The specific type of digital or analog signal, AMX or DMX 512 e.g., used by a control console and the equipment it controls.

The theatrical term for auditorium.

The complete area of the theater in front of the stage, i.e., the audience area.

The area above the playing space, usually behind the proscenium opening.

The architectural opening on a stage through which the audience views the performance.

In the theater industry, a hoist is an automated device that allows you to “lift” heavy lighting battens or scenery with the push of a button. Hoists are typically safer and easier to operate than a traditional fly system. Some hoists have built in cable management for their connector strips. Hoist controllers vary greatly depending on the level of control you need and the number of hoists in your system.

This is an important part of the system installation process. A certified technician will visit the site, ensure that all pieces of the system were installed correctly and according to the published documentation, then turn on power to the system. The technician performing the system start-up with also perform training on the system and sometimes training on a control console.

A luminaire that can perform functions beyond a standard “fixed” luminaire – it may pan, tilt, zoom, change color, spin patterns, and more electronically.

A very thin, heat-resistant metal plate with a design cut out of its surface. When placed into the aperture of an ellipsoidal spotlight or follow spot via the pattern slot, an illuminated representation of the design is projected.

The most common unit of measure used by lighting professionals to calculate light levels. It is defined as the illuminance on a one square foot surface from a uniform source of light. For example, an auditorium should seek to reach an average of 30-50 footcandles with their house lighting. One footcandle is equal to one lumen per square foot so they are often used interchangeably.

This is a drawing that shows how elements of a lighting system are wired together. It should notate specific details about the system such as wire types and power requirements that an electrical contractor would need when installing the system. A riser may be included as part of a submittal package.

The science of measuring light and its properties. Photometrics are an important tool to utilize when putting together a lighting system. Reputable lighting manufacturers will always publish photometric data on their luminaires such as their intensity at certain distances and their beam/field angles. Photometric studies can be produced via software such as AGI32 or Revit that allow you to virtually calculate footcandles throughout a space.

“Light Emitting Diode”, these diodes emit light when a voltage is applied to it. They use less energy and run cooler than traditional incandescent sources, so in recent years LED luminaires have risen in popularity. Different manufacturers have different approaches to color mixing light with an LED source, so it’s important to do your research.

Also “Control Console” – A electronic device that can control the lighting system via a series of buttons, sliders and faders. Most modern consoles also have the ability to record and playback lighting cues and effects. Consoles output one of the control protocols typically used in theatre – either DMX/RDM or sACN. Control consoles can range from very simple to very complex.

A device that is part of a lighting control network that translates one protocol to another, typically from sACN to DMX. Gateways allow you to set which universe you want it to output to. Gateways also reproduce the DMX signal, so that it does not lose its strength as it travels long distances. In this way, gateways are similar to nodes.

A rep plot is a lighting system or systems that is installed on a semi-permanent basis. The rep plot may be hung in between shows to provide general illumination for rehearsals/work calls, or used as the basis for a simple lighting design for a show. A good rep plot will provide several lighting systems from different angles so that it can be used for as many purposes as possible.

In a theatrical setting, the lighting plot is the drawing that shows were each luminaire will be hung. Plots often contain additional information such as channel or addressing information, gel colors, accessories, etc.

A piece of power distribution equipment. Typically it is comprised of a long black metal rectangle with multiple pigtail or outlets spaced along it’s length to provide power to luminaires. Connector strips can be head hung from a ceiling support or from a batten and typically clamp on to another batten below. Some connector strips also have connections for DMX distribution such as a DMX out station or gateway.

(Sometimes dimming panel) An enclosure that houses multiple dimmer, relay, or constant current modules and typically a processor.

A luminaire that features a parabolic reflector that produces a ovular beam. PAR fixtures are often used as wash lights. They come in different spreads – typically very wide, wide, medium, narrow, and very narrow. These beam spreads can exchanged in the field by replacing the lens or lamp.

Sometimes called a spotlight. A narrow-beam focusing instrument that is manually operated from an adjustable stand and is used to performer(s) on a stage with its beam, surrounding the performer(s) in a large pool of light.. It usually comprises a powerful light source, an iris, shutters, a color changer, and perhaps other features.

A general term that may refer to any number of different focusing luminaires including ellipsoidals, fresnels, moving lights, etc. It could be considered the opposite of a wash light. It is often used interchangeably with followspot.

A spotlight employing a single fresnel lens that produces a soft edged beam, and usually provided with a spherical reflector and a means to adjust the focus from spot to flood.

A luminaire mounted at the top and/or bottom of a cyclorama in order to light it in a smooth, uniform manner.

A luminaire or system of luminaires that provides illumination at roughly a 90 degree angle from the viewer. Sidelight is an important tool in revealing the texture or form of a subject.

A luminaire or system of luminares that produces a even, overall illumination over a large area

A luminaire or system of luminaires that provides illumination from the general direction of the viewer

DMX stands for digital multiplex. DMX 512 is a somewhat unique digital multiplex signal with specific characteristics that is commonly used in the stage lighting industry. Control consoles with this protocol were originally designed to control a maximum of 512 apparatuses, usually dimmers, but now can control many more. DMX cables often have 5-pin connectors, but these cables are limited to 1 universe (512 devices). DMX signals can be sent over ethernet cables via a protocol known as streaming architecture of control networks (sACN). sACN allows you to run 63,999 universes of DMX data down a single network cable. Most fixutres cannot interperate this sACN signal, so you would need a gateway to translate it back into standard DMX.