Comedy can be complicated. In previous posts, we discussed the importance of a good venue and a great sound set up, but today we want to focus of the last piece of the trifecta: lighting.
When you’re hiring a comedian, you picture all the fun you’re going to have, the laughter as a group, the thrill of being that close to one of your favourite acts. What may sometimes go by the wayside is the final piece: lighting, or what the kids these days refer to as “the vibe” (stop vibing on my lawn kids).
Let’s illuminate why good lighting is something you need for your next private comedy show.
It’s often said communication is 93% Non-Verbal. We’re not saying hire a mime, as far as we know we have none on the roster. But the takeaway is you need to be able to SEE all of your performer, not just hear them. When we can see our performers body language and every expression on their face, ONLY THEN do we receive everything they have to offer. So here’s some tips to optimize that!
Lights For Performers, Darkness For The Crowd
A spotlight is not only symbolic of the entertainment industry, it’s also something we are societally tuned to obey. It tell us what it is pointing to is the most important part of our event. While you may not be able to procure a huge spotlight, the spirit of it remains: if there’s a way to light the stage area while decreasing the brightness of the light on the audience, go for it. It’s what theatres and comedy clubs do, so I guess it’s good enough for hiring a comedian for a private event too!
Pick Your Angles
A good light source illuminates the performers face and doesn’t cast odd shadows. How does one cast odd shadows? Well, if the light source is too low, it’ll make the performer look like they should be telling a ghost story and not jokes, like this:
If it’s too high, we get glare on the top of the head and shadows on weird places of the face, reminding us of the worst, dingiest office we’ve ever worked in, like this:
So a light source that is slightly higher than the performers eyeline tends to be the optimal placement.
Think Comedy Club, Not Dance Club
You want a light on the white spectrum, typically warmer toned (if you want to get technical AF, around 3500K-4500K. Don’t get lights that change colours. Don’t get that lights that fade or dim or flicker or strobe. And for the love of God, no lasers. A nice, clean, simple light is the way. Any changes in the light are jarring and take your audience out of the moment. So, when hiring a comedian, don’t let your light kill the vibe!
Ask For Help!
Sound and lighting are often a bit complicated to get into when you’re already tasked with throwing a huge event. So, if you’re unsure what to use, where to find it, or if what you have will suffice, just let us know! It is in our best interest to help your make your event as good as possible, and we’re glad to help. Not matter where you are, we can help you solve for your event’s needs.
Where should I rent lights?
If your lighting set up at the venue isn’t optimal to the above standards, consider local music stores like Long and McQuade. For a more detailed set up there’s Rentals & Events | Inland Audio Visual
Thank you for reading!
As always, thanks for taking the time to care about your event’s success and for reading. Any question you may have about lighting, sound, venues or really anything you’re curious about, please contact us!
If you’re excited to find what comedian will stand under your lights, head over to our comedian page and peruse our awesome acts.
All the best, and we hope this little article helped you see the light!
Cheers,
Brent
