Like the director, the beauty designer and lighting engineer are among the most important people responsible for the performance. They display key messages in the work, create the form, feel and impact of the show, and enlighten the director's and audience's vision, hearing and inspiration with a concise image or decoration.

The art of performance is a visual art and auditory art that combines time and space modeling. It performs artistic expression through elements such as light and shadow, form, color and music. The creation of any category on the stage is done to finally reflect the complete artistic effect of the performance: that is, the creator lets the audience see, hear, and feel what is happening and going on the stage.

In the vast world of auditory art and visual art, digital technology has undoubtedly brought the artist's inspiration and thinking to a new era. For example, the fast and simple music synthesis realized by digital audio technology, high-fidelity sound, surround sound, laser disc, wireless microphone, laser disc, MIDI equipment, computer music, VCD, DVD, etc., some are just for traditional art. Effectively supplemented, but some are new effects. Digital technology brings artists into a huge space where the imagination of sound art is infinite.

The stage is also more "digital", the digitalization of the mechanical stage, the advancement of electric light sources, the innovation of lamps, the development of dimming technology, especially the advancement of digital network systems, giving life to the new stage visual art performance, making thousands of years The artistic expressions and performances of the dream stage lighting become a reality, allowing the audience to feel the light and shadow and color images of the three-dimensional space of the stage. At the same time, more people engaged in stage design, research and production realized that it is imperative to understand the development status of the performance equipment industry and to take advantage of the digital technology of the modern stage.

First, the design concept and the improvement of design means

The stage lighting system is a system engineering, which is a combination of optics, electronics, mechanical technology and computer technology. An excellent lighting system design not only reflects the rigorous combination of many disciplines, but also inspires artistic creation.
1. Content: including the main lighting system and auxiliary lighting system, including auditorium lighting and work lights, and performing blue and white light control system. Divided lamp map, control system diagram, loop distribution diagram, lamp junction box diagram, lighting system flow chart, power cable system diagram, power supply, signal line slot trend diagram, network distribution map, etc.
2. Basis: architectural drawings, planning requirements, owner's wishes, needs, functional positioning, project introduction, capital budget, original design response, basic functions, potential and modernization requirements, such as “replacement of various repertoires for 8 people within 4 hours” "Technical terms, technical standards, regulations and agreements at home and abroad, various forms and styles of performances, similar arrangements, traditional habits, design experience and various equipment features.
3. Objectives:
(1) On-demand allocation: full node reservation;
(2) Control security: real-time monitoring, full tracking of backup;
(3) Prospects for the agreement: Meet DMX, compatible with ACN;
(4) The lighting of the audience and the stage lighting including the color changer on the same stage control enhance the consistency of the lighting control, create a strong space art atmosphere, and produce a better lighting scene effect;
(5) Multi-point, multi-person control and wired and wireless remote control, online and offline editing, convenient for lighting and on-site editing of light and effects;
(6) Control circuit design: including the interchange of dimming circuit and straight-through circuit;
(7) Stage lighting design: Emphasis on the distribution layout of the lighting system output terminal and the rationality of the lamp configuration. It is important that the distribution of the lighting system output terminal (socket) provided to the user is reasonable and the quantity is sufficient; the number of lamp configurations , performance indicators and illumination, color temperature and other technical parameters can meet the site size and functional requirements;
(8) Principles: reliability, applicability, forward-looking and economical;
4. Means: In addition to the traditional AutoCAD, Excel, Corel DRAW, there is also a set of "WYSIWYG" art design 3D design software (What You See is What You Get). It can help the lighting engineer to combine the size, shape and hang of the stage required for each performance on the computer according to the existing environmental structure diagram and equipment list, using the computer virtual technology in the absence of equipment and environment. All kinds of lamps, after mating, plus circuit, color, to achieve all the effects of the real performance. This simplifies the combined lighting process of the entire light, making it more systematic and specific, and can output a true lighting program using a compatible dimming station.

Second, the technological leap of the mechanized stage

1. The design and layout of the relatively complete stage machinery: including the setting and layout of the on-board machinery and the under-stage machinery. The on-board machinery includes the scenery boom, light pole, single point crane, flight equipment, light bridge, and false platform. And other equipment and on-board mechanical control room; under-country machinery including lifting platform, lifting music pool, turntable, platform, mobile platform and under-country mechanical control room;
2, CNC technology to achieve complex transformation and movement: from the original simple rotation of the scene to the development of a variety of push-pull, lifting, rotating, cascading, tilting and flipping. Turning technology into a manifestation of the stage has become an indispensable stage vocabulary. Promoting stage lighting, sound and so on together create an amazing artistic effect. For example, the mechanical stage of Fenghuang Square, the splendid Chinese folk custom village of Shenzhen Jinxiu, timely pushes, lifts, rotates, unfolds, and cooperates with its modern lighting, sound, laser, fountain, waterfall and fire, making the audience stunned. Won the 2003 China Dance Beauty Lighting Award.

Third, the transformation of traditional and intelligent lamps 1. Cold beam imaging lamp: aluminum alloy die-casting, high-efficiency lens with coated optical glass lens, good light efficiency, stable color temperature, because of its low thermal radiation, high illumination, uniform spot, and edge Clean and more and more accepted by the lighting experts in the East, and some can also adjust the edge of the spot to facilitate the entire stage lighting;

2, high-performance, low-noise lamps have become a new favorite, some lamps also have a pre-made focus design, convenient to the light. The continuous improvement of the coating process improves the efficacy and service life of the luminaire. Spotlights and imaging lights with mechanical rocker arms make the light more convenient for light and shorten the mounting time;

3. The excellent energy-saving features and long service life of LEDs have been valued by the dancers. In addition to a large number of use in landscape lighting, it is currently used for stage backgrounds or contour decoration. Whether it is possible to increase the power to provide stage lighting remains to be seen;

4, computer lighting: nearly 30 years of performance lighting history, the invention of computer lights has indeed made a big change in our performance stage. At present, there are mainly two types of moving headlights and scanning lights. It creates stage effects such as stroboscopic, pattern, and light column changes, so that the color of the previous stage needs to be changed by the color changer and even the number of lamps. The new computer light also has a chasing function, which makes it possible to follow the light in the backlight position. Some computer lights can also be naturally air-cooled, especially in concert halls or studios. Recently, some computer lights also have imaging functions. They use software to generate images in the computer or select materials in stock. They are combined and output to the video projector. All patterns, images, pictures, animations, etc. can be self-generated or different. The format is converted, eliminating the troubles of the time, cost and drawing of the projection film of the projection device.


Fourth, the progress of networked lighting control system

Mr. Xing Xin, director of the Lighting Committee of the China Stage Art Society and senior lighting designer of the National Theatre, said: “Without staged lighting, it is difficult to produce the desired artistic effect.” It has been selected as “National Ten” every year since 2003. "The big stage boutique project repertoire" is also the only "Thirteen-line merchant" in Guangdong Province this year. The lighting design has to be edited from dozens to hundreds of "CUE" fields. The British opera "Carmen" has more than 1000 "CUE". The modern stage calls for digital technology. As early as the early 1990s, the digital network lighting control system was introduced in Europe and America, and it was quickly promoted to the world. This kind of network connection can connect multiple computer lighting consoles at any time. LAN, the lighting console inside the network system is a site, can be operated independently or according to the needs of the main console and backup station and wireless remote control control, etc.; can also control multiple sites at different control points at the same time Performing or controlling the performance of different performances greatly improves the efficiency of the lighting system. This unprecedented technology is fully integrated with the lighting control system and is used in a variety of world-class theaters and places with exceptional technical requirements.

The main advantages of the networked lighting control system are as follows:
1. The network technology conforms to the development direction and requirements of digital technology, facilitates the implementation of remote control and technical support, and provides a convenient technical means for the desktop design of computer designers of lighting designers;

2. The active and standby dimming stations in the network learn from each other and back up each other to achieve full tracking and redundant backup to ensure that the lighting control of the show is foolproof;

3. The lighting operator can know the instantaneous information and working status of the lighting system through the network, on the lighting console display or PC computer, and timely monitor, intervene or correct the lighting of each circuit;

4, through the network node can set PC computer, designer orientation, camera, remote control and so on. Implement point-of-sale control, multi-point control, portable remote control or monitoring, convenient for remote or offline editing, compatible with future Light Network Protocol (ACN). This highly flexible lighting control system with international advanced level fully embodies the modern management concept and lighting operation mode of the International Grand Theatre, greatly saving the time spent on mounting and lighting, and giving the director and lighting engineer the sound of the scene during the rehearsal of the show. Transforming convenience with visual communication;

5. The network system is stable and the programming is reasonable. In the case that the hardware structure does not change, the system can also be upgraded by software, which increases the system's forward-looking and compatibility, and lays a good foundation for user management to enter the information highway.


Fifth, the technical breakthrough of network dimmer

In addition to safety and stability, the dimmer of the stage is ideally to prevent interference of other inductive appliances in the power grid when the dimmer is working, and to prevent interference from other equipment in the stage.

1. In terms of application security: temperature sensitive intelligent cooling system, full load status report, line short circuit or zero-zero protection technology have been widely used. The recent dimming silicon cabinet can withstand up to 100,000 amps of short-circuit current, which can automatically The harmonics of the power grid are analyzed to adjust the optimal firing angle position to ensure that the input voltage is in the range of 90-240V, and the output voltage error is less than 1V, which solves the dimming unevenness or the flickering phenomenon caused by the voltage instability during the performance. ;

2. In the aspect of anti-interference and anti-interference: the international maximum value of magnetic ring anti-interference ability is currently 635US/230V, and the triggering accuracy is 16 bits and 4000 levels, which is more suitable for use in concert halls. The most advanced dimming silicon cabinet is Sine Wave Dimmer with SST sine wave technology. Each output is 5 kW. Not only the through/dimming circuits can be interchanged, but the sine wave/dimming circuit can also be used. exchange. It has no minimum load power limit and automatic output protection. Not only is a few millivolts of LEDs dimmable, it can perform extremely well when dealing with some non-linear loads with water on the stage. The dimming ideal management mode that the lighting industry has been dreaming for for decades: not only to prevent pollution from the power grid, but also to avoid interference of its own working voltage on other electronic devices on the site, to achieve high-precision dimming, large-scale management.

Flaubert, a famous French writer, said: "Art is becoming more and more scientific, and science is becoming more and more artistic. The two break up in the mountains and will one day reunite at the top of the mountain." Today in the 21st century, digital technology has brought us a profound revolution. It has revolutionized everything that people are used to, as well as all aspects of our lives, and of course stage art, creating an inspiring and colorful world. In this reunion, science and art are not simply meeting, but have a broader, deeper and more general connotation, revealing what they have "not revealed yet" and "should be revealed" between them.

If the art creation is likened to a solid torso, then the revolution in science and art caused by the rapid development of digital technology is to insert a pair of golden wings for the artist's creation and thinking, she will carry the human civilization. Brilliant, flying freely in the vast art world.

General Manager of Guangzhou Squande Lighting Co., Ltd., Senior Engineer / Ma Limin

Editor: China Lighting Network / Leaves