Fireworks are classic example of the use of light to produce spectacle, but as I stumbled upon this particular fireworks display in San Diego I came to an important realization about fireworks. They are LOUD. The bangs, screeches, and pops that accompanied each burst of color were deafening, and the cacophony was only intensified by echoes and reverberations off the nearby buildings. The effect of the show was impressive and obvious: with each salvo the crowd on the street broke into unprompted cheers and applause. The lesson we can take from this as lighting designers is to be sure to coordinate our lights with the other sensory experiences happening on stage. The fireworks show would not have "worked" if it had been silent lights or invisible thunder; the combination of light and sound created the magic. By collaborating with musicians and sound designers, lighting designers can create experiences that would be impossible to create in a vacuum.
Indeed, they are loud. When sound engineers and lighting designers collaborate -- good, clean fun is only around the corner!
ReplyDeleteOh definitely!! The coordination of light and sound is vital! It also poses the weird question on if we should represent reality or theatricality? In the real world, light travels much faster than sound...so we see lightning before we hear it...we see the fireworks explode before we hear the boom, we see the gun go off before the crack of the shot is heard...but on stage, often times it feels really weird or like a mistake...we're constantly mystified on how to best match lights and sound in situations like these! :) Nice!
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