Community Theatres do not have the budgets of commercial theatres but have to choose from the same range of lighting, so need to choose LED fixtures that will suit their venue and are good value for their price.
An examination of the business case may determine that the upgrade to an LED lighting rig will reduce bumpin and bumpout times, which will reduce the workload on club volunteers, as well as allowing for different shows on consecutive nights. The provision of moving head LED zoom wash fixtures will eliminate a lot of rigging and focusing, which will improve workplace safety.
GRANTS
Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups https://www.cits.wa.gov.au/funding/creative-industries-funding/arts-projects-for-individuals-and-groups
City of Stirling Community Grants Program https://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/community-support/community-grants-program
lotterywest Grants https://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants/about-lotterywest-grants
Department of Communities Grants Programs https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/department-of-communities-grants-programs
City of Swan https://www.swan.wa.gov.au/services-and-community/community-grants-and-funding
Bendigo Bank Community Grant Program https://www.bendigobank.com.au/siteassets/branchassets/communitycompanies/beaufortcommunityfinancialserviceslimited/sponsorshipsgrants/how-to-apply—grant.pdf
These are some of the grants that may be available
LED theatre lighting uses an Additive process so that percentages of each colour LED emitter are output as a colour. This is why a 250W LED fixture can be brighter than a conventional light fixture that is using a saturated colour filter or gel.
See https://blog.etcconnect.com/stage-lighting-design-part-6 for a more detailed explanation.
The Old Mill Theatre used Selecon Rama and Selecon Compact Fresnels for their main stage lighting. The light intensity for a 50 degree Rama rigged at 4.5m is 1000 lux open white.
My rule of thumb is 1:5 so at least a 200W LED fixture to replace a 1000W conventional fixture using subtractive Gels.
The data sheet for the ShowPro Silver Start LED Fresnel 250 Hex show a beam angle of 60 degrees which is wider than needed, but this is easily manualy adjusted.
Intensity is approximately 675 Lux at 60 degrees Flood Focus. Reducing the Beam size or angle will increase the light intensity to similar to the Selecon Compact fresnel.
LED theatre lighting uses an Additive process, so that percentages of each colour LED emitter are output as a colour, depending on what Colour is selected for the fixture. This is why a 250W LED fixture can be brighter than a conventional light fixture that is using a saturated colour filter or gel.
to see how Colour Mixing works, go to https://scenicandlighting.com/colorlab/ Matt kizer’s Color Lab , where you can mix R + G + B to make white.
See https://blog.etcconnect.com/stage-lighting-design-part-6 for a more detailed explanation.
The Ben Stowe’s RGBAW Color Mixing Chart https://www.nlfxpro.com/ben-stowes-rgbaw-color-mixing-chart/ shows the amount of colour from the five emitters used to create a colour. These values are in DMX, 0 – 255 which is also 0 – 100%
Conventional lighting uses theatre gels in a subtractive process, where unwanted colour is absorbed or blocked by a lighting gel, which reduces the light output, or intensity of the fixture.
Choosing Fixture Operating MODE 8 bit vs 16 bit.
If you choose a basic mode of operation for an LED light, you can have more LED Fixtures in one Universe of 512 channels, but you will not be taking advantage of the LED Fixtures capabilities.
When you use 16 bit dimming, the audience will not notice any steps or changes in light intensity, it will flow through the brightness change.
When you use 16 bit Pan or Tilt, the LED Fixture moves in smaller increments between each position of the light shining on the stage. When the light is shining on a distant surface, an LED Fixture with 8 bit resolution may not be able to light a particular point, such as an actors head, but light either side. With 16 bit resolution, you will be able to position the light beam directly onto their face.
Using 16 bit Colour allows more accurate reproduction of colours and more shades of colour.
You may need to increase your DMX channel capacity from 1 Universe to 2 Universes or more, but the users will have better control.
EK LEDPRO 131 FC Manual Errors
Both the EK LEDPRO 131 FC manual for Firmware Version 1.0 and 1.01 manuals Specifications page state DMX Channel Modes : 6/8/9/12/14.
The EK LEDPRO 131 FC manual for Firmware Version 1.0 DMX CHARTS has 6CH, 8CH, 9CH, 12CH, 14CH.
The EK LEDPRO 131 FC manual for Firmware Version 1.01 DMX CHARTS has 4CH, 6CH, 8CH, 11CH, 13CH, 14CH, 16CH.
When these errors are disdcovered, you need to let EK support know that there are errors in their documentation and see if they have any updated manuals.
TYPES OF LED THEATRE LIGHTS and Their PROPERTIES
LED PROFILES
LED FRESNEL’s
LED CYCLORAMA LIGHTS
LED PAR LIGHTS
LED PARS
LED ZOOM PARS
LED ZOOM WASH MOVERS
LED MOVING HEAD PROFILES
LED BAR LIGHTS
CONVENTIONAL LIGHTS
Acclaim Axial Zoomspot
Four of these will be used for Breakup Gobos and two will be used Upstage to light across the Cyclorama/Projection Screen to light actors standing Upstage.
DIMMERS
The Old Mill Theatre has two LSC Redback 2RU dimmers that have two modes, a Dimmer Mode and a RELAY mode that can turn channels On when the dimmer level goes above 4% and Off when the dimmer level goes below 2%.
Six dimmer channels will be used for the six Acclaim Profiles.
DMX POWER CONTROL
The Old Mill Theatre uses a Theatrelight Contact 12 to switch power to LED fixtures and provide DMX controlled switches. It has Relay Outputs which are essential for LED power.
Power Distribution
The spread sheet shows what lights are connected to which power circuit and the current drawn on each circuit.
Contact 12 Output Patching
CH1 – DMX Splitters
CH2 – FOH1 – Profile FC spots qty 4, 2 x ZB7
CH3 – FOH1 – Profile FC spots qty 2, 1 x ZB7
CH4 – LX1 – LEDFRES250 qty 4
CH5 – LX2 – LEDFRES250 qty 2
CH6 –
CH 7
CH8 – 4 x P186S LED PAR’s Pars
CH9 – 4 x P186S LED PAR’s Pars
CH10 – 2 x P186S LED PAR’s
CH11 – Sidelights – Zoom PAR Jnr qty 6
CH12 – PLCYC qty 4, FLFRESNEL1 qty 4
The stage sockets used for LED Power have red electrical tape labels on them, to help ensure that LED fixtures are not plugged into a Dimmer socket.
LIGHTING CONTROL
lightfactory
The Old Mill Theatre uses lightfactory running on a PC for lighting control. In addition to controlling the theatre lighting, lightfactory also provides video playback and sound playback. https://www.lifact.com/
Neo v4 gives you four universes for free on PC, no dongle needed. (Just have to reset the software within 24 hours. Can’t run it continuously). Neo is built on Lightfactory.
LIGHTING DESKS
The Zero88 FLXS48 ( now Vari-Lite) is used in schools and community theatres around Perth. https://www.vari-lite.com/global/products/flx-s48 This desk provides easier access to lights and quicker plotting but does not have video or sound options. You need to use with programs such as SCS Show Cue Systems to automate shows. https://www.showcuesystems.com/cms/
Show Cue Systems
TESTING and TAGGING
Testing of appliances and equipment
https://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/system/files/migrated/sites/default/files/atoms/files/guide-testing-and-tagging-portable-electrical-equipment-and-residual-current-devices.pdf
Testing of all electrical appliances or equipment must be carried out by appropriately qualified persons who have undertaken the necessary training by a training organisation.
Testing of equipment used at a place of work or public place or those offered for hire is detailed in the Australian Standard AS 3760-2003: “In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment”. This has to be purchased from Standards Australia.
It is recommended that the person doing the testing provides some evidence, such as a label or sticker, to be attached to the appliance/equipment to verify that the appliance/equipment has been checked and tested and is safe to use. This label/sticker should state the date that the appliance/equipment was tested, the relevant Australian standard to which it was tested and signature of the person who carried out the checking and testing.
Note: Most repairs to electrical appliances must only be carried out by an appropriately qualified person.
There is a common misconception that you must be an electrician to test and tag. However, according to AS/NZS 3760:2010, someone who is considered a ‘Competent Person’ is also able to test and tag in Australia. This is achieved by undertaking a test and tag course, where that person acquires the knowledge and skills in learning to use a PAT tester. The committee responsible for the theatre needs to ensure the person proves their competency and keeps a record of it.
Old Mill Theatre Stage Layout Feb 2025
Old Mill Theatre Stage Socket Plan
Not all circuits are wired out on the Ash Bars, which is why some bars have 10 sockets, others have six sockets. HOF Bar 3 has been removed which is why sockets 1 – 10 are not shown.
SQUARE ONE or GENERAL COVER RIG
This article on theatrecrafts.com written by Jon Primrose describes the lighting design of the new OMT rig to be used for the Fringe Festival Season. https://theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/topics/lighting/lighting-focussing-a-general-wash/
I have nominated SR as the direction that WARM light is coming from and SL as the direction that COOL light is coming from in the Light Factory Magic Sheet.
This is the Light Factory MAGIC SCREEN showing the position of the new lighting rig layout, similar to a lighting plan, but not to scale. The Magic Screen has been set up to show the direction a light is focused and what type of fixture it is.
The numbering of Fixtures suits a lighting desk where the three Warm fixtures are adjacent to each other to make it easier to raise all three as a group using three fingers. The sidelights are paired for Downstage, Midstage and Upstage to make it quicker t plot dance and musicals.
Old Mill Theatre Lighting Plan 17 January 2026
Page updated 18 January 2026
Added LX Plan