Time

Lighting Design & Time : a topic summery on the introduction of the Time attribute to lighting towards the @nd year performance students @ KASK

OBJECT APPROACH

lighting design =

• organising a set of lighting fixtures/objects in a spatial context

AND

• organising the output of those fixtures/objects in a temporal context

CS-pics

Main attribute to vary in time =

• intensity … simple as it can be
• be it that contemporary technology allows also time variability on colour/direction/form…. for the better??

Technical stage tools to manipulate intensity over time =

• hardware: switch & dimmer
• software: lighting desk or specific computer applications

Generating a variety of lighting over time:

• a series of following static situations (conventional cross fading (pre)set idea)
• extended transitions in stead of swift cross fades (from light-scenes into light scapes)
• ever dynamic light state (organically moving scene)

CS examples : all-3 / dynamic voices in 3 / dynamic of performance (= trip, not a sequence of scenes…) projected into the bulbs by ever organic movement

SUBJECT APPROACH

The perception (by the subject) of any lighting situation is relative to the time dimension

functioning of the eye:

• lens/iris: gateway for the light onto the retina
• projection of image onto retina
  • scotopic receptors (intensity)
  • photopic receptors (colour & intensity)
• transmission & translation/interpretation of information in the brain

both

• the opening of the iris (1)
• the differentiated sensitivity of the receptors (2)
• the translation of the information (3)

are to be seen / can be manipulated in a temporal context

Relative brightness and Intensity adaptation:

• the opening of the iris regulates the amount of light coming in
  • night walk with full moonlight
  • optimum based on the overall intensity picture: blinding headlights in the night versus daytime
• TIME (directly 1) : relative long transition period needed for iris to adjust…. : intensity adaptation as a lighting design tool
  • known blinding effect after darker light
  • but also inverse…. BO, be it not fully, after brightness: way to quickly disappear into the wings…
  • annoying LED pollution in a space only visible after a while
  • simple LED set design by Anne Juren, Code Series
• TIME (1+3): automatic and unconscious physical adaptation of the iris leading to interpretable or even deceptive information : progressive manipulation of the vision:
  • slow transition into rather extreme states makes that state the new/manipulatad normality by which it then can be contrasted much stronger
  • stretching time with long fade-out : losing the spatial context without losing the focus on the dancers (Violet Endscene)

Relative sensitivity of the light receptors and intensity and/or chromatic adaptation:

• when receptors are locally stimulated, they become less sensitive…. thus less active areas become more sensitive for information (brightness and/or colour)
  • After image : Subject = hungry for missing information: Frog picture
• TIME (directly 2): relative long transition period needed for receptors to “reset”: intensity/chromatic adaptation as a lighting design tool
  • after image as halo in Drumming solo by Brice Leroux
• TIME: automatic and unconscious chromatic recalibration of the eye’s receptors leading to interpretable or deceptive information: progressive manipulation of the vision:
  • MaybeForever by Meg Stuart & Philipp Gemacher
    • 9 “states” in 1 meta transition…. timely representation of the performance’s dramaturgy
    • slowly leading into extreme state (sepia or end flat monochrome): light defining time defining light
    • rather swift pivoting point out of the sepia makes the contrast much stronger (after sepia new normality while unconsciously missing color information)