Welcome!
This guide was created as a point of departure for students, researchers and practitioners of lighting design. While exploring, keep in mind that your topic might fall under more than one of these categories.
The Lighting Design page was originally curated in 2015-16 by UCLA Arts Library Reference Desk Assistant Hale Polebaum-Freeman, an MLIS student in UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies.
Online Resources
- American Theatre Wing - Working in the Theatre SeriesThis video series from the American Theatre Wing offers profiles from a variety of behind the scenes perspectives. Students of lighting design might be particularly interested in the videos covering the work of Projection Designer Jeff Sugg as well as the general Projection Design overview.
- Performing Arts Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window
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Articles and reviews from a broad spectrum of the arts and entertainment industry - including dance, drama, theater, stagecraft, circus, opera, pantomime, puppetry, magic, performance art, film, television, and more. Former database title: International Index to Performing Arts (IIPA) Full Text.
- Theatrical Lighting DatabaseThis collection contains actual plots, focus charts, cue sheets and much more from four landmark productions digitized from the collections of the New York Public Library. The Lighting Database is a joint project of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the NYPL Digital Experience Group, and the Lighting Archive, and is funded by the New York State Council for the Arts.
- The Lighting ArchiveThe Lighting Archive website is developing a collection of actual plots, focus charts, cue sheets from real shows. We will place an emphasis on historical productions and designers who have made important contributions to our field.
- Color LabThis is a browser-based lighting lab. It is a great way to examine how color mixes both on actors and on the floor from three directions.
- Light LabThis is also completely browser-based. It is a complete proscenium stage with a traditional dance-lighting plot in place. It allows complete control of color for top-light, side-light, and the cyclorama, plus footlights, high-sides, and specials.
- Gobo LabThis browser-based light lab allows students and teachers to explore the direction and texture of lighting. Color is abandoned, leaving the designer to rely on the power of shadow and direction.
- Off-Broadway Assistant Designer ResourcesSince the Off-Broadway Assistant Designers Advisory Group (OBADAG) formed, their mission has been to improve working conditions for assistants Off-Broadway. Together, they set out to advocate best practices for assistant designers, reduce the burdens on individuals created by employer practices, and establish fair wages. Resources on wages, contracts, assistant duties, and more can be found on this website.
- Resources from John McKernon (Designer & Creator of LightWright)Written by a lighting designer, for lighting designers, John McKernon shares useful tips on topics directly applicable to project specific tasks.
- Theatrical Lighting DatabaseThis collection contains actual plots, focus charts, cue sheets and much more from four landmark productions digitized from the collections of the New York Public Library. The Lighting Database is a joint project of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the NYPL Digital Experience Group, and the Lighting Archive, and is funded by the New York State Council for the Arts.
- The Lighting ArchiveThe Lighting Archive website is developing a collection of actual plots, focus charts, cue sheets from real shows. We will place an emphasis on historical productions and designers who have made important contributions to our field.
- Color LabThis is a browser-based lighting lab. It is a great way to examine how color mixes both on actors and on the floor from three directions.
- Light LabThis is also completely browser-based. It is a complete proscenium stage with a traditional dance-lighting plot in place. It allows complete control of color for top-light, side-light, and the cyclorama, plus footlights, high-sides, and specials.
- Gobo LabThis browser-based light lab allows students and teachers to explore the direction and texture of lighting. Color is abandoned, leaving the designer to rely on the power of shadow and direction.
- Off-Broadway Assistant Designer ResourcesSince the Off-Broadway Assistant Designers Advisory Group (OBADAG) formed, their mission has been to improve working conditions for assistants Off-Broadway. Together, they set out to advocate best practices for assistant designers, reduce the burdens on individuals created by employer practices, and establish fair wages. Resources on wages, contracts, assistant duties, and more can be found on this website.
- ETC User ManualsDatabase with instructional manuals for all of ETC's consoles and other gear.
- High End User ManualsUser manuals for a full range of current and legacy consoles and products offered by High End Systems, including all HOG boards.
- MA User ManualsUser manuals and service documents for a range of products and software offered by MA, including grandMA 2.
- Chauvet User ManualsUser manuals for a full range of Chauvet Gear. Also includes a link to a helpful dipswitch calculator.
- USA 829: United Scenic ArtsUnited Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE, is a labor union and professional association of Designers, Artists, Craftspeople, and Department Coordinators, organized to protect craft standards, working conditions and wages for the entertainment and decorative arts industries. The members of Local USA 829 work in film, theatre, opera, ballet, television, industrial shows, commercials and exhibitions.
- USITTUSITT was founded in 1960 as an organization to promote dialogue, research, and learning among practitioners of theatre design and technology.
- I.A.T.S.E. Local 33 Stagecraft & ProjectionistWith over 120 years of experience, IASTE Local 33 has historical roots in not only legitimate live theater productions, but also were the first stagehand employees servicing the needs of motion pictures and the very first televsion shows in Los Angeles. Our stagehand trade has been passed down from generation to generation and has evolved with the decades and the introduction of state of the art technology in lighting, video, audio, rigging and automation.
- Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 1 - IATSE New York City StagehandsLocal One is the premier stagehand union of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E) in New York. We are the Brothers and Sisters who construct, install, maintain, and operate the lighting and sound equipment, the scenery and special effects which thrill and delight audiences attending Broadway shows, concerts at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, the magnificent, spectacular productions at The Metropolitan Opera and throughout Lincoln Center, and the many entertaining broadcasts from CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, and PBS. We work at numerous cable TV studios and make possible the presentation of major corporate industrials and special events.
UCLA does not provide subscriptions for these software programs, however, there are educational licenses available for students. Please visit the respective websites for more information.
Below are the industry standard software programs and helpful applications for theatrical lighting:
- Vectorworks - SpotlightCAD drafting software for lighting. Develop and deliver ideas to create your next unmatched experience with industry-leading drafting and modeling tools, realistic renderings, integrated database worksheets, lighting devices, and more.
- LightwrightLightwright organizes your work notes and provides tools to design color scrolls and specify moving light wheels. It can figure circuit and dimmer needs, renumber or rearrange channels and dimmers, show you DMX universe usage, and assign dimmers automatically.
- QLabQLab is powerful macOS software for designing and playing back sound, video, light, and show control cues.
- Gel Swatch LibraryThe Gel Swatch Library by Crossroads Motorsport, LLC., lets lighting production personnel browse, search, and compare more than 1,600 gel color filters made by the most popular manufacturers: Apollo, GAM, Lee, Rosco
Selected Books
- A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting Third Edition by
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ISBN: 9780415812009
- Unmasking Theatre Design: a Designer's Guide to Finding Inspiration and Cultivating Creativity by
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ISBN: 9780415738415
Finding Lighting Design Images
Whether you are looking for examples of modern or historical lighting design, imagery to help build and communicate your concept, or anything in between you will find some resources below. Please note that some resources require off-campus access privileges
If you're looking for inspiration, physically browsing the stacks might be the way to go. Take a look in the following call number sections for books with images pertinent to lighting design -- and make sure you check the oversize and double oversize sections as well!
N: Visual Arts (General)
NA: Architecture
NC: Drawing, Design, Illustration
ND: Painting
NK: Decorative Arts, Interior Design
PN: Performing Arts
TR: Photography
A Note on Subject Headings
When searching catalogues and databases, knowing the "correct" terminology can make all the difference. Try using these subject headings in UC Library Search:
Stage Lighting
Television--Lighting
Cinematography--Lighting
Theaters--Lighting
Theaters--Stage setting and scenery