#STAGE PLOT PRO FRE PATCH#
#STAGE PLOT PRO FRE PROFESSIONAL#

Now that weвЂ™ve discussed the basic mechanics of a light plot, itвЂ™s time to talk about laying out your lights. However, the more details you include, the easier it is to bring up the design again for a later show and re-hang/tweak it! Creating a Light Plot On a Budget IвЂ™ve skipped out on details many times, and the show goes fine рџ™‚. Most symbols will fall on horizontal lighting positions, which are easy to see on the 2D CAD.ДЇor vertical lighting positions (sidelight pipes, booms, etc), itвЂ™s best to note the position on the CAD, and then add in a detail drawing to the side which shows how it should lay out vertically.ДЄgain, itвЂ™s really helpful if you can indicate all of these things, but itвЂ™s not 100% necessary if you are going to be doing the hang yourself.

The lensing / orientation (if not shown by the symbol).

Where the light will plug in for power.

#STAGE PLOT PRO FRE PATCH#

The lightвЂ™s channel patch number, and/or console fixture number.

YouвЂ™ll also want to show which direction the light is pointing if you can.Д«elow or above the symbol, youвЂ™ll want to indicate a few things: If you need the lights hung another way, be sure to make a note and represent it visually as best as you can. By default, a light placed вЂњonвЂќ a truss or pipe is hung straight down, pointed towards the stage. Moving each light into the plot, youвЂ™ll orient them where youвЂ™d like them hung. In a pinch, you could even use a graphics program to create a вЂњnot-to-scaleвЂќ drawing. Start by creating a legend, which lists each symbol and names the fixture type. Ideally, youвЂ™ll use some sort of CAD program (such as NanoCAD, LXFree, Drafty, or something similar) to layout each type of light as a unique symbol. In this case, you donвЂ™t need to go into tons of detail, but it does make your life easier to include the basics.ДЄ light plot can be as basic as some arrows on a napkin. You might even be the person doing it yourself! (IвЂ™ve been there!) If youвЂ™re working on a smaller production, youвЂ™re most likely going to be there for the fixture hang.

#STAGE PLOT PRO FRE PROFESSIONAL#

IвЂ™ve designed professional plots, and they take a lot of time to get right!Д«ut, this is key, as most often the lighting designer isnвЂ™t present during the hanging of the lights, and itвЂ™s got to be done right! While a professional plot can look very complex, yours doesnвЂ™t have to be вЂ“ especially if you are doing community theatre or something similar. It is typically done from an overhead view.Дoes it have to be fancy? No, it doesnвЂ™t. Simply put, a light plot is a plan from the lighting designer (thatвЂ™s YOU), that shows the crew what types of lights to use, where to place them, and any focus notes. What Is a Light Plot? (and What Are All The Labels On It?) It doesnвЂ™t have to be complicated, and it doesnвЂ™t have to be intimidating. While I was intimidated the first time I sat down to make a plot, you donвЂ™t have to be. And while he showed no desire to design, he also wanted to push us students into a box of вЂњtheatrical rightnessвЂќвЂ¦and that was intimidating!ДЇast forward, I never met his expectations, but I learned a lot вЂ“ especially about making a plot! (and hey вЂ“ that rhymes!)

The school had a tech guy who was supposed to watch over us and advise us. By design, I really mean вЂњtweakвЂќ the current layout, but I was excited to do so, nonetheless.Д«ut I had one obstacle.

At the time, I was in high school, and I was tasked to вЂњdesignвЂќ the lighting for our fall production.

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