Automated lighting consoles are filled with a multitude of exciting and powerful features. They all help programmers to create amazing and complex light shows with relative ease. Some features will be used with every show, while others are rarely used. There is one tool, though, that is essential to the success of nearly every production. I am talking about palettes/presets. This amazing tool really becomes the basis for lighting programming construction and longevity.
How it Works
Palettes or presets are basically references that store values for parameters. A programmer will select a value (a position or a color, for example) and then record these values into a palette/preset. Then, when programming actual cues or chases, the palette/preset will be selected instead of dialing in raw values. This way, in the future, the palette/preset can be updated, and all the recorded references will automatically update too.
The best example of the importance of using palettes/presets is with the use of positions. A programmer might store all his fixtures pointing at the down center stage position in a particular palette/preset. This then allows for quick and easy assignment, at any time, of any fixture to the down center stage position. The programmer does not have to move fixtures to the desired position manually every time it is needed. Also, when recording cues, the palette/preset will be recorded instead of the hard values (“DSC” instead of “82° pan, 130° tilt”). This is also handy for colors as the colors only have to be created one time and all data will display color names instead of confusing values.
In addition, if the stage size or fixture location changes, then the programmer only has to update the down center stage palette/preset values, and all the cues that have this reference will automatically be updated as well. If each cue had only the raw values, then every cue would need to be updated individually! Most consoles allow palette/preset usage on any and all parameters, not just positions.
Always Use Them
As you can see, palettes/presets are very beneficial for quick value selections as well as their reference abilities. Trust me when I say you should always use palettes/presets, even if you think you don’t need the reference qualities. Many people are tempted to not use palettes/presets for one-off types of shows, but they are greatly mistaken. The quick selection ability is an amazing timesaver, and I can guarantee that something will change (a position or a color hue), requiring updates to cues.
I once did an experiment to see what it would be like to NOT use palettes/presets on a show. I was programming a simple one-off awards type show and knew I had the time to try this. I set about recording positions and colors as raw values into all my cues. It certainly allowed me to get to my programming of cues without having to take the time to make palettes/presets. However, I found it very time consuming to keep moving my fixtures to similar locations throughout the programming. Plus, they never actually hit the exact same position twice. Furthermore, when the podium was moved three feet to the left during rehearsals, I then had to go back and find all the cues where lights were pointing at the podium and make the change. Had I used palettes/presets, it would have been a simple update of the palette/preset and all would have been okay.
I don’t suggest everyone try this experiment, but the number of programmers that don’t use palettes/presets surprises me. I highly suggest that you always make use of this basic programming tool on every production. Even something as simple as a bad fixture being swapped for a good one can cause you to need to update positioning, and it is much easier to update a few palettes/presets then multiple cues.
Organization
Nearly as important as using palettes/presets is coming up with a good method of organizing them. Most consoles will provide windows that store palettes/presets by type (position, color, beam, intensity, and so on). This is great for dividing the palettes/presets by type, but within each, you should further organize the selections for quick and easy access.
Typically this means placing similar positions or colors near each other. For example, I will often have a row that is all on-stage areas and another row that is all audience
areas and yet another that is just beamage (in the air) positions. For color, I commonly lay out my palettes/presets in a grid based on spectral order. For example, columns of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet with rows of deep to light saturation. Gobo and focus palettes will also be organized by the physical wheel locations or to match position palette/presets.
When you create any palettes/presets, it is also essential that you label them with a good descriptive term. The console will usually default to naming by type and number (position 5), but this is not helpful in later determining what is stored in the palette/preset. A simple description such as “drums” for a position, or “random dots” for a gobo, will make your life much easier. In addition, the label on your palette/preset will appear in the cues you use them. This means that when you are looking at the data on the screen, you can better understand what has been programmed.
Many programmers are making use of layout or plot views, and some consoles allow you to place palettes/presets freely on these screens. It is a fantastic way to build your own graphical layout without being constrained to grids or boxes. You can intertwine palettes/preset with fixture layouts or on-stage locations with ease.
Be Consistent
Once you find a natural layout of palettes/presets that works for you, you should keep this same method for every show. This way you will develop some muscle memory as you will always know where the red palette/preset lives, or you can quickly find the center stage position. While some of the requirements will be different for each show, the basic layout process will always be the same.
Furthermore, if you use the same labeling terms, it will help in your dialog with the LD or other production staff. Try not to label a light blue color “baby blue” on one show and then “lt blue” on another and “sky blue” on yet another. Instead, use the same terminology for all shows when labeling your palettes/presets.
Take Them With You
Another great benefit of palettes/presets is that, typically, your console will let you import and export them. This allows you to create a set of color palettes/presets or common positions used on every show once, and then simply import this information into every show. The layout on your windows hopefully will be the same as well as all your labeling. You will need to update the positions to match the new show and rig, but this is an easy task compared to making new palettes/presets with labels. Colors, gobos, and other palettes/presets will also require some tweaks if your fixture types change.
Your Best Friend
Palettes/presets are certainly a programmer’s best friend. They help with quick sections of parameter values and have wonderful reference features. Additionally, the ability to place text labels in cues instead of raw values is very beneficial. Every show programmed should make use of position and color palettes/presets at a minimum. Many consoles provide some incredible tools and resources for working with palettes/presets, so be sure to check the user manual for your console to ensure that you are getting the most out of its unique palette/preset abilities. With practice, you will easily find the benefits of palettes/presets to be an essential tool that you cannot live without.
