Russian Holidays - Lighting Artist Day (Light Operator Day)

Surely few people know that July 11 is Light Artist Day The holiday is not yet official, but every year it becomes more and more popular Why July 11? Because the background to the emergence of the holiday is interesting On July 11, 1874, Russian electrical engineer Alexander Lodygin received a patent for the invention of the incandescent lamp Yes, yes, it was he, and not Edison, who became the so-called “father” of the incandescent lamp Edison only contributed to bringing the invention to fruition For his services to Russian science, Lodygin received the Lomonosov Prize, and the patent for the distribution of the device was updated in Western Europe The invention immediately found application in our country - street lighting in the northern capital The new product was wildly popular among the townspeople, who came for whole blocks to gawk and marvel at the “miracle of technology” This was the first light show of its kind in those years The profession of a light operator, or lighting artist, cannot be called “conspicuous” - its subtleties, unlike the results, are not visible But in demand and money - perhaps Lighting designers often receive salaries close to those of actors Cinema and television, circus and theater, musicals and sports and entertainment shows - all the colorful splendor of these genres, perhaps even their very existence, is impossible without the participation of lighting artists A prerequisite for this work is the ability to wield and control its main instrument - a light control panel The set of basic - and by no means all - skills of a lighting operator includes: the art of correctly setting light, creating a color palette, programming complex light canvases, being aware of the operation of lighting devices of various modifications, and also having a good understanding of such exact sciences as physics and optics In a word, create masterpieces on stage That is why a lighting operator is also called a lighting designer For an ordinary person, far from the intricacies of this profession, the behind-the-scenes work and skill of light operators - on the street or in the auditorium - is not visible; he simply enjoys the pleasant colors, pictures or action, without noticing the hard work carried out “behind the scenes” But any unprofessionalism of a lighting designer immediately catches the eye: it prevents the actors from playing on stage with full dedication, and the audience from enjoying their performance and following the development of the action So, skillful and professional lighting can often save the most disastrous performance or, on the contrary, turn a masterpiece into a mediocre spectacle