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May 2012

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Moving beyond the role of mere technician, lighting designers are artists who must help tell the story

by David Martin Jacques

In the early part of the 20th century the great American theatre artist Robert Edmund Jones stated that the role of the lighting technician is not to light to stage, but to “illuminate the drama.” At the time, the idea that these technicians have an artistic role in the theatrical process was considered quite audacious. Jones’s teachings fundamentally changed how people thought about lighting designers, and since then this philosophy has guided lighting designers in their proper role as theatre artists.

What did Robert Edmund Jones mean? As lighting designers it is our primary duty to assist the actor and director in telling the story to the audience. It’s as simple as that. All drama, whether it is Biblical or theatrical, consists of an individual or a group of people telling a story to an audience. The actors fill the role of the story-tellers, and it is our job to support the actors in this story-telling.

Lighting Design Development
So where does one start on the path of story-telling with light? The best place is always at the core of the story: the script. Whether it is a simple parable or a complex epic, the drama is usually presented to the director, actors, and designers in written form. Although it is important to note that the power of drama is in the spoken word and that drama is meant to be seen and not read, a thorough reading of the script is the obvious first step in understanding the story.

I advise my students that the first reading of the script may be the most important step in the design process. This is the first opportunity for the lighting designer to “connect” with the true message of the story. This connection is what I call the designer’s “point of view.”

The point of view is the designer’s personal connection with the story. All good stories have a universal appeal, and this should be apparent to the designer. In order to connect with the story, lighting designers must find a personal link in their own lives that relates to the story. In addition to creating a starting point for the production, the point of view will also create a personal artistic and humanistic commitment to the production. This is the beginning of the process of artistic development.

After the discovery of the designer’s point of view, the collaborative process begins. All the members of the artistic team meet several times and discuss the overall production concept. Although the director usually takes a lead role in this process, the set, costume, sound, and lighting designers are important contributors. It is through this collaborative process and design meetings that new discoveries about the drama are made.

From these discussions an overall design concept is formed and agreed upon. It is imperative that all the members of the artistic team sign-on to this concept and keep it foremost in mind. It is also important that communication between the members of the artistic team never breaks down. Good communication will ensure that the production maintains its “artistic unity.”

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David Martin Jacques is a professional lighting designer and consultant. He has designed hundreds of productions in the United States and throughout the world. David also consults on new worship facilities and renovations. He serves as Head of Stage Design for California State University Long Beach.   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)