How to Create Special Lighting Effects

Colored Lights

It's a dark, eerie night on the streets of London as the killer stalks his prey. Just as he is about to strike, police searchlights turn night into day and reveal him to his victim. Stage lighting can be as effective as scenery and dialogue in building mood and setting, and special lighting effects are an integral part of creating convincing worlds onstage. Special lighting equipment can generate some of these effects, but there are cost-effective tricks for a theater or crew on a budget.

Instructions

1. Transparent colored gels slip neatly in front of traditional theater lights, known as parabolic lights or par cans. Reds and yellows create a sunrise; purples and pinks indicate sunset. Use blue in night scenes, especially those set in cemeteries or haunted houses. Adding a fog machine makes a scary situation far more frightening. Filtering red lights through the same fog machine imitates smoke and fire, from a small house fire to the burning of Atlanta.

2. Cut tin sheets into different shapes and slide them into the par cans to cast silhouettes against a backdrop. Think of the bat signal and you get the idea. Called gobos, these images can be everything from black cats to birds in the sky or a full moon.

3. 

   Black lights against white clothes makes ghosts, angels and other spirits shine.

4. Shine light through a glass bowl filled with water for a seafaring, poolside or fountain shimmer.

5. White Christmas lights above the stage build a starry sky, or if under fake snow, a winter wonderland. Putting them in a backdrop window gives the impression that the lights are on. Red bulbs in a fake fireplace make it glow.

6. Experiment with light intensity, from soft glows to sharp whites, to create different atmospheres. Try different light angles to throw shadows on the stage that fit the mood the director wants.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't simply rely on the hanging lights above the stage. Spotlights, footlights and even flashlights can be used to create special and unexpected effects. Highlight all lighting cues in the script so you know when they need to happen. If the lighting effect is being created away from the main console, say at a spotlight in the balcony or in the wings, place a copy of the cue next to that workstation.

• Stage lights draw a lot of power. Keep plenty of surge suppressors on hand. Keep flammable objects away from the lights. Stage lights are famous for giving off great heat, and using construction paper or similar items to create silhouettes and shadows can cause a fire.

References

• Onstage Lighting

Resources

• Schools in the USA
• American Association of Community Theatre