Month: June 2018

How To Understand Color Temperatures In Event Lighting

Posted on by J3551CA

To the regular audience member, stage lights are bright and colorful and are there to enhance the overall live experience of any event. But, did you know that while the lights on stage may just appear too bright white, there is actually an entire spectrum of colors that make lighting effects look as awesome as they do?

So, How Is Color Used In Lighting?

The way we experience the color of light depends upon the mix of light frequencies that reach our eyes and how they get there. The way in which we see the color of light also depends on the frequencies that the object absorbs, and the frequencies in the original light source. Using colors carefully in stage lighting can dramatically enhance the on-stage visuals, as well as completely changing the feel and atmosphere of the performance,

Experienced and highly skilled lighting experts are able to plan an entire light show using a variety of colors that blend so well the transitions are almost entirely seamless to the audience eye.

By using a mix of cool and warm lighting tones they can create awesome looking light shows that add ambiance and fill the stage with energy.

When planning the light sequences for any staged event, lighting directors use a number of different factors, including the use of:

  • Pale colors for acting-area lighting
  • Deep colors for side or back-lighting, or for special effects.
  • Yellows and oranges are “warm” colors for sunny days or happy times.
  • Pale blues are “cold” colors for less happy times.
  • Lavenders are “neutral” colors and can appear warm or cold depending on the other colors in use at the time.
  • Lanterns with no color gels can appear warm due to the high color temperature of the light source.

They will also carefully consider the use of some other colors and types of lighting which will produce certain very specific effects, including:

  • Avoiding the use of green colors for front light – unless these have been specifically chosen to light a witch or evil character
  • The use of contrasting warm and cool colors to add interest and make the lighting look more dimensional when they are using two light sources at once
  • The fact that not all skin tones are the same – for example, lavenders & pinks work better on dark skin than yellow colors.

Combinations of colors can also produce highly effective lighting results.  Using a warm rose, pink or yellow from one side, and a cold blue or lavender from the other side helps to create a wide variety of different moods.  Colors like lavender can also act as a neutral balance and can look either warm or cold depending on the other lighting on the stage at that time.

Lighting Your Studio Set

When it comes to television lighting, finding the correct grid and mix of colors can be a complicated business.  Experienced lighting technicians will be able to not only provide the right placement for studio lighting but also be able to successfully blend warm and cool colors to enhance the overall look and feel of the performance, without leaving it looking flat and washed out.

Here at Frank Gatto & Associates few provide first-class lighting services for network television lighting, corporate industrials, award ceremonies and sporting events. Speak to us today at (561) 368-0101 if you would like to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

The Lighting Control Console

Posted on by J3551CA

Essential Event Lighting: The Lighting Control Console

To understand how best to control all of the many different lighting devices used a large event, you need to have a good idea of how a lighting control console works.  With most of the lighting effects being controlled from one central location, our specialist lighting technicians and desk operators are able to completely transform the look and feel or an event at the flick of a switch.

What Is a Lighting Control Console?

A lighting control console is an electronic device used in theatrical and event lighting design that enables the technicians to control multiple lights at once. They are used throughout the entertainment industry and are normally placed in a front of house position so that they have uninterrupted views of the stage, or in a separate control booth.

Even the most basic of control consoles usually have dimmers that control the intensity of the lights, while more advanced ones feature ways to control intelligent lighting that can move and change colors and patterns.  They can also control fog machines, hazers, and other special effects devices as well.

Because a great stage production is about much more than just great lighting, the technicians who use the control console usually have access to other electronic performance software too such as soundboards, projectors, and media servers.

Using an electronic control protocol, the lighting control console will be able to communicate directly with dimmers and other devices.  There are various kinds of control consoles available for concerts and events, but the most common one is:

Preset Boards

Using identical fader banks called “scenes”, the faders can be manually adjusted by an operator using a cue sheet.  Working from a diagram of the board with the faders in their positions, as previously determined by the lighting designer, the technician can change the lights to suit.  While preset boards can still be found in many smaller installations and older venues, they are slowly being superseded by digital memory boards.

Memory Boards

Memory-based consoles have become very popular in theaters because they allow the lighting designers to digitally record the lighting scenes. Many memory consoles also have a bank of faders that can be programmed to control a single channel or a group of channels, helping to save time and reduce the risk of human error, a well as the ability for programming scenes or live control.

 Moving Light Controllers

Moving Light Controllers are a step up from Memory Consoles as they provide extra features that allow the operator select the fixture or fixtures they want to control using a joystick to change the orientation, focus and even color of the light fixture. Unlike a fader that shows its value based on the position of a slider, a wheel is continuously variable and provides no visual feedback for the value of a particular control, meaning that operators of these types of lighting desks need to be highly experienced and be able to read the data displayed in the LCD panels to meet the requirements of the lighting plan.

Who Operates A Lighting Control Console?

The light desk is worked by a specially qualified programmer – a lighting control technician – who knows how to read the lighting plan and program the equipment accordingly. He or she will need to configure the console’s initial settings and will then work directly with the designer to talk through every scene of the show to set focus positions, color, gobo pattern, and rotation of each lighting instrument. These attributes are recorded, and the lighting desk operator will be in charge of overseeing the correct performance of the sequence during each and every performance.

Here at Frank Gatto & Associates, we have over 30 years’ experience of working with some of the very best lighting control consoles in the business.  If you would like to find out how we can help with your entertainment lighting, call us today at (561) 368-0101.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Rigging and Trusses

Posted on by J3551CA

Everyone knows just how important it is to have good stage lighting at any entertainment event or on a tv or film set.  But, behind the glamour of the spotlight, there are miles upon miles of infrastructure that makes the magic happen.  A complex system of aluminum supports and poles are carefully built to form a solid structure from which to hang all the lighting effects any live show or production could ever need.

This system of rigging and trusses is the unsung hero of the lighting world because without them production teams would be limited to simple floor and ceiling lights that wouldn’t look even half as effective.

What Is A Rig and Truss System?

First off, let’s look at the basics:

Rigging is created using a series of rope lines, pulleys, counterweights and other devices, that enables the stage crew to quickly and safely move lighting and other components around to the back and side of the stage.

Trusses are a series of sticks and poles that can be connected to create a structure that allows lighting fixtures and other staging equipment to be hung with ease.

Rigging and trusses are the behind to scenes saviors of the lighting world, and without them, the audience would have a very boring time watching live events.   Rigging and trusses can be found in theaters, concert venues, arenas and stadiums anywhere in the world.

Who Works on Rigs and Trusses?

Working with rigging involves climbing up high above the stage area, and members of the rigging teams definitely need to have no fear of heights!  Different members of the crew, have different jobs to do to ensure that every part of the rig is safe and that provides effective support for the lighting.

The Ground Rigger looks after the perimeter around the aerial work platform, while the Bucket Rigger needs to be able to operate the aerial work platform as well as undertake groundwork.  High Up Riggers and Rope Riggers will be responsible for the installation of equipment way up high and they are often suspended from the rigging itself by a harness, and they may also need to demonstrate exceptional rope skills.

Why Are Rigs and Trusses So Important for Great Lighting?

The very best way to illuminate a stage is to employ a three-point lighting technique.  In simple terms, that is the first point 45 degrees to the left and 45 degrees up, a second point 45 degrees to the right and 45 degrees up, and a third light 45 degrees up and straight behind the subject.

To facilitate that kind of angles, you need to be able to lift any lighting equipment up off the floor but still be able to suspend it lower down than usual ceiling lighting would allow.  Large venues and professional studio sets require carefully constructed rigs that can contain many individual lights and effects to enhance the performance in front of them, but the ideology is the same – better lighting comes from the ability to elevate your light source.

Here at Frank Gatto Lighting, we have many years’ experience of providing the very best rigging and truss systems for some of the biggest shows on earth, so we are pretty good when it comes to finding the perfect rigging solutions for every event.  If you would like to find out more, call us today at (561) 368-0101.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Behind the Scenes at A Concert

Posted on by J3551CA

Whether you are working with a brand-new band or an established rock legend, ensuring that a concert looks and sounds great is a time-consuming task.  Even before the audience turns up to enjoy the show, there will have been swathes of professionals working behind the scenes to make sure that every element of the performance is carefully planned to look, feels and sounds completely awesome.

  1. Lighting

Great lighting at events is a fundamental part of making a live show successful.  A full lighting plan will be designed by a highly skilled lighting director and his team, who will ensure that every flash of light or total blackout perfectly matches the music or action on stage.  Using huge lighting rigs and a wide variety of lamps and bulbs, the lighting design is every bit as much of a show as the action taking place on the stage itself.

  1. Staging and Equipment

If you are attending a concert that is taking place is a theatre or arena, the stage and much of the technical equipment will already be there.  But, if you are visiting an outdoor concert or one that is so epic that it will need more than is already in place, professionals will be needed to install additional staging, screens and much more.

Planning how to build up a stage is a long and complicated process.  Not only does it need to be as large as possible, it will also need to be solid enough to support the weight of the performers, instruments, lights and speakers. Special effects will need to be considered as well as access to and from the stage area, and backstage facilities for the crew and performers.

  1. Video Cameras and Screens

Many large venues use screens on either side of the stage to ensure that the audience doesn’t miss a thing, regardless of where they are seated.  The screens themselves need to be sourced and set up by professional AV teams, and the camera setup has to be controlled and edited, often in real time.

  1. Sound and Speakers

From earpieces, microphones and monitors to giant speaker stacks that push the sounds out across vast open spaces, every element of the sound system have to be carefully considered before the event.  A team of engineers work diligently throughout the concert to make sure that the sound is always perfectly reproduced without feedback or distortion, and the sound desk that they use will also need to be built and set up somewhere a safe distance from the stage itself.

  1. Controls

The sound, the lighting, and the visual feeds will all need to be closely monitored in real time throughout the event.  This means that control panels and desks will need to be installed both at the side of the stage and somewhere out front for experienced lighting, video and sound technicians to ensure that their individual responsibilities are fully taken care of and working exactly as they should at all times.

Putting on a world-class performance may be the job of the artists on stage but making sure that every single member of the audience can hear and see them is equally as important.

Here at Frank Gatto & Associates, we can ensure that your event lighting is perfect from the outset. Speak to us today at (561) 368-0101 if you would like to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.