A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, 2nd Edition

The Load-In and Focus Packet

●

253

C

L

7'

9'

14'

18'

UC

PORTAL L

1 LEG L

2 LEG L

3 LEG L

4 LEG L

PORTAL R

1 LEG R

2 LEG R

3 LEG R

4 LEG R

7'

9'

FRONT ZONE 1

3'

10'

13'-10"

7' R14' R 7' L 14' L

FRONT ZONE 2

CENTER CENTER

FRONT ZONE 3/DOWN ZONE 2

DSR 1/4 DSL 1/4DC

16'

USR 1/4 USL 1/4

DOWN ZONE 1

8'-6"

BACK ZONE 1

BACK ZONE 2

5'-6"

18'

25'-2"

14'

18'

CENTER

14'

20'

26'

8' 2'

Figure 8.27 The Hokey Master Focus Point Groundplan

ready to be used during load-in to rapidly spike the

stage for the focus session.

Focus Charts

Once the reference grid of focus point groundplans is

established, it becomes a communication framework

that defines the location of any light beam focused

within its boundaries (in 2, 14′ Right, for example).

The focus points can then be written on a reference

document that will provide this information to the

lighting designer during the focus session. This docu-

ment may be altered versions of other paperwork, or

it may be a unique document the lighting designer has

in hand. Since the lighting designer typically moves

around the stage establishing the focus points, regard-

less of what is used as a reference document, it needs

to be compact, easy to read, and provide the ability

to quickly cross-reference to other hanging positions

in the light plot.

Since the focus session typically proceeds sequen-

tially through each hanging position, some designers

merely use a copy of the instrument schedule. This

is often the focus document used if the designer can

quickly understand the focus point location by trans-

lating the written indication in the “purpose” col-

umn, or its equivalent. Reading “Warm Area 5” as a

purpose, for example, might be processed internally

like this: (Area 5, that would be the first zone, 14′-0″

left of center. Move!).

If the lighting designer is more comfortable see-

ing a graphic layout, the focus document may be the

light plot. Some designers prefer the light plot because

it’s visually simpler to compare the focus between two

instruments from the same system in different zones.

If the lighting designer’s familiar with the plot and has

the focus firmly in mind, he or she may merely make

shorthand notes for specials. If the focus involves

extensive scenery or numerous scenes, every note nec-

essary to point and shape each light may be handwrit-

ten directly on the map. Doing so attempts to eliminate

any need to refer to other paperwork. Depending on

the complexity and scale size of the drawing, how-

ever, it may be difficult to handwrite or read all of the

information so that it can easily be seen.

Figure 8.28 shows the stage left half of the FOH

truss from the Hokey light plot with focus notes indi-

cated above each instrument. Using the light plot