When you're planning an event, there are a million things to think about - from vegetarian catering options to the font on invitations. But one crucial aspect that often gets neglected is lighting.
Selecting the right lighting for your event is vital for creating the right atmosphere, whether it's a wedding, a conference, or a product launch. You want people to focus on a speaker, direct their attention to displays, or make them feel relaxed while socialising? Use lighting to conjure up just the right mood and ambience for your goals.
But how do you go about setting up the right lighting for your event? Here's a checklist to help you with the process.
1 - Know Your Event, and Set Ambience Goals
First, you need to ask yourself some basic questions about your event:
How many people are you expecting to attend?
What's the location?
Are you aiming to guide audience focus, or create a general mood?
Is there an existing lighting system, or do you have to start from scratch?
And most importantly: What sort of atmosphere do you want to create? Sober and professional? Open and relaxed? Romantic, perhaps?
2 - Transition from Day to Night Lighting
Once you've set the general goals for your event, it is also essential to ask yourself if you'll need to adjust your lighting throughout the day.
Consider a conference with talks in the morning, displays in the afternoon, and cocktails and socialising in the evening. It wouldn't be wise to maintain the same lighting setup throughout. You'll need to adapt it to what's going on at the time.
And: Keep in mind how the natural light outside changes due to the time of day or weather.
3 - Draw Up a Lighting Plan
Once you've theoretically considered what sort of lighting you want at your event, you can create a practical lighting plan.
At this point, consider the physical possibilities and restrictions of your venue. Is there an existing lighting system? What sources of natural light are there? How will lighting integrate with architectural elements and fixtures?
Outdoor events are particularly challenging. "Some people make the assumption that all lights can be used outside, regardless of the weather," On Tour Events, is a technical production hire company in London, explains. "It isn't just the rain that needs to be considered. The type of ground can also play a factor if you are building truss structures outside and hanging lighting from them."
4 - Research the Equipment
With your lighting plan drawn up, you can start researching the equipment you need to create the effects you envision. Once you know what you need, you can see whether the material is already available at your venue, or whether you need to rent it from a professional lighting company. Here are a few things to pay particular attention to.
Spotlights
Looking to direct our audience's attention? Spotlights are the answer.
Whether it's a keynote speaker at a conference, or a newly unveiled prototype at a product launch, shining a bright light on it is the easiest way of drawing focus.
Dimming the lights outside that centre of attention is also a good strategy - but ensure there's enough visibility to allow interaction with the audience.
Uplighting
If you have elements such as banners, display products, or signage, you can subtly highlight them with uplighters. These are ground-based lights and come in different color ranges for optimal ambience effects. They are now often battery-powered, eliminating the trip hazard of cables and the need for elusive power outlets.
Wash lighting
Instead of having one bright light and dark (or dim) space otherwise, you can use wash lighting to fill a space with color. It can differentiate or highlight specific exhibition spaces, or light the audience space while the spotlight is on a presentation.
5 - Coordinate with Photographers and Videographers
Chances are that you have people filming and taking photographs at your event. Whether it's the tearful mother of the bride, a professional photographer taking shots for a later press release, or a video team responsible for live-streaming conference talks - you need to make sure that your lighting is compatible.
The easiest way to do that is to reach out to the professional photographers and videographers ahead of the event, while the lighting is still in the planning stages, and ask for their requirements. The same goes for bands.
Awe Your Audience with a Stunning Visual Experience
Putting together the right lighting for your event will take time and effort, no doubt. But it is worth it to carefully lay out a strategy to put your audience in the right mood with the right light, direct their attention, and awe them with a stunning visual experience.
