Lightwright - 4.1.9

Wouldn't it be nice if all lighting designers used something like this? All too often you get a hastily scribbled plan with a not that says "something like this - sort of" on it and the designer turns up to focus obviously making it up as they go along.

All we need now is for Lightwight to draw the plan and we'll be all set!

The tour looks impressive and the application seems to have more features than you can shake a stick at. It's not cheap, but then using it one one big production it may well pay for itself with the increased accuracy and speed of changes in the paperwork.

But seriously ... non-technicians never realise just how much paperwork goes into putting on a theatrical production and an application like this helps no end. To be really really useful the paperwork should be produced as the plan is being drawn with changes in either the paperwork section or on the plan itself being automatically reflected in the other part, but that means either applications talking to each other or a complete design/drawing/paperwork package.

Due to time constraints, those working in monthly rep theatres won't be using something like this, but it's great for those large scale productions destined for Broadway or London's West End where you have hordes of technicians floating about all trying to get things right.