Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light in Theatre, Live Performance and Entertainment

By Richard Cadena

Book Overview

"Automated Lighting-Technology, Applications, and Design" is a comprehensive text covering everything you will need to know as a working or aspiring lighting professional about automated lighting fixtures, systems, how they are used and design issues you will face. It is written in clear, easy-to-understand language but includes enough detailed information that the most experienced technician and engineer will appreciate and benefit from reading. Subjects covered include the history of automated lighting, DC and AC electricity, basic electronics, power supplies, digital electronics, electro-mechanical systems, optical systems (including dichroic filters, reflectors, lenses, and more), lamp technology, lighting effects (including color mixing, glass gobos, and more), data distribution systems, DMX, RDM, and ACN. State-of-the-art automated lighting fixtures in various applications including theatre, television, concert/touring, and permanent installations are discussed and special design issues are addressed. The text is amply illustrated with drawings and pictures. The newest technology in automated lighting--"digital" lighting or pixel-based automated lighting projection--is also covered in detail. This book is the antithesis of a reference manual or user manual. It is entertaining and educational with lots of graphic illustrations and easy-to-understand concepts. It's the most fun you can have without sitting behind a console.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0240807030
• ISBN13: 9780240807034
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Focal Press
• Length: 474 Pages
• Weight: 2.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Very Technical and good

Great for someone who is technologically minded and is interested in the inner workings of moving head lights. Not much about design with, or techniques for use, but, great if you want to feel you could take them on the road with you and feel like you would be able to diagnose a few of the more simple problems.

Brilliant!

I remember the first time I saw the VL100's on TV - ClubMTV to be exact. The fascination never ended - eventually I became an LD and actually had some VL's on tour. This book covers everything. I just wish this came out in 1989 when the industry was taking off!!!

This is it!

Richard Cadena does it again (enjoyed his first book "Focus on Lighting Technology" and still use it in my Lighting Tech '101' class) with a text that takes the dry and technical, and makes it fresh, even palatable. I've used Richard Cadena's "Automated Lighting" for the last two semesters in my moving lighting class. Students in both semesters have remarked that it is a comprehensive view of "how things work" with the movers; past, present and future. It is also on my must-read book list for graduate students in the MFA lighting program. Specifically, the chapters on "basic" electricity and datacomm are quite thorough. Whether it was DMX-512/512A, RDM or ACN, Cadena's writing covers them well. Couple this book with a good hands-on class and you have an excellent initial experience into a much bigger, sometimes complicated world. I'm grateful to the author for his book and his work in the industry.

A Great Resource

This book is an outstanding resource for anyone involved with Automated Lighting. It covers a wide range of lighting topics, but each with detail and accuracy. A must for anyone just starting to work with autoamtion (especially repairs), but has some great information for old pros as well. While this book has more for technicians than designers, any automation designer may find most of the content useful.