Common lighting positions in theaters

The theatre is a dedicated venue for performing dramas, stage plays, operas, musicals, folk arts, music and other forms of entertainment. Nowadays, theatres also serve as places for screening films and holding medium and large-scale conferences. Common lighting positions in a theatre: 

Front light is installed on the top of the auditorium outside the stage curtain. The light position that projects light from the front onto the performance area in front of the stage and illuminates the actors' faces is called front light. It can achieve general brightness, eliminate the "dead corners" that are prone to occur in the picture, and adjust the light ratio to increase or decrease the contrast, playing a role in balancing and avoiding underexposure in certain areas. However, if this light is not used in combination with other light positions, it will lack brightness levels and three-dimensional effects. Therefore, front light can only serve as basic lighting and basic tone on the stage and does not undertake the main tasks. It cannot be the main light or a tool for shaping images.

Side low-level front light (balcony light)

Balcony light is usually set at the front end of the second floor of the audience seats. It can increase the overall brightness of the front of the stage. Floodlights can illuminate the stage and the part of the audience seats close to the stage. Balcony light can provide auxiliary lighting for TV broadcasts and news coverage of meetings. The light is projected from both sides and the low-level front onto the stage performance area, complementing the "front light".

Side lights (stage side lights)

The light positions that project light from the side to the stage performance area are respectively called left and right side lights. They are used to enhance the three-dimensional effect of characters and scenery, creating a lighting effect on the front and side, and generating a shaping effect. If the light ratio with the dark area is appropriately coordinated, it can also achieve a rich and powerful shaping effect. The human eye is highly sensitive to changes in side light. Side light is the main light on the illuminated surface of characters and scenery, and an important tool for shaping. It is mainly for shaping and secondarily for lighting. To achieve vertical lighting, there should be no fewer than two lights horizontally. When two or more rows of side lights of the same color are projected simultaneously, the higher-positioned lights usually project the far light area, and the lower-positioned lights usually project the near light area. Side lights can be installed openly or placed in side light rooms. Side light rooms should not hinder the passage of the audience and should not block the view of the side seats. The horizontal angle formed by the horizontal projection of the light axis of the side light through the edge of the stage frame to the performance area and the stage center line should not exceed 45°, so that the side seat audience can see the side frame of the stage opening and at the same time not affect the sound transmission of the stage opening speakers.

Side lights at the stage opening (column lights)

Column lights are used to supplement the deficiencies of the front lights and wing lights. With the right choice of fixtures, they can also be used as close-up follow spots. Additionally, a row of effect lights can be hidden at the stage opening to provide more flexible means for lighting effects within the stage. On both sides of the stage opening inside the main curtain, the fixtures are installed on "extendable and retractable stage openings", "upright iron pipes" or "fixed iron frames". There is a lighting bridge on the false stage opening (upper piece), and the side pieces have positions for side lights (column lights).

Ground-side light (moving light)

Moving light is a kind of "mobile light" on the stage, usually placed on both sides of the stage and used in combination with the side light on the bridge or used alone as a modeling light. This kind of light has a high utilization rate and strong modeling ability. The position of the moving light and the angle of the actor, from the perspective of the audience, form a 90°. This light can highlight the surface structure of the object, and the projected light has a strong three-dimensional form.

Top light is the light that is projected vertically from above and is not suitable for illuminating people. If a diffused light fixture with a soft light paper or gauze is used in this position, it becomes soft light, providing general illumination to the scene and serving as a "base light". It can give the backdrop, props, and ground an even brightness and appropriately weaken or eliminate the messy shadows formed by other light positions. Usually, a dedicated lighting boom is set up at intervals of about 3 meters in the depth of the stage truss. The power supply is lowered from the stage ceiling, and there is a cable basket in the middle of the boom for accommodating cables. The fixtures are hung below the boom. The spotlight fixtures at the top of the rear of the stage curtain are generally installed on the adjustable lighting bridge and dedicated lighting booms, mainly illuminating the middle and rear performance areas of the stage. The lights installed in sequence on the booms along the stage opening cornice towards the back of the stage are called first top light, second top light, third top light, etc. Among them, the top light at the stage opening is located at the upper edge of the architectural stage opening, right behind the stage curtain, also known as "first top light" or "false stage opening top light". The basic lighting should be connected with the front light. The lighting method should also be unified with the front light. This light position also takes care of special lighting in the performance area, such as key light, special effect light, follow spot, etc. The top light of the orchestra pit is located at the top of the orchestra pit and shines vertically downward. It serves as the stage lighting in front of the stage curtain when the orchestra pit is raised.

Footlights are strip lights installed on the apron outside the main curtain. The light is projected upwards from the stage floor onto the actors' faces or used to illuminate the lower part of the curtain after the performance ends. Generally, strip floodlights or low-angle spotlights are chosen.

Before electric light sources were introduced to the theatre, oil lamps, candles, gas lamps and other light sources were installed on the stage apron floor as the main lighting positions for performances. They could be said to be the earliest lighting positions to appear on the proscenium stage.

The flat painted scenery or curtain decoration suspended above the front stage area can be illuminated from below by the footlights at the proscenium (either spotlight or floodlight), and the footlights at the proscenium are usually also very effective for the lighting of the main curtain.

Backlight

When the backlight beam falls on the actor's head and shoulders, it can make the actor stand out from the stage background.

The light opposite to the audience's position is called backlight, which is at a 180° angle. This kind of light is often used to create a silhouette effect of objects or characters.

Backlight is generally used to outline the contour lines, separate the photographed object or character from the background, creating a sense of spatial depth. The picture effect appears lively and not dull.

Sky curtain light (background light)

Sky curtain light is divided into two types: sky row light and ground row light. The projection methods include direct projection, reverse projection, and a combination of both.

Sky row light shines down on the sky curtain from above. Generally, several groups of high-power floodlights are installed on the suspension rods. Some are fixed with several colors suitable for the sky (such as deep blue, turquoise, green, light blue, and purple red, etc.), while others select colors according to the needs of the play.

In some large and medium-sized theaters, the sky light and top light are in the form of a suspended bridge. Inside the bridge, there are a large number of floodlights, and at the same time, there are also projection lanterns and special effect lights installed inside the suspended bridge.

The lamps can be used in combination as strips or as single units, and can be arranged in one or two rows. Within each row, they can also be divided into upper and lower layers. The lighting requirement is for balanced and even illumination, and they are specifically designed for downward projection to illuminate the sky background.

Floor-mounted lights, placed on the front panel of the cyclorama or in a specially designed trench, are used to illuminate the cyclorama from below. They can be used to represent the horizon, the horizontal line, sunset, etc., and are usually used in conjunction with ceiling-mounted lights to create a more diverse range of color changes.

Follow Spotlight

Spotlights can adjust the size, color, brightness, and clarity of the aperture, among other functions.

During performances, they can enhance the lighting intensity as the actors move, draw the audience's attention, and provide partial lighting for the actors' upper bodies, full bodies, long distances, and small areas. Sometimes, spotlights can also be used to create abstract and illusory effects.

The positions of spotlights can be set on the second floor of the audience seats at the front and sides, as well as on both sides and the back of the stage performance area where the design requires. They can also be placed on the ceiling of the audience seats at the front and in a closed, dedicated spotlight room at the back of the audience seats.