighting designers who use applications like Microsoft’s Excelor Works for producing their paperwork. There are also applications that have beenspecifically written to meet the needs of lighting professionals. Unique tools found inthese programs include menus and questioning formats or input dialogue boxes thatrelate specifically to entering lighting data, ways of duplicating the input of repeatingdata, and lighting speciality tools like determining the total sheets of color or makingpower/load calculations. The standard for this software has been set by John McKer-non’s Lightwright software, which works on both Mac and Windows computers. Inaddition to creating standardized forms for paperwork like hookups and instrumentschedules, the program has additional features such as lists for work notes, invento-ries, and comprehensive focus charts that can be stored in the computer. Othercompanies like Rosco and Stage Research, Inc. (formerly Cresit) also offer paper-work software.

A type of lighting software that has been introduced fairly recently comes in the formof a virtual magic sheet. This software, called Virtual Magic Sheet™ by Goddard Design(Figure 9.7), contains a series of tools like ovals, squares, and circles that can be laid out, col-ored, scaled, and arranged in much the same way as a traditional magic sheet. Along withthe basic shapes, the designer also assigns a label or function (downlight, area light, Johnspecial, scroller, etc.) and associated channel to each shape. The magic of the softwarecomes when the personal computer containing the virtual magic sheet is interfaced with alighting console using a DMX input. This produces an interactive display in which themagic sheet and its associated intensity levels for each channel are shown within the shapesand functions that have been previously defined by the designer. This gives the designeraccess to the control channels by function while also providing immediate feedback re-garding the levels of the functions that are displayed by the magic sheet. This software is alsodesigned for both Mac and Windows platforms. Another software package uses a special-ized spreadsheet to track the focus points used with automated lights. This software,Focus Track, allows every attribute of automated fixtures and their focus points to be doc-umented throughout a design. It, too, has an interface that allows the spreadsheet to bothtrigger and respond to changes between the software and the console.

F IGURE 9.7 Virtual Magic Sheet by Westside Systems Lighting systems are organized

by color and function. Channel numbers are indicated in the center of each shape with levels

indicated both graphically and by percent. Photo credit: Screenshot of design by R. Dunham and software by

Westside Systems


Control and Off-line EditingOver the years, there have been several attempts to use personal computers and specialtysoftware to convert computers into a basic lighting console. In each case, specialty soft-ware was loaded onto the computer and an interface or black box was connected betweenthe computer and the dimmers. On occasion, an accessory containing a limited numberof manual faders (a wing panel) could be added to bring some form of manual control tothe console. Both Rosco’s Horizon and Sunlite’s lighting control system combine manyof the features of more expensive consoles into a user-friendly interface that operates un-der the Windows environment. While there are a number of Horizon installations, Roscono longer distributes these products. More importantly, Rosco distributed the softwarefor free through a CD-ROM or download that was readily available from the company’sWeb site. This availability permitted designers to run the software on their personal com-puters for pre-cueing or blind editing without the actual lighting console. Once pro-grammed, the show file could be transferred to a computer at the theatre that wasequipped with the DMX interface and the design would be ready to go.

Off-line editing has become a very important tool that allows designers to down-load software that simulates a lighting console. In off-line editing, show files are createdand edited without having to complete the work in the theatre with the actual lights andconsole. This software is useful in cases like touring, when a production has already beendesigned and a designer needs to modify a design for each venue. Off-line editing is par-ticularly helpful when the designer is prevented from programming a show live in the ac-tual performance space. Entire shows can be pre-written or roughed-in outside of theperformance space using this technology (writing a show blind). The pre-written cuesare loaded into the console once you get to the theatre and are then tweaked or editedonce they are seen in rehearsals. Manufacturers of all the major lighting consoles provideoff-line editors that are free through downloading the software from their Web site. Thereare even utilities that can translate data from one manufacturer’s console to another.Manufacturers of more complex consoles that are heavily oriented towards the movinglight industry supply off-line editors that provide excellent simulations of their consoles.

Communication and TrainingOne of the primary means of transferring information from one person to another is nowthrough the personal computer. Messages between members of the design team are oftendone by e-mail, and draftings and other visual images are frequently sent back and forth byattaching files (attachments) to e-mail messages. Master plans of a stage or performancefacility can also often be downloaded from the Web sites of many venues. In some cases,master drawings, research images and photographs, and sketches can be posted to dedi-cated Web sites (Google Groups, Facebook, and Picasa). At the University of Georgia, weuse Facebook and Google Groups to link members of a production team to the researchthat our designers are producing for our productions.

Another area where the industry has changed significantly relates to the manner inwhich manufacturers and distributors make product literature available to lighting pro-fessionals. Several shelves of my office bookcase are lined with product binders contain-ing cut sheets for virtually any theatrical lighting product available. At my home officeI actually have a whole bookcase devoted to product binders for just a few of the manyarchitectural luminaire manufacturers—small in comparison to most architectural light-ing firms that have a whole room dedicated to shelving product binders. This method ofdistributing literature is rapidly going the way of the dinosaur as companies shift to dis-tributing their catalogues on CD-ROMs/DVDs or through Web-based online cata-logues. In addition to cut sheets, these Web sites also provide aids to using the products,designer testimonials, price lists, and other resources related to a company’s products. Inthe case of architectural luminaires, many companies even include application tools thathelp a designer determine which products are best suited for a given situation and createthe actual specifications for a project. More importantly, these sites can be updated at anytime and are available whenever needed. In addition to catalogues, many companies also


provide technical support, product manuals, and learning tools for their equipment.I have found these sites to be particularly valuable for getting operating information forshows that I have done in theatres that use automated lights—often with any literature forthese units long being lost. By going to the Web sites, you can quickly find critical infor-mation like a listing and order of the unit’s attributes, setup requirements, and the striking(startup) and shutdown sequences needed for getting the fixtures up and running.

Design AnalysisSoftware that is created predominantly for design analysis helps a designer to see andunderstand light in a given application. While this software may be used as part of the designanalysis for a specific situation, these products also form excellent learning tools for design-ers who are just beginning to work with photometrics and color theory. Although some ofthese packages, especially in the case of architectural applications, are designed around aparticular company’s product line, there are others that are representative of the entire indus-try. Even equipment that is still around despite a company not being in business any longer isincluded in most of these packages. The first area in which designers used design analysissoftware concentrated on the effects of distribution, throw distance, and the photometricsof a design. A luminaire is selected and placed at a given trim and distance from a target,while a cone of light resembling the beam is drawn in a particular view (usually sectional).The program plots the beam pattern and uses photometric data to calculate the intensity(footcandles) that would be present at the target. By examining the distribution patterns andintensity levels, a designer can make an appropriate selection of both luminaire and hangingposition for a given situation. Finally, additional details like lamp combinations, hangingweight, and accessories are also provided, along with the photometric data. McKernon’sBeamwright and Crecit’s Light Shop are examples of this type of software.

One of the most difficult tasks for beginning designers is making appropriate colorchoices for a production. Not only are the individual selections important, but moreimportantly, we are interested in how the light from different gels and angles will react andmix with one another and the other colors that will be found on a stage. Two popular pro-grams that simulate the effects of color mixing and angle distribution are Virtual Light Laband Light Grid. Both allow a designer to place lights on a grid that is designed to simulate anumber of the fundamental lighting angles. Each light is then assigned a gel from any of themajor filter suppliers. Not only can the designer study the effects of the gels mixing from thedifferent angles but the intensity of each light can also be varied as an element of the simula-tion. In some cases, gobo breakups and scenic backgrounds can also be entered into the pro-gram and evaluated. Virtual Light Lab even allows a designer to paste bitmap images like ascanned paint elevation into the background of a simulation. By experimenting with differ-ent filters, hanging positions, and intensities a designer should be able to get an indication ofhow a particular combination of these variables will affect the appearance of the subject.

The final area of design analysis comes in the form of creating simulations orrenderings that provide an image of how an object or environment might look whenplaced under a given set of lighting conditions. Originally, these were not linked to pho-tometric data and were nothing more than an elaborate storyboard based on what thedesigner hoped the final design might look like. Paint and illustrating programs likeAdobe’s PhotoShop were among the first programs that were used to suggest what a de-signer hoped to achieve in their lighting. These images aren’t linked to photometric dataand we continue to use these products for storyboarding even today. On the other hand,CAD programs have grown into three-dimensional modeling packages that can createvirtual images with quite accurate renderings of both the materials and the lighting of asubject. Both AutoCAD and Vectorworks have lighting and materials modules in theirbasic programs, while products like 3D Studio (Max or Viz) and Lightwave are morecomplex programs for modeling and rendering light, but once again, the image isn’tnecessarily linked to photometric data. These images are called computer renderings(Figure 9.8). The advantage to programs like 3D Studio is not only in their modeling, butalso in their ability to create animation. This includes their ability to create a


walkthrough or flyby where an observer either is directed through a view down a previ-ously determined path or may navigate through the virtual world themselves.

VisualizationVisualization is a more sophisticated form of computer rendering. In some cases, animage might be so accurately calculated that it depicts a photometrically correct image.This might be just what is needed in the case of making a presentational rendering for amajor architectural project, but such images take an immense amount of time and expenseto create. In entertainment situations, this is rarely possible—plus, unlike architecturalprojects, stage images are dynamic and constantly changing. Even if there is time to dosuch visualizations they are often limited to either a single image per scene or a couple ofimportant moments of a production. On the other hand, there is another variation of visu-alizations that generates images without using photorealism. More importantly, they workwithin the framework of real time. With these, accuracy and detail are sacrificed so that acomplete animation can be made for a project. The entertainment industry has arrived ata point where these visualizations can account for most design decisions that a designerwould use in an actual theatre—even illustrating the transitions between the cues. Entirevirtual theatres can be created where model sets are lit with virtual luminaires hung inlighting positions that completely mimic the real plot that will someday be hung in thetheatre. The luminaires replicate the photometrics of the actual fixtures and are virtuallyfocused and gelled as they would be in the theatre. Hookups and channel assignments arecreated automatically and will match the actual plugging of the show in the theatre. Finally,cues are written using the virtual image just as if the production were being lit in the actual space. When the virtual programming is complete, the cues have been roughed-inand the show is ready to be loaded into the console after the rig has been assembled in thetheatre. This process saves immense amounts of time in the venue and has become so ben-eficial that virtual studios have started to pop up across the world where lighting designersrent the computer and software on an hourly or daily basis. The first popular theatricalvisualizer was Cast Software’s WYSIWYG (What You See Is What Your Get). WYSIWYG isa stand-alone program that even contains its own CAD program. This software not only

F IGURE 9.8 A Vectorworks Rendering Vectorworks design and visualization of The Foreigner at Snow College Dept. of

Theatre. Photo credit: Scenic design by Michael Helms

creates design visualizations, but also aids designers in drafting the plot and section, keepstrack of inventories, and generates all of the design’s schedules and paperwork.

An even more powerful application of computer visualization connects the personalcomputer to the lighting console through some form of DMX/USB interface. This allows thevirtual program to drive the console in the actual venue. When a change is made in thevirtual world, the change is immediately reflected in the real rig. As a further form of sophis-tication, the communication between these systems is bi-directional, and changes made


F IGURE 9.9 LD Assistant by Design and Drafting a. Software interface illustrated along

with block navigator and wire-frame model of a nightclub design. b. A rendering of the nightclub

design. Photo credits: Screenshots of design by R. Dunham and software by Design and Drafting

a.

b.

For Further Reading 165

through the lighting console will also create changes in the virtual lighting. Over the yearsWYSIWYG has evolved into this type of visualization tool and has been bundled into manyof ETC’s consoles as part of the Emphasis® product line. This type of visualization hasopened up to other manufacturers and an increasing number of consoles are now beingshipped with some form of visualization software. Another visualization package that iscomparable to WYSIWYG is LD Assistant by Design and Drafting (Figure 9.9). Thissoftware comes with a large symbol library (not only lighting instruments but also props andother stage equipment) and also produces all of the draftings, inventories, and other paper-work required for completing a lighting design. It, too, can be equipped with a DMX modulethat allows the personal computer to interface with a console. The primary difference be-tween this product and WYSIWYG is that LD Assistant is designed around AutoCAD andtherefore has all the tools and sophistication of AutoCAD while WYSIWYG uses its ownCAD program.

Entertainment designers tend to reserve the term “visualization” for systems thatdisplay rendering results in a real or live timeframe/mode, while in reality, visualizationcan just as easily pertain to static images as well. Visualization techniques tend to be usedmost often in situations like concert lighting or big spectacle events where complexdemands are placed on automated luminaires and where there is a limited amount of timeto work in the actual venue. A real advantage to using visualization software comes in itsability to deal with the movements of automated lights. In addition to creating the differ-ent cues, a bigger attraction comes in how easily this software can be used to redirect mov-ing lights to new focus points or to work out the choreography of the moving light beams.Timing of these moves can be checked against a piece of music while the accuracy of themoves can be plotted from one stage to another without stepping foot in a venue. Softwarethat is used to create architectural visualizations tends to be more sophisticated than inentertainment applications, but these images also tend to be extremely detailed (photore-alism is the most popular style) and are based on true photometric calculations. Three ofthe most popular architectural visualization and design analysis packages include LightingTechnologies’ Lumen Designer and Lumen Micro as well as Lighting Analysis’ AGi32.

FOR FURTHER READINGCadena, Richard, Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light in Theatre, Live Performance,

Broadcast, and Entertainment (Burlington, MA: Focal Press, 2006).

Essig, Linda, The Speed of Light (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002).

Huntington, John, Control Systems for Live Entertainment, 3rd ed. (Burlington, MA: Focal Press/

Elsevier, 2007).

Mobsby, Nick, Practical Dimming (Cambridge, UK: Entertainment Technology Press, 2006).

Mobsby, Nick, Practical DMX (Cambridge, UK: Entertainment Technology Press, 2006).

Mumm, Robert C., Photometrics Handbook, 2nd ed. (Lousiville, KY: Broadway Press, 1997).

Sandström, Ulf, Stage Lighting Controls (Oxford: Focal Press, 1997).

Schiller, Brad, The Automated Lighting Programmer’s Handbook (Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc./Focal

Press, 2004).

Simpson, Robert S., Lighting Control: Technology and Applications (Burlington, MA: Focal Press, 2003).

dunham stage lighting

Documents

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state lighting solutions

virtual light lab

moving head luminaires

moving head fixtures

moving lights sweep

entertainment technology press

magic sheet