WITH LIGHTING AND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ONE CAN TRULY DEFY GRAVITY

This presentation is adapted from a PowerPoint presentation

by

Spike Wilson

Theatre artist at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

STAGE LIGHTING

INSTRUMENTS

Parts, Maintenance, Safety, and Use

Learning Goals

1. Learn the exterior and interior parts of a stage lighting instrument.

2. Use the instrument as a learning tool: learn the practical and artistic uses of stage lighting.

3. Use the instrument as a learning tool: learn what trades and fields of study go into the creation and use of stage instruments.

4. Have a general concept of a) how the instrument works, b) how to maintain the instrument, and c) general safety measures for the instrument.

This presentation is only the beginning

of your learning process.

Review of the PowerPoint and application in the lab

make up the rest of your learning process!

Lighting Lingo

Stage lights are called “instruments.” The bulbs in instruments are called

“lamps.” Putting an instrument up on the grid is

called “hanging.” A “circuit” is an outlet in the wall. Plugging in the instrument to a circuit is

called “patching.” Pointing an instrument in the appropriate

direction, and adjusting the beam width and shape, are called “focusing.”

Parts of an Instrument

To understand the parts of a lighting instrument, we will look at one of the most common examples…

… an ETC Source Four ERS 750 (36˚).

The “Lekko”

Parts of an Instrument

ETC Par Four 750 (36˚) means…

ETC = Electronic Theatre Controls ®

ERS = Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight

750 = Maximum Wattage Rating (750 watts)We use 500 watt bulbs at the

Emerson!36˚ = Field Angle

ETC Source Four

Ellipsoidal Reflector Spot

ERS 750(36˚)

C-Clamp (Pipe Clamp)

Yoke

Lamp Housing

Power Cable (Pigtail)

Shutter Handle

Gel Frame Holder

Grand Stage Pin (GSP)

Instrument Barrel

(Lens Tube inside)

ReflectorHousing

Now that you are acquainted with the parts of a stage lighting instrument, let’s see what different trades and fields of study go into its construction.

Physics & Machining

Physics, Machining,

& Industrial Tech

Electrical Engineering

Electrics & Energy Tech

Visual Art, Color Theory, & OpticsElectrical

Engineering & Energy Tech

Machining & Industrial Tech

HVAC

In other words…

There’s a lot of “tech” in theatre technology.

Close-up of

Stage Pin Edison

Most professional theaters! The Emerson’s as well as your home

Close-up of Lamp Housing (Rear View)

Secures Lamp

Housing

Adjusts Angle & Position of Lamp (Bulb) within Housing

Close-up of Barrel and Gel Frame Holder

SLIDER HANDLE:Adjusts edges of light “throw”

GEL CLIP: Secures Gel Frame and Color Gel

BEAM FOCUSKNOB:Adjusts sharpness of light edge

GEL FRAMEHOLDER: Holds Gel Frame and Color Gel in place

Interior of Lamp Housing

Interior of Lamp Housing

Interior of Lamp Housing

Lamp Clip

Pigtail

Bolt secures lamp housing

Lamp(Bulb)

Lamp (Never Touch Glass)

LAMP Specs

• Watts: 750 Volts: 77-115

• Amperage: 6.52

• 300 “life hours” (total hours of use at full intensity)• Lumens: 23,000

• Total length: 4 - 4.170 inches.

• Glass Shape: T

• Diameter of glass: 0.75 inches

• Base: G9.5 Heatsink (two pin)

• Filament Type: 4C8 (Tungsten)

• Gas around filament: Halogen

• Price (2013): about $34 to $45

Reflector Housing(exterior without lamp housing)

C-Clamp

Twisthandlecontrolsyokeposition.

Yoke

Rear of Instrument(interior without lamp housing)

Glass portion of lamp (bulb) fits through here.

Since a lamp (bulb) shines in all directions, the reflector redirects the light through the barrel and out the front of the instrument.

Shutter Operation

shutters in “pulled”

positionShape of light on flat surface

= =

=“shuttered”

light = Shape of light on flat surface

Lens Tube and Inner Lens(from rear)

Interior of Lens Tube (with Inner and Outer Lenses)

Inner Lens

OuterLens

Gel Frame Holder

FRONTOF

BARREL

Instrument Components

Instrument Components

How Light Travels through the ERS Lighting Instrument

Yellow lines with arrows = beams of light originating from lamp.

Glass portion of LAMP

REFLECTOR

Small Plano Convex LENS

Large PlanoConvex LENS

Wall of lens tube: both sides are black-painted metal (to reduce reflectivity)

Wall of lens tube: both sides are black-painted metal (to reduce reflectivity)

Cleaning Instrument Exterior

This is as simple as using canned air or a dry, soft

washcloth!

Cleaning Instrument Interior (Metal Parts)

This is (also) as simple as using canned air or a dry,

soft washcloth!

General Safety Precautions1) Follow general electricity precautions (e.g., never touch anything

electrical with wet hands).

2) Heat-resistant gloves are recommended. Even the exterior of an instrument becomes very hot within a few minutes!

3) NEVER look directly into the lens of the light when less than 5 feet from it.

4) NEVER look directly at a lamp that is on but not in the lamp housing!

5) Violation of rules 3 and 4 can cause permanent damage to the retinas of your eyes.

6) BEFORE you take both hands off the instrument, ALWAYS make sure a) the pipe clamp is fully tightened, andb) the safety cable is attached to both the instrument and the pipe or

batten.

7) Always tie your wrench to your belt loop with theatrical tie-line.

The Instrument in Action

Example of silhouette (back) lighting.

Example of multidirectional, Overhead (top) lighting.

What can Stage Lighting do?

PRACTICAL USES Indicate and separate locations. Hide or reveal people

and objects. Show passage of time, time of day, season, beginning/end

of scene or play. Project shadows. Create colors and shapes on surfaces.

ARTISTIC USES Establish mood. Highlight aspects of plot. Indicate a character’s emotional state. Establish the “Fourth Wall” (division between the plot’s

world and audience’s world).

Mood Lighting Effect: Foreboding

Production: Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre’s Nocturnal Wanderer by Gao Xingjian. Director: Paul “Spike” Wilson. Lighting Designer: Peter Fedyshin. Photo by: Heather Garmin

Lighting Effect: Plot Highlight(an abandoned shoe)

Lighting Effects

+ +Sourc

e4

Gobo Holder

Gobo

=

Seasonal Lighting Effect: Winter

Photo owned by Real Sound and Vision, Inc. Fair Use applies.

Lighting Lab See Effects of

Top LightFront LightBack Light

Hi Sides LightFootlightSpecials

The ERF Ellipsoidal Reflector Flood (aka Fresnel)

The InsidesThe

Reflector

The Lens

TheEllipsoidalLensThe

Fresnel Lens

Eliminates Wasteful Glass

To Fresnel or not to Fresnel

Pros

CheapLightweightSoft Edges

Cons

Hard To FocusLimited to wash

Very Hot

UsesBacklightFill Light

The Parcan

Basically a can with a Spotlight

Cheap Concert Lighting

Other Popular Instruments

R40 Strip Lights

3 circuits

Scoop

The inky Follow spot

Lighting Lab

Hang and circuit an ERS, ERF, and Par can into the grid

Compare and Contrast the Instruments