PROCESS METHODOLOGY

1.RESEARCH

STARTING 9 MONTHS FROM THE PREMIERE

1.3 LIGHTING DRAMATURGY

In this phase, collected references and contextual material are critically examined to translate inspiration into practical design guidelines.

  • how light can structure narrative, rhythm, and temporal progression

  • the emotional, symbolic, and perceptual roles of light within the piece

  • relationships between light, movement, sound, scenography, and spatial architecture

  • how aesthetic objectives determine the system technically: special lighting fixture, spatial style criteria, programming methods

The objective is to move from conceptual and broad inspiration to intentional lighting design logic, defining principles that will guide all subsequent lighting dramaturgy choices.

1.1 PROJECT BRIEFING

The process begins with a project briefing, understood not as a simple intake of information but as the establishment of a shared conceptual and practical framework.

  • understanding the nature of the piece (performance, exhibition, installation, touring production, etc.)

  • identifying its artistic, cultural, and institutional context

  • clarifying constraints such as venue typology, timeline, budgetary limits, technical resources, and touring conditions

This phase defines and aligns expectations between all collaborators before any visual or technical decisions are made.

1.2 REFERENCE GATHERING

Once the framework is established, I collect references and defining conditions that articulate the world the lighting will inhabit.

  • keywords and thematic anchors

  • musical, cinematic, photographic, architectural, and scenographic references

  • dramaturgical or conceptual influences

  • chromatic palettes and light-specific references (contrast, diffusion, temperature, texture)

Rather than serving as decoration, these references define boundaries and possibilities. They help establish a shared visual language and prevent arbitrary aesthetic decisions later in the process.

1.4 VISUAL CONCEPTUALISATION

The next step is the formalization of the concept into:

  • Moodboards, synthesising references into a coherent visual direction

  • Concept art, exploring atmospheres, colour palettes, spatial hierarchies

This phase transforms abstract ideas into visual documents that allow meaningful dialogue with directors, choreographers, scenographers, costume designers, and other collaborators.

2.DEVELOPMENT

STARTING 6 MONTHS FROM THE PREMIERE

2.3 LIGHTING DESIGN CONSTRUCTION

At this stage, the lighting design becomes an operational system.

  • scene blocks and cue lists

  • console pre-programming

  • 3D previsualization to test timing, balance, and transitions

  • detailed technical paperwork for building up

This phase focuses on ensuring the design can start to be experimented consistently on technical residencies.

2.1 COMPOSITION STRUCTURE

With a defined concept, I develop the compositional structure of the lighting.

  • spatial composition: placement, scale, and directionality of light

  • temporal composition: rhythm, pacing, and transitions

  • integration with movement, costume, and set design

  • script decoupage and scene-by-scene breakdowns

  • sketchbook exploration and iterative testing

This phase culminates in a lighting dramaturgy script: a document describing chronologically what happens, when it happens, and how light evolves throughout the piece. Lighting manifestations as an active dramaturgical element (rather than a static layer).

2.2 TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

The design ambitions is then contrasted against practical production constraints.

  • budget estimation and buy/rent strategies

  • fixture selection based on artistic and technical needs

  • adaptation to premiere venue constraints and touring scenarios

  • technical drafting and system organization

The objective is to ensure that the conceptual integrity of the design survives contact with production realities without unnecessary compromise.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

STARTING 2 MONTHS FROM THE PREMIERE

2.3 LIGHTING DESIGN DOCUMENTATION

Formalizes the design into a complete, unambiguous documentation set intended to ensure accurate understanding, consistency, and repeatability across venues, crews, and touring conditions.

Documentation is treated not as an administrative by product, but as a design deliverable in its own right, translating artistic intent and technical logic into a form that can be reliably interpreted by technicians who were not part of the creation process.

  • Lighting plots and technical drawings:
    Fully updated rig plans, sections, elevations, and focus charts reflecting the final, stabilized state of the design, including trims, orientations, and positional logic.

  • Fixture and system documentation:
    Detailed equipment lists, patch sheets, addressing, universes, networking architecture, control protocols, and redundancy considerations, clearly indicating dependencies and alternatives.

  • Cue documentation and show logic:
    Cue lists, cue timing notes, fade structures, cue grouping, and narrative annotations explaining why cues exist, not only what they do.

  • Atmosphere and state references:
    Visual references (renders, photos, annotated captures) and written descriptions of key atmospheres, spatial hierarchies, and perceptual intentions, allowing technicians to recalibrate the design in new spaces.

  • Operational and touring notes:
    Practical instructions for load-in, focus priorities, system checks, rehearsal workflows, known sensitivities, acceptable tolerances, and common failure points.

  • Adaptation and substitution guidelines:
    Clear criteria for fixture substitutions, scaling, re-spacing, and venue-specific compromises, preserving the design logic when exact replication is impossible.

The objective of this phase is to encode the design’s knowledge—its intent, structure, and priorities—into documents that allow the lighting to travel without degradation. Well-executed documentation ensures that the design remains legible, coherent, and respectful of its original authorship, even when realized by different hands, in different spaces, over time.

3.1 STAGING

Design is tested within the real conditions of the space and performers.

  • calibration of intensity, color, timing, and spatial balance in response to the venue, materials, and bodies in motion

  • interpretation of the design through live interaction with performers, scenography, sound, and direction

  • refinement of transitions, cue structure, and temporal relationships

  • adjustment of focus, scale, and hierarchy based on perception rather than plan

  • iterative dialogue with collaborators during technical rehearsals

During this phase, the design shifts from planned system to lived experience. The lighting is not simply executed, but listened to and re-authored in response to reality. Decisions are guided by perception, dramaturgical clarity, and the behavior of light in situ.

3.2 PREMIERE

The premiere week marks the moment when the lighting design transitions from a process of refinement to a stable, transmissible work, ready to be shared with the audience and touring technicians.

  • final stabilization of cues, timings, and levels across full runs

  • consolidation of dramaturgical clarity and visual hierarchy

  • last adjustments in response to audience presence and full performance conditions

  • validation of documentation, cue structure, and operational clarity for future remounts or touring

  • handover and alignment with operators, assistants, and technical teams

During this week, the lighting design reaches its final authored state. Changes are no longer creative but editorial, ensuring consistency and reliability without compromising artistic intent.