Light Plot, Lists and Schedules

Outside reading...
     William B. Warfel. The New Handbook of Stage Lighting Graphics. New York: Drama Book Publishers. 1990.

Internet...
     The Complete Shop Order
     Focus Charts

Light Plot

1. What information normally appears on a Light plot (or layout)?

The light plot is a plan view of the stage showing where each lighting instrument is located. The instrument type (Ellipsoidal, Fresnel, Scoop, etc...) is represented by a symbol. Each light is identified by a unit number placed within the symbol. Depending on the designer, the color, purpose (or focus), circuit and control channel for each unit may also be listed on the plot.

Today most lighting designers create their light plots on a computer screen using a CAD program such as VectorWorks. The instrument number, color, control channel, etc. (called attributes in CADspeak) are entered into the computers memory and associated with each symbol plotted on the drawing. This information is then exported from the CAD program and imported into a data base or spread sheet program (such as Microsoft Excel) where it is sorted by channel number generating a hook-up chart.

Light plot from the Northern's 2003 production of 110 in the Shade.

2. What is the difference between a Broadway plot and a study plot?

A Broadway plot shows only the location, unit number, and type of light. In the commercial New York theatre the plot is the document used by the electrician to hang the show. All he needs to know is what type of light to hang and where it should be placed.

A study plot, generally used in the educational theatre, shows the color, purpose, and control channel, for each unit . You will often find a study plot on the production table of a Brodway show.

3. What are the two common scales used in drafting a light plot?

1/2" = 1'0" (used primarily by New York designers) and 1/4" = 1'0".

4. What information can be notated adjacent to the instrument symbol on a study plot?

The color, purpose (or focus), control channel and circuit number.

5. What is the difference between an aligned system and the aimed system of instrument orientation?

In an aligned plot, all lamps typically point either up stage or down stage. In an aimed plot, the unit is pointed in the general direction the light will eventually be focused. Most commercial designers use an aligned plot because they are easier and faster to draft and typically has a "more professional" appearance.

6. What are the two basic rules which apply to instrument numbering?

The units in each mounting position (Cove, Pipe, Boom) are numbered from 1 to n starting at the stage left end of a pipe, cove or rail position and the top of a boom or ladder. Each unit is identified by (1) mounting position and (2) instrument number. For example: 4Pipe 5 is the fifth lamp (starting from stage left) on the fourth electric and 1BoomR 4 is the fourth unit (from the top) on the first boom stage right.

7. What is the traditional spacing for 6" units?

Six inch spotlights (Ellipsoidals and Fresnels) are typically located on 18" (1'-6") centers. A 40 foot electric pipe can hold a maximum of 27- 6" lights.

    For 8" units?

24 inch (2'-0") centers.

8. How is a tormentor position, such as a boom or ladder, indicated and detailed on a light plot?

The true location of the boom or ladder is indicated on the light plot. An elevation of the position, showing the location of each instrument, is generally placed off to the side of the sheet.

9. What is the function of the instrument key, or "legend?"

An instrument key is used to assign meaning (instrument type) to each of the graphic symbols. The instrument key below (drafted in VectorWorks) shows the standard graphic symbol (in 1/2 inch scale) for four lighting instruments: An Ellipsoidal, Fresnel, PARCan, and Scoop. The symbol on the far right shows the location of the color, instrument number, control channel, purpose (or focus) and circuit information.

Instrument Key

10. What essential information must be included in a title block?

1. Name of the show,
2. Producing organization,
3. Title of the sheet (Light Plot),
4. Designer's name: Lighting by ...,
5. Scale,
6. Initals of the draftsman (if other than the designer),
7. Date,
8. Version number, and
9. Sheet number: 1 of 2.

A Light Plot created in VectorWorks.

11. Using the light plot, and instrument key above, which instruments are...

Ellipsoidals? Lamps number 1, 2, 7, 12 and 13.
Fresnels? Lamps number 4, 6, 8 and 10.
PAR-Cans? Lamps number 3 and 11.
Scoops? Lamps number 5 and 9.

12. Which instruments are plugged into channel 4?

Lamps number 1 and 2, Moonlight from stage left.

13. Which channel controls the instrument/s focused into the down center area?

Channel 2.

14. Which instruments are individually controlled?

Lamps number 4, 7 and 10.

15. Which instruments are "twofer'd" together?

There are five groups of lamps which are ganged (twofer'd) together. They are units number 1 and 2, 3 and 11, 5 and 9, 6 and 8, and 12 and 13.

16. Which channel/s controls the instruments gelled in R51?

Channels 1, 2 and 3. The three channels which control the left, center and right areas.

17. What is the minimum number of circuits?

Eight. One per channel.

    The maximum number of circuits?

Thirteen. One per light.

1. Hook Up Chart,
2. Instrument Schedule,
3. Shop Order,
4. Magic Sheet,
5. Focus Chart,
6. Cue (Q) List, and
7. Cue (Q) Sheet.

19. What fields (using data base terminology) can be used to identify and define each lighting instrument?

1. The mounting position: First Electric
2. Unit number: 4
3. Instrument type: Source 4- 26°
4. Lamp wattage: 575w
5. Dimmer number: 77
6. Circuit number: 77
7. Channel number: 35
8. Focus (or purpose): X-L>R
9. Color: R34

20. On which field is the instrument schedule sorted?

Mounting position and unit number.

     The hook-up chart?

Channel number.

If the equipment for a show is to be rented (or possibly borrowed) the designer will need to develop a shop order, a very detailed list of all the equipment needed to light the production. This list must include the

1. Basic hardware (4- 40' pipes; 6- 10' booms w/ 50# boom bases),
2. Lighting instruments (24- 6x9 Lekos w/ lamp, c-clamp and color frames),
3. Cable (6 cables 80/100' w/ twofers and 20' jumpers),
4. Accessories (pipe stiffeners and scenery guards),
5. Color (12- 7.5" cuts of R34), and
6. Control equipment (96- 2.4Kw dimmers, Memory control board - 48 channel, 96 dimmers).

If it's not in the shop order, it will not be at the theatre. Link to John McKernon's The Complete Shop Order

22. Develop a shop order for the single pipe light plot in question 11.

1. Basic Hardware
   26'- 1 1/2" Pipe
2. Lighting Instruments
   5- 6" Ellipsoidals w/ lamp, c-clamp and color frames
   4- 8" Fresnels w/ lamp, c-clamp and color frames
   2- PARCans w/ WFL lamp, c-clamp and color frames
   2- 16" Scoops w/ lamp, c-clamp and color frames
   
3. Cables
   8- Cables 75/100
   5- Twofers
   
4. Color
   2- 7.5" cuts of R08
   2- 10" cuts of R34
   4- 10" cuts of R51
   2- 7.5" cuts of R63
   2- 16" cuts of R80
   

The magic sheet, or cheat sheet, is a quick reference, usually only one or two pages long, to every channel and the group of lighting instruments it controls. The information is typically organized by function (or purpose) -- grouped by area, color, and direction. It is used by the designer during tech and dress rehearsals to speed up the process of setting and adjusting levels. For example, if the director comments "Down left is kind of dark," the designer may consult the magic sheet to discover which channels control the pink front lights focused down left and then asks the electrician: "Would you please raise channels 20 and 21 -- 2 points."

Link to the Magic Sheet (a PDF file) for the 2004 South Dakota High School One Act Play Festival. The magic sheet was drafted (using VectorWorks 8.5) on two copies of the floor plan of the stage of the Johnson Fine Arts Center. The drawing indicates the location of the Acting Areas (channels 1-8), washes of Sun (channels 31-33) and Moon Light (channels 34-36), the position of nine pools of Down Light (channels 13-21) and the channels controlling the Cyc Lights (47-48) and the Full Stage Washs (37-38). Link to the Light Plot (a PDF file) and Hook Up Chart (a PDF file) for the 2004 Festival.

A focus chart is a written record of the focus of each instrument in the plot. Typically it is organized like the instrument schedule -- by mounting position and unit number. The focus point is defined by where the designer is standing when the instrument is focused -- so-many feet left (or right) of the center line and the number of feet upstage (or down stage) of the plaster line (or set line, etc...). If the unit is an Ellipsoidal the four shutter cuts and the position of the lens barrel (soft to hard edge) are indicated. If the lamp is a Fresnel the lamp position from flood to spot will be noted. Focus charts are an integral element in the documentation of a design. They are essential if a production will move or be recreated at a later date. Link to John McKernon's notes on Focus Charts.

25. When, in the design process, is the cue (Q) list developed?

The cue (Q) list should be developed near the end of the rehearsal period, sometime after the first run through but before tech. I normally watch a full run through of the show a couple of days before first tech. At that rehearsal I will layout a preliminary Q list. Each Q is numbered, located by line are piece of action, and described. For example...

1. stg up : Stage lights dim up
2. frts dn, FSp Dolly : Front lights fade down and follow spot on Dolly
3. full stg X to DC : Full stage wash cross fade to a down center focus
4. US dn @ chorus exts : Up stage fade down as the chorus exits.

26. What information should be included on the cue (Q) list?

1. The cue number: Q7
2. A description of the cue (action or line): Joe Xs to DC
3. The page in the script (or score)
4. A description of the lighting effect: full stg X to DC

27. What information should be included on the Cue (Q) sheet?

The cue (Q) sheet is the light board operator's script. It indicates what physical actions (for example: Cross fade from Sc1.11 to Sc.1.12) the operator must perform when the stage manager gives the go. On the Strand Mantrix consoles, lighting cues are stored as submasters. Our board, a Mantrix48, has 4 pages of 48 submasters -- which means we can store a total 192 cues. Sc1.11 is is the cue stored in Submaster 11 on page 1.

The cue sheet must include the

1. Cue number (LQ 10),
2. Count (10), the
3. Action the operator must execute (Sc1.11 x Sc1.12) and
4. The level of each channel in the cue. In a computer-assisted console the channel level is stored in the board's memory. If the console is a 2 scene preset the levels must be included on the Q sheet so they can be set each night by the board operator.

If the stage manager does not call the show, the cue sheet will also include the

1. "Go" line or action (Chorus exits US), and a
2. Brief description of the effect (US fades to 1/2).

In a computer-assisted board the Q number, count and channel levels are loaded into memory. After each rehearsal they can be saved onto a floppy disk, loaded into the designer's studio computer, and exported as a text file for archival purposes. Below is the print out for Q110.0 and Q111, the first two Qs of Act I Scene I in Northern's 2003 production of 100 in the Shade which was designed on an ETC Express 48/96.

Cue 110.0
   Text Sc1: RR Station 
   Up 30
   Down 30
   Chan 1@80 2@80 3@80 4@60 5@60 6@60 7@60 8@60 9@60 10@60 11@60 12@60
   Chan 28@60 29@60 30@60 37@50 38@50 39@50 40@50 41@50 42@50 49@50 50@50
   Chan 51@50 73@50 75@80
Cue 111.0
   Text Another Hot Day
   Up 3
   Down 3
   Chan 1@80 2@80 3@80 4@60 5@60 6@60 7@60 8@60 9@60 10@60 11@60 12@60
   Chan 28@60 29@60 30@60 37@50 38@50 39@50 40@50 41@50 42@50 49@50 50@50
   Chan 51@50 73@50 75@80 95@80

From a designer's viewpoint, it would be more logical for record keeping purposes to record levels by function instead of control channel. For example...

Q 110.0
   Sc1: RR Station 
   Count: 30
      Cove R08 @ 80
      Cove R02 @ 60
      1 Pipe R08 @ 60
      1 Pipe R55 @ 60
      SunR R18  @ 60
      MoonL R69  @ 50
      MoonR R65  @ 50
      Blue Wash  @ 50
      Amber Cyc  @ 50
      SunBox  @ 80
Cue 111.0
   Another Hot Day
   Count 3
      Add FSp 1 @ 80

Act I, Scene 1: The Depot at Three Point, Texas
110 in the Shade