Theatre Design & Technology - May 1965 - 19

Planning for Lighting Control Systems
DAVID THAYER,
State University of Iowa
ABSTRACT: The ideal theatre light control system would provide for more precise control of
varying combinations of instruments, to be
effected according to differences in individual
performances. Primary controls should be simple,
allowing the operator to concentrate on the play
rather than the machine. Realization of these
ideals depends as well on the system's accuracy
and dependability at reasonable costs. (I.R. Code
Lighti ng/Contro I}

Modern stage lighting control systems have been
developed from the power distribution panels of
the early days of incandescent lighting through
direct control dimmer banks and limited remote
control systems to preset systems which are as
nearly related to data processing as to power
distribution. In this development from the practical requirements of power distribution toward the
aesthetic requirements of illumination control, it
is not surprising to find that work has concentrated first on improvements in dimmers and second on the proliferation of master controls including preset memory devices.

system design have almost completely relinqui shed to the lighting control system manufacturers their right to determine the equipment they
will ultimately use.
One reason for the lack of adventurous imagination in the development of lighting control systems is that most technicians do not have an
opportunity to specify and use more than a very
few control systems during their active careers.
There is little practical opportunity for experimentation with a control system and the subsequent construction of a system thought to be an
improvement. The inadequacy of channels of
corolmunication in both educational and professional theatre admit of only limited access to
past designs and virtually no access {other than
by personal contact} to performance evaluations
of existing control systems. Having little knowledge of what equipment is available, the buyer
and user have little basis for speculation on the
future of control system design.

A further obstacle is that control systems increasingly demand an engineering knowledge and
an ability which is beyond the majority of the
technical directors in the theatres of this country. The fie Id genera lIy has been ignored by enDevelopment has proceeded in respunse to spegineers, primarily because there is little market
cific demands by stage electricians and lighting
for, and little interest in the problems peculiar
designers seeking a better way to achieve a
to stage lighting outside of those directly condesired effect. It is only through production excerned with the theatre. The few engineering
perience with actual control systems that these
textbooks which consider stage lighting control
demands are formulated and brought to the condismiss it in a few pages. It should be pointed
scious attention of users and manufacturers.
out, however, that an engineer is not required to
-------------Ideally,each-control-system is-----a-little-better--determine-what-a-control system should do, but
than the preceding one and in turn provides the
only to determine how to make it perform the
basis for the design of future control systems. It
required tasks.
is difficult under the pressures of production,
however, to see beyond the immediate need and
L ighti ng consu Itants, often themse Ives connected
to visualize what the control system could do if
with particular manufacturers, are being employed
it were designed to accomplish the widest poswith increasing frequency to compensate for insible usefulness. Consequently, there have been
adequate know ledge of exi sti ng equ ipment and
few sudden advances based on deliberate conproduction requirements on the part of the pursideration, but instead a gradual improvement of
chasers and users of proposed new systems.
existing systems.
The lighting companies also make their own
specifications avai lab Ie, and it is usual for a
As control systems became more complex and the
new control system to be specified in terms of
various restrictions on the professional theatre
the product already available from a particular
prevented the purchase of more advanced Iightcompany. The result is the perpetuation of ideas
ing control systems, design and use of sophistibased on equipment which has already been decated systems should have become the responsisigned rather than the encouragement of design
bility of technicians in the educational theatre.
of new systems.
For various reasons, including inadequate trainLighting control systems typically reflect the
ing, ultra-conservatism and an academically inthinking ultimately of one person and are only as
duced inferiority complex which has lead them to
valid as that person's perception of production
take refuge behind staggering production schedneeds. Mistakes in system design can subject
ules, those who should be logical leaders in

MAY, 1965

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