Lighting is an integral component to drama.
Lighting is the intangible something extra that can make or break a stage production. When lighting is done well an audience member's eye is drawn perfectly to the place that it needs to be, despite numerous possible distractions. A feeling of unease, or even intense drama, can be created in the audience by the lighting while audience members remain unaware that they are being manipulated. A spotlight with soft focus can be just the touch that you need to create a moment of intensified drama.
Instructions
Creating Drama Using a Soft Focus Stationary Spot or "Special"
1. Point the lighting instrument from a location at least 45 degrees in front of the area where the dramatic moment will occur. Tighten down the instrument so that it will remain pointing at the area.
2. Open the beam of light, using the proper knobs and levers for your lighting instrument, so that it illuminates as much area on the stage as you will need.
3. Adjust the lens' focus on your instrument. There is usually a knob on the bottom that slides forward and back. Slide that knob forward and back until the edges on the beam of light are sharp; now you are in sharp focus. Move the knob again until you find the focus that you like. Make sure that the beam of light is still the appropriate size to light up the action. If not, repeat step two to adjust the size again.
4. Design the cue for your dramatic moment by returning to the lighting board and creating the general light for the scene that your moment will take place within. This will mean setting the light levels that would be appropriate for the general stage lighting before the moment that you intend to intensify.
5. Create another cue that adds the spotlight and lowers the level of the general stage lighting. The more slowly and more subtly these two levels can change, the more the drama can intensify imperceptibly. Just make sure that the lighting change is accomplished by the time the drama is at its height.
Creating Drama Using a Follow-spot in Soft Focus
6. Position the follow-spot in the area that you would prefer. They are usually positioned in a location from the front of the house, but sometimes they can be located up above in a catwalk or balcony.
7. Soften the follow-spot's focus before you turn it on by adjusting the lever (usually on the side of the instrument where the operator stands.)
8. Point the follow-spot on your subject or subjects during the general lighting cue leading up to the dramatic moment. It will be more difficult for your operator to follow the action because a soft-focus spot is hard to see in brighter light, but he must maintain precision or your effect will be spoiled.
9. Fade the general lights at the speed that works best for the scene and the moment, remembering that a slow fade allows the audience to feel as if the intensity of the moment came from within them, but a quick drop in general lighting can create a shock that is also quite dramatic.
