Light plot

Did You Know?

• In addition to the light plot, a complete lighting design includes a dimmer hookup, instrument schedule, and magic sheet.
• The entire lighting design is generally provided only to the director and master electrician.

Parts of a Plot

The plan view is the primary view of the light plot, containing the most information on lighting instruments and their locations. It illustrates how the venue space would appear from above, including relevant architectural details such as walls, floor level, seats, balconies, and occasionally sight lines. The plan view also shows the location of each lighting instrument and other hardware like modular dimmer boxes, along with electrical system information, outlet locations connected to dimmers, and available lighting positions such as rails, booms, side arms, and catwalks. Scenic information, such as a drawing of the set, may also be included.

The supplementary section and elevation views contain much of the same information as the plan view. The section is a cutaway view of the house and stage from either the left or right, typically along the venue's center line. The elevation is oriented as if viewing the stage from the audience. These views primarily illustrate architectural and scenic features, including sight lines, and usually feature limited electrical information. They serve as a reference for the lighting designer or electrician to identify each fixture's purpose, especially regarding scenic elements, and may be provided to the electrics crew as a secondary reference for instrument positions.

The instrument layer contains all information relating to the lighting instruments. This includes the specific location of each instrument represented by a unique symbol, information such as dimmer or channel number, lens size, color gel, and any special augmentations like color wheels and gobos. Special notes for the electrics crew on how instruments are hung and fastened are also included, as are auxiliary lighting units such as followspots or practicals that are part of the set and used visibly in performance.