Stage lighting, based on layout and purpose, is generally divided into front light, side light, top light, column light, sidelight, cyclorama (sky and ground row), and footlight, among others.
Front light is located above the front of the stage, outside the main curtain, and is primarily directed toward the front performance area to highlight character modeling or create a three-dimensional effect on stage objects. Common fixtures include spotlights and fresnels.
Side light is mounted at the sides of the stage, near the proscenium, and casts light from the sides toward the performance area, similar to front light. It crosses from the left and right to enhance the three-dimensionality of stage scenery, props, and characters. Beam lights and fresnels are also used here.
Top light refers to the fixtures on the ceiling of the stage, generally mounted on adjustable rigs, and mainly used for lighting the middle and back of the stage, projecting light onto the central and rear performance areas. It is often used where intense top-down lighting is required, with common fixtures including beam lights, fresnels, and floodlights.
Column light is installed inside the false proscenium of the stage, casting light from the inner sides of the stage mouth to the performance area, also known as internal side light. It compensates for the deficiencies of front and side lights, typically with low-power beam lights and soft lights.
Sidelight is placed on both sides of the stage grid, casting light from high side angles to assist in illuminating the actors' faces and to enhance the depth of the scenery, with beam lights often used.
Cyclorama lights are installed above the front of the sky drop to specifically light the cyclorama for sky backdrops, usually 2-6 meters from the cyclorama, changing its color and background, with floodlights and wash lights commonly used. Ground row lights are located in front of the sky drop at the bottom, casting light upwards to create special effects such as the horizon, waterlines, or mountain sunrises, also using floodlights and wash lights.
Footlights are set inside the stage, angled upwards towards the actors and the main curtain to compensate for steep front lighting and eliminate shadows in front of the actors. When the curtain is closed, they are directed at the main curtain to change its color, typically employing beam lights.
If categorized by type and effect, stage lighting includes beam lights, PAR (Parabolic Aluminized Reflector) lights, moving head lights, laser lights, follow spots, and effect lights, among others. Effect lights can be further divided into image projectors and cyclorama lights.
Beam lights are a type of spotlight that casts a bright column of light, used for explosive scenes such as opening shows and high-energy dance performances. Paired with strobe effects, they create an intense visual impact.
PAR lights are mainly used for coloring and color changing to create the atmosphere of a stage performance. They come in various sizes and power, with common light bead colors including red, green, blue, and pure white, offering rich color-mixing effects.
Moving head lights, with X and Y-axis movement, provide functions such as color switching, pattern projection, and strobing. They are highly dynamic and are a preferred choice in international stage lighting, divided into beam moving heads, pattern moving heads, color wash moving heads, and hybrids that combine beam and pattern or are multifunctional.
Laser lights, through the vibration and reflection of two galvanometers, divide a laser beam into multiple beams that can project patterns and text. The high-speed movement of the laser beams delivers a dynamic effect.
Follow spots are used to illuminate specific areas, objects, or people on stage from a distance, producing a circular spot of light that can strobe, change colors, and adjust in size.
Image projectors come with various beam angles and can cut the light spot into different shapes like squares, diamonds, triangles, or project desired patterns.
Cyclorama lights are high-powered flood lights. The sky row lights are used to illuminate the cyclorama from above, while the ground row lights are placed on the stage floor, below the cyclorama, shining upward. They connect with the light from the sky row lights, creating an even distribution of light from top to bottom.
In addition to these common stage lights, daily stage performances can also be equipped with Fresnel lights, scoop lights, soft lights, strobe lights, and others as needed.
