By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

Comparison between different genres of lighting designs:

Music Gig:

A musical performance is a way of performer/performers showing an audience how they are different and outstanding compared to their opposition, by making their performance more exciting and thrilling than any others. They want to create an ecstatic atmosphere for the audience to thrive on and then emphasize. They may do this by having an interesting set on the stage, but also more commonly by using lighting to emphasize their performance. And so because of this, music gigs have become more of a show, than a gig.

Audiences of a musical gig always strive to become a part of the performance within the atmosphere, and a classic example of this, is when audience members hold up lighters or phone lights, to make them feel a part of it. For example the English band, “Coldplay”, took inspiration from this and created a wristband which lit up during different song, which acted as a substitute to lighters and phone lights. This makes an audience member feel like the performer, and the performers look like the audience, which makes the audience feel special, and furthermore makes the band unique to anyone else.

Backlight – 1K (As it is the most powerful light) Side Lighting – Par Cans (On Booms) General Wash – Minuette Fresnel Specials – Profile (To highlight each specific performer)

L.E.D Par Cans (To Create a chase of many different colours, which will change to the beat of the music)

Examples:

Rock Concert (Indoor):

- A performance of music, which aims to involve the audience as much as possible. This could be done by…

Lighting on the audience to make them feel more involved, which will create a better atmosphere and relationship between audience and performers

To create a 3D effect on the performer/s.

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

Fast chases of colour to help emphasize the beat of the music, to ultimately raise the heartbeat of the audience, to give them a more enjoyable experience

Concerts may not always be in “end on”…Other common examples may include “in the round”, “Thrust”, and “Traverse” if there is a walkway off the stage (Which also makes the audience feel closer and more involved in the performance) – An example of this is a “U2” concert, during the “U2 360° Tour” when they performed “In the round”

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

A performer/performers may use a yellow wash for a ‘happy’ song, as in colour semiotics, yellow is commonly used to portray positivity, as seen in this picture below

Although an outside performance is very different compared to indoor…

A lighting designer will have to use higher wattage lights as the stage is the only area with walls, and so if they wanted to have lights on the audience, the lights would have to be very bright for the audience to be able to see them, especially if the performance is during daylight.

The lighting designer will also have to consider the weather conditions, like rain, in which case a waterproof case may have to go over the light (See picture below)

Classical Concert:

However a classical concert is very different to a rock concert, as the aim of the performance focuses on the talent of the performance in a naturalistic environment rather than emphasizing it with lighting. It is parallel to opera though. Opera was inspired by classical music and you can see similarities in both…

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

The musical pit, where the orchestra is placed Grand theatre space in which it is performed The formal dress code Architectural Lighting

The lights are usually on one general wash for the entire performance as the performance is very naturalistic as it focuses on the quality of the performer’s ability rather than the actual performance …

- Golden/Dark yellow gels may be used in lights to create a warm and luxurious atmosphere, which compliment with the golden colours commonly on the walls of an classic opera performance space, as well also using reds, to portray power, importance and passion

Lights used:

Profiles – To highlight specific performers, more likely the conductor Fresnel’s – To create a general wash

(An example of a classical concert)

Shop Window:

The aim of a shop window is to attract an audience into their shop, and make their shop individual, special and outstanding compared to any other of their competitors stores. They use lights to reflect the mood, and style of the shop. For e.g. Yellow Neon lights to reflect a young and modern styled store with happy reflections due to the semiotical meaning of yellow, and also small pin spots to highlight specific clothes, to emphasize them to draw the audience towards them.

Neon Lights – To attract an audience to a certain area of the shop, as seen in the picture below (Trafford Centre Shopping Centre)

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Pin Spots – To highlight specific clothing Fresnel’s – To create General wash over the clothes and the shop L.E.D Ceiling Lights – To Highlight certain parts of the Shop/Clothing

Example:

Dance Performance:

The aim of a dance performance is to capture and then emphasize the emotions that the performers are trying to portray.

Side Lighting – Par Cans (On Booms) ‘Specials’ – L.E.D Par Cans (To create

a chase of colours relevant to the theme of the piece) - I would these lights as they can change many different colours.- Profiles (to highlight specific dancers)

Examples:

Street – Is an urban dance. Like a rock concert music gig, lighting is used to emphasize the music, by being visually entertaining (Bright colours) rather than to portray the emotion of the performer. Lighting may also be used to emphasize the same colours on performer’s costume. (See picture below)

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

Ballet – Unlike street dance, lighting is used to emphasize the emotion of the performer, and also for highlighting the physicality’s of the performer. Projection may be used also, to portray a scene, without a physical set, so that performers have more space to dance in. (See picture below)

Differences:

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

A shop window uses lights to attract an audience into their store A music gig uses lights to complement the beat and theme of the music A dance performance uses lights to emphasize the emotion of the performer/s

All of the genres use lights to emphasise different things.