Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Strobe Light warning in program?

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Mr. Lowell
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Topic: Strobe Light warning in program?
Posted: 10/23/08 at 8:51pm

Have any of you had to print a warning about the use of strobe lights in the program? And if so, how was it worded?

Thanks, Dana

Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

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JoeMc
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Posted: 10/24/08 at 12:10pm

Not that we use strobes that much, but each time we do, we ensure there is a warning notice in the programme & notices on all entrances & in the Box Office.

"Strobe lighting effects will be used during this performance. Patrons that may suffer from epilepsy & other visual light stimulation effects. Are advised to contact the Front of house staff, prior to entering the auditorium!"

In a lot of instances punters who are pre warned, can take appropriate action to reduce the possibility of a seizure.

However it is not only Strobe lighting, but other types such as coloured stripes & moving patterns can be a problem.

I have a particular problem with mercury vapour lighting, as I have survived 5 strokes thus far.

If I'm forewarned I can look away & cover my eyes or in extreme cases, use sunglasses, which help.

Seizures can be provoked by intermittent light and by patterns, most notably of stripes, whether flickering or steadily illuminated, static or moving. Sensitivity is usually, but not invariably, maximal at flicker rates of 20 Hz, and the majority of patients are sensitive within a flicker frequency range of 850 Hz. The range of sensitivity can be greater: occasionally patients are sensitive to isolated flashes or to flicker that is so rapid as to be almost imperceptible. The patterns to which patients are most sensitive are spatially periodic: one cycle of the pattern subtending about one third of a degree at the eye (spatial frequency, 3 cycles per degree). If the pattern drifts continuously in one direction, very few patients are sensitive, but if the pattern moves with a similar retinal velocity, repeatedly alternating its direction of motion, the susceptibility can be as high as that for flicker, with similar frequency dependence as regards the temporal periodicity. Overall, sensitivity to visual stimuli increases with the total amount of retina and thus visual cortex being stimulated.

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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pdavis69
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Posted: 10/24/08 at 3:26pm

We will put a warning on our lobby doors for strobes, gunshots and adult language.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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Debflo
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Posted: 10/24/08 at 6:56pm

I agree with those above me - always put a warning up. For Strobe lights and gun shots.

Check out The Denver Theatre Examiner! http://www.examiner.com/x-474-Denver-Theater-Examiner

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tech_director
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Joined: 10/19/08
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Posted: 11/15/08 at 9:05pm

We put warnings in the program, outside all the doors and it is mentioned in the pre-show recorded announcements.

We always word ours as "There will be strobe lights used during this production."

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Mr. Lowell
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Posted: 12/15/08 at 12:43pm

Followup:

I had absolutely no complaints about the strobe during the run. (Although it was aimed upstage and only used for about 10 seconds). On the inside page of our "Les Mis" program our director printed the following notice: "Please be aware that theatrical smoke, live gunshots and a strobe light are used in this production."

Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

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Lima
Walk-On
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Joined: 11/25/07
Location: United States
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Posted: 12/24/08 at 11:54am

We always post strobe-light warnings in our programs, because we like to strobe in the audience's faces occasionally (you know, strobing intels that rotate and flare out before going off), two times I remember are from when we did Beauty and the Beast and also Les Mis. They create a nice sense of chaos.

Especially because two of our techies have epilepsy (one induced by strobing lights), we're really careful about warning the audience.

We also warn for hazers, just so we're completely free of liability.

(Our TD comes from a magic show/Vegas/DJ background, so we do a lot with strobes and hazers/fazers/fog machines.)

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Lights and Sound
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Lights and Sound

Author	Message
Mr. Lowell Celebrity Joined: 1/30/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 269	Topic: Strobe Light warning in program? Posted: 10/23/08 at 8:51pm
	Have any of you had to print a warning about the use of strobe lights in the program? And if so, how was it worded? Thanks, Dana
	Mr. Lowell, Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director, for the Linda Sloan Theatre, in the Davison Center for the Arts, at Greensboro Day School

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JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 10/24/08 at 12:10pm
	Not that we use strobes that much, but each time we do, we ensure there is a warning notice in the programme & notices on all entrances & in the Box Office. "Strobe lighting effects will be used during this performance. Patrons that may suffer from epilepsy & other visual light stimulation effects. Are advised to contact the Front of house staff, prior to entering the auditorium!" In a lot of instances punters who are pre warned, can take appropriate action to reduce the possibility of a seizure. However it is not only Strobe lighting, but other types such as coloured stripes & moving patterns can be a problem. I have a particular problem with mercury vapour lighting, as I have survived 5 strokes thus far. If I'm forewarned I can look away & cover my eyes or in extreme cases, use sunglasses, which help. Seizures can be provoked by intermittent light and by patterns, most notably of stripes, whether flickering or steadily illuminated, static or moving. Sensitivity is usually, but not invariably, maximal at flicker rates of 20 Hz, and the majority of patients are sensitive within a flicker frequency range of 850 Hz. The range of sensitivity can be greater: occasionally patients are sensitive to isolated flashes or to flicker that is so rapid as to be almost imperceptible. The patterns to which patients are most sensitive are spatially periodic: one cycle of the pattern subtending about one third of a degree at the eye (spatial frequency, 3 cycles per degree). If the pattern drifts continuously in one direction, very few patients are sensitive, but if the pattern moves with a similar retinal velocity, repeatedly alternating its direction of motion, the susceptibility can be as high as that for flicker, with similar frequency dependence as regards the temporal periodicity. Overall, sensitivity to visual stimuli increases with the total amount of retina and thus visual cortex being stimulated.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
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pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 10/24/08 at 3:26pm
	We will put a warning on our lobby doors for strobes, gunshots and adult language.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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Debflo Star Joined: 6/06/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 10/24/08 at 6:56pm
	I agree with those above me - always put a warning up. For Strobe lights and gun shots.
	Check out The Denver Theatre Examiner! http://www.examiner.com/x-474-Denver-Theater-Examiner
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tech_director Star Joined: 10/19/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Posted: 11/15/08 at 9:05pm
	We put warnings in the program, outside all the doors and it is mentioned in the pre-show recorded announcements. We always word ours as "There will be strobe lights used during this production."
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Mr. Lowell Celebrity Joined: 1/30/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 269	Posted: 12/15/08 at 12:43pm
	Followup: I had absolutely no complaints about the strobe during the run. (Although it was aimed upstage and only used for about 10 seconds). On the inside page of our "Les Mis" program our director printed the following notice: "Please be aware that theatrical smoke, live gunshots and a strobe light are used in this production."
	Mr. Lowell, Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director, for the Linda Sloan Theatre, in the Davison Center for the Arts, at Greensboro Day School
	IP Logged

Lima Walk-On Joined: 11/25/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 12/24/08 at 11:54am
	We always post strobe-light warnings in our programs, because we like to strobe in the audience's faces occasionally (you know, strobing intels that rotate and flare out before going off), two times I remember are from when we did Beauty and the Beast and also Les Mis. They create a nice sense of chaos. Especially because two of our techies have epilepsy (one induced by strobing lights), we're really careful about warning the audience. We also warn for hazers, just so we're completely free of liability. (Our TD comes from a magic show/Vegas/DJ background, so we do a lot with strobes and hazers/fazers/fog machines.)
	IP Logged

Topic: Strobe Light warning in program?( Topic Closed)