Anxiety is the Hand Maiden of Creativity
I believe in stretching yourself, working outside of your comfort level - to scare, push your self to a new level of art and confidence. That's why I took on a project two years ago outside my normal scope of experience. I did the Lighting Design for a Dance Company at a 300 seat equity theater. I've never been to a dance performance, no formal Lighting Design or Theatrical design education. But I am blessed with what the industry calls "an eye" and I have a burning desire to create.
As it was a pro bono gig the creative directors of the Dance Company were only too eager to hire me as a last minute replacement for their normal LD who was unavailable. I had 2 weeks to prep the show which consisted of 25 dance pieces. Show day would consist of load in, focus, board programming, dress rehearsal and two shows. A herculean task if you're an experienced LD, let alone a green one.
I researched on line all I could find on modern dance - Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey. I downloaded and poured over dance lighting plots, read dance lighting theory. I noticed two ideas kept occurring wherever I turned - side lighting and the type of color palette. Simple ideas, but they were the art form's standards and I incorporated them into my design. Why reinvent the wheel? I did a previz/lighting cue design in my head on each piece based upon the type of dance and costume. I did have notes from a few of the Choreographers which was extremely helpful.
Show day, my call time was 6:30am and I left the venue that evening around 10:30pm. In between the arrival and departure, I managed to create lighting that I was not only proud of, but landed me the opportunity to design for the Company again as their Company LD. I'm now about to design my third show for the Company and have incorporated what I learned that day into the other areas of my professional life - film and broadcast. So my advise is to stretch yourself, your abilities, go for it. Scare yourself once in a while, you'll be glad you did!
I'd like to hear about your anxieties in relation to the creative process! treadway45@gmail.com
@456split
If you'd like to know more about this project, or what I do
http://www.stephentreadway.com
http://www.designlightingroup.com
As it was a pro bono gig the creative directors of the Dance Company were only too eager to hire me as a last minute replacement for their normal LD who was unavailable. I had 2 weeks to prep the show which consisted of 25 dance pieces. Show day would consist of load in, focus, board programming, dress rehearsal and two shows. A herculean task if you're an experienced LD, let alone a green one.
I researched on line all I could find on modern dance - Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey. I downloaded and poured over dance lighting plots, read dance lighting theory. I noticed two ideas kept occurring wherever I turned - side lighting and the type of color palette. Simple ideas, but they were the art form's standards and I incorporated them into my design. Why reinvent the wheel? I did a previz/lighting cue design in my head on each piece based upon the type of dance and costume. I did have notes from a few of the Choreographers which was extremely helpful.
Show day, my call time was 6:30am and I left the venue that evening around 10:30pm. In between the arrival and departure, I managed to create lighting that I was not only proud of, but landed me the opportunity to design for the Company again as their Company LD. I'm now about to design my third show for the Company and have incorporated what I learned that day into the other areas of my professional life - film and broadcast. So my advise is to stretch yourself, your abilities, go for it. Scare yourself once in a while, you'll be glad you did!
I'd like to hear about your anxieties in relation to the creative process! treadway45@gmail.com
@456split
If you'd like to know more about this project, or what I do
http://www.stephentreadway.com
http://www.designlightingroup.com
posted by 284split at
12:43 PM
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