Professional Lighting & Production - Summer 2019 | Page 29

using it well makes us better designers.
More isn’t better.
Fraser: I wouldn’t say that I feel
any increased pressure to “stand
out.” I try to provide lighting that is right for
the project. For some shows it’s appropri-
ate to have flashy lighting that calls atten-
tion to itself, and for some it’s not. Most of
my work is in musical theatre and there’s
a convention that musicals typically have
enhanced lighting since they are not, by
nature, realistic. Even in musicals, though,
there is variation.
Guinand: As my world is more in
traditional theatre, at times another
adage becomes the important one – “If
you notice the lighting, there is something
wrong with it.” It entirely depends on the
nature of the piece as to which quote
comes into play. The advances in lighting
allow for incredible light shows that can be
exquisite. There is the risk at times of being
too much in love with the spectacle and
what can be done to realize that, in some
instances, less “show” of light can be more
supportive to the story. In these instanc-
es, it becomes the choice as to when to
use the big effects to accent and when to
focus on subtlety and simplicity and that
requires a delicate skill.
Labrecque: I would not say all
producers or directors are like
that, but yes, there is a tendency to have
a “wow effect” very fast. And with the
tools today, it’s easier and faster than ever
before to go big and make lots of effects
very fast – but they all look alike.
I think, even with the tools and the
new technology today, as designers
we need to have time to think. Subtle-
ty demands time and reflection and I
will always fight for that. I prefer that we
don’t see my lighting design but I’m in
sync with the actors on stage and their
emotions. It doesn’t interest me to do my
own lighting show. I want to be part of a
creative process where every department
is on the same page.
Mumford: I’m privileged to be
nominated for two Tonys this year
for two very different pieces. King Kong, a
musical, is a very flashy and up-front piece
of work and, I guess, possibly falls into the
“big lighting” category, although I’m very
proud of it. On the opposite spectrum is
The Ferryman, a play, which is a much sub-
tler piece of work that I would describe as
“controlled naturalism.” So, I’m especially
delighted that that has been picked out.
It certainly can be true that it’s the
very upfront work, lighting-wise, that
gets noticed, but I think that things are
changing and more and more people
are understanding the various roles that
lighting design plays, especially in terms
of narrative work.
PL&P: Do you think the barrier for entry
into lighting design and operation is
higher or lower now than it was, say, five
years ago? In your experience, what’s
specifically contributing to that, and any
advice for people looking to get a start in
theatrical lighting?
Constable: You need to develop
a voice and some life skills. I think
many of the most interesting designers,
their first study wasn’t lighting; it was
philosophy or literature, etc. Just have
some life experience. And if you know you
want to work with the stuff, and if you think
lighting is about stuff, then work with stuff
and get your hands dirty. But actually, I still
think you learn the most by doing the job
and from some form of apprenticeship,
whether that be in an educational situation
or outside of one. So, there are many more
access points but nothing will beat enthusi-
asm and a good eye.
Fraser: I think it’s harder to get into
theatre lighting design now than
when I started 40 years ago… Supply and
demand has always been an issue, with
more lighting designers (or aspiring lighting
designers) than there are shows to light, but
it seems to have become more extreme.
I think there are more productions to light
now but more of these are in small theatres
and less in big theatres. Unfortunately, the
small theatres pay a lot less, so it’s more
difficult to make a career.
The best advice I can offer is to diver-
sify. Look for any opportunities in the light-
ing industry, whether that’s as designer,
technician, or programmer. If you want to
be a lighting designer, you can still learn a
lot by being an electrician… It’s impossible
to know where a lucky break will come
from, and it’s important that you are fully
prepared to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity when it happens. Also, be pleasant
to work with and respectful of everyone
you meet. You never know where that
person will be in five years. I worked with
an apprentice stage manager who is now
artistic director for a major regional theatre.
Guinand: There is definitely a
need for a greater understanding
of what the technology has to offer. As a
lighting designer entering the business,
currently one has to have an awareness
of so much more than even a few years
ago. At the same time, the information is
easy to access.
The need is very different if you are
in a situation where you are using almost
exclusively in-house gear as opposed to
a situation where you are spec’ing all or
most of the gear. In many of the regional
theatres in Canada, you are dealing with
the equipment that is there, and perhaps
augmenting with some rental in special sit-
uations. If you are doing your plot with no
house inventory to work with, the knowl-
edge required as to what can work to
create the show you are building is much
broader. You need to have an awareness
of what is out there and a sense of what
will fit into your budget.
Lamotte: Interesting question; I
spoke with some colleagues who
are younger than me. Access to the knowl-
edge is certainly easier. There are many
colleges and universities that teach some
form of lighting production and/or design.
Interviews, videos, podcasts, etc. with work-
ing designers are easy to access. Software
tutorials and industry access is available
all the time. It seems that for those things,
the barrier is lower. The higher barrier is the
opportunity to light a show. The opportunity
to make design decisions and implement
them is where all the learning is done. My
advice is be patient and generous with your
collaborators and coworkers; design inspi-
ration often comes from them. Also, getting
more than a working knowledge about art
and literature and music will guide you.
Mumford: Now we have lighting
design courses all over the place,
which is great but also contributing to
the highly competitive nature of our area.
Students now have a lot more technical
training, which is totally necessary be-
cause the technology has become pretty
complex… but it’s important that the art of
creating with light is not buried in technol-
ogy and that emerging practitioners are
concerned with ideas, concepts, and an
understanding of the aims and aesthetics
of each production. It’s also important that
young lighting designers understand the
importance and value of collaboration and
find their generation of directors and stage
designers to collaborate with.
Michael Raine is the Senior Editor for
Professional Lighting & Production.
Summer 2019 | 29