Every once in a while I get a call from a band looking for a new stage concept and or lighting design. Quite often my ideas will be submitted along with other designers and the act will choose one of us as thier new designer.
First thing I do is get out a pencil and paper and start sketching. I come up with a truss configuration or two. Once I have an idea on paper, I can then start visualizing it in Vectorworks. Within a couple hours I have a basic stage layout. By this I mean I have got a plan on where to put the video elements, place the band on a set of some sort, and draw in a lighting rig.
As I am building this scene, I take pictures along the way. By this I mean I export jpeg images of what the stage will look like as it's being assmbled. First I will just have some sketches of the bare truss in a wire frame. Then I'll place some lights on it and start rendering some 3d pics. Then I add the video surfaces. With these, I usually map some images of the band or thier artwork to different surfaces. This way the band can realize these are video panels or projection screens. Lastly I add some risers or a set and include a band.
I always go to the acts web site to look at pics. I can usually steal something, Either concert photos or a band logo I can copy to my drawing and put on a video surface. These web pics will also show me the stage layout, ie. where the drum riser is located or the key are set up.
Next I export my vectorworks file into another program that will allow me to turn on the lights. There are a few programs that allow me to do this. None of them are cheap, but I have to remind myself that neither am I. I usually make about a dozen renderings of tasty scenes with lights on.
Once done with all this I assemble a nice little package of pics and send them off to the management company that called. But this may be all for naught. I am competing against other designers who are doing the same thing with thier ideas. Bottom line is I may put 40 hours of work into one of these presentations. And while I have a high success rate of selling my ideas, they don't always sell. So you see, lighting design is just like any other business. You have to invest your time ( and time is money) into something in hopes of a return on your work.
In my case this week, a band decided to stick with thier old designer and not commit to my designs. But I take it in stride, I'll get another call next week from someone else. But the one thing I always remember is that I took a shot at it. Because I cannot win, if I do not play.
