LIGHTING FOR PERFORMANCE - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module is designed to introduce students to lighting and stage electrics for theatre and live events. Students will gain an understanding of lighting equipment, associated techniques and the fundamental processes used in a professional lighting production environment. This module reflects the programme¿s aim to produce multiskilled practitioners with specialist knowledge for the global creative industries. This module will serve as a general introduction to production lighting for students whose area of professional interest may be elsewhere, or as an introduction to professional practice for students who wish to make lighting technologies and practices a lasting part of their skillset. Skills learned in this module will also support further tasks in modules at Level 5 & 6 on the BA Theatre Production programme.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

BURGESS Mig (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Industry orientation.


• Stage lighting equipment identification and uses.


• Basic Lighting Design theory: colour, depth, and form.


• Lighting positions.


• Electrical calculation and safety.


• Industry standard tools.


• Rigging, labelling, and preparing a lighting rig.


• Basic console operation.


• Hard-patching and soft-patching.


• Basic lighting communication protocols.


• Fault finding.


• Basic equipment maintenance.


• Stage lighting documentation

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Alternative to practical exercise: essay (1000 words)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate ability to work in a way that reflects and mimics the working dynamic and nature of the vocational production lighting world. Students will need to work as a team to plan, execute and deliver lighting appropriate to the theatre, demonstrating an understanding of technical processes in lighting and confidence in safe, healthy, and sustainable working practices. Finally, the written assessment will give the opportunity to reflect on practice and demonstrate clear and consistent communication to an industry standard.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Practical based assessment, 3-hour group exercise (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3)


• Coursework, Documentation/reflection (addresses learning outcomes 4 & 5)

• Continuous formative assessment while working in the studio space from both tutor and the technicians relating to health and safety, practical application of skills and guidance and support in refining and improving your practical skills

• Peer, tutor and technician verbal feedback during seminars and practical classes


• Peer and Tutor verbal feedback following completion of practical exercise.

Module aims

• Introduce working practices associated with the lighting department engaged in theatre production.
• Develop knowledge of contemporary and emerging technologies
• Develop knowledge of the current legislation (e.g. Health and Safety).
• Develop knowledge of practical skills associated with the roles of a lighting team.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide a variety of learning and teaching methods which fit with the overall aims & strategy of the programme and are appropriate to the study of stage lighting technologies for live production. There is a balance of individual and group work as well as tutor lead sessions. The strategy should encourage individual learning, questioning, analysis and reflection as well as enabling students to develop technical skills appropriate to the module as well as transferable skills in research, communication, planning and negotiation.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PRO1040

Other information

Guildford School of Acting trains students, within their chosen fields, to have an understanding and appreciation of Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow Theatre Production students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Digital capabilities

The lighting module focuses on introduces students to the technology behind production lighting, covering the basics of generic lighting and introducing the more complex topics of digital multiplexing communication protocols, computer programming, and fixtures that offer multiple parameters of control.

Employability

The lighting module has employability and vocational training at the heart of its content. All the sessions are designed to teach industry practices, making sure to keep up to date with industry developments and health and safety. This is further cemented with an industry field trip, for example to a regional theatre, and/or an entertainment technology hire company.

Sustainability

The module promotes sustainable industry and innovation through use of current digital technologies and signposting/linking to current industry guidance on sustainability.

Global and cultural capabilities

The module content links and signposts throughout to current industry accessibility and diversity guidance.

Resourcefulness and Resilience

Through the group projects on this module, students will develop time management, problem-solving, communication and creativity both as an individual and as part of collaborative team, which will develop individual resourcefulness and resilience. The module content signposts and links to current industry wellbeing guidance and best practice on working hours, fatigue, health and safety and work-related stress.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.