Light Plot Deconstructed Review

Let me begin by saying that I was very excited for the opportunity to read and review this book. If there is one thing that an educator and freelance designer needs to understand, on all levels of production, whether you are a set, costume, properties or even sound designer, it is the light plot. What happens with and to each of the design elements when light is included can make or break an entire design or show! How to read, interpret, communicate about, and understand the fundamentals of this design communication tool should be a fundamental learning experience for EVERY theatre practitioner - from Artistic Directors to designers to directors and actors. If you can read, understand and communicate about what is happening in terms of light on the stage then your individual responsibility will be more clear and you can do that job more skillfully.

I was appreciative of the history lesson that Greg Hillmar gives the reader in Light Plot Deconstructed, but after 10 pages of history of hand drafting plots I started to wonder about the thesis and purpose of the manual, particularly since the entire manual is only 92 pages in length to begin with. I had picked up the book to hone my skills and hopefully learn some shortcuts that would speed up my workflow when it came to plotting. However, just like the long winded (albeit very interesting...) history lesson was not practical, I found most of the manual very general in nature. Specific Vectorworks Spotlight plotting did not begin until page 41 - up to that point the reader get a general "this is Vectorworks" introduction, however, a few preference modifications specific to plotting ARE included that are worth taking a look at. Even when the reader DOES get to Spotlight specifics the history narrative creeps back in to the book with "In Ye Olde Days..." speech that seems to bog down the purpose of the manual.

Now before you think I am totally discounting this book, let me explain from what perspective I am reading it. I have been teaching all aspects of theatre for years. I consider myself a director at heart and a designer by trade. I have worked on all sides of the theatre in many different capacities. My formal training is in education - which has forced me to become a jack-of-all-trades. When I have taken design classes, in college and out, they have always focused on theory or have been extremely basic in nature in order to reach a larger base. I have, at large, had to teach myself the technology (specifically software like Vectorworks) and software I needed to use beyond a very basic application. It would be my hope that a book that professes to focus on light plots would do that throughout, with minimal tangential trips down memory lane.

Once the book actually starts covering the specifics of a plot (pg. 49) the quality of the instruction significantly increases. Mr. Hillmar takes a very sequenced and logical approach to laying out lighting positions, focus areas, and instrumentation (this section was especially helpful, particularly when it comes to label legends and accessories). There is also a brief section on paperwork, however, the assumption that if you are using Vectorworks you are also using the additional program Lightwright makes this section less useful. As a teacher I am lucky to get an educational license for Vectorworks, however, Lightwright has no such option and dropping the serious cash for a full license of the program just is not at the top of the priorities list when Arts Ed. is being hacked to pieces as is...but that is a discussion for a whole separate review...

So, my overall review of this book would have to be pretty split. Fifty percent was less than useful review of the basic software coupled with a history lesson that felt rather like grandpa telling me about hiking uphill both ways in the snow to get to school. The other fifty percent I found useful and enlightening as a guide to the basic use of Vectorworks Spotlight to create easily readable plots to help communicate what needs to happen for productions. When Mr. Hillmar starts talking about the nitty-gritty work behind putting together plots, the manual becomes very easy to follow and allows the reader to create clear, concise, and professional light plots.

Light Plot Deconstructed by Gregg Hillmar is available for purchase from Nemetschek North America, the makers of Vectorworks at http://www.nemetschek.net/training/guides.php. More information about Mr. Hillmar can be found at www.hillmardesign.com.

Nick Hutchinson is currently a freelance director and designer in the Salt Lake City, UT area. You can find follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nthutch, his handle is @nthutch.