Stage Lighting Design

On Stage Lighting brings you information and articles about stage and theatre lighting design below which are listed in reverse date order.
If you are just starting out, you might prefer to jump straight to one of these places:
Crash Course in Stage Lighting Design
Stage Lighting Basics – Free Resources
Rules in Stage Lighting Design
Lighting The Stage
Lighting an Orchestra
Stage Lighting Guides

Backlight – Why You Should Be Using Backlighting

by

Backlight is an important element in 3-point stage lighting that can be neglected on small shows in schools and drama clubs. So what is it, why should you use backlighting and what effect does it have in different stage lighting situations?

Read more

Stage Lighting Apps for the iPhone

by

An up to date look at stage lighting iPhone apps and what they do.

July 2008 saw the start of stage lighting’s entry into the world of Apple’s iPhone apps – lighting themed software that you can use with the iPhone (or iPod Touch) and now, the iPad. Since the first few iPhone apps became available, the market has become awash with beam calculators, DIP switch thingies (seriously, just read our article on how to work our binary DIPs without all that technology) and other goodies. Luminair were early on the scene with V1 of their  iPhone based DMX controller and have continued to develop the product, while traditional console manufacturers have added remote functionality that can be controlled via your phone.

Read more

The Samoiloff Effect – Lighting Magic and Colour Effects

by

Looking at the Samoiloff effect, an old stage lighting trick using the physics of reflected colour, On Stage Lighting brings together the old with some new technologies in the form of colour mixing LED fixtures.

Read more

Equipment – The Curse of Lighting Design?

by

On Stage Lighting takes a look at the curse of the Lighting Designer and some reasons why it can be more of a danger than ever. But you can resist it’s temptations, and we’ll set on you on the road to recovery. Read on.

Read more

Lighting An Orchestra

by

In the stage lighting calendar, the Christmas season is awash with choirs and orchestras, carol concerts and recitals. On Stage Lighting considers how to light a classical concert ,an orchestra or choir (while keeping conductors and musicians happy) including a simple rig design without overstage rigging postions.

Read more

Light Reflection and the Angle Of Incidence

by

The title sounds like an action movie but we are looking at some lighting theory of reflection, the angle of incidence and interaction of light with different surfaces. Plus the comforting constancy of physics and being able to predict what happens to a stage lighting beam once you’ve let it fly.

Read more