A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, 2nd Edition

The Parameters

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107

Photographing the Performance

Space

In addition to the measurements, photographs are

a vital off-site reference. In general, photographs

are invaluable to provide a visual reference for the

overall shape of big-picture things, like all of the box

boom lighting positions on one side of the theatre,

for example. Or the entire width of a curved front of

house lighting position, from one end to the other, in

a single photograph.

Pictures are just as important to provide infor-

mation about relationships. One set of relationships

upstage of plaster line always seem to target on the

distance from centerline to obstructions in the air on

either side of the stage. The relationships downstage

of plaster line seem to concentrate on how instru-

ments hung in the FOH lighting positions relate to

the proscenium opening, and more precisely, where

their light can get around the proscenium (or portal

masking) and get onto the stage. Where can those

box boom lights be hung, and still hit the near the

quarterline mark, before their beams are cut off by

the near side of the proscenium? How far offstage

can lighting instruments be hung on that curved FOH

pipe, before their beams are cut off by the prosce-

nium? How far upstage can the instruments on the

FOH truss be focused, before they’re cut off by the

top of the proscenium?

Figure 4.9 is a list of potential photographs, and

Figure 4.10 shows the matching groundplan reference

points from which they would be taken. Obviously

the way that a show relates to elements of the local

architecture would dictate where additional angles

and views would be required.

The list has been sequentially numbered and let-

tered in order to require the fewest movements before

taking the next series of shots. Each series has been

composed so the multiple photographs are listed in a

clockwise direction. (Today’s photo stitching software

Figure 4.9 Proscenium Theatre Advance Photo List

1 GP Zero-Zero to SR Pros & Wall 1GP Zero-Zero to SL House Wall

GP Zero-Zero to Back Wall GP Zero-Zero to Down Center

GP Zero-Zero to SL Pros & Wall GP Zero-Zero to SR House Wall

2 Center-Center to SR Wall ADC/Edge of Apron to SL House Wall

Center-Center to US Wall DC/Edge of Apron to FOH Positions

Center-Center to SL Wall DC/Edge of Apron to Ceiling Rig Holes

Center-Center to FOH positions DC/Edge of Apron to SR House Wall

3 Up Center to SL Wall B 1st Row or Orch Pit to SL Pros

Up Center to DSL Pros & Wall 1st Row or Orch Pit to SL House

Up Center to FOH Positions 1st Row or Orch Pit to FOH Positions

Up Center to DSR Pros & Wall 1st Row or Orch Pit to SR House

Up Center to SR Wall 1st Row or Orch Pit to SR Pros

3 Up Center looking up; distance between C SL Sightline to SL Proscenium w/deck

last batten and back wall SL Sightline to SR Proscenium w/deck

41 Leg line to middle of each aisle SL Sightline to SR House wall w/deck

(include edge of stage/orch pit/bal rail) SL Sightline to SR FOH lighting

51 Leg line scrape pros to near Box Boom D SL Side Wall up to Ceiling Rig Holes

1 Leg line scrape pros to near 2 BxBm E SR Sightline to SR Proscenium w/stage

1 Leg line scrape pros to near 3 BxBm SR Sightline to SL Proscenium w/stage

61 Leg line to cutoff point of FOH positions SR Sightline to SL House wall w/stage

1 Leg line to cutoff point of Balcony Rails SR Sightline to SL FOH lighting

1 Leg line to top > bot of Pros SL F SR Side Wall up to Ceiling Rig Holes

71 Leg line to top > bot of pros SR G Production table to House Left

1 Leg line up to loading rail & batten ends Production table across top of Pros

8 DS Plaster line looking up to batten ends; Production table to Stage

include proscenium Production table to House Right

DS Plaster line to back wall; include stage H Last center seat in orchestra

93 Leg line look up to load rail or galleries JFirst and last center seat in Balcony

3 Leg line to US side of Proscenium stageKLast sightline seat in orchestra; balcony

10 1 Leg line SL to top > bot of pros SR

1 Leg line SL to SR Box Booms

PROSCENIUM THEATRE ADVANCE PHOTO LIST

UPSTAGE OF PLASTER LINE DOWNSTAGE OF PLASTER LINE