How can I improve my design skills as a programmer?
I am still rather new to working professionally in this field and after the last few gigs that I did I was told that I need to work on my design skills and knowledge. I am looking for any advice and works of wisdom on how to improve on this. What are the good books, are there any classes that would help? How about exercises or anything that helped you. Thanks for your time.
agreed with just playing with your rig. On an unplanned evening, i bunker down in the lighting booth and just play (and drink). If I have a gig on site coming up, I set up the rig in advance and do all my programming before load in. That way, when I get to the venue, I just switch all my X and Y and I'm done. Its nice to have a couple hundred programs ready for whatever music you may run into. Programming take time and is hard to do 1 hour before the show starts (at least, i can't program a show in an hour)
As has already been stated, check out others work. If theatre, go to a national tour or broadway level show and really analyze not just the equipment but the stage pictures and design decisions. I drove my son nuts when we went to see "Wicked" by constantly talking about all the intel used and how it wasn't always " wow, watch them lights move" but more subtle. Next concert, do the same and see what catches your attention and figure out how or why they did that. I do several dance concerts or recitals a year and find that alot of rock concert tricks will work with intels in a dance show if you fill the floor with enough sidelight to still see the performers.
Also, ask for more specific feedback as to what is lacking for example is it that your stage pictures or cues may be fine but the placement or number may need changing - less or more- as well as pacing- how they fit the show or song.
I remember something from college - "Basic illumination was the job of the electricians that wired the space, lighting design involves creating the atmosphere of the performance".
"All the world is a stage sometimes we just need better lighting"
