Lighting Basics: Key Points
Why Lighting?
1. To see!
2. Mood and Emotion
3. Direct the focus
4. Community vs. Intimacy
2 general types of lighting fixtures – Spots vs Washes
Beam Angle is the point at which the light level has dropped to 50% of the center level
Field Angle is the point at which the light level has dropped to 10% of the center level
Fixture locations: Front, Back, Set and Architectural
Front Location:
Straight focus
30-45 degrees above horizon (about 30 degrees for video)
Overlap beams and the Beam Angle and before light reaches subject
McCandless focus
45 degrees above horizon and 45 degrees either side
Overlap beams and the Beam Angle and before light reaches subject
Back Location:
Overhead to 30 degrees back
Set Location:
Usually best from floor or above
Work with set design for best results
Architectural Location:
Take advantage of existing architecture and light it!
Both for accent and as a house lighting method
Color:
Warm fronts (Roscolux R02 or R16 jels), R119 to soften edge
Elsewhere anything goes but check on video if using it
Intensity:
Set levels by what you see not the numbers on the console
Enough level to do the job
Careful not to have back and set lighting too high as fronts will have to overcome them
Check on video if using it
Light levels:
15 foot candles is on the low end
45 foot candles is on the high end
Square law:
¼ the light if you double the distance!
Console setup concepts:
Scene – a single static look
Cues – A series of static or dynamic looks
Busking – Go with the flow!
Power = Volts x Current (P=VI) Example: 2400watts = 120 x 20amps
Resources:
churchproduction.com
lightingandsoundamerica.com
plsn.com
www.churchstagedesignideas.com