Stage Lighting Course

Lesson 1 • Physics of Light for Lighting Designers

Covers wavelength, intensity, reflection, refraction, and how light behaves on stage surfaces. Connects physical properties to practical design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Essential Lighting Terminology

Defines beam angle, field angle, throw distance, and standard industry vocabulary. Ensures precise communication with directors, electricians, and vendors.

Lesson 3 • Qualities and Properties of Stage Light

Examines intensity, color, direction, and texture as the four properties of light. Students use these properties as a design framework for every production.

Lesson 4 • Color Theory and Mixing

Teaches additive and subtractive color mixing, color temperature, and psychological effects of color. Directly informs gel and LED color selection in design.

Lesson 1 • Specialty and Effects Fixtures

Introduces strobes, UV fixtures, haze machines, and followspots and their operational parameters. Students integrate effects instruments into cohesive design schemes.

Lesson 2 • LED and Solid-State Lighting

Analyzes LED chip types, RGBW and RGBWAUV configurations, and color rendering index. Prepares students to specify LED fixtures for energy-efficient, versatile designs.

Lesson 3 • Conventional Fixture Types

Covers Fresnel, ellipsoidal, PAR, and strip lights including their optical systems and use cases. Establishes the baseline instrument vocabulary for all productions.

Lesson 4 • Lamps, Optics, and Accessories

Details lamp types, reflector designs, gels, gobos, and barn doors as system components. Connects accessory selection to precise beam shaping and color control.

Lesson 1 • Rigging and Hanging Positions

Teaches pipe rigging, truss systems, clamps, and safe working load principles for overhead fixtures. Students apply rigging standards to position instruments safely and effectively.

Lesson 2 • Power Distribution and Dimming

Examines dimmer racks, distros, socapex systems, and circuit breaker panels. Students calculate loads and design distribution layouts for safe, efficient power delivery.

Lesson 3 • Troubleshooting Electrical Problems

Develops systematic diagnostic skills for dead circuits, flickering fixtures, and dimmer faults. Students use multimeters and signal testers to resolve common field problems.

Lesson 4 • Electrical Safety Protocols

Establishes lockout/tagout procedures, grounding, GFCI use, and personal protective equipment standards. Students internalize safety as a non-negotiable professional responsibility.

Lesson 1 • Lighting Console Operation

Covers patching, programming cues, submasters, and playback on professional consoles. Students build a complete cue stack for a short production scenario.

Lesson 2 • Fixture Addressing and Patching

Teaches DIP switch, display menu, and RDM addressing methods for all fixture types. Students address and patch a mixed rig of conventional and automated fixtures.

Lesson 3 • DMX512 Protocol Fundamentals

Explains DMX512 data structure, universe capacity, refresh rates, and signal integrity. Provides the technical foundation for all console-to-fixture communication.

Lesson 4 • Network Protocols: Art-Net and sACN

Introduces Ethernet-based lighting control, IP addressing, and multi-universe distribution. Students configure a basic Art-Net or sACN network for a multi-universe rig.

Lesson 1 • Functions of Stage Lighting

Defines visibility, selective focus, revelation of form, and mood as the four core functions. Students evaluate every design decision against these functional criteria.

Lesson 2 • Area Lighting and Zone Systems

Teaches dividing the stage into zones and designing overlapping coverage for smooth transitions. Students create a full area lighting plot for a proscenium stage.

Lesson 3 • Composition and Visual Hierarchy

Applies principles of contrast, balance, and focal point to stage pictures. Students compose lighting states that guide audience attention with precision.

Lesson 4 • Motivated and Naturalistic Lighting

Explores motivated sources, time-of-day logic, and naturalistic vs. theatrical lighting approaches. Students justify every source in a design with a clear motivation.

Lesson 1 • Drafting Standards and Symbols

Introduces USITT drafting standards, fixture symbols, and scale conventions for lighting drawings. Students identify and draw all standard symbols accurately.

Lesson 2 • Vectorworks and CAD for Lighting

Introduces Vectorworks Spotlight for digital drafting, instrument data, and report generation. Students produce a digital plot with auto-generated instrument schedules.

Lesson 3 • Instrument Schedules and Paperwork

Covers channel hookup sheets, color schedules, and focus charts as production documents. Students generate a complete paperwork package from their lighting plot.

Lesson 4 • Section Drawings and Sight Lines

Teaches drawing vertical sections to verify angles, throw distances, and audience sight lines. Students validate their plot geometry using section drawings.

Lesson 1 • Load-In, Focus, and Hang

Details the sequence of hanging, circuiting, and focusing a lighting rig efficiently. Students lead a simulated load-in and focus session on a live rig.

Lesson 2 • Run and Strike Procedures

Covers show-run responsibilities, maintenance checks, and systematic strike and storage procedures. Students develop a run-of-show checklist and a strike plan.

Lesson 3 • Production Meetings and Communication

Covers meeting protocols, design presentation, and interdepartmental communication strategies. Students practice presenting lighting concepts to a simulated production team.

Lesson 4 • The Design Process and Script Analysis

Teaches script breakdown, identifying lighting moments, and developing a design concept. Students produce a design concept document for a provided script.

Lesson 1 • Proscenium Stage Lighting

Examines front-of-house positions, electrics, and the picture-frame relationship with the audience. Students design a full area system for a standard proscenium configuration.

Lesson 2 • Outdoor and Site-Specific Lighting

Addresses ambient light competition, weather-rated equipment, and generator power management. Students develop a lighting plan for a provided outdoor performance scenario.

Lesson 3 • Concert and Live Event Lighting

Introduces touring rig design, IMAG integration, and high-energy visual programming for concerts. Students program a short concert lighting sequence with automated fixtures.

Lesson 4 • Black Box and Flexible Spaces

Covers grid-based rigging, flexible configuration design, and low-budget creative solutions. Students design for three different configurations within the same black box space.