Lighting Design Beyond Theatre: A Process for the Evolving Entertainment Industry

by Allen Branton, Sharon Huizinga

Overview

Lighting Design Beyond Theatre provides a step-by-step design process for live event lighting outside of traditional theatre, dance, and opera, including concerts and tours, awards shows, sporting events, benefits, comedy shows, corporate events, fashion shows, political events, and more.

This book introduces the origins and history of live events, establishes a shared practice for lighting designers working in live event design, compares and contrasts where lighting design process for theatre, dance, and opera differs from lighting design process for live events, and provides practical considerations and wisdom about navigating the work culture of these events. Containing case studies and exercises, the book outlines holistic processes and practices for this career, including building a task list, choosing equipment, incorporating constructive feedback, leadership, the realities of money and client relations, and getting invited back for more job opportunities.

This book is written for students of lighting design and emerging lighting designers interested in exploring lighting design outside the traditional theatre industry, as well as instructors teaching lighting design for nontheatrical live events.

Lighting Design Beyond Theatre includes access to downloadable materials for instructors and readers to use as a project, following along with the exercises in the book. These materials represent the information available at various steps in a design process for a realized show, from venue and site information to scenic renderings and schedule details. The final light plot and production photos are also included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032330457
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/31/2025
Pages:	172
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Allen Branton is a Lighting Designer for stage and television. With a career spanning over 50 years, he has worked with some of the most prominent musicians and performers of our time, such as Diana Ross and U2, and has designed notable events such as the MTV Video Music Awards, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the Emmy Awards, and two Super Bowl Halftimes.

Sharon Huizinga is Associate Professor of Lighting at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music (CCM) and Program Director for the Academy of Live Technology at Rock Lititz. She has been a lighting designer and programmer since the start of the millennium working in many countries and across multiple entertainment industry genres.

Table of Contents

1. A Brief and Incomplete History: Tales from the Wild West 2. Design Process 3. Nobody Knows Anything, You Decide 4. What Is It? 5. Design/Plan into the Entire Landscape 6. The Task List: Building the Plan 7. Counting the Beans 8. Client Relations 9. Leadership Is an Act of Love 10. Readiness at the Speed of Light 11. Learning from the Audience

Editorial Reviews

This book is a gem. Buy it, read it, and discuss it with your friends, colleagues, and teachers. It took Allen and Sharon a career’s worth of experience to develop these ideas and compile them into an information-packed manuscript. Please take full advantage of their willingness to pull back the curtain on techniques and thought processes. It will make you a better professional.”

Jeff Ravitz, Emmy-winning lighting designer, writer, and lecturer, Live Design

“With Branton’s exhaustive experience from nearly the start of the concert industry, combined with Huizinga’s innovative development of the modern lighting design curriculum and pedagogy, it is akin to ripping the ceiling off the room and seeing the sky for the first time. The book is a masterclass in all the genres available to the modern lighting designer.”

Seth Jackson, award-winning creative director, production designer, and lighting designer, Lighting & Sound America

From the Publisher