Stage Lighting Design Software - Choose Your CAD Weapon
As your lighting designs get more complex, you will want to present your ideas and technical information in a clear way and using a computer to help the lighting design process is an advantage. If you can manage your equipment lists, gel cuts and cable specifications while drawing a lighting plan, even better. Stage lighting design software packages come in all shapes, sizes and costs and choosing the right one is easier if you have an idea of the features you might use. On Stage Lighting gives you the inside track on some of the popular CAD software used in the lighting design process.
2D and Plan Drawing Software
To generate schematics and lighting design layouts so that your crew can rig and set up correctly is the minimum software requirement by any Lighting Designer using CAD. You can actually draw a lighting plan using MS Word if you need to (I’ve seen it done!) but life is too short. Any mainstream vector drawing software will produce a nice lighting plan with annotations showing colours, circuits and focus information. The downside to using these non-lighting specific CAD packages is their lack of scaled lighting symbols to drag and drop into your plan. Any drawing software that can cope with the AutoCAD standard .DWG and .DXF formats can be used with lighting symbols that are available from equipment manufacturers (Note: Watch out for scaling errors when importing symbols this way). Small, cheaper stage lighting design software can save you the trouble of importing loads of different lighting symbols with their own dedicated library. These tools also usually come with some kind of functionality that enable you to generate some useful lists such as fixture quantities and gel cuts.
Verdict : If you need to draw 2D plans and are on a budget, get the extra usefullness of one of the cheaper lighting design software packages. Don’t fiddle around with CorelDraw 2.0. Good ones include: Design and Drafting’s LD Assistant and LX Design’s LX Designer Lite.
Design, Draw and Specify
If you would like to get your software to provide extra features such as sectional and elevational drawings, basic 3D views and organise information, then more robust lighting design software is a better option. These packages can often “model” your theatre space or venue, including your set and lighting rig and take the effort out of creating section plans. Using using different views of a 3D space are vital in lighting design, particularly for a theatre show, to help you make decisions of angle, light positions and flying heights (and it sure beats doing lots of different drawings!). Some these CAD packages can be used in either a drawing mode and / or equiment list mode, depending on the way you like to work as an LD. Equipment lists, lighting accessories, gels and control channels can often be generated by the lighting plan drawing process which saves time and effort on your part while electrical power calculations can be easily viewed. Some software packages also give you the ability to view 3D visualisations of your stage, set and lighting rig.
Verdict: If you are progressing in theatre lighting design and do a lot of shows but do not need to pre-plot or see fancy visualisations of your show, you will now have to look hard for such a software package. The use of 3D visualisation in stage lighting has brought a lot of the providers of stage lighting software to move up in the market to include some form of real time lighting control programming capability. Cast Lighting’s WYSIWYG Report software is a good way to learn the basics of the WYSIWYG suite and can be upgraded but the downside is that lighting fixture updates only continue with a subscription.
Visualisation and Pre-Programming
At the top end of theatrical lighting design software, real time plotting of your rig is the name of the game. Alongside full 3D CAD and paperwork features, the software enables you to set up your virtual lighting rig with control systems, plug in a compatible lighting desk and plot your show before even committing lantern to pipe. This facility is most useful with large moving light rigs and helps the Lighting Designer and Operator build up some of the elements of a show before setting foot in the theatre. Conventional lighting dimmer circuits can also be programmed although the light intensity levels cannot really be accurately depicted.
The different software packages available to do this vary in cost, with the cheaper ones often trading off CAD or paperwork cababilities against the facility for real time programming of your light show. All require you to also have a fairly decent PC to run them on plus the hardware to input a lighting control signal (DMX or Ethernet) that will control the virtual lights. Each software package also has the ability to produce fairly good quality images of your show (called renderings) although for really photo realistic renderings, a professional CGI modelling package such as Alias Maya or Discreet 3D MAX is better.
Verdict: Lighting visualisation software such as Capture is good value and produces quick results for pre-programming as well as allowing the user to edit lighting fixture personalities as new models are brought to the market. Cast Lighting’s WYSIWYG Perform is all singing and dancing with 3D CAD, good paperwork creation and comprehensive programming and rendering. It is used by a large number of professional lighting companies and designers on the biggest theatre shows and events but all these features come at a price and a subscription service keep the fixture library up to date.
Have you got any thoughts on stage lighting design software? Tell us which is your favourite and why in the comments section below.
PS. Which ever lighting design software you choose, make sure that you get one that is compatible with other companies and departments that you collaborate with. It is no good if you all have to draw the same plan more than once. Common CAD formats still centre around AutoCAD DWG and DXF (don’t get me started on those standards).
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20 Responses to “Stage Lighting Design Software - Choose Your CAD Weapon”
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On Stage Lighting would love to hear your views or relevant stage lighting questions.
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October 19th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Hi,
My youth group is looking into buying intelligent lighting, but we’re not really sure where to start. Right now, we have pretty good stage lighting set up and we control it with a board that has 24 channels, a few chase programs, but nothing too complex. We want to enhance what we have with a few intelligent lights and perhaps a new board. We’re looking to get a concert-type feel. Can you offer any advice or help on what to look for or ask about? Your website has really helped me-I’ve learned a lot!!
Thanks,
Jamie B.
October 24th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Hi Jamie,
Sorry it’s taken a while to get back you. Your question got caught up in a huge spam attack on the site and was wrongly blocked by our spam filter.
The question of schools/youth groups/drama societies getting into intelligent lighting is a pretty thorny one that is quite common at the moment. This is because the whizzy technology is cheaper and more accessible than ever. If you hang around the Blue Room forum for a week, I can guarantee the question will come up! Or you can use their Search facility to find the hundreds of threads there is with much good advice answering your very question.
The first thing that you should ask yourself is:
What do I need it for?
Quickly followed by:
Do we really need to BUY it?
The realanswer to your first question will be something like:
“We want to have a bit of a play with some cool kit”
This is a prefectly good answer! You can do this without buying the equipment and hiring intelligent lighting is the best way for most groups. You can try out different kit on your shows and learn loads in the process. Then you can send the gear back to the hire company where they have to store it, maintain it and buy different stuff when those lights go out of fashion or are superseded.
If you needed a new lighting desk, then it might be worth considering one that has the ability to control intelligent lightng, like the consoles by Zero 88 or Jands. This would mean that you could spend time with the board to learn about it and not have to hire it in with all those cool moving lights.
When you are working with a school/youth group/amateur budget and productions then , for the price of a half decent intelligent light, you can buy a hell of a lot of conventional lighting that will serve the group well for a long time.
Sorry if this wasn’t the answer you were hoping for. Glad you enjoy the new site.
//Update: There is a related article at Which Stage Lighting Should I Buy….
November 29th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Dear Sir/ Madam
I am a professional Set and Stage Designer for performing arts ( specially theatre ). I can design my plan and sketches with CAD and 3DMax. But I need to find a really proficient software for STAGE DESIGNING. What do you suggest me. The Expense in no matter I want something really skillful.
Regards
Nasim Soleimanpour
December 14th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
A great Program for stage design is autodesk’s architectural desktop. the newest versions are called Autodesk Architecture. the program is designed for architects but i use it to design sets and develop plans. it will run commands like plain Autocad But has special features allowing you to draw walls, floors, doors, windows, columns, and beams. once you understand the intricacies of the software you can create you own tools to make custom objects. almost any item can be given a property set for quick finish schedules for walls or door and window schedules. Autodesk.com
December 16th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Mike
Thanks for you helpful reply. Although I don’t have any experience of ADT, I understand it has some useful features including better on board visualisation capabilities. ADT closely integrates with Viz or 3DMAX if you need really high quality renderings.
As I understand it, there is no dedicated CAD solution to set and stage design. In the world of lighting, we have different needs which are filled by dedicated software.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
I work in the CAD industry, and, as a result, know a bit about many CAD programs. There are a lot of really good CAD programs out there — far more than the average AutoCAD user would realize.
One of the most popular programs for set, stage, and lighting design is VectorWorks. They have a special program, VectorWorks Spotlight (http://www.nemetschek.net/spotlight/index.php) just for this purpose.
December 16th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Hi Evan,
Vectorworks is a popular CAD package in the UK for set and stage design. I understand it is clean and simple to use while still being powerful. I am not a big fan of AutoCAD.
I got “the talk” from the VW Spotlight chaps at PLASA 2007 in London. It had good tools and workflow and did most things a lighting designer needed so maybe it will become more popular this side of the pond in the future. I don’t know any lighting designers who use Spotlight yet.
I have come across plenty of use of the “standard” Vectorworks CAD for planning corporate and commerical events and hear good things about it. In stage lighting as (I suspect)in many other disciplines, CAD is a means to an end and is a vital but small part of the process.
This is probably why I find it so hard to get really excited about any CAD software.
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Hi,
wondering if you could help me at all…
i need to design lighting for my first play soon, and i have no idea where to start!!!
its for my GCSE course, so i dont really have much technical equipment or anything :/
just a few hints + tips would be MEGA helpful if you have time
much appreciated
February 5th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Hi Erin,
If you have no experience of lighting design, I assume your tutors would not leave you to sort out the technical aspects of lighting without help.
The good thing about stage lighting design is that,as an art form, there aren’t really any rules - only budget and time constraints.
Read through the script for your play, noting down scenes, atmosphere and anything you think relevant to the lighting. If you have a director, find out what they require from the lighting and discuss your ideas.
When you have decided on what the lighting needs to achieve, find out what actual equipment you have available and choose how it would be best used (where to put your lights, how to power them etc). Keep a list.
Draw a basic plan of your stage and show where your lights will go. It doesn’t have to be complex (I quickly drew a plan for a little show this week - scribbled on the back of an old cue sheet)
The hardest part of lighting design is to get all the art and ideas into the techincal contraints of the venue such as - electrical power, control, and places to hang the lights.
Keep it simple. Even large scale lighting designs are only a big collection of much smaller chunks.
Best Wishes
//Update: A new article looks at the basics - Your First Lighting Design.. gives you 10 steps in the lighting design process.
February 11th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Personally Vectorworks Spotlight is the way to go. Standard symbol set is fantastic, it is easy to create new symbols from scratch, and the 3D isn’t that hard to catch on to. However, it is expensive.
But, as of the 2008 edition, if you are a student, you can get it free. It prints a watermark in the footer and header, but that isn’t annoying. It is integrated with Lightwright and exports plot data in many formats for easy import into a database program.
Vectorworks is also magnificent for scenic designers, as the tools are intuitive and just plain easy to manipulate.
February 11th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Hi John
Thanks for your heads up about free Vectorworks Spotlight. Sounds like a good deal. I am thinking that I need to review Vectorworks Spotlight for the OSL readers when I get the time.
Maybe, someone who has experience of the software might like to review it for us
February 13th, 2008 at 5:28 am
I WANT TO DSIGN INTELIGENT LIGHT ON MY COPUTER
April 10th, 2008 at 1:50 am
I was wondering if the program Robe Cyber Control is worth purchasing to aid with my lighting designs. What else would you recommend? I need something that will have a 3D interface and is going to be able to control an actual lighting system. I heard of a program called 3D Stage or something similar to that. Do you know what program I might be thinking of? Also if its possible do you know any good programs that can be used on a Macintosh.
Cheers
Matt
April 15th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Hi Matt,
I don’t have any direct experience of Robe Cyber Control (and I don’t know anyone who uses it - perhaps that tells us something, perhaps not). The 3D visualisers in the industry used to be attached to a popular lighting console, but most of the real top end controllers have a degree of built in 3d stage visualisation.
I would suggest that only using a mouse and a keyboard to control a decent sized rig is hard work, so make sure that you get a good feel for any software controller before spending money on it. And if you are serious about pre- programming your shows using a 3D visualiser, perhaps you need a professional lighting desk and separate software.
I have only used visualisers on large scale productions that really need this kind of work (with the budget to pay for it). You need to think if this kind of kit is going to actually improve your designs or productivity.
There are plenty of
computer based DMX lighting control software packages available, a good many of them for Mac.
Not heard of anything called 3D Stage. There is a system called PCStage and I don’t think that is what you are looking for. Info here
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I am wondering if there is any 2D drafting software out there for Mac computers? I am shortly to start on lighting designs for several sets for a TV studio drama, and being non-artistic some software would come in very handy!
Hope you can help!
Liz Powell
April 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Hi Liz
I don’t use Mac but I do know of a Macintosh only lighting design drafting software called MacLux Pro. They also have a free cut down version of the software called LX Free.
Don’t know much about it though - if anyone has any experience of lighting design for Mac, put your comments in the box. Cheers.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Rob, thank you, just downloaded LX Free, fingers crossed it’ll do the job!!
Liz
May 28th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Hi Rob. Im from Portugal
I´m in a band and for now, we don´t have the budget to pay a light engineer, so I´m planning to set the light show (we use click on every songs)in my laptop and running it song by song with a midi pedalboard. Is this possible. If it´s possible what kind of software I need?
Many thanks
JP
May 28th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Hi JP
Have a look at:
MagicQ PC Lighting Control Software and DMX PC Lighting Control Software
As long as you can get MIDI into your laptop, some of these should work for you.
Good to hear from you.
Rob
May 29th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Thanks for your quick reply…
If I´m able to do it, I´ll make a post explaining how…
Best wishes…