Technical Theatre/Lighting/Controls

Introduction to Lighting Control

Lighting control refers of any changes made in the light produced by one or more lighting instruments. This includes (but is by no means limited to) changes in intensity, color, direction, diffusion, polarization, and pattern. Though various methods of controlling these variables have evolved over time, it is common to manipulate them all from a central control board. The control board typically communicates with a system of dimmers, which control how much electricity flows to each light, as well as with any individual lights that can mechanically move/change color/rotate/etc. Such lights are usually referred to as intelligent lights.