Light plot

A light plot, lighting plot or just plot is a document similar to an architectural blueprint used specifically by lighting designers to illustrate and communicate the lighting design to the director, other designers and finally the Master Electrician and electrics crew. The light plot specifies how each lighting instrument should be hung, focused, colored, and wired (circuited). Typically the light plot is supplemented by other paperwork such as the channel hookup or instrument schedule.

Up until the development of Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) programs, light plots were hand drawn or drafted on special drafting paper. Though CAD programs and hand drafting require different techniques and methods, the information is presented and used in the same way. In order to be effective a light plot must:
*Have some uniform scale (typically 1/4"=1'-0" or 1/2"=1'-0").
*Define lighting instrument information such as focus, position, color and circuiting.
*A title block and legend containing drawing information, show information and information on how to identify the symbols on the plot.
*Show the relationship of the lighting instruments to the architecture of the space, scenic elements, and the lighting positions. [Moody, James L.: "Concert Lighting", page 29-51. Focal Press, 1998]

Parts of a Plot

Plan View

The plan view illustrates how the light plot would look to someone above it. It contains the architectural information and features of the theater including walls, floor lever, audience area, obstructions, rigging (i.e. curtains or drops), and sight lines. The plan must also include information on the electrical systems of the theater--the location of outlets (called circuits) connected to the theater's dimmers and the available lighting positions--rails, booms, side arms, electrics and catwalks. The plan view also contains any scenic information (called the ground plan).The plan view is the primary view of the light plot and contains the most information on the lighting instruments. [ Lounsbury, Warren C., Norman C. Boulanger: "Theater Backstage from A to Z", page 147. University of Washington Press, 1999.]

ection and Elevation View

The section (side) and elevation (front) views contain much of the same information as the plan view. The section is a cutaway view of the house and stage from either the left or the right. The cutaway line is typically center line. The elevation is a view of the stage from the audience. They contain the theater's architectural information and scenic information as well as lighting positions and sightlines. Most commonly the section or elevation has limited electrical information and is used mainly as a reference for the lighting designer when creating the plot to figure out the positioning and purpose of each light, especially as how it interacts with any scenic elements. The elevation and section view might be provided for the electrics crew as a reference for the positions of lighting instruments. [ Lounsbury, Warren C., Norman C. Boulanger: "Theater Backstage from A to Z", page 176 & 61. University of Washington Press, 1999.]

Lighting Instruments

In the past when plots were hand drafted, sometimes a lighting designer would plot the lighting instruments on a transparent overlay, which could be placed over the plan, section or elevation views. More commonly the instruments were drawn on the same sheet as the plan, section or elevation views and printed on blueprint paper. In a set with moving parts or multiple scenes, this part of the plot may be done several times--one for each change.

The instrument layer contains all the information relating to the lighting instruments. This includes:
*The specific location of each lighting instrument represented by symbols.
*Instrument data such as dimmer/circuit/channel number, wattage, focus, color, accessories, and instrument type.
*Specific or special notes for the electrics crew (for example how a unit might be hung).
*Lighting units that might not be wired to dimmers such as a follow spot or a "practical" (a practical is a light that is part of the set and functions--it has a 'practical' quality).

The information contained in the lighting instruments section should follow consistent, easy to understand rules which are explained in the key. [Moody, James L.: "Concert Lighting", page 48-49. Focal Press, 1998]

Title Block

The title block is a part of the lighting plot which contains several pieces of key information. It contains information on the production including the lighting designer, director, master electrician, and show title. It also indicates the date, drawing scale and plate (page) number. There are also any specific notes related to the drawing given from the lighting designer to the electrics crew. Finally the title block contains a key or legend to help those reading the drawing understand the symbols and templates used in the drawing.

Other important lighting paperwork

In addition to the light plot there are a number of important pieces of paperwork. The channel hookup lists all of the lighting instruments by channel numbers with data on purpose, instrument type, wattage, position, color and accessories. Each of those bits of data may be grouped into their own paperwork (i.e. Dimmer hookup, instrument schedule, and so on).

References