Stage lighting

Lighting up a stage is not as simple as it used be in earlier days. Nevertheless, the whole technique has evolved from that initial stage only. More than science and technology, stage lighting is an art as the lighting designer needs to understand the requirement of the director and then work to fulfill the director's vision.

In the times of Homer and Euripides, the technology was not advanced but these smart people knew how to make use of the natural light for the best possible results.
They would act in large open amphitheaters at different times of the day in different directions to make use of the sunlight.
During Elizabethan age, Shakespeare and his contemporaries would present their plays in large open theatres such as The Rose theatre and The Globe theatre.
In Jacobian age, the concept of lighting the stage leaped forward as playwrights such as John Webster used large auditoriums to perform their plays for the king.
They used more than 100 candles to light up the stage. All windows were properly curtained to keep the audience in dark.
From thereon emerged the concept of modern stage lighting. Stage lighting works upon many principles, among which visibility is the most important principle.
Visibility should be given the prime most importance. The lighting director should make sure that the actor is clearly visible to the spectators.
The lighting can either be spot light thrown on the actors while the rest of the stage is in the dark. It can also be a soft light covering the entire stage with no specific lights thrown on the actors.
Professionally, these are the major kinds of lights available in the market: Strip lights,Scoop lights, House lights and Work lights,Spotlights.
Fresnel spotlight, ERS are the two most popular types of light.
Moving stage lights are also an essential aspect which is controlled by the light designer from the control room.