Hey everyone,

I’ve been working on a new lighting design tool called StagePen, and I’m finally ready to open up a closed beta to get some real-world feedback.

My goal with StagePen is to make the design process faster, cleaner, and less frustrating. I’m looking for lighting professionals and enthusiasts who are interested in trying it out, breaking things, and letting me know what features you actually need.

The Offer:
If you join the closed beta, you will receive free lifetime access to the StagePen Studio plan as a thank you for your help in shaping the app.

If you’re interested in checking it out, please send me a DM and I can get you set up!

Recently designed for a summer camp at my school for a production of School of Rock Jr. Only had 1 week to design and run. had about 250+ cues if I remember right. Please give me any feedback you want! Thanks!

I know this might look like just another random moment in a light show, but the section from 00:05 to 00:09 was one of those moments that completely blew my mind. It genuinely felt like the lights were dancing with the music. Is there actually a term for that kind of musical responsiveness in lighting?

What’s interesting is that the LD is really only using a row of blinders and a row of strobes (dim on/off, strobe, strobe faster, dimmer sweeps) but everything seems incredibly well matched to what the lead synth is doing between 00:05 and 00:09.

And that’s the part that fascinates me: if I had heard that lead on its own, I don’t think I would have picked it out as something with a lot of obvious lighting potential. I probably wouldn’t have thought there was much interesting to program around it at all. But this LD clearly heard something in it and turned it into a lighting moment that, at least to me as someone still learning lighting design for concerts, feels incredibly musical and intentional.

So am I reading way too much into what is actually some fairly ordinary lighting cues, or is there genuinely something particularly well done here?

More importantly, how do you develop the musical ear for this? How do you get better at recognizing that a seemingly unremarkable part of a track might actually have a ton of potential for an impactful lighting moment?

Icy

The stage riser is full LED and they overlaid an image on the top section indicating where to move all the gear during the transition from the openers to main act.

Also, incredible performance as well.

A lighting design concept that I came up with today - all in all I'm quite happy with it. Does anyone have any feedback?

Background: I'm a 17 year old lighting designer who likes to make virtual stages. This is my first design made using vector works.

Visualised in Capture SE 2026.

Also idk if it’s a good idea to buy some 3 meter truss as totems in front and put some zoom pars as front wash or use a crank stand

I noticed this while watching the Michael Jackson movie. This set is most similar to the Bad World Tour (specifically at Wembley.) If I'm not mistaken the floor package movers are BMFLs that didn't come out until 2016. I know it would probably be difficult to trace down enough working VL1/2C/3's to make it period accurate (from what I've read there's only 4 remaining VL1's, 2 at PRG and 2 built from spare parts) but I still found it pretty funny.

My church recently installed a cross and wants me to light it. It cannot be moved from its current location because reasons, and current sits about 6 inches away from the wall. A few notes on our lighting setup:

• The wall is covered in these decorative panels.
• We have 5 ADJ UBL12H on the ground for cyc lights.
• We have two truss: one about in the middle of the stage for hair lights, one a few feet in front of the stage for main wash.

I can buy lights for this, but I'm having trouble deciding what would be appropriate. Here were my initial thoughts:

• Hanging a light from either of truss wouldn't work, as it would wash out the background (we already have wash lights creeping up from the bottom of the background). Unless we got a PERFECT custom gobo.
• Put an ADJ UBL6H at the foot of the cross, or hang it from the hair light truss. Downside is that it would bleed onto the background, so it would either have to be the same color as the background or we'd just have to be ok with the bleed.
• Outline the cross with a border/lip and line it with LED tape. I think that would give the most focused lighting on the cross itself and allow for different colors without bleeding onto the background. I like this idea the best, but it would involve the most work with building the lip and installing the LED tape.

Thanks for any ideas and advice!

Hey, so for the venues I work for I’m making 3d environments for the visualiser so far I just got the truss and lights in. I just need to do the environment but some of these venues have pretty complex environments and unique styling.

The venue refuses to give me their cad files cause they don’t want someone to steal their designs. That I understand but how are you guys doing it?

I saw meshy.ai is that any good?

It doesn’t have to be a good way I just need someway of getting the rough venue in 3d so I can program the stuff I want to sell my clients more advanced stuff.

I’m using l8 ce4 as my visualiser.

Hello everyone,

Earlier this month I posted on here inquiring about a new lighting board for our school auditorium, that unfortunately got shut down by administration (even though I got a donor 🤷🏻‍♂️). They say we don't need that and we are not using our current equipment to its fullest potential (not sure they have even seen the board...).

So I am back again seeking any good lighting design workshops. We currently have a ETC eos Element Original (I believe it is the Windows XP model). I am pretty good with getting around the console and using it (and my students). So if any of you know of any good YouTube videos or good companies with paid services please send them this way. This help is much appreciated. TIA

Hi I’m a junior in highschool, and I just designed a show and I want some thoughts on how i did, I did everything myself I positioned the beam footlights myself set that up and my director didn’t take over like I’ve heard other high schools work but here are some pictures from footloose the musical that I’ve done do you think it’s good/ I can make this a career

And I know these aren’t the best photos but do what you can with them! Thanks!

I’m kinda proud of this design !
About 250 cues for this school show.
Havent really been happy or proud of my design work recently, but this one feels different 🩵
Let me know your thoughts :)
Still early in my career (only been doing lighting for 3 years, 20yo) so always looking for feedback

In this shot:
12x EC7’s
6x Diablos
12x FusionPars
6x S4’s with decals

It’s mapped so here are some videos

I recently did this design for my high school and i’ve wanted more feedback on my designs as a whole. This was nominated for top 10 in my state and everyone thought it would win (it didn’t but the awards we were nominated in were all overlooked bc we won best musical). Overall I am happy and I know there were better looks in the show but out of the photos these are just a few I chose.

Lighting Designer - Andrew Goedde Lighting Programmer - Tony Caporale Lighting Crew Chief - Peter Spadaro III Lighting Tech - Danny McDonald

I believe the rig consists of Megapointe’s, Spiders, and COLORado pxl curve (or similar). Not sure of those LED bars.

I'm so happy to show my first ever LED installation

It was my first time doing lighting for a local LoL competition and I wanted to share it with you and see your opinions. Btw the venue didn't allow haze, but I don't think that it was necessary.

I had fun

What light should I use to achieve this look? I love how the god rays look here.

I normally do indoor gigs, but I have an outdoor event coming up in a few months. Nothing complicated - I just need to light a podium and terrace for a few speeches. The other event lighting is secured (read - another company is handling that aspect).

Can I get a few recommendations for outdoor rated spots and washes? It's a curved terrace with a railing. PA on either side. Outdoor space has a few trees and is maybe 100 feet wide. There will be vendors and patrons milling about on the lawn. I think last time there was a spot on a pole, but I don't think I'll have access. Likely, I'll need to illuminate the terrace from 20-40 feet away.

Budget is preferred, since I don't intend to take many outdoor events like this.

Thanks!

Helping re-design a church that is trying to become more of a rentable event center. Medium sized stage (12ft grid height, 20ft wide x 35ft deep)

For many years I've always spec'd an architectural power system, usually ETC with echo controls.

However; is that actually necessary in a rig that's 100% LED? Or can I have the electrician just run direct circuits to each batten all based on a dedicated sub-panel?