The Role of the Assistant Lighting Designer

The assistant lighting designer functions as a general assistant to the lighting designer. The assistant lighting designer can draw any or all of the associated paperwork- light plots, lighting sectional, instrument schedule, etc. as requested by the lighting designer. The assistant lighting designer may also focus or participate in focusing the instruments, write cues, update paperwork, or perform any of the other myriad tasks necessary to make the lighting design come alive onstage.

-Designing With Light: an Introduction to Stage Lighting, J. Michael Gillette

Last week, Professor Autum Casey-the lighting and scenic designer of My Children! My Africa!- had me go through the play and create my own light cues, and then research pictures, magazine articles, art magazines, etc. for the cues that I found. The research did not necessarily have to relate directly to the scene or action in the play, but it just needed to capture the emotion that I was trying to convey as the lighting designer. For example, if I want to convey "innocent", I research stark, white light--pictures of babies, brides in wedding dresses, etc. If I was looking for sunset, I would look for lavenders and warm oranges.

This week, my homework is to take the light cues that I made, and create a light cue sheet. This sheet is an excel document that has the cue number, the description of the light (ex. innocent), placement in the script, page number, and the time for the cue. Then, I will take my research that I did last week, and create lighting keys. The lighting keys, which I will do in plan view and front view, are sketches that will help me realize where the light source is coming from and how the shadow is being cast. Be able to understand direction of light and the shadows that they create will drastically help me later in the process when we choose light placement on the stage.

Hang the Lights!!

This week, I have gotten the chance to experience hanging theater lights. Now this is no easy task mind you- and I had no idea how this process would even remotely begin...so I was in for quite a treat!

Next week, the A&M theater department is having their Student New Works Festival, and the stage needed to be set for the performances. (Student New Works Festival is a show that the Texas A&M theater students put on to showcase their own original shows.) When hanging lights for a new show, you first need to take down the lights that are currently hanging. Wednesday, I was on the ladder crew. We had to move this huge ladder from light to light, climb up it (with NOTHING supporting us), unscrew/ unclamp the lights, and carry the lights back down the ladder. Sounds simple right?? Maybe for somebody with a background in this field!! I had no idea what the terminology for everything was (and it was scary being on the ladder!)- but everybody working on my team was eager to answer questions.

Next, we needed to go back and hang the lights needed for next weeks show. For this show, we are hanging Fresnel Spotlights. Fresnel Spotlights produces a soft, diffused, luminescent light. When the instrument is focused on narrow beam, or spot, it produces a beam with a central hot spot that rapidly loses intensity toward the edge. When the instrument is focused on wide beam, or flood, it produces a smooth wash of light. In order to know where to hang the lights, a plot is used. The plot is a drawing, kind of like a floor plan of the stage, with indications on where to hang each light.

In my first "crew" session, I took down two lights, and hung one. It was a very intimidating and slow experience, but definitely worthwhile. I feel like the hands-on experience that I obtained, really put everything into perspective for me, and I was able to learn about types of lights, how lights are hung for shows, light placement, and much more. Tomorrow I go back for another "hanging session" and hope to learn more!

Information from:
-Designing With Light: an Introduction to Stage Lighting, J. Michael Gillette

My Children! My Africa!

This semester, the theater department at Texas A&M will be putting on the production: My Children! My Africa! written by Athol Fugard. Here is a quick synopsis of the play:

Set in 1984, at the height of the student uprisings again the government’s oppressive apartheid system, the play revolves around the budding and unlikely friendship between the privileged yet down-to earth White student Isabel Dyson , and the brilliant Black student-activist Thami Mbikwana. They’re paired up to train for a national scholastic competition under the direction of teacher Anela Myalatya .

Myalatya, or Mr. M as the students call him, has been mentoring Thami and considers him his most talented pupil. Thami and Isabel respect each other’s intellect and the bright-eyed and enthusiastic Isabel welcomes every challenge presented to her by Thami. When Isabel happily talks about her journalist aspirations, Thami tells her that dreams of higher education and future success are luxuries young Black South Africans cannot afford.

“Hope is a beast that is hungry but it is a beast all the same,” says the teacher Mr. M, and he fears the animal will devour all of South Africa’s young people. He and Thami clash—Thami complains that Mr. M clings to the old ways and doesn’t want to stand on the forefront of changing the system. Mr. M fears that student unrest will undermine his efforts to educate the young. He believes that the precise and commanding use of the written word can bring about change.

After tragic events that cause Isabel and Thami to end their friendship, Isabel is taught valuable life lessons and learns to hope for a better tomorrow.

(Part of synopsis taken from http://www.seeingblack.com/article_293.shtml)

First Production Meeting

Today the production team met for the first time and got things under way for My Children! My Africa! I have never been to a production meeting, so I did not know what to expect. I did get the chance to meet the rest of the production team, and the director of the play: Dr. David Donkor. After the introductions, Professor Autumn Casey- the Scenic and Lighting Designer- gave us an overview of preliminary set ideas, film clips, and potential lighting possibilities. After this meeting, I now realize how much work and organization goes into putting on a production behind the scenes. I am very excited to see what happens in the next few weeks! My homework tonight: read My Children! My Africa!

Hello! My name is Erin Callahan and I am a senior Environmental Design student at Texas A&M. At Texas A&M, Environmental Design students are required to take design studios each semester. However, I have chosen to go my own route this semester and try something different. Instead of partaking in one more design studio that focuses on architecture, I am going to enter into the lighting world. This semester I have the wonderful opportunity to work with the Theater Department as their Assistant Lighting Designer for their spring production: My Children, My Africa. Having NEVER worked with lighting before- this is going to be a fun experience! As a result, this blog is going to document my semester and what I learn. Enjoy!!