2.3 Handling a performance

While  the process of programming is more demanding at the big productions and actual handling of performance consists of entering the command Go at the right time (all the cues are set so the change take place automatically with the required timing, as the operators take turns and often don’t have the possibility of noticing whether all is correctly illuminated), on smaller stages and in contemporary dance, the role of the operator is more interactive. He has to decide already at the beginning (even with regard to the capabilities of a lighting console), whether to prepare a program for the performance, which content is sequence of cues (and whether he is going to handle it manually with a crossfader or automatic Go), or handles the performance “by a hand”, i.e. with the help of groups of lights / group and their intensities, which assigns to the programmable faders – submasters. He achieves the desired lighting atmosphere by their combination. In this case, it is necessary to take the complexity of the scene into account, i.e. how many submasters must be used and thus the number of fingers required for pulling down and up of the current and the next cue. When the operator decides incorrectly, it can happen to him that he will be forced to use all of his fingers (which is not actually ideal because of their different length). Lighting by submasters is frequent especially during guest performances at other venues where there is no time for programming cues, and it is therefore necessary to prepare thoughtfully the content of submasters (groups of lights and their intensities) – then it’s possible to handle a performance of dozens of changes with 24 submasters, with which combinations is the adequate atmosphere achieved. The dynamics and timing of changes are then fully in the responsibility of the operator.

Submasters, however, are also used in combination with programmed cues where additional light has to be added to them during the performance (to add intensity or fill the space if for instance the actor steps out of the delimitated area), or vice versa reduce the intensity (there is too much light at some areas, which might happen with imperfect focus and wrong ratio of intensities of individual lights). An experienced and sensitive operator can use submasters for live addition of light to the atmosphere, for instance if he wants to boost dynamics and expressiveness in a scene.  Event and concert productions rely a lot on the experience of the operator who often has to improvise and react quickly to action on the stage, he must be prepared for unexpected situations (technical problems, bad timing of performers, etc.) and must have a prepared “plan B”. In other words, he should predict what all can happen and how to solve it in a best way.  For that, he needs other team members and connection with them among other things. It’s not everything, but perhaps the previous text is sufficient for an idea of what work might entail for the operator of a lighting console board: it’s both a programmer’s role in creating a lighting form of a performance – understanding the syntax of the console and correct (and fast) use of all its capabilities according to the ideas of the lighting designer, secondly, delicate work in the handling the performance according to the ideas of the director – it’s necessary to be focused and somehow  “be there”, to follow the performance, its rhythm. Some operators sometimes complain how terrible it’s to sit down every night behind the console board with the responsibility that whatever they do well, no one would notice, but if something goes wrong, everyone will.