Being able to control the lighting in film or television is very important, and it can often take an entire team of lighting designers and engineers to get every shot just right. Their skills enable them to create lighting effects that change the viewer’s perception of the mood or the piece and the overall feel of the footage.
A lighting engineer will be on hand throughout filming to ensure that the lighting is just right at all times, and is just as important as any other member of the cast or crew.
Lighting Engineers – A Shining Light On Set
The lighting engineer is responsible for controlling all of the lighting and visuals that appear onstage by operating a lighting board. They, and their fellow technicians are also responsible for rigging lights, hanging lights and moving equipment from place to place.
They oversee the transportation of the lighting equipment from one location to another – from a studio setting to an outside broadcast, for example – and make sure that everything is in excellent working order before filming begins.
A professional lighting company will only work with experienced and talented lighting engineers to ensure that the Producers vision is brought to life. By working alongside them, they can create lighting designs that enhance the on-screen action.
An efficient lighting team is crucial to any successful production. Lighting teams will work at live and pre-recorded media events such as concerts, television shows, movies and public events.
Taking Direction
Usually, the lighting team will be directed by the production director who will explain from the outset exactly what it is he wants from the lighting. It will be the job of the lighting engineers to bring that vision to life.
During the production, the lighting engineer may sit at the lighting board and set different lighting effects in action at pre-determined cues. Often, series and sequences of effects are configured with computer programming, so the process involved a lot more skill than just simply knowing where to shine a light.
Depending on the type of production they are working on, lighting engineers may need to navigate their way around live events that can often be unpredictable and challenging affairs. The key to great lighting is plenty of forward planning combined with the ability to adapt to any situation that unfolds in front of them.
Many lighting engineers start their careers by working backstage at local theaters or arenas. This way they get to understand how lighting effects every aspect of the audience’s enjoyment of the performance. Hard work definitely pays off in this industry, and those who are dedicated can have a long and highly regarded career ahead of them.
Frank Gatto Lighting Engineers
Our engineers routinely work with some of the biggest names in entertainment including HBO, ABC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, Fox, Showtime, Telemundo, and Univision. They can also be found working on the set of College Gameday, NFL Countdown, World Series, Ultimate Fighting Championships and many more major sporting and television events.
With over 30 years experience, Frank and his team are able to design truly stunning special event lighting for network television, corporate industrials, award ceremonies, sporting events and much 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.
