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FEEDING THE MACHINES
PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS
By BradSchiller
I
find automated lighting programming
is always lots of fun as I am a self-admitted
“lighting geek.” However, all
programmers find there are times when
it can be tough to get our juices flowing
when working on a show. Whether it is
programming yet another song (they all
sound the same after a while), working
with the same rig over and over, or just
doing too many gigs back to back, we
all find ourselves stuck in a rut at some
point in our careers. Of course, these
episodes usually pass quickly, but it can
be interesting to examine how they occur
and what to do about them.
Working with the Same Rig
FTM
If you have ever worked in a permanent
venue, then you have probably
found yourself stuck trying to come up
with new looks using the same fixtures
on the same stage. Sometimes it is totally
acceptable to use the same ballyhoos,
stage looks and chases for yet another
production. Who is going to know that
you used the same audience bally with
last night’s client as you did today? Nevertheless,
it is very important that you
make a conscious effort every once in a
while to program some new looks. Yes,
you still need a standard audience ballyhoo,
but why not build it differently
on the next event? Challenge yourself
to not use the effects from your console
and instead only use chases or loops.
Throw out your usual color palettes/
presets and create new ones based on
how you feel today and the show you are
working on. I bet you will create at least
one new color that you adapt into your
standard set of colors.
By pushing yourself to be creative
and doing something differently, you
will expand your horizons and find more
If you have ever worked in a permanent
venue, then you have probably found
yourself stuck trying to come up with
new looks.
enjoyment with every keystroke. In addition,
the show will look much better
due to the new, fresh programming. Of
course, if you have been working on the
crew all day and have only an hour before
doors to program, then please do
rely on your old standards. In all other
situations, it is important to balance the
old with the new to keep you from getting
stuck.
A New Perspective
FTM
A few years ago, Chris Stuba contacted
me to help him with an upcoming ZZ
Top tour. He has been the band’s LD for
many years and he wanted to try a new
idea. He hired me and Troy Eckerman to
program the show as we saw fit. Chris
gave us his normal cue lists and requested
that we keep the cueing intact but to
insert our own creative interpretations of
the lighting and video. So Troy and I sat
down with a visualizer and a media server
and programmed for a few days. At
rehearsals we showed Chris what we had
come up with. Since the cueing was the
same as he was used to, he could immediately
run the songs with no problems.
Chris did make some modifications to
our initial looks, but for the most part he
used what we provided. This technique
worked well, giving the show a new
look and providing Chris some creative
ideas about where to go from there. In
subsequent tours our influence was still
apparent, even though Chris did all the
programming himself.
Not Another Song!
FTM
Whether you’re programming a tour
or a theatrical show, at some point you
will find it difficult to help the LD to determine
what to do next. Maybe you
By pushing yourself to be creative and doing
something differently you will expand
your horizons and find more enjoyment
with every keystroke.
have already done your share of slow
audience ballys and do not want to do
that again. Or maybe there is another
drum solo and you are lost about how to
make this one stand out. Musicians tend
to be very repetitious in their work, and
I have always wondered why LDs always
want something new. I have learned
that a good method to get unstuck when
working on an all-too-familiar section of
a show is to take a break. Relax for a few
minutes and take the pressure off. Then
think how you can approach this song
differently. Is there a gobo that you have
not used, or a new focus that could be
created? How about being daring and
turning off most the fixtures and going
with the “less is more” principle? Of
course, each situation will be different,
and you should always consult the LD,
but with a little break you can usually
start back with a fresh idea.
Learning the Rig
FTM
I received an email recently from
Mark Jenkins asking about how to learn
the “personality” of a lighting rig. He
says that after setting up the system all
day, he is pretty burnt when he sits down
at the console. This makes it difficult to
get started with his programming. Furthermore,
he finds that after programming
for a little while he figures out what
works best with the particular rig. From
there his looks tend to get better as he
has a better grasp of the capabilities.
Whenever I can, I take the time to just
play for a bit with the lighting rig before
I start programming. I usually do this
as I am building my “standard” position
palettes/presets. I will put in my headphones
and listen to music. Then I program
to what I am listening to and create
some looks, effects, chases, etc., and get
to know the rig. Usually these looks are
thrown away and never used in the show,
but sometimes elements of my playtime
will make it into the production.
I find it extremely valuable to take
the time to familiarize myself with the
layout of fixtures and staging. This is
similar to a racecar driver taking a few
laps in his car to become familiar with
the track. By forcing myself to be creative
“on my own dime,” I am able to
see what is possible without having
to worry about the specific confines
of the show. This is the key factor
in this technique: spend some time
programming the lights simply to
acquaint yourself with the rig with
no pressure to use the programming
later. Just be sure that you leave
yourself enough time to program the
show and that you are not “playing”
for hours on end.
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Climb Out of the Rut
FTM
It can be difficult to determine
how to get yourself out of a creative
rut, however there are many great
techniques for jump starting your
creativity. When you feel that you are
stuck and unsure of what to do, take a
breather and try to think in a different
direction. Alternatively, you might
seek out guidance from others, or just
play to see what is sparked. Ultimately,
you have to break free from the rut
and get the show programmed, so it
is important to be prepared for these
situations. Try to look at them as
learning experiences and you will find
yourself unstuck in no time.
Get unstuck by emailing Brad Schiller
at: brads@plsn.com
48 PLSN OCTOBER 2009