production lighting - Frank Gatto and Associates

Taking in a Broadway show is a magical experience for everyone. A night out at the theatre can be whatever you want it to be – pure escapism, a fun evening out, or a journey to a magical land, far, far away.

Creating such an enjoyable experience takes the skill and expertise of many different professionals. From the actors who enthrall us to the stagehands who keep the show going everyone has their part to play.

One of the most important elements of creating the magic we see on stage is the lighting that illuminates the set, creates the mood and adds all the more drama to the action in front of our eyes.

Stage lighting is a skill all of its own, and those that have perfected their craft to work on the stages of Broadway are some of the finest lighting directors and crew in the world. Whether you are watching a dramatic stage show or an all-singing, all dancing musical extravaganza, only the very best lighting techniques will be found here.

What Is Stage Lighting and Why Is It So Important?

Stage lighting is a highly specialized area of theatre and there are many types of lights, special effects and techniques that enhance the look and feel of every Broadway performance.

Without excellent lighting, the magic of Broadway would be lost, and the experience would be nowhere near as amazing as it is.

By adding colored gels to the front of stage lights or lanterns, the mood on stage can be enhanced as they throw different lights onto the actors and the backgrounds.

Broadway lights can also be fitted with what is known as a gobo. This is a sheet inserted on a frame at the front of the light with a design cut into it. It filters the light, creating a picture effect on the stage. Gobo’s add incredible effects that could be used to create dappled lighting to look like the leaves of a forest or cut to create strips of light onstage which look like the bars of a prison.

The world-famous spotlight, on the other hand, has a hard-edged effect and is used to light characters or elements on the stage to focus all of the audience attention on one moment in time.

To create a romantic feel, the lighting experts of Broadway use Fresnel lights that offer diffused lenses, creating a softer lighting effect overall. To add drama, a highly skilled lighting director will add floodlights to produce a clear wide-angled light, that literally “floods” the stage with white or colored lighting for maximum effect.

Finally, the Broadway stage is a great place to use a Strobe light to create fantastic special effects or to give the look and feel of an old-fashioned movie. By producing an intense flashing light, it can make the actor’s movement appear to be jerky, which adds drama when it is used on its own.

Whatever lighting effects you are lucky enough to see next time you catch a Broadway show, every single one of them is guaranteed to delight.

Epic Stage Lighting from Frank Gatto & Associates

Frank Gatto & Associates offer first class lighting solutions for both television and stage. We have worked with some of the world’s most famous networks including HBO, ABC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, Fox, Showtime, Telemundo and Univision.

If we could help light your next event, speak to 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.

Ensuring that you have the right lighting on set can make or break your production. Too little light and you lose impact, too much and you run the risk of your footage looking overexposed. Getting it just right takes time and experience. It is also helpful to look at new and innovative ways to add light to your set, rather than just using the same old lighting rig time and time again.

Advancements in LED technology now mean that you can achieve an excellent level of illumination using modern LED rigs that are easy to move from location to location and consume less power.

As experts in television lighting industry, we have many years experience of working with set lighting in all formats. Our specialties include network television lighting, corporate industrials, award ceremonies and sporting events, but we are on hand to offer advice on the best lighting for every kind of set we work on.

What Are LED Lights?

LED, or light-emitting diodes, emit light when an electric current is applied. Because only a small amount of current is required for them to work, they only produce a small amount of heat and are much more cost effective to use. They also offer superior reliability, long bulb life, and exceptional battery life.

LED Lights Cost Less Than Traditional Lights

As a first-class lighting company, we have plenty of experience of lighting internal and external sets using HMI, tungsten and fluorescent light technology. The introduction of LED lights to our armory, has meant that we can offer even more choice to our clients.

LED lights cost less to buy, require less energy to run and can be powered via batteries. They are also incredible portable and require less extra equipment to carry around than more traditional lighting rigs do.

LED Lights Are Both Practical and Portable

Because LED lighting rigs can be compact, they are much better for lighting up small or unusual locations. A traditional rig needs space around it to successful light up the area, whereas LED rigs can be squeezed into smaller spaces.

The other reason that LED lighting rigs are so successful in compact spaces is that they work on a lower voltage than standard lights, meaning they do not produce as much heat and are therefore much less of a fire hazard. They also are instant on and instant off, meaning that you do not have to wait around for them to heat up or cool down.

Many LED lights also offer the operation of being battery operated, using either standard AA batteries or v-mount batteries for larger light panels. This means you may not even need a power supply to illuminate your set.

LED Lights Are Incredibly Durable

Because they lack a whole bunch of moving parts, LED lighting fixtures can take a fair amount of being knocked about, which often happens on a television or film set. Transporting to and from venues, or constant movement around the studio can be hard going on even the toughest of rigs. Because their design does not need to ignite a filament, they have virtually no moving parts making them much sturdier than traditional HMI, tungsten or fluorescent bulbs.

Whatever kind of lighting you need for your television set, Frank Gatto & Associates can help. Call us today on 561-368-0101 to find out more about our first class lighting services.