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A gorgeous mix of light, color and shadow creates the kaleidoscope that brings a stage performance to life. “Besides the obvious need to provide visibility,” says Jeffrey E. Salzberg, a lighting designer whose productions include dance, theatre, opera and puppetry, “lighting can direct focus, reinforce mood and theme, and furnish punctuation. It can create a universe-realistic or not-for the characters to inhabit.”
Careful choices make all the difference, says James David Smith, president of the Canadian company RC4 Wireless in Etobicoke, Ontario. “Just as music is not turning on all the notes at the beginning of the show and turning them all off at the end,” he says, “the fluid and dynamic art of lighting design demands control of the available lighting instruments. The lighting designer is the conductor, and the lights are his orchestra.”
To that end, manufacturers and their vendors offer a rich variety of dimming systems to suit your theatre’s needs. Dimming equipment ranges from the simplest packages for black boxes to complex arrangements for the largest venues. According to Salzberg, “dimming systems can range from small ‘shoebox’ dimmer packs that hang on the grid next to the fixture and cost less than $100 to large systems with several 192-dimmer racks costing tens of thousands of dollars each.”
At Angstrom Lighting in Hollywood, Calif., Frans Klinkenberg and his staff install and rent customized systems for a variety of venues. “Dimmers can be small and plug into standard outlets or they can range from 12 to hundreds of dimmers,” he says. “The dimmers themselves can have capacities ranging from 800 watts to 12,000 watts per dimmer.” The most common dimmers, he adds, are 2400 watts per dimmer and come in 12, 24 or 48 dimmer racks.
Strand Lighting, a manufacturer in Cypress, Calif., offers two families of control consoles, the Light Palette and Palette. The company supplies everything from schools to large performing arts venues. Peter Rogers, vice president of marketing, stresses the importance of adaptability. As examples, he points to Strand’s systems, which offer connectivity for conventional dimmers, the latest moving lights and even PowerPoint presentations.
What type of dimming equipment is best for your theatre? Shawn Priebe, sales and marketing director of Theatreworks in Hollister, Mo., recommends installation racks, located in a central area and wired to power strips, for the simplest type of plug-and-play system. For venues that lack enough electric power or space, dimmer packs are a good option: “Packs are fed power near the fixture location,” he explains, “and the fixtures plug into the pack with no distribution system needed.” Another option is the “stick” dimmer, which is similar to the pack but is elongated to fit above or below the lighting batten.
Manufacturers like Strand, Angstrom, and ETC supply a variety of dimming equipment and control systems. ETC, or Electronic Theatre Controls, is based in Middleton, Wisc., and offers two families of dimming equipment for small and large venues. Priebe notes that smaller theatres might consider purchasing gear from companies like Lepracon or NSI. “Someone has to fill that niche market, and they do it very well,” he says.
New and emerging technologies
Over the years, manufacturers have improved on existing technology, notes Priebe, by reducing lamp “singing” (hum), heat output and buildup, and power distribution, to name a few. “The most exciting new technology in dimmers is the LED fixture, which doesn’t require dimmers,” says Salzberg. LED equipment provides the designer with thousands of color options that are changeable from cue to cue.
Expanding on the current DMX technology, Remote Device Management (RDM) allows the designer to assign DMX channels automatically and receive status information from the various devices installed around the stage. While it’s a bit complex for small productions, Smith says that RDM “can be fantastic for touring shows, rigs that set up and tear down frequently, and ever-changing configurations of equipment.”
Ellen White, who handles marketing for ETC, notes that new SineWave technology, which virtually eliminates lamp noise or hum, is a bonus for acoustically sensitive venues with more generous budgets.
Using lighting control with maximum effect and minimum expense
To do it right the first time, rely on an experienced designer to target the right lighting requirements for your theatre, rather than basing decisions on what happened during previous productions. “Many times,” says Priebe, “we\'ve had customers call to tell us they want X-number of ellipsoidals and Y-number of moving lights and Z-number of par cans. Eventually it comes out that that is what the theatre manager had at his last venue.”
According to Klinkenberg, designers should create a “repertory light plot,” a document containing lighting information for that specific venue. “The most complicated light plots are musicals with lots of dance numbers,” he says. “If that can be specified into the venue, you can be almost certain that nearly everything is possible.”
For best adaptability, Priebe recommends that theatres contract with lighting designers who can anticipate equipment for basic genres presented at that venue. Then, if management decides to change the genre in the future, they’ll have a solid foundation to which they can make additions or modifications. To save money, Smith recommends purchasing used equipment, provided that parts and service are still available and the manufacturer has a good reputation.
Finally, Salzberg urges theatres to hire a lighting designer rather than a designer/electrician. “Your theatre wasn’t built by an ‘architect/carpenter,’” he says, so pursuing someone specifically trained for the job is critical.
Making the best use of dimming products available, and what to add
Moving to the next step, how can you make the best of what you have while adding equipment that fits your budget? Smith recommends a forward-thinking attitude: “Solve real problems that have arisen in productions,” he says. “Don’t buy the latest and greatest being pushed by a consultant, dealer or product rep. Ask your lighting designers what they need.”
This isn’t meant as an insult to the vendors; rather, it’s a practical approach: “Because most vendors are not trained designers,” says Salzberg, “they’re less likely to approach the task from a problem-solving point of view.” In addition, Smith recommends querying your technicians, then adding their notes into the overall discussion about what to do.
As an example, Salzberg offers ideas on low-cost dimming equipment: “Shoebox dimmers can be purchased for less than $25 per dimmer,” he says. “They can be plugged into available outlets.” Search for used fixtures online at sites like eBay. As for controlling your dimmers, “there are several software/hardware packages that allow theatres to control stage lighting from a personal computer,” says Salzberg. “Some of these are as flexible as more expensive dedicated consoles.”
Theatres utilizing low-end systems are usually interested in products that are flexible, portable and work across many applications, says Ellen White of ETC’s marketing department. “As you move up into larger and more permanent applications-colleges, community theaters, local performing art centers-you move into higher fixture quantities, and therefore higher dimmer numbers,” she says.
And keep up with the latest technology as best you can. “Today facilities of all sizes are integrating automated lighting (either through purchase or rental), multimedia controls, and advanced Ethernet-based control protocols,” says Rogers. “Many leading manufacturers are preparing to adopt Ethernet-based control protocols for the systems that will allow users to connect devices faster and easier than before.”
Will wireless work for you?
Certain types of venues can benefit greatly from wireless dimming. “It’s particularly handy for repertory houses where multiple shows run concurrently,” says Smith. Because many productions require items like table lamps, sconces, gas lanterns, special effect lighting, ringing telephones and puffs of smoke, a battery-powered wireless DMX dimmer inside each piece makes lighting simple and convenient.
Theme parks and specialty shows make use of wireless technology as well. “Shows that might be held on a barge or other remote area,” says Priebe, “might choose wireless just to avoid having to operate the console at the spot of the performance.” Wireless is a good choice when running DMX cable just isn’t possible or when the cable might be an eyesore. Eliminating a control cable will also minimize the possibility of malfunctions and short-circuiting.
DMX-controlled dimmers are small and affordable, says Smith, who adds that it’s relatively easy to install a 50-watt MR16 lamp “just about anywhere”-even inside a costume. “Wireless low-voltage dimmers are, for the first time ever, small enough to hide anywhere,” adds Smith. “Now they’re the size of a matchbox. Finally, a wireless DMX-controlled dimmer that fits in a candlestick!”
However, vendors and lighting designers caution that theatre administrators should look at wireless capability only as a final option. “Wireless is more expensive and less reliable than wired lighting,” says Salzberg. Adds Priebe: “If your system is working just fine and there are no cable-related issues, it would not be cost-effective to make the change simply to ‘go wireless.’ However, convenience plays a factor in the ultimate decision at hand.” Going wireless allows more versatility as far as control goes, he says.
No matter what the budget, Smith says that every theatre can benefit from purchasing a few low-voltage wireless dimmers. First, though, he urges administrators to ask the following questions: “Do you need a DMX feed in a location where there is no existing wiring? Do you need to put the main console in different positions for various utilizations of your space? Will you be touring your production into venues with questionable house DMX wiring?”
From a basic console with a traditional rack to a souped-up controller wired to an Ethernet network, dimming technology can suit any theatre’s needs. Just remember a few key items when choosing or upgrading your equipment: “Purchase items that will directly, visibly, improve the viewer experience as a show unfolds on your stage,” says James David Smith. “Do it with equipment that is reliable, serviceable, and affordable for you and your people.”
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