Five Tips For Lighting Your Event Everyone knows that lighting can make or break a show. Well-lit presenters, colorful backgrounds, and clean sight-lines all contribute to make the perfect presentation for your audiences. With so many stunning scenic choices on the market today, it's important to match the right lighting with the right elements to make visual magic. How can you guarantee a sharp look every time? Check out these five tips on making an impact with your lighting today:
Control Your Space
Control ambient light in the space before you start. There is nothing worse than planning an entire lighting and set design for big bucks when you're competing with high-pressure sodium lamps, mercury vapor lights, or even worse, the sun! Always scope out the possible show-killers in advance and work with venue staff to disable or baffle unwanted light.
Watch for Spills
Don't forget that what you don't light is as important as what you light. A good production takes the extra care to block out all unsightly back of house elements including technical staff, truss and supports, and road boxes. Watch out for light that spills into areas you don't want your audience to see. On the same token, be aware of light that can shine directly into eyes and ruin the show for a few unlucky attendees. You want your message to be the focus from start to finish, not an errant lamp.
Double Your Efforts
Always plan on separate lighting systems for the set and for the participants. While sets look great with sharp angles and bold colors and patterns, people require soft, multi-directional lighting that brings out their skin tone and makes them visually stand out. Skillful use of both types of lighting systems allows you to get the right balance. You can't make them both look great with the same lights.
Mind Your Visuals
When lighting a set that contains video elements, make sure to baffle the screen to prevent unwanted light from washing out your visuals. Simple pieces of black foam core can be attached to the back of your screen to prevent backlighting spills. Make good use of shutters, barn doors, and focusable intelligent lights to direct your colors where you need them. Nothing can ruin a video presentation faster than too much ambient light. Fortunately, some easy fixes can get your show looking sharp in no time!
Back To Basics
Remember to keep it simple. Get the most versatile and reliable fixtures you can afford and do more with less. Shipping and labor costs can spin out of control very quickly. Fewer fixtures means less time for setup and strike, less to plug in, and less weight to haul. With some extra planning, a good design can produce the same spectacle with fewer fixtures and still make your audiences happy.
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