Lighting State Pictures from Tech and Dress Rehearsals

I wanted the opening number of footloose to be as bright as possible but without giving away too much away. I decided to use a blue back light with o/w side light to give it a fresh and open style that hopefully settles the audience into the pace and theme of the show. I also found that the white side light gave just enough depth to the space whilst giving a very shadowed effect on the actors faces and bodies.

For the church scenes I eventually used a metal gobo with a handmade multicoloured gel to create a very simple stained glass window, I found that this looked very pleasing but didn't distract too much from what was happening on stage, I could have used a prismatic and a steel gobo however they were too expensive. I also wanted a stereotypical holy feel to the church so I decided to use all of my general cover at 80% with my white side light at full. However while I was happy with the colouring of the window and the style I was not happy with the shape of the window in this scene because it did not look like a window enough, so during the interval I decided to move it to the other side of the reverend. I elongated the window and also narrowed it.

 

For this scene the reverend sings a very sombre song so I wanted a lighting state that would reflect this. I used very minimal lighting to create a very shadowed and dark effect. I used my white side light to give some depth to the scene and to translate how he is struggling with being pure and relaying messages of being pure to others, white is stereotypically know to translate this message. I also used a spot light to focus the audience’s attention on him completely as this is an important moment for the characters development. I could have used a full front light state in this scene to add to the brightness and hopefulness of this scene however I feel that this would have diminished the vulnerable nature of this scene.   

 

This is also a very tender scene that I wanted to be very minimalist yet effective. I used only two of my front light to highlight the two characters; this set a very warm feel to the moment. I also used all of my backlight to give more depth to the space. However what I did not plan was how the two colours mixed on stage. It created a slight purple hue to the lighting which only added to the feel I wanted to create. It also translates the messages of this moment as "Purple is the colour of good judgment. It is the colour of people seeking spiritual fulfilment."

 I could have used a full state of front light with my backlight however I did not feel that it was convey the intimacy of this moment.