Theatrical Lighting Vocabulary

Flashcards relating to theatrical lighting design

Cueing

Establishing cues and recording them so that they may be repeated from one performance to the next.

Cut Sheet

Technical specification sheets produced by lighting instrument manufacturers for individual luminaires.

Diagonal Backlight

Light that comes from a fixture both behind and at an angle from a subject.

Dimmer

A device that controls the intensity of light.

Distribution

A controllable quality of light, most often considered in terms of angle and quality; also refers to where sound comes from onstage and how much coverage there is in the space.

Downlight

Light that comes from a fixture directly above a subject.

Fill Light

Ambient light in a theatrical space or additional light used on a subject to soften high contrast and shadows.

Filter

Color or diffusion medium for a lighting instrument that alters the appearance of the beam of light.

Fixture

A lighting instrument.

Focus

The practice of creating emphasis by directing the audience’s attention to a particular area, element, person, or group.

Followspot

A spotlight that is used to follow actors as they move onstage.

Footcandles

A measure of illuminance based on the amount of light found 1 foot from a candle.

Front Light

Light that comes from fixtures mounted in front of a subject.

Gels

Transparent, plastic, colored lighting filters.

General Illumination

A lighting system that provides basic illumination across the stage as a whole.

Gobo

A metal frame cut with a pattern that is inserted into the lighting instrument that filters the beam as it is cast, changing its shape, pattern, and texture.

High Sidelight

Light cast by fixtures placed in front and to the side of a subject.

Illuminance

The amount of light falling on any particular object or surface. Also called illumination.

Illumination

The amount of light falling on any particular object or surface. Also called illuminance.

Instrument

A lighting instrument. Also fixture.

Intensity

Strength of a light.

Key Light

The main light for an area.

Light Board

An electronic device used to program cues and control multiple lighting instruments at once.

Light Cue Synopsis

Sometimes called a cue preliminary, a light cue synopsis is an initial summary or list of how lighting cues might look onstage, scene by scene.

Light Labs

Classroom, miniature, or virtual spaces used for experimenting with light.

Light Plot

A technical drawing that conveys all of the information that a lighting crew will need to hang, focus, and circuit the instruments.

Lighting Key

A simple diagram that illustrates the main lighting angles and colors for each scene from an overhead view.

Lighting Score

A table that shows specific information about the lighting in each scene at specific moments.

Looks

Changes in the overall visual appearance of the design from one static composition to the next.

Luminaire

A lighting instrument or fixture.

Lux

The metric measure of illuminance, equal to 1 lumen per square meter.

Master Plans

Technical schematics of a theatrical venue.

Mixing

The process of fine tuning a lighting cue, adjusting levels of light, intensity, duration, and movement.

Modeling

Using light to enhance the three-dimensional qualities of the objects that are onstage. Also called sculpting.

Moments

Changes in the overall visual appearance of the design from one static composition to the next.

Motivational Light

Light that appears to be coming from realistic or practical sources.

Movement

The changes in light from scene to scene or moment to moment.

Motivating Sources

Special types of motivated light that are linked to actual fixtures on stage called practicals.

Nonmotivational Light

Light that focuses on the use of angles, instruments, and color, seeking to create a sense of emotion, a mood, or a particular response to themes presented in the script.

Practicals

Light fixtures that are included in the set that must turn on and off as part of the action.

Primary Focus

Creating emphasis on the most important part of the stage picture, making it more prominent.

Relative Intensity

The comparative relationship between the intensity of two light sources.

Rhythm

The staging of light movement and transitions from one look to the next.

Secondary Focus

Deliberately subordinating parts of the stage to make other areas stand out.

Selective Visibility

Using light to show only what needs to be revealed to the audience.

Rake

Angling of the stage floor so that it rises in height as it moves away from the audience.

Compound Rake

A rake that is angled in more than one direction.