Th 3301 Stagelighting

Texts:  Designing With Light, J.M. Gillette (3rd Edition)

             Light on the Subject:  Stagelighting for Actors,                 

                Directors and the Rest of Us, D. Hays

Instructor:  Tap R. Payne      HFA m105a        phone:  6266      paynetr@morris.umn.edu

Note:  Attendance at this class is required.  Additionally, you must have the text books 1/4"  section and plan lighting templates, 1/8”  section and plan template, and both Roscolux  and Lee swatch books.

GOALS OF THE CLASS

1.  To teach the fundamental skills required of a lighting technician.  These skills include; hanging, focussing, circuiting, installing color filters, and basic repair and maintenance techniques for stagelights and stagelighting equipment.
2.  To give the student a fundamental knowledge of the history, equipment, aesthetics and techniques of stage lighting.
3.  To teach the fundamentals of lighting design.

LECTURE SEQUENCE

1.    Stagelighting equipment and hardware.
2.    Reading and drafting the lighting plot.
3.    History of stage lighting.
4.    Fundamentals of electricity and electrical safety.
5.    The fundamentals of light and illumination.
Human responses to light.
6.    Principles of lighting design.

GRADING

Examinations (6).....................................25% of final grade

Design exercises  (8).............................25% of final grade

Final project (1).......................................20% of final grade

Attendance/Participation..................... 15% of final grade

Shop Hours  (30).....................................15% of final grade

Note:  If your are taking this course for S-N grading, your final grade must equal at least a "C" to receive credit.

EXCERCISES AND FINAL PROJECT

Weekly design exercises will consist of the examination of slides of paintings with dramatic lighting (Ruebens, El Greco, Titian, etc.).

Students will describe the lighting and then draft a lighting plot which might approximate the conditions in the painting.  The written description, the lighting and section plot, and a hook-up sheet must be turned in for complete credit.  Some of these exercises must be done on computer for credit.

Because of the technical nature of lighting design, it is extremely important for the student to know how to operate and use the lighting equipment.  For this reason there is a requirement of 30 shop hours, to be done approximately 2 hours per week.

The final project will be the hypothetical lighting design for a production of my choice.  The scenery will already have been designed.  The project will consist of preliminary sketches, a written design scheme, a hanging plot, a section plot, hook-up sheets, schedules, and loading of all the cues onto a computer disc. 

The final project will be due at 8:30am on Wednesday, May 9, 2001.  You may turn this assignment in early for no penalty.

In the theatre one must necessarily work under the pressure of a deadline.  Sometimes that affects the quality of the work produced.  For this reason, the weekly projects and the final project must be turned in on time.  Failure to do so will result in severe grading penalties.