Lighting designers love their toys. No technology in the theatre moves as fast as lighting and video technology, and lighting designers are the happy recipients of all this innovation. New lighting fixtures and control offer us increased artistic possibilities. They are literally the tools that we create our art with.
"No technology in the theatre moves as fast as lighting and video technology, and lighting designers are the happy recipients of all this innovation."
—DAVID MARTIN JACQUES, Professional Lighting & Stage Designer.
I am a professional lighting designer with more than 35 years of artistic lighting experience. I have also consulted on theatres and worship spaces for nearly as many years. This gives me a unique perspective on what lighting designers require in a lighting system. When I design a show I always strive to use the tools that will offer me the most artistic flexibility. Unfortunately, the reality is that in many cases, lighting designers are limited by the equipment that the theater or church currently owns. Therefore it is critical when designing lighting systems for churches that the lighting consultant specifies lighting equipment that offers the best balance of artistic and practical capabilities.The current state of lighting technology offers lighting consultants a wide variety of options when specifying new lighting systems. Specifying lighting equipment for today’s progressive worship spaces is a complicated and intensive process. Every church and theater is different. They all have their own unique physical qualities, challenges, and programming needs, requiring creative solutions to their individual characteristics. As a designer I am trained to think out of the box for creative solutions that meet the needs of the worship space as well as contemporary lighting designers.
FROM BARE BONES TO BUSINESS
When I start a new consulting project, I always keep five crucial questions in mind:
1. What is the function of the lighting in this house of worship?
One of the first things I do when starting a project is to meet with the worship team of the church. This is a critical step, as I want to be sure that the lighting equipment and systems that I design not only fit the needs of lighting designers, but also serve the people using the space. I make sure to attend services to see how they are using their existing lighting. So many questions are answered during this initial design consultation phase of my services. Big questions and considerations include: How is the church utilizing video? Do they only use IMAG or will they also be broadcasting? Are there musical presentations during the services? What is the style of these musical presentations? Will there be events like pageants that need specialized theatrical lighting? Does the worship space also require improved house lighting that integrates with the stage lighting? Answering these questions will lead me to the extent of lighting design and the appropriate fixture and control specifications.
2. What technology is appropriate?
This usually leads me into deciding what level of technology the worship space requires. Everyone loves moving lights, but they are certainly not appropriate for every venue. Moving lights offer the designer a great deal of flexibility and can also serve as a flashy design element. [Yet since] moving lights usually require a significant amount of upkeep, churches should not consider them if they don’t have the appropriate staff to maintain them.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Any lighting system should include fixtures that can not only flood the stage with color, but also be able to cut the light off of selective objects (like video screens). Therefore, a good combination of ellipsoidal reflector spotlights and PAR flood fixtures should always be included. A larger decision [involves whether or not the] church wants to invest in LED technology. I have discussed the pros and cons of LED technology in several of my articles for Church Production Magazine [Designer’s sister publication]. This decision becomes clear once you learn what the video requirements are for the church (keeping in mind that cheap LEDs can adversely affect video and color temperature). Also, existing power could dictate moving to an LED system. If it will considerably increase the cost to add power for additional conventional tungsten fixtures, then an LED system may be the way to go. The house of worship may also wish to invest in LED projection screens. This adds a very flexible and exciting lighting element for the church and the designer.
3. What sustainability philosophy does this organization believe in?
Speaking of LED technology, the church’s philosophy on sustainability will also dictate which technology they choose. I am working on a church right now that insists on going 100% LED. I believe that in their particular circumstance this is the correct decision. However, their decision happens to be driven more from a moral point of view for energy savings, and for preserving a green planet.
4. What are the church’s physical, time, and personnel limitations?
Another significant consideration has to do with the limitations of the building and the church staff. All buildings have weight and load limitations in their existing structure, which will dictate just how much equipment you can specify. This is a critical decision because safety is involved. I always insist that a licensed structural engineer review my plans before they go to the construction documents phase. Then once they proceed, any changes to the specifications should be reviewed again. This is not only a matter of safety, but of liability, as well. It is a welcome development that most LED moving lights are significantly lighter than their arc and tungsten counterparts. This allows lighting designers more flexibility without getting too close to the load limits. I also investigate how many people are on the church’s technical staff and what their technical qualifications are. This will help me decide on which technology to suggest. If there is a strict limitation of staff, I will design a system that requires very little maintenance. If the church has many services that require the lighting focus to change quickly, I may specify moving lights—making sure that those lights do not require a lot of maintenance.
5. What is the overall project budget?
Finally, budget is a major consideration. [Considering budget upfront] will immediately tell you what is and is not possible. Lighting designers always want the best technology available to express their art. However, sometimes the budget will not allow for that. Budget does not only include equipment, but also installation, maintenance and operating costs. This is where LED technology can start paying off for its increased up-front costs. Several studies show that LED fixtures, especially in house lighting, can save significant amounts in energy consumption and maintenance costs.If your lighting consultant is not a designer, then be sure to add one to the team. This way you will be sure to have a lighting system that is not only practical and efficient, but that will enable lighting art to add to the power of a client’s worship services.
[Editor's note: This piece was originally published in November 2016.]
