STUDIO PRODUCTION: LIGHTING PLAN AND SOUND SCRIPT

Lighting

After discussing with Becca and Jordan when I was learning the responsibilities for being the Studio Director, they both explained that Lighting was an issue due to the lack of communication with the Lighting Department in previous years. Our Lighting Technician this year is Jon Hodge, a freelance lighting man. Jon came into the Studio during one of our rehearsals to talk to me and George and discuss what we can do with lighting. When we arrived, we had taped out the set on the floor with masking tape, in order to rehearse with some form of set. We walked Jon through the set and explained this show was basic lighting, not much changed and no flashes or anything apart from the Drag Queen performance.

Jon agreed with us to flood the soft and hard area. With some back lights on the walls and he then suggested to cross light the catwalk with 4 lights, I asked if it would be possible to add in 2 extra lights with the catwalk and have those geld with a red and blue for some atmosphere with the performance. Jon asked if we would like any Par Cans on the floor, down the catwalk to add more to the show as well. 

Once we had agreed the lighting with Jon, I went away and read up on lighting plans with the book 'Lighting for Television - An Eight Part Guide'. From this I found examples of Studio Lighting Plans:

Below is our studio floor plan (Both digital and draw onto the Studio 2 Floor Plan:

With this in mind and what Jon had told us about the lighting, I worked with Jo Clark who told me our lighting for the Maidstone Studios is 5K's and 2K's. So with that I put together a (overly complicated) lighting plan, this as you can see, made no sense.

This plan was overly complicated and didn't work or help anyone, I was the one who made it and I even struggled to understand it.  When looking back at Lighting for Television, the lighting plans were very simple but with plenty of detail in them for where the lighting will be pointing and what lighting it will be. It's big, simple and easy to understand. From that, I worked through another lighting plan and came up with this:

With the sections, I clearly labelled what lighting I wanted for each section, as well as labelled each section of the set. I took into consideration how to get rid of the shadows and fully light a Television set, as well as where the 5K's should go and using the 2K's on the audience as they don't need to be as bright. Basic 2K's on the back of the set to light and the 5K's flooding all the areas. Once completed this was sent over to our lighting department. 

Sound

After discussing with our Sound engineer, Paul, about how to mic everyone up, we agreed finally on what will happen. Through the rehearsals we had the issue that we didn't know if all the contributors will have a mic each or if we will need to swap mics. We came to the choice of having 6 mics (supplied by the Maidstone Studios) and we would have to swap them through the show. Working with Aimeé, we decided on the following:

Mic 1 - Alfie

Mic 2 - Adeline 

Mic 3 - Sofia (Model) + Sapphire Stonee

Mic 4 - Helen (Model) + Bonnie

Mic 5 - Harry (Model) + Handheld microphone

Mic 6 - Kevin (Model)

The handheld Microphone is for the online fails section as we wouldn't be able to mic up the audience and then leave the microphones on them till the end of the show, but Alfie can simply take a handheld mic into the audience and use that. 

I requested that Aimeé find us a Drum Roll sound effect for the introduction to Sapphire as to build tension. As well, Aimeé asked me and George where we want the catwalk music beds and for how long. We explained that we'd want them before the models are cued on and taken down as they leave but this is our job to cue in and out and Aimeé will have to go with our cues. The final song for the credits was decided as the song from the title sequence. I asked for this to be played separate and not added to the VT as I want the song as a bed during the round up and then bought up and played all the way through for the credits. The idea here is to add more energy and really make the ending a happy and lively one.