Task 1

Read through this website from BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zddh7nb/revision/1, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zddh7nb/revision/2 and https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zddh7nb/revision/3

Then answer these questons:

1. What is the most important function for stage lighting?
2. How can you use lighting to communicate the time of day or the location to the audience?
3. Name five other things that lighting can communicate to an audience?
4. As a lighting designer, how can you use colour to communicate to the audience?
5. Why is the direction of the light important to the way lighting designers use lights?
6. What is a gobo? Why might you want to use a gobo?
7. Why is the way you transition between lighting important?

Task 2

Watch this video and answer the questions:

1. What does PAR stand for?
2. What do you need to be careful for when using PAR Cans?
3. What kind of shadows do PAR Cans create?
4. What is the main difference between a Fresnel Lantern and a PAR Can?
5. What would you use Barn Doors for?
6. What are the main features of a Profile Spot?
7. What purpose does the Flood Light have and why would you use one?
8. What are the differences between the Flood Light and the other lanterns?

You can use the terminology on this webpage to help as well: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zddh7nb/revision/4

Task 3

Option A

Choose a scene from your favourite play or musical.

You are going to design the lighting for that scene. It must be an original design, so it must be your interpretation of the scene.

Write down the following things about the scene you have chosen:

• Characters in the scene
• The time of day that the scene takes place in
• The month and season that the scene takes place in
• What is happening in the scene?
• What is the atmosphere of the scene?
• What are the themes of the scene and/or play?
• What is the overall style of production?
• Special notes for the scene (eg something particularly important that effects the stage design).

Think about how you would use colour, intensity, focus and the direction of your lights to communicate the atmosphere, the time of day/year, the themes and the overall style of the production.

Create your designs on paper and draw them. They only need to be sketches. Draw a new sketch for each new lighting state. For your scene you are probably looking at drawing out 6 to 10 sketches.

Option B

If you have completed Stage Design Lesson 3 on Stage Design, the create your lighting design based on the set design you have already created. Build on your notes by answering these additional questions:

• What is the atmosphere of the scene?
• What are the themes of the scene and/or play?
• What is the overall style of production?

Think about how you would use colour, intensity, focus and the direction of your lights to communicate the atmosphere, the time of day/year, the themes and the overall style of the production.

Create your designs on paper and draw them. They only need to be sketches. Draw a new sketch for each new lighting state. For your scene you are probably looking at drawing out 6 to 10 sketches.

Task 4

Answer this question:

As a designer describe in detail your lighting design for the scene you have chosen. You should justify your ideas with reference to the original staging.

In your answer refer to:

• your choice of stage and audience position
• production style
• use of lanterns
• use of colour, intensity, focus and other lighting key terminology