Unlocking the Secrets of Lighting Design: A Comprehensive Guide to Essential Tools and Software

The Artistic Finance podcast has relaunched, and one of its first episodes features a live recording from LDI 2023. A panel of lighting designers from across theater, television, and live events came together to discuss the tools and software essential for their work. The conversation delved into the costs, considerations, and what software might become indispensable in the near future.

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Versatility in Design Tools: Bridging the Gap Between Live Events and Broadcast

The panelists highlighted the versatility of design tools, emphasizing that skills and tools transfer between live events, broadcast television, theater, and concerts. Representing concert, music tours, and large-scale events was Ebony Madry, a lighting designer and project manager with Wasted Potential. Ariel Benjamin, a lighting designer with The Lighting Design Group and the lighting designer for The Tamron Hall Show, represented the broadcast television industry. Broadway, touring, and sit-down musicals were represented by Carolyn Wong, the worldwide associate for The Lion King. Rounding out the panel, lighting supervisor Dani Deutschmann and visiting professor Ethan Steimel represented theater and academia from Arizona State University.

Organizing Complexity: The Power of Filemaker and Vor

The discussion kicked off with Filemaker, highlighted by Carolyn Wong as an essential tool for organizing complex lighting paperwork. Despite its initial learning curve, its database capabilities allow it to hold a majority of The Lion King's lighting paperwork. Ethan Steimel noted that Filemaker is used for a lot of followspot tracking for musicals and advised anyone who encounters it on a project to dedicate time to learn the program, as it will show up again and again.Carolyn also mentioned Vor, a tool that records video of a show with Eos light cues overlaid, as an indispensable tool for remounting The Lion King over and over. It helps designers see cue placements and allows them to adjust timings and light tracking to the performer's pace.

Measuring Light: The Relevance of the Luma Light Meter

Ariel Benjamin brought attention to the Luma light meter, affirming that it remains a relevant and viable tool for lighting directors. With pocket-sized meters available from €299 to €500, it fills a niche between free phone apps and the pricier, but robust, light and color meters.

Streamlining Production: Project Management Tools for Lighting Designers

The conversation shifted to project management, with Ebony Madry introducing Discord as a way to have a central resource hub that everyone working on a project can join as needed. Dani Deutschmann recommended Asana as effective software for production electricians as they coordinate teams to finish tasks throughout the production process. With a free seat for up to 15 people, Dani has never found the need to utilize the paid version. Ebony mentioned she uses Monday for the same purpose, and Ethan Steimel shared his brief experience with Trello, though not for lighting but rather for organizing project lists for Artistic Finance. All three of the programs have a free tier that is more than adequate for production needs.

Visualizing the Future: Twinmotion and Capture for Previz

Ebony Madry highlighted Twinmotion, a program integrating with Vectorworks that she uses to add animated crowds to previz projects. The purpose is to provide renderings for an event to show producers and clinch the job. Twinmotion is available for free to students, educational institutions, and companies with annual revenues under $1 million, making it a valuable resource for anyone who needs it.The panel also discussed Capture, a visualization tool with a demo version accessible to all. Although the demo has limitations of a 90-minute session timeout and no save capability, it remains useful for quick and sleek previz. A single universe purchase is less than $500, making it a reasonably priced program for anyone that incorporates it into their workflow on the regular. Similarly, Vision, the Vectorworks' visualizer, was highlighted as an option for those integrated into the Vectorworks ecosystem. Vision offers four universes within the Spotlight subscription.

Embracing the Future: Staying Up-to-Date with Industry Tools and Technologies

Throughout the episode, the panel's insights highlighted the importance of staying up to date with industry tools and technologies. Carolyn Wong and Ethan Steimel both mentioned that they need to learn Capture as it can enhance design previz and note sessions, regardless of what aspect of the industry they are working in. The panelists themselves learned about new software programs and techniques, underscoring the value of events like LDI in keeping lighting designers informed and empowered.