(Part 3) Top products from r/lightingdesign

First things first, different areas are going to call different things different names. Never be ashamed about asking what people mean by a term, as clear communication is critical in this industry.

Next, three books that will help you.

1. Backstage Handbook while a little outdated, this is the stagehands bible.
   
   
2. Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician and Technician this is a good reference for how electricity works. Less of a what things are and more of a how things are. Good book regardless.
   
   
3. A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting also more of a how things are, this details more of the design and communication side of lighting. Also a very good read, as it details out paperwork for shows.
   
   As far as what equipment and systems you should be familiar with? ETC EOS family is a good starting point. It’ll get your mind familiar with how to program lights and is a pretty universal starting point. ETC Sensor Racks are also fairly standard for dimming. For moving lights, that’s really going to depend on what you’re able to get your hands on. If there’s a production shop nearby to you, call them up and see if they’re willing to take you on as an intern so you can learn things, or just ask them to spend a couple days showing you how everything works. Or see if there’s an IATSE chapter that’s nearby to you, they’ll also be able to help point you in the right direction.

I found that The Perfect Stage Crew is a great book for introducing basic terms and concepts. It covers a bunch of topics in theater, but the lighting chapter is pretty good as an introduction for you. I don't know what your church is like, but the sound chapter might be of use as well.

• Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light in Theatre, Live Performance, and Entertainment
  
  
• A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting Third Edition
  
  
• Stage Lighting Design: The Art, the Craft, the Life
  
  
• The Automated Lighting Programmer's Handbook
  
  
• Concert Lighting: Techniques, Art and Business
  
  
• Light Fantastic: The Art and Design of Stage Lighting (Great theatrical resource for history and theory, and beautiful photographs.)
  
  
• Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was: The Lighting & Stage Design of Andi Watson (The text reads like an design student's pseudo-intellectual wet dream, but the pictures are great.)
  
  
• Photometrics Handbook
  
  
• Stage Design: Concerts, Events, Ceremonies and Theater

You might be interested in QLC+ (it's free and open source) and an Enttec DMX USB Pro mk I (same company as the DMXIS, but a hundred bucks less). I've programmed a show for a buddy's band to their click track and had a generally positive time with it. I'm a professional lighting nut, so I thought it was a bit restrictive, but that's more of a problem I have with preprogrammed shows than with the software.

Take the $200 you'd save with this control scheme instead and spent it on safety cables, velcro cable ties, a storage bin for your cables, computer, and DMX adapter, gaff tape, and pizza for when you get together to program and jam the first time!

Those links probably aren't the best options for each thing, I just wanted to link examples.

Black wrap cause it’s made to go on hot lights and if you get a roll you can make different designs down the line and cycle then mmm since the wrap is pretty robust meaning you’ll get more than one use out of it

Rosco Matte Black Cinefoil, 12"x50' Roll. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KVMK38/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ydqUBb147V94C

This would be more than enough and if you do lighting design outside of this you can just reuse it

Edit: seeing as you most likely aren’t in the field I would go with other people’s suggestions since they’re a bit more cost effective. Black wrap is just like thick aluminum foil so it’s easy to manipulate and made for high heat lamps since it’s usually used on incredibly high wattage lamps professionally

Edit 2: actually fuck that get black wrap flashing is roughly the same price and harder to work with

Would something like below work? I prefer yellow light but bright.
http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-29490-23-Watt-Twist-Light/dp/B000V77B4K

The DMX24DIM is great if you have the budget. Depending on your appetite for experimentation, you could switch to 12V incandescent E27 lamps and try LED dimmers.

https://www.amazon.com/Bulbrite-25A19F-12-25Watt-Incandescent/dp/B000VVB74Q/ref=pd_bxgy_60_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000VVB74Q&pd_rd_r=T2CQQ4Y5RC3NQ4ETYFTT&pd_rd_w=hJikJ&pd_rd_wg=NuSuT&psc=1&refRID=T2CQQ4Y5RC3NQ4ETYFTT

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/LT-880-24CH-DMX-PWM-Decoder-DC5-24V-input-3A-24channel-output/701799_1647288652.html?spm=2114.12010608.0.0.CyRZWT

Check this out. Probably one of the best resources on the subject.

http://www.amazon.com/Media-Servers-Lighting-Programmers-Comprehensive/dp/041572189X

Stage rigging handbook by jay O,Glerum

It's more theatrical but it makes the math and load calculations easy to understand.

What console are you using? Generally in a situation like this you want a small unmanaged network switch so that your router isn’t a single point of failure for show data. Netgear 5 port gigabit switches are like $30-40 and worth it.

So your map would be a wheel with three spokes: console, router, and node, all directly connected to your network switch.

And though it isn’t a big deal with a small network like this, it’s good to limit the number of choke points in your system. If you’re running everything directly through your router, you have to count on it to successfully and quickly relay all of that show data, and it might not be very good at that, many routers only have 100/mb/s network ports. Also if someone unplugs the router, your show will go down.

NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS105NA) - Desktop, and ProSAFE Lifetime Protection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yjV0CbKGVJ63Q

Note after reading thread I use use these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-PoE150S-Injector-Adapter-Compliant/dp/B001PS9E5I
:)

Introduction to what, exactly? Stage lighting in general?

In my lighting design class in college, we used Lighting and the Design Idea by Linda Essig.

Steve Shelley is also well regarded.

This book is worth every penny if you’re an LD looking to hone your color mixing skills.

Disclaimer: I have no relation to the production or marketing of the book. I just think it’s good.

Color & Light: Navigating Color... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935247190?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

1 remote with multiple channels. 3 to 6 boxes plug in to the wall and they are controlled by one remote with multiple buttons.

Edit: This: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Appliance-Remote-Control-Switch/dp/B000V20N3G

but with more buttons

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/8895315340/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1462944686&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=video+mapping&dpPl=1&dpID=51T2yui0AWL&ref=plSrch

This book isn't about matching your lights with video, but book has it all when it comes to projection mapping

Here's a great book on color theory.

Here's the link.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1138850896/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_d2C3BbGBHQWTT

You are exactly wrong about that.

The max on that is 3010 lumens. I have that lamp, it sucks - cheap joints, it broke, two-step dimming is crap, lighting sucks. That lamp is in fact shown in the video on the bottom. Same as the halogen lamps they were allowed to sell in the 90s. Try it yourself - buy that lamp, and then buy a legal halogen lamp on amazon along with a 300w, 6000 lumen halogen bulb, and compare the legally provided bulb they provide (200w/3000lm) with the 300w/6000lm that you now have to buy separately. Not at all the same. No legal floor lamp goes above 3000 lumens today; this one goes above 6000 lumens.

My research is fine, thank you :)