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philosophy

Philosophy. Of lighting.

Designing Without Limits

Designing is all about getting one thing: an emotional response from the audience. Nothing more, nothing less. As designers, we are sellers of looks, a peddler of feelings. I want the audience to feel nostalgic when Alan sings “Remember When”, and I want them to feel like amped-up rodeo-goers when Ronnie belts out “Let the Cowboy Rock”. Any lighting look or cue, any set piece, any gag or effect that happens should be in support of what the artist is trying to convey. There’s another, related concept that goes along with this idea, and it’s the idea of designing without limits. This might at first sound like a fatuous trope ordinarily reserved for hawkers of the more superficial self-help material,… Read More »Designing Without Limits

Followspot colors

I generally specify followspots for tours where the artists are expected to walk around the stage, though I am generally not really a fan of followspots. The colors are finicky, the spots themselves are generally not maintained well – a venue typically bought their Super Troupers from Strong back in the ’70s, and hasn’t upgraded since, letting the components rust and get sticky, etc. Typically, followspotting is given to the crustiest, lowest-on-the-totem-pole guy on the call, usually not the person who would be best suited to making fine physical movements. Did I mention the colors are finicky? Lamps for these things are designed for raw power, and if the color is going to drift, it always seems to drift to… Read More »Followspot colors