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