Event lighting: faces, audiences and scenes that work

Think about what each person needs to see

Mark the lectern, panelists, instruments, DJ booth, tables, dance floor, registration, bar, restrooms and routes. Ask what each person needs to see and when. This helps separate zones for faces, color and circulation.

Position changes the result: backlight can separate a participant from the background, while very steep light can shade eyes and mouths. ETC explains the effects of front, side and backlight. Choose where to light before choosing only by fixture name. Lighting angles.

Agree on looks for arrival, presentation, breaks, dinner, show and departure. Define who runs them and how work light is requested. Tip: rehearse the quieter changes between acts too; they often coincide with people and equipment moving.

What to prioritize for each event

The table helps divide functions. Then adjust positions and quantities for the actual ceiling, surfaces and models. Audience size alone does not translate into a fixture count.

Start with what you need to see

You can combine these tasks in one request. Tell us what happens and where; positions, equipment and testing with the actual setup are then agreed.

Choose by optics and task: profile, Fresnel, wash or moving head

A profile lets you shape the beam and, depending on the model, project patterns. A Fresnel offers soft edges; moving spots and washes add movement and color for programming. Compare functions and beam control before building the list. Fixture types, by ETC.

Front light describes a task: lighting a person. Different fixtures can do it if the distance and beam work. A wash on the backdrop or an uplight on a column can set the atmosphere, but check face coverage separately.

For battery fixtures, calculate the time from rehearsal and standby through the end of the performance, and request runtime in the mode you will use. With moving heads, allow time to program and test positions. Add supports, power and control to the equipment list.

Throw is the distance to what you want to light. Review the model's photometrics from that position and the area it covers. Tip: before adding units, check the optics; a beam unsuitable for the throw can add shadows and spill without improving coverage.

At conferences and hotels, test faces, screens and room together

Seat the panelists and look at every face, especially those at the ends and behind a table. Have the speaker walk away from the lectern and agree on an area that matches the lighting and camera coverage.

Review which zones you can dim with the hotel operator. Decide which go down during presentations and which remain for reading or service. A colored wall can look great while registration or a menu still needs light.

Test faces, screens and décor at the same time. Check whether the backdrop reflects light onto the image or a fixture casts a shadow on the logo. Review from the audience and the camera framing.

Prepare light for questions and photos. Switching on the whole room abruptly after a talk can change camera and screen exposure. Agree on that transition and rehearse it with the operator.

For concerts, build changes around the program

Place each musician and instrument, and document introductions, songs, solos, changes, thanks and exit. Connect effects to those moments and their operator. Check that the actions the audience needs to recognize remain visible.

If there are cameras, test with the white balance, frame rate, shutter and levels they will use. Review faces, whites, LED screens and movement. Also test at low levels: a fixture at full output does not show how the entire dimming range will look.

Watch from the audience position. Agree on flashes and light directions with the team and venue, and use optics and placement to control where each effect lands.

If a fixture responds differently than expected, review DMX profile and mode (Spanish) and the guide to flickering LED lights (Spanish). Check patch, address and mode before reworking every scene.

Indoors and outdoors: include lighting beyond the stage

Indoors, document the ceiling, supports, stage height, walls, windows and existing light. Outdoors, consider changes from day through sunset and night, including stands and routes away from the show.

The Chauvet Ovation E-260WW IP guide requires power and data cables suitable for outdoor IP65 use and caps on unused ports for that product. Review the fixture and connections as a complete setup. Ovation E-260WW IP guide.

Confirm protection, power, supports and operating conditions for the equipment and site. An enclosure's IP rating does not automatically allow any setup or immersion.

Agree with the venue on circulation and emergency lighting, glare control and what happens if power fails. HSE discusses those tasks and independent power in its evacuation guide. It is a British reference: check local requirements. A scene saved on the show console alone does not complete that system.

The lighting, venue and audience guide (Spanish) includes eight equipment lists to start from and covers optics, control, cameras and setup.

Focus and rehearse with everything in place

Save the patch and programming for the installed setup. Test the event's tasks and transitions as well as checking that each fixture turns on.

1. Finalize zones and moments

   Mark participants, audience, service areas and routes, and when lighting changes.

2. Choose positions and models

   Review distance, optics, photometrics, supports, power and indoor or outdoor conditions.

3. Test control

   Link fixture, address, mode, universe and profile. Confirm its response before programming.

4. Focus with the equipment in place

   Review faces, overlaps, shadows and spill from actual audience views.

5. Rehearse with cameras

   Test whites, screens, levels and changes with the settings and operators planned for the event.

6. Agree on room lighting

   Review circulation, emergency, work and closing lighting with the venue, including who operates each function.

Three problems for practicing diagnosis

An LED that cuts out as it fades, a console losing remote control and random flicker may look like programming faults, but it helps to separate equipment, signal and network.

The LED cuts out at the end of a fade: test one variable at a time

Save a show copy and document model, firmware, fixture mode and console profile. With an accessible fixture and no audience present, repeat the same transition. Check that it retains power through the end and that the patch matches its mode; then compare internal response and programming separately.

On Source Four LED Series 2, changing Quick Setup can change the curve and control method. If testing an internal curve, review quick fade-ins and fade-outs, color and show functions while keeping a compatible profile. Rehearse actual timings and camera, and document what changed before extending it to the remaining fixtures.

If equivalent fixtures still respond differently, prepare a specific reproduction and send the configuration to manufacturer support. The v1.8.2 guide explains Quick Setup and profiles; the software history lets you compare changes in 1.8.2, 1.8.1 and 1.8.0. Always review the installed version before deciding on an update.

1. Save and document configuration

   Keep the show and record fixture, firmware, Quick Setup, profile and channel.

2. Check power and patch

   Confirm power and mode with the responsible technician before adjusting curves.

3. Change one variable

   Repeat the transition and compare quick fade-ins and fade-outs, functions and color.

4. Test actual scenes

   Rehearse timings and camera; extend the change after checking the result.

OSC works for a while, then loses connection

This is a solution reported by that user; the setup's versions were not identified.

Build a list of device, IP address, subnet, DHCP reservation and ports. If the network belongs to the hotel or theater, review it with the administrator. Avoid changing addresses at random: a temporary improvement may hide the conflict.

When it fails, document which devices still communicate, whether there is an Ethernet link and whether the console is reachable from that same network. Save logs before restarting or reconnecting. Then check duplicate addresses, destination and port in the QLab patch. For ColorSource AV, specifically check UDP for OSC.

Test a known cue, then a long session with the waits expected at the event. Agree on who runs the show locally if remote control is lost. Document configuration and results: the case suggests an IP test without explaining every disconnection.

The ColorSource AV v3.4.0 manual covers Settings > Network, Amigo and Export Logs; QLab 5 explains patch, Send and warnings. ETC confirms UDP for OSC on ColorSource AV. Use the instructions for your installed versions.

1. Document the network

   Record IP address, subnet, assignment and ports; review reservations with the administrator.

2. Observe what happens when it fails

   Check link and reachability, and save logs before reconnecting.

3. Test the command

   With agreed addresses, review patch, destination, UDP and port using a known cue.

4. Rehearse duration and backup

   Test waits and actual duration, as well as local execution. Document results and responsibilities.

Random flicker: find the failing part of the path

Use others' experiences to choose tests without treating that installation as resolved.

Document which fixtures fail and whether it happens during a cue or at steady values. Save the show and record model, mode, address and data path.

Start with a simple setup you can repeat and rebuild the path in sections. When you find a difference, document it and rehearse the complete changes again. If there are signs of power or electrical damage issues, separate that review and call the responsible technician.

To choose a test, ETC explains DMX wiring and troubleshooting, flicker and RDM, and multiple parameters on one DMX channel. Compare those conditions with the model and show configuration.

1. Simplify the path

   Test one accessible fixture with a known short DMX cable and a verified control source. Rebuild the line in sections and check cable and termination for the system.

2. Compare mode and values

   Review fixture, profile and cue. If the transition crosses a strobe range, review the model's channel map before changing it.

3. Evaluate RDM as a test

   If comparing with and without RDM, document configuration and result. ETC describes specific incompatibilities; turning it off is not a rule for every show.

Before choosing lenses, document where each light will come from

When moving from a small room to a deeper one, the same lens may no longer suit the area you want to light. Mark each possible position on the plan and measure the throw to the presenter. Also record the width they need to cover: a fixed lectern and someone walking across the stage need different coverage. You can then compare lenses and photometrics for the exact fixture.

A model confusion also arose: the Chauvet EVE E-100Z specifications confirm that it is ellipsoidal and has framing shutters.

Review what each proposal includes. For example, the ETC ColorSource Spot V specifications distinguish the body alone from the version with a shutter barrel for fixed lenses; lenses are ordered separately, and the listed zoom lenses use the body alone. This illustrates why the complete combination needs reviewing. Before buying for several rooms, test or rent the planned combination and check faces, coverage edges and spill onto screens from the actual positions.

1. Confirm the full name

   Request a photo of the label and the body and lens codes. An abbreviated family name is not enough to identify the optics.

2. Make a plan for each room

   Mark light positions, throw to the performance area, width to cover, lectern and presenter movement.

3. Compare the complete combination

   Use photometrics for the body with the proposed lens. Ask the quote to detail the included compatible components and accessories.

4. Test with the actual scene

   Rehearse from the planned position, with screen and camera if present. Check continuous coverage and beam shaping before approving purchase or rental.

If white looks pink, check how you control colors

Start with three facts: the fixture's full name, its selected mode and the profile loaded on the console. Test the other emitters too, even if red, green and blue already respond. Save a show copy and compare one identified fixture before changing the entire patch.

For the original ColorSource Spot, the ETC specifications state that 5ch mixes lime automatically; in Direct, you control it on an independent channel. The v1.7/v3.0 guide shows another useful detail: channel 5 is strobe in 5ch and lime in Direct. Compare that table with your loaded profile channel by channel. If the label says Spot V, find its document. Then test faces and colors with the event camera, retaining the white balance selected for that scene.

1. Document model, version and mode

   Read the label and record the installed firmware version. Compare the menu mode with the manual's table for that fixture.

2. Compare the profile map

   Review channel count, order and function. Even with the same count, a profile may assign a different function to a channel; a similar name does not confirm compatibility either.

3. Test one unit before the full setup

   Keep a show copy and check color controls on one identified fixture. Avoid activating strobe during that test.

4. Save the approved white

   Rehearse with the intended person and camera. Record scene, mode and profile; if you need evidence of color temperature or fidelity, add the appropriate measurement.

If bands appear only on camera, test the LED frequency

Test the fixture with the camera and settings you will use for recording. Record FPS, shutter, color mix and intensity. Shoot a take with steady light and another with show fades: a scene that looks fine to the eye may look different on video.

On the ColorSource Spot and Spot CPU2 covered by the v1.7/v3.0 guide, RDM lets you choose Standard, 1.2 kHz, or High, 25 kHz. Confirm model and version before looking for that option: it adjusts LED output frequency, a separate control from DMX mode or camera FPS.

For this family, ETC states that LED Frequency is changed through RDM, not from the local menu. With a compatible tool, identify the fixture and verify that it received the change. Names and navigation may vary by tool.

Then repeat recording with the same settings and review the live fade too. Keep the value that worked and that test with the show. If the camera or fixture changes, check again; 25 kHz is an option on this equipment, not a guarantee for every combination.

At an acoustic concert, listen to the lights too

Rehearse a quiet passage with lights and microphones in their actual positions. Listen from the front rows and review the recording. Coordinate a comparison with lights on and off with the lighting team; keep room ventilation and microphones unchanged. This helps distinguish which noise needs technical review.

Confirm model and firmware before looking for a quiet mode. The current Ovation P-56FC manual, variant -2 documents Auto, On, Off and Silent under Fan Mode. Silent keeps the fan at a constant speed; Off stops it and reduces light output according to temperature. Those options apply to that fixture.

Test the chosen mode with the required scene and run it for a duration similar to the program. Check noise and light together: a change that improves listening may require revisiting coverage. In Off, this model gets hotter; respect ventilation and clearances in the manual and avoid touching the hot housing.

If comparing rentals, request a demonstration under those conditions. Save the approved mode with the patch and notify the operator: returning to another mode can change the test everyone accepted.

Changing controllers: keep a record for each node port

When a computer replaces a console, the next operator needs to know the configuration of every node output. Request the full model and firmware version, identify connectors in use and save a prior screenshot. A label saying only DMX is not enough to reconstruct that configuration.

On ODE Mk3, Home displays type, protocol, universe, Refresh Rate and Output Merging per port. Under Settings, changes apply when saved. If using Autofill, review both ports: it copies settings but not universes. These options apply specifically to this model.

Make a short sheet with one row per port and the equipment receiving that signal. Add the show filename and a recognizable check scene, such as a fixed color agreed with the operator. Review it from the lit areas, not only on the control screen.

At handover, document the last tested configuration and who received it. If an output changes later, update that row. The team can then compare actual changes during the event and refer back to the documented starting point.

When loading another show, review its network configuration

Before opening a visiting production's file, agree on which console controls each zone and which sources will remain connected. Ask the operator to review the file with the venue technician. The scene may be ready while shared control with the installation remains unresolved.

On Eos 3.3.10, Patch > Protocols settings are saved in the show file or template. They include output priority, PAP and per-universe overrides. Loading another file may bring in a configuration different from the one previously used.

Prepare a comparison between the venue and visiting files before rehearsal. Mark intentional differences and who authorizes them. Document what should happen when a source stops sending and returns, as well as the scene looks.

Per-universe and per-address priority are different criteria. Confirm which the receiver interprets and rehearse the agreed handover. Identify the approved file for the next operator; a patch screenshot alone may omit protocol settings.

Agree on inputs before adding another operator

When lighting and video use several computers, document which application contributes each part of the show and where their data combines. Add sender IP addresses, universes and destination ports. A last-minute addition can then be reviewed with the complete path at hand.

If the receiver is a Showtec NET-2/5 Pocket 50808, its V1 manual limits network sources to two per output. To add another, first resolve how the intended combination will reach the receiver. During rehearsal, agree on who enables each output and record application startup order. Dividing tasks between operators also requires agreeing on their outputs.

Rehearse the return of lighting control too

Agree with the operator on the look that should remain when control is lost and who can restore it. Include reconnection in rehearsal: holding a lighting look and regaining operation are two different moments in the show.

ENTTEC's Signal Loss guide, updated in April 2026, describes retaining the last value until signal returns or device power is cycled. That behavior does not keep cues advancing. Review the model and configuration before relying on it for a pause or disconnection.

Document what the audience saw when connection was lost and what happened when it returned. Prepare the test with the intended scene, save initial settings and coordinate who stops it if the result changes. Use that record to agree on recovery with the event's operating team.

How to distribute DMX between stage and room

When distributing lighting between stage, room and atmosphere, provide a path list with each branch's destination. Add who connects it and where the equipment comes back together. That drawing helps setup crew and operator review the same system.

D-SPLIT 70578/70579 distributes one universe to four outputs. It does not merge sources; its inputs do not serve as primary and backup either.

If you need separate controls or a backup source, describe that before finalizing the request. Ask the provider for equipment and configuration covering that function. Document the path to rehearse and who will check the control handover.

Program worksheet for lighting and operation inquiries

Share the program with a date and version. For each moment, document what happens, which zones are used and who participates. If you have visual references, explain which part of the event they relate to.

State whether there will be cameras, projection, performances or room changes. Name a contact for each team and mark pending schedules. The worksheet brings those conversations together before finalizing the proposal.

Ask the scope to detail preparation, programming, operation and removal. Agree on who communicates program changes and gives instructions during the event. Also record the contact coordinating the venue's lighting.

Define who installs, programs and operates

You can request equipment only or book technical tasks for the agreed system. You do not need model numbers: share the date, venue, program and what the venue or another provider already supplies.

GLMedia is responsible for the contracted technical scope. The client or production team confirms the program, content and who gives instructions. The venue confirms access, power, permitted supports and who controls its room, circulation and emergency lighting. We agree on connections and control handover with other providers; overall event organization is defined separately.

SkyPanel S60-C: separate CCT from green/magenta

In local control, set SkyPanel S60-C to CCT. In the FW 4.4 manual, p. 14, the center knob adjusts color temperature and the right knob adjusts green/magenta. In HSI, that right knob changes saturation: check the mode before turning it.

Test a face and a white reference with the event camera. Keep camera white balance fixed while comparing fixture settings. Record approved CCT and green/magenta; check face, wardrobe and background before saving.

The console will not dim the room lights: is the venue panel still sending levels?

Before combining room panel and console control, verify the merger's functions and how it handles priority. Rehearse the transition between both controls.

In an HTP merge, the highest value on each channel wins, as explained by ETC Labs, sACN 2.0.2, Merging. For an intensity channel, if the panel holds a higher level, lowering the console will not lower the combined output. That level rule does not select an exclusive operator.

Its manual, p. 1, identifies independent DMX inputs, valid-signal indicators and Mimic 1 for channel 1's level. That indicator does not represent every channel. The consulted document does not detail priority selection between inputs: ask the integrator to confirm before promising it.

We propose reviewing the path with the venue lead, without an audience and on agreed test lights. Document which channel controls each zone and where sources combine. Save the original configuration. Compare console alone, panel alone and both together with two different levels on the same intensity channel. Then reverse which sends the higher level and record the merger's output value and the observed light.

If the result follows the higher level, agree on how the panel yields during the show and how staff regain control afterward. Also rehearse source loss and return; do not infer that behavior from a dimmer test. Keep venue circulation lighting available. The show rehearsal must be coordinated with its room system.

Bring the drawing and values to the DMX sources worksheet. To agree on responsibilities, follow coordination with hotels and venues (Spanish). If the show uses Lightkey, include its shutdown and startup (Spanish). Ask us about lighting with models, versions and the rehearsal record.

STORM8 flickers with sACN or reports more than two sources: what should I check first?

The ENTTEC STORM8 70056 manual, ID 5933191, April 2022, p. 5, distinguishes None for one source and HTP/LTP for two. Home displays firmware, protocol, universe and merge status; opening the universe lets you view DMX values by channel. Network stats shows counters and the last IP address. That last IP address is not a complete sender inventory.

The ETC Labs 2.0.2 documentation, Priority, establishes per-universe priority from 0 to 200, with 200 highest. The consulted STORM8 manual does not explain how it applies that priority; confirm firmware and behavior before using it for control handover.

We propose first saving screenshots of Home, Settings and Network stats. Draw all senders and the universe each sends, including test applications open on other computers. During an agreed rehearsal, compare one source at a time, then both. Document whether the warning and flicker occur together. One disappearing does not by itself prove the cause of the other.

If the problem persists with one verified source, continue with the review of lights flickering with DMX (Spanish). Keep one configuration per test so you can go back. If it starts only when adding the panel, document both sources and merge mode before changing priorities. Do not apply another node's or manual revision's functions to STORM8.

Use the rehearsal worksheet to compare the warning, visible values and actual light. The case's panel model and installed versions still need identifying. The post's original photo was not used to confirm settings. To prepare lighting operation, send that record and the behavior you expect when a source leaves or returns.

PRE10-A: how do I save a scene to the wall buttons?

If identification confirms PRE10-A, use the September 2019 manual, software 2.4, pp. 5–7. Recording is done from MAIN with JP1 enabled. Ask the integrator to confirm those details before rehearsal. Do not change jumpers without documentation applicable to the system.

According to that manual, prepare steady levels from the DMX console. Press the recessed RECORD button with a small blunt object: red flashes. Press and release the selected number; releasing it ends flashing and recording. If you decide against it before selecting a preset, pressing RECORD again cancels without changes. Steady red indicates external reception and transmission lockout; it is not the same state as flashing red.

We propose starting with a preset the venue authorizes you to replace. First record what each button does and how the previous configuration will be restored. Prepare a simple test scene with agreed lights and channels, without movement or color changes during capture. A light that looked right in the console rehearsal does not yet prove the button stored that scene.

After recording, rehearse playback when the console stops sending, coordinated with the room lead. Watch indicators and actual lights; also document how the console regains control. Compare results with documentation for the installed system. Do not remove signal during the event to find out what happens.

Complete the panels and presets worksheet. Agree on handover with the hotel or venue (Spanish) and relate the rehearsal to console and room panel. To prepare the event lighting, send the model, revision and expected function of each button.

PRE10ETHER-A: why do the buttons stop controlling lights when the console turns on?

The user considers Preset 10 Ethernet and asks about commercial alternatives. This helps frame control handover, without attributing a completed test to them.

The PRE10ETHER-A manual, January 2020, p. 5, defines a block of four consecutive universes. In Standard Lockout, receiving a source on any of them stops the panel's transmission on all four. In No Lockout it continues transmitting, and the receiver decides according to priorities. Merging sources of equal priority depends on receiver support.

Ask the integrator for a record of the installed configuration: model, revision, starting universe, lockout, priorities and receiver. This guide applies to PRE10ETHER-A; we still do not know the panel model in the earlier STORM8 case. Identifying it will allow the correct manual to be chosen. Do not assume that an ineffective button is faulty.

There is another shutdown detail: according to p. 10, if preset 10 OFF contains all levels at zero, the panel stops sending sACN when its transition ends. That is different from maintaining a stream of zeros. Consult the exact receiver's signal-loss behavior and check it during rehearsal.

We propose comparing panel alone, console alone and both together. With agreed observation tools, check which sources remain active and document the light actually produced. Then rehearse console withdrawal and return, and the planned OFF for closing. Do it without an audience, with one configuration per test and an agreed way to restore the initial state. We do not specify a universal recovery delay.

Use the panels worksheet and the following table. If the receiver is STORM8, also follow sources and flicker. Include coordination with the venue (Spanish). We can prepare lighting operation based on the path and verified results.