be a lighting designer

I may only be a senior in high school and I may only be 16-years-old but before I found lighting design I had no dream and no goals and no passion and now that I’ve been learning about it for the past 2 years I’m extremeley happy and more focused than I’ve ever been in my entire life!

I start work in October as an Assistant Lighting Designer and I am applying for the University of Michigan’s Music, Dance & Theatre School this fall…. aaaaaaaaah!
I am both nervous and excited…

I haven’t ever actually gotten payed to do this, it was never a job or anything, BUT, I did all the lighting design for the plays, and various activities at my school.

I did that for… Two years, 6 shows, and a various amount of other things besides shows.

I also am giong to be doing more this week for both the prom that’s taking place in the theater, and this movie that’s being made in the theater.

It was amazing while it lasted. I really enjoyed it most of the time. I really enjoyed most things in the theater. It’s going to be strange without it next year. I’ll have to find something in Boston.

Right now I’m in the middle of my first big solo show as the LD for the Granada Theater. I’m having the time of my life. I don’t think I can check this one of my list but i’m defintly on my way. Thank you god. I’m loving every second.

I have dreamed of being a professional lighting designer for about 5 years now. I have produced dozens of my small shows, mostly raves never having more than 8 lights and my laptop running light jockey. Almost always using dinosaurs like intellibeams, and trackspots to express myself and occasionally make a few bucks. A few weeks ago I finally got the operutunity to be LD for a bunch of bands with a real rig including 8 High End studio colors, 12 Mac 250+’s, and 4 Coemar CF7 HE’s. I’m running everything with a Hog1000. We leave at the end of september for a 4 month long tour. The only down side to the whole thing is the bands are all tejano and I don’t know spanish. Oh well, I don’t care who I’m lighting, as long as I have my console in front of me.

All you have to do is work and it and want to do it. Start out as a ALD or Elt. and work your way up. I have designed 3 Professional Shows now and 6 College Productions and I’m still in college.