Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1983 - 4

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To the Editor
Bravo to Joel Rubin for his "State of lhe
Lighting Business" message in the Fall '82
TD& T I'd like to add a pOSlScripl about
pressures on our industry from the oUlside.
Cenainly the boom in computer control of
lighling intensily is due mostly 10 the increased
availability (and cheapness) of com pUlers in
general and not to faclors in the entenainment
business. Frankly, computers are now the
cheapest way to do il. The need for belter
control was always there, and in my opinion is
still there. Some more wonderful invenlions in
lighting comrol are always JUSI around lhe corner.
Cenainly the difficullY of buying greal
lighling instruments is due to the general malaise

in lhat pan of our economy. Melal is expensive,
metal bending is expensive, metal assembly is
expensive, and they are gelting more expensive.
We need good instruments but our industry
is less able 10 afford them than ever before.
I would welcome an advance in instrumems
which, like high densily dimmers, would
repackage the same gUlS in a clever, easy to
produce housing.
Cenainly the tendency toward "Flash"
lighling is caused by lWO factors, the new
availability of computers (to do lhe nashing)
and competition. In film and lelevision we see
glorious powerful closeups. When a patron
attends a live performance and sees a favorable
entenainer from row W frequently the distanl

Theatre Design & Technology/USITT/Summer 1983

and lackluster appearance is disappoinling. II is
now the job of the lighting system to pro\'ide the
glitter and detail of a closeup 10 an entire live
audience. Done poorly lhis is lasteless nash.
Done properly it is good economics and great an.
Cenainly lhe increasing complexity of
lighting design follows a trend in our society.
We knoll' how 10 do lighting better than ever
before. The pinnacles of professionallighling
achievement in 1973 are the freshman level
college Sluff of 1983. The complex paperwork of
a 500 or 700 insl rument show, which would have
swamped the great legendary lighting designers,
is taken in slride by the new breed of assistants.
Robert Davis
Jllies Fisher Associa(es, II/C.,
Thea(re COl/sll/ral/(s

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