Lighting Technician Job Description

The Lighting Department in Film Productions

The lighting department is very important in film crews. Artificial lights of different kinds and intensities are required when the sun sets. Daylight may be used in some productions, but for the most part artificial light is needed to achieve the visual image required.

The different members of the lighting crew are responsible for the look and feel of the images captured on the screen, with others such as the camera crew or designer. They set up a wide range of lighting equipment to achieve a variety of moods, atmospheres and effects, as well as helping to make the actors, performers and participants look right for their roles. The members of the lighting department are trained to work safely with electricity.

They choose the correct lights and equipment to meet the production brief, after interpreting the ideas of the Director, the Designer and other departments. Special effects have been created using a variety of lamps and accessories. Some lighting set-ups are simple, and only require minimal lighting and a minimal crew, but dramas and feature films may require several hundred lights, many of which are computer-controlled.

The variety of equipment means that Lighting Technicians can take up specialist roles within the lighting team. Gaffers are in charge of all the electrical work on a production, leading the team of technicians who install the lighting equipment and arrange the power supply in order to create the designed lighting effects. Gaffers work closely with the Director of Photography to see in a practical way.

It is possible for several years of experience to qualify for the role of Gaffer. They may work on a film studio set. There may be more than one Gaffer on larger productions, and there may be a separate rigging Gaffer who is solely in charge of the rigging team.

Training Lighting Technicians

Lighting technicians work on all types of programmes and may cover productions inside or outside of a studio. The lighting team's work is important, as lighting creates the right atmosphere to set a scene and evoke an audience's response. You will usually work in a team, as technicians need to carry out heavy lifting and may need to work at heights to correctly position the lighting.

You must always be aware of health and safety requirements while setting up lights, changing them over, and running cables. Depending on the production and experience you have, salaries can vary a lot. The average salary for employed lighting technicians is around $36,600 per year, but you may need to start on a lower salary in order to secure work and gain experience.

Most new entrants are qualified electricians who have obtained skills through training courses such as those offered by City & Guilds. After their studies, they gain practical experience in production lighting. You can become an electrician through an apprenticeship.

The industry body ScreenSkills has more information qualifications. Pre-entry experience is essential. Look for experience with a specialist lighting company or lighting equipment hire company.

Try searching for film and TV companies using listings such as Pact - Find a Member or The Knowledge. Try to work on a student or community film project while at college. You can join a drama society to learn more about lighting and the technical aspects of the job.

The Theatre Lighting Technician Jobs

If you are a technician, you will be responsible for controlling and regulating all the technical aspects of the production, but it will be mostly limited to lights and sounds for conferences, theatres, cinema, ad shoots, reality shows and TV production. The working hours of a lighting technician will depend on the production schedule. As you associate with more production houses, you will have long days and nights with no rest, even if you start your work load less.

Unlike other professions, lighting technicians need to have a video or photograph based portfolio that will be a collection of their previous work to prove their skill and competency to their clients. Depending on the industry and difficulty of work, your income will change. The technicians who work in big budget movies and action shows earn more than the low budget shows.

After you find a job, you will most likely be working as an assistant with an industry expert. You would be the Asst. Technician. You can fast track your career with relevant technical courses and programs.

A Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Production Arts

A bachelor's degree in theatrical production arts is required to become a lighting technician. You can get skills in lighting on the job from an entry-level position. There are lighting technician jobs in concert venues, film studios, and television broadcast production companies.

Special events include speeches, outdoor concerts, and large reception. You need to know the basics of electricity and design in a lighting tech role. A lighting technician works on stage or in the film department.

The lighting designer will want you to hang, focus, and program the lighting system to implement their vision. Responsibilities of a lighting technician include interpreting the lighting plot, inventorying and collecting the lighting units available, and ordering more gels, gobos, bulbs, and units. Hanging and maintaining the lighting on the stage or set is one of the additional duties.