While watching a show, some people do not take a keen eye on the efforts made to succeed. This does not mean that people do this on purpose; some are caught up by the action on the stage. If you have ever attended a show or watched a recording of a decent show such as aida playbill, there is a likelihood that the lighting might have pricked your senses.
Stage lighting is largely about the placement of the fixtures. How an event organizer places the light fixtures on stage matters a lot. Stage lighting layouts generally employ some fundamental placements. Therefore, the key to getting the best results is to master the basics of stage lighting. Therefore, anyone working on stage lighting can only get the job done if they get the basics right.
Front Lighting
Front lighting, as the name suggests, focuses on lighting areas where the action is. This means that the fixtures should be positioned in a way that ensures the performers get maximum illumination.
In most cases, the fixtures are placed just above the performers, with the beam directed slightly downwards and not head-on. Ideally, the most important thing about the placement of the front light is to ensure they light up the stage without blinding the performers.
Notably, there are instances when the lights can be placed at lower positions. In the case of the lights placed on the lower front edge of the stage, the lights have to be pointed up to serve their purpose optimally.
Front lighting can take various forms. Fundamentally, the position of any fixture should aid in providing optimal stage illumination while ensuring that the beams do not affect the actors on stage.
Back Lighting
Backlighting is focused on the performer’s back. Ideally, backlights are placed at a completely different angle. These lights serve two main purposes: ensuring the subjects do not cast shadows and creating an element of visual separation. It is also worth noting that backlighting comes in handy when you want to set a certain mood.
It would help if you also thought about the possibility of having multiple backlights on the stage. Multiple lights give you the needed flexibility in covering performers who are constantly on stage.
Fundamentally, both the front and backlighting are the fundamentals of any stage layout. All you need is to do is to establish ways of bringing the show to life.