What does a Lighting Technician (Live Events and Performances) do?
Everything needs lighting, from performances such as concerts, dance shows, plays, musicals, and comedy sets to live events like fundraisers, galas, awards shows, rallies, and gallery openings. Working in a number of distinct roles within the lighting crew, lighting technicians bring life to the plans and blueprints of lighting designers. This almost certainly means rigging and programming tried-and-true overhead lighting, but may also mean working with other visual components such as video screens, background projections, or LEDs. Lighting technicians are, by necessity, highly versatile engineers, capable of performing a wide variety of duties in service of the show.
At a Glance
There are no formal educational requirements for working as a lighting technician, although a degree in electrical engineering can come in handy. Most get their first training on the job; those who work in the music scene might get started as concert techs on tours, while those who work in the theater scene may begin as technical apprentices. This job serves as an introduction to every aspect of lighting, and as such is an excellent jumping-off point for aspiring lighting designers. In addition to becoming designers, experienced and successful technicians are well-positioned to produce their own shows as veterans of the live performance and events scene, or become technical directors.
Lighting technicians work in a number of different capacities. Some are freelancers, whose professional connections with crew chiefs, designers, entertainment companies, and rental events companies bring in a steady flow of work at local performance and events venues. Others work mostly for record labels on national or regional tours. Some theater companies and performance-oriented schools may hire experienced lighting technicians as in-house employees, but in general these positions are limited and more likely to go to highly educated technical directors.
- Rigging lighting equipment
- Light board operation
- Electrics
- Spotlight operation
- Video/multimedia
- Lighting design
- Physical fitness
- Attention to detail
Lighting technicians are versatile, flexible workers. They must be humble, good at taking direction, personable, and comfortable working closely with the crew for hours at a time. The social aspect of this job is important, especially in touring situations, where coworkers are the only consistent social contact for weeks.
Lighting technicians almost typically work on contract, have inconsistent work schedules, and spend a certain amount of time traveling to and from gigs. They do the broad majority of their work in the afternoon and evening, sometimes working until the early hours of the morning in the case of late gigs and load-outs. Aspiring lighting techs should be advised that intense physical labor and dizzying heights are fundamental aspects of the job.
