When putting together a theater production, it's important not to underestimate how crucial it is to have a full staff to manage the lighting design. Some production companies may try to cut costs by eliminating a position here or there, but if you don't have qualified professionals handling lighting, you could have a safety issue, in addition to a subpar production.
Here are three positions you should make sure are a part of your stage crew:
- Console Electrician: Typically, the console electrician performs focus and color checks before each performance. They're also usually behind the the light board during the show, making sure that it is programmed correctly and that the lighting design plays out smoothly.
- Master Electrician: It's one thing to be knowledgeable about stage lighting and custom gobos, but it's another to know about how to properly rig these instruments so that they don't pose electrical hazards. The electrician's job is to make sure that your lighting is properly wired and that power distribution is done in a safe, responsible way.
- Technical Director (TD): The TD is in charge of ensuring that all of the various components of the stage — the scenery, lighting, sound, costumes and props — come together in a technical sense, meaning that they are synced through light programming and other technologies.
You can take your production to another level by incorporating custom gobo design into your lighting rig. When used effectively, these can have a tremendous impact on your scenes and help establish the right atmosphere with your audience. If you're interested in finding out more, contact Gobosource.com today. We can create glass color gobos that can be used as scene backgrounds or other elements!
