A quick guide to light hanging at Benicia High School
All pictures and text property of Bryan J Bennett
picture below:
ok, a lot to explain here, this is the ideal way to light the stage for a performance. The circles represent area light that should be lit from 2 directions (see other Figure). The areas 1 thru 5 should be pre set with the non-user serviceable lights that require district maintance to focus/fix. Area's 6-8 should be lit from the irst electric (taking 6 lights and 3 plugs [2 lights per plug number]) Area's 9-11 should be lit from the 2nd electric, (again 6 lights and 3 plugs).
Make sure that when you focus lights however you dont just use the floor as a guide, because the floor is not what im interested in seeing, (especialy at the paint schedule Mani applys). Have a person stand on stage (actors will jump at this option to be in the light, useful, and not rehersing scripts).
make sure to nail them in the eyes.
Every light has a "hot spot". (see Diagram) This hotspot should hit the actors in the eyes. When you overlap the lights, per the diagram below, you want to use the hotspot in the center and make the outsides overlap creating an even wash of light all over the stage. A good way to check the eveness of teh wash is take a white piece of paper and hold it up so you can see the light on it. Walk across the stage (from one side to the other) and look at teh light level on the paper. Where it gets darker, add more light.
Use the Jesus bolt to move the beams of light <-(left) ->(right) and the vertical ajustment knob to move the beams of light |^|(up) and |.| (down). A little tid-bit: The jesus bolt is caled the "jesus" bolt because when you break one and jam your knukles into the clamp, you yell out Jesus. If any of you would rather say Jeepers or something based on religous prefrence, feel free.
So this "focus" area plot is all the general light to make the scenes visible. Other lights will be custom for every show, (Colors, Side Light, Back Light, Gobo's, Fountains, Foot Lights).
Stage Layout
Dual Light System:
Hotspot:
Correct way to hang a fresnel:
Discalimer:
Im sorry for the phalic-ness of the lamp picture, but if you work in theatre long enough, you get used to it!