Lighting Design Process

The process I have to go through being a lighting designer can be quite tiring. I understand that many of these scripts we are reading in class seem simple, some quite hard. Hamlet you have to break down into today’s English so that you understand what it means. I have to read these plays up to six times so that I understand what is necessary. I have to know if there is an intermission or more than one intermission. I have to know if there are any lights onstage I have to control. I have to know what time of day, year, where it takes place, the colors of costumes and walls. I make a breakdown telling me what I want. After I know what I want, I break it down into the cue list knowing what cue is where and exactly what it does. I have to decide what gels and gobos I need. This could take a few days. I need to know and understand the blocking of the show and the placement of the couches, tables and chairs. I need to know if we need to pay special attention to any specific part of the stage at any single moment.