Lighting and Film
Speaker: Martin Valentine
Blade Runner led to Martin Valentine’s decision to become a lighting designer. Since then, he has taken inspiration from a variety of films. For this seminar, he discussed the lighting techniques employed in films as diverse as Blade Runner, Citizen Kane, Alphaville, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Interestingly, the films discussed were made before computer animation when special effects had to be painstakingly made by hand. As Valentine remarked, “If a director can control you for two hours of [watching] a film, imagine what you can do with lighting for a building.”
Color and Human Response
Speaker: Josef Ritter
A former set and lighting designer for theater, Josef Ritter knows a thing or two about color. His presentation discussed the meaning of specific colors—orange, yellow, purple, pink, and blue—and how color can alter perception, define culture, and form identities. Color can have a great influence on mood and emotions, and designers should be familiar with its meanings and the reactions associated so they can choose the most appropriate for each project.
The Skinny on Retail Lighting Design
Speakers: Archit Jain and Chip Israel
“Make ’em shop ’til they drop” is the primary goal of retail lighting design, according to Chip Israel. Lighting moves people through a space; therefore, a design should aim to attract the customer, initiate the purchase, complete the sale, and reinforce the company’s image. Israel emphasized that design strategies should adapt to the type of store and its merchandise, and they should accommodate rapid changes in merchandise displays. Maintenance issues also are important: A store’s staff should be able to easily change and operate the fixtures. Good retail lighting doesn’t have to use a lot of energy or be expensive; the goal is to create contrast.
Outlaw Incandescent Lamps?
Speakers: Howard Brandston, Alex Baker, Donald Peifer; Moderator: Gary Dulanski
Four out of five light bulbs purchased in the U.S. are incandescent, and they are appreciated for their “unique sparkle and warmth,” according to Alex Baker. However, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires roughly 25 percent greater efficiency for light bulbs, phased in from 2012 to 2014, effectively banning most incandescent bulbs. While compact fluorescents (CFL) are touted as the logical replacement, all of the panelists agreed they leave a lot be desired.
Brandston said there currently is no lighting source to replace incandescent. Comparing the lumens per watt between CFLs and incandescents is not sufficient. CFLs work well for lighting office corridors, but not for more intimate spaces or displays, such as makeup counters.
Baker believes that incandescents provide consumer energy savings over CFLs. Incandescents can be outfitted with inexpensive controls to provide longer lamp life, but dimming CFLs is complicated and costs the consumer more to operate. Should incandescents be outlawed? Not until there is a better option.
