CONTROLLABLE QUALITIES OF LIGHT AND FUNCTIONS

OF STAGE LIGHT

Distribution

Distribution of light is broken down into The direction from which the light approaches

an area, actor, or object

The shape and size that the area is covered by light

The quality of light- its diffusion or clarity

INTENSITY

Intensity is the actual amount, or level of brightness, of light that strikes the stage or actor.

Intensity ranges from total darkness, to painfully brilliant ,blinding white light

Movement

Can be broken down into three categories

The timed duration of light cues Quick black out Slow Fade to Black Cross Fade transition A Bump in Intensity

The movement of onstage lights such as a flashlight or lantern a character is holding on stage

Or moving lights (like at a rock concert)

Color

Tinted light can create psychological responses for the audience

It is a powerful tool for a lighting designer

Functions of Stage Light

To increase the audience’s understanding and appreciation of a play, stage light must perform several basic functions

Visibility

The word “Theatre” comes from Greek “Theatron” meaning “Seeing Place”

An old adage in the theatre is “If you can’t see them you can’t hear them”

Stage light must make the actors, set, and costumes visible to the spectators

Color, direction, and intensity all effect visibility

Focus

It is human nature to look at a brighter area or movement in a neutral scene

Lighting designers use this trick to select where the spectator looks on stage.

Like a movie camera can zoom in to control what the audience is looking at, a spot light will control where the audience is looking at a large musical number

Modeling

Direction of light is the primary element in modeling

Modeling is the revealing of the form of an object through the use of highlight and shadow

Mood

Creating a sun set or the creepy shadows of bare branches in the woods can create a certain mood for the audience.

A lighting designer does not want to force a mood upon a scene but rather subtly enhance the mood of the scene

You will now see a few frames from movies.

I want you to think about what properties of light are being controlled and how is it altering the function of light?