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Designing lighting for any venue or environment can feel like a daunting task! If you are overwhelmed by the thought of it, you are not alone. Remember that everyone had to start somewhere, including lighting designers.

Whether you hope to gain a better understanding of lighting design as you get into the world of directing and producing or you are discovering that lighting design may be a new passion, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.

So where does a lighting designer begin? As with most everything else in life, you start at the beginning!

Resources Abound for Beginners

Before touching your first control board or schematics template, the most important step is to learn from those who have gone before you. There are countless lighting design books, blogs, videos, and guides that quickly turn novices into pros.

Doing a little research with turn up a handful of resources that are based on a production house and the level of equipment like your own. Of course, to know what you have at your disposal, you will need to do an inventory of the rigs in your space.

If there is not a well-documented lighting inventory and schematic already, those who come after you will be grateful that you took the time to create one!

Once you have a grasp on the capabilities of your venue, begin to decide the feel of each scene in the production. In this step, inspiration will go a long way. Take a look at similar productions to get a good idea of what you think creates the right—and wrong—mood for your own show.

Detailed Delivery is Critical to Design

After a lighting designer determines the mood for each scene and segment of the production for which you are designing, begin to sync cues with the script or run of show. Timing is just as important as programming when it comes to designing lighting.

The right design at the wrong time is still wrong. Some details to consider when timing out the design include:

• The use of blackouts
• Duration of fades
• Using houselights during transitions on stage

Once you implement your lighting design, everyone will think you are an expert and come to you for tips!

Many novice designers will desire updated equipment as they finalize their design. For more on the latest lighting products get in touch with us online today!