As a project for my Stage Design for Educator's class,  I designed a general 22-area lighting plot for the performing arts center (PAC) of a 6A high school. The challenges I faced before starting this project was my limited knowledge of a high school PAC's layout. I worked in a black box theatre with 9 areas all through high school, so adjusting to work with more lighting instruments, areas, and blind spots came with a learning curve. 

​

Things I've learned from this experience:

1. Plan, plan, plan! Something that I found out about myself was that I tend to make a lot of mistakes when it comes to doing something that I'm not comfortable in, which means lots and lots of drafts. I started and restarted my lighting plot on an 1/8" scale about 6 times before finalizing it and putting it on 1/4" scale. 

2. There will always be something you can do better. The best part about this experience was learning to do things my way and accepting that it could always be better even after my final draft is turned in. There is no right way to do a lighting plot, especially because it will inevitably change when it is applied to the actual space. 

3. Creating an excel sheet for organizing my instrument schedule and channel hook-up sheet is more efficient than a word doc. I learned how to create an excel table that can be organized by category so that it's a working document for the LD or board op. 

​

Things to improve:

1. Being specific and accurate with my key to indicate each element of the lighting instrument that I used.

2. Evaluate the angles in which the lights will be shooting (2 lights hitting the same spot at 45 degree angles is ideal).

3. Consider who will be using the documents and tailor it to them. Condense the magic sheet for ease of accessibility. Organize the unit numbers by individual battons instead of a general lighting position.