Lighting plot planner for studio shoots
A lighting plot is the one page that tells the rig crew where every light goes, what it does and which channel it is on. Use the planner to draft it before the day, and send it to the lighting team with the cove dimensions.
In short: A lighting plot is a plan view of the set with every fixture marked, its position on the grid, its purpose, its channel or DMX address, its colour and any gel. Work from the room dimensions and the grid height, place each light by its job, then write the channel list from the same plot. Send the plot before the day so the rig and the dimmers are set once.
What the plot is for
The plot removes guesswork from the rig. It shows where the fixtures hang, what each one lights and how it is controlled, so the crew can set the rig in one pass instead of finding out on the day that a light is out of reach. It is a working document, so update it when the scene changes.
Using the planner
The planner draws the White Space main stage from above, with the eight grid bars across it. Add a fixture, choose its purpose (key, fill, back, cyc or practical), mount it on a grid bar or on a stand, then set its position, aim, dimmer channel from 1 to 42, DMX address from 1 to 1024, colour or gel and notes. Set a subject mark and the planner can aim a fixture at it. You can export the plot as a PNG picture and the channel list as a CSV file to send to the lighting team. The planner starts with an example plot, which you can reset or clear.
What to put in each row
- Unit number. A number for each fixture, so the crew can call it by name on the floor.
- Position. The grid bar or stand, the distance across from the side wall, the depth from the back wall and the aim in degrees. Give the height and the position from the cove wall where it matters.
- Purpose. Key, fill, back, kicker, background or practical. One job per fixture.
- Channel. The dimmer channel (1 to 42) and the DMX address that control it. Check that no two fixtures share a channel.
- Colour and gel. The colour temperature or gel, so the colour is set before the day.
- Notes. Barn doors, a diffuser, the beam size or any hazard, such as a fixture that must be secured.
A worked example
A cove interview with three fixtures on the main grid:
| Unit | Position | Purpose | Channel | Colour | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bar 3, 1.5 m from wall, 45 degrees | Key | 1 | Daylight balance | Barn doors |
| 2 | Bar 6, opposite side, 30 degrees | Fill | 2 | Daylight balance | Half strength, diffused |
| 3 | Bar 8, behind subject | Back | 3 | Daylight balance | Off lens |
The plot fits on one page, and the channel column is what the lighting operator checks against the desk before the first take.
Setting the plan
- The White Space has an 8-bar grid, with the grid at 4.5 metres, and a cove of 5.3 by 7.1 metres. Start from those numbers, not from an estimate.
- House lights run on the 8-bar grid with 42 channels of dimming on the main stage. Plan the channels in that count, and tell the lighting team if you need more.
- Draw the plot to scale, with the cove, the camera and the marks, so the crew can check sightlines.
- This is general planning guidance. A competent person must assess the actual rig, including the loading on each grid bar and how each fixture is secured, before anything is hung.
Common mistakes
- Giving two fixtures the same channel, so they come up together when only one is wanted.
- Drawing a light on a bar that cannot take its weight, or too far from the subject to reach it. Ask the rig crew before you draw it in.
- Leaving out the notes. A fixture that needs a diffuser is hard to recognise on the day without one.
- Planning the plot from the camera's view only. Check the plot from the subject's view too.
Where it fits
The plot shows where each light sits, and the three-point lighting page explains why. For the cove itself, see lighting an infinity cove. The power on set page covers how the fixtures are fed, which decides how many circuits the plot needs.
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What goes on a lighting plot?
Each fixture's position on the grid, its unit or number, its purpose, its channel or DMX address, its colour or gel and any notes about the beam or the barn doors.
Who uses a lighting plot?
The gaffer or lighting designer builds the rig from it, the rig crew hangs and focuses the fixtures from it, and the lighting operator checks the channel list against it before the first take.
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