Lauren Jay Howard's Journal: AS LIVE - Rigging, Set Design, Sound and Lighting

Another creative aspect that I was in charge of dealing with, was the set, sound and lighting in the planning stages and on the rigging and record days. I really enjoyed dealing with all the departments and learning more about each one of them.

Set Design

For the set design, right at the begining of the project, my producer and I worked on mood boards, creating the look and atmosphere we wanted for the show. It was quite urban, intimate and "loft" like. For the majority of the project, the producer dealt with the set, and I ocassionally spoke with the CAFT team and visited them to see how it was coming along. Unfortunately due to miss communication on both sides, it seemed that the set desginers had been working to the plan below, and had not completed an acoustic stage, a day before they were due to rig the studio. I got in contact with Ben, and managed to sort out a black floor for the acoustic stage, so that we wouldn't have the horriable mud colour of the actual studio. When they came into rig the set on the Tuesday, I also managed to negotiate hanging the beauituful bottle lights on the acoustic stage, as per our orginal plan, to create the atmosphere I was looking for. In the end i think the acoustic stage looked great, and in some respects had the most tone and warmth.

When the set was being installed, and after we had been rehersing, I felt the curtains Lauren had asked them to design, weren't working very well visually on camera. I know that her vision, was to have them much longer, but unfortunately the CAFT team couldn't deliver this. I therefore suggested that they were either removed of made tighter, to look more like a part of the set rather than curtains, I also suggested that they were made tighter and that they were lit differently, as people had made comments that they looked a tad like dust sheets, and because of the dirt and creases, looked quite tatty. The CAFT team were notified and came back on the record day to help sort it the issue for us, and they did a great job in doing so!

The Design the CAFT team had been working from

I helped CAFT to position the sofas, floors and flats exactly where I wanted them, which enabled me to have the true creative freedom I was after.

CAFT building the final pieces of the set

The Final product, The Main stage. I loved the twinkle light back drop, it looked great on camera, and really added to the atmosphere of the show. I felt it fit with the brief and time the show is to be aired. I was slightly worried about the hanging paper lights, but in this photo, I can see they add warmth and another dimension to the set.

Lighting Design

I had an absoulate ball working with this department. I felt it was the one area I had total creative freedom all the way through, and really enojyed seeing my designs and plans, go from paper to reality. The two riggers, were the most nicest people, who gave me lots of encouragment and advice. We had my plans, and worked through them together on the day. I was there to work with them on nearly every light they installed, asking me where I would most like to position them, where the presenter would be standing, in what points of the song would I like the colours to change, and when a spot light should be on the lead guitar etc. I learnt a lot about depth of field, and lighting from behind so that people don't look unsual or terribly lit on camera. We really worked as a team and was so grateful that they made me feel comfortable and not out of my depth. I showed Danny, the main rigger, my inspiration from the Ed Sheeran performance on Graham Nortan, and how I wanted to recreate it for our acoustic stage, he had a look paused for a second and said "Well that's going to be easy, I rigged that actual stage and performance, I normally work on Graham's show!" I was flabbergasted, and just knew it was a good sign for the rest of the production!.

My lighting plans and ideas, with the picture of Ed Sheeran's lighting on the Graham Nortan show with the hanging lights.

The Acoustic Stage Starting to Come to Life!

Originally the CAFT team had decided to light the sign with LED lights that you manually had to click on form inside the box, we quickly realised this wouldn't work, so the lighting team and myself figured out where to position the sign, so that we could lit it from in front, but still give it the look that it was lit by itself.

Sound Design

The sound team were incredible! Rory, Paul and Jo worked so hard, and always were the first and last out of the studio. The team put in so many extra hours and should be thanked personally for this. They supported me thoughout the whole pre production process, with endless meetings at pubs, phone calls and emails, I was confident they knew exactly what was going on, what was needed and how best to ahiceve what was asked for. I worked closely with them at the beginning, intially with Paul, sorting out what was needed, I then got in contact with my old friend Rory, and he was a God send! Supplying us with all the equipment we needed for a great show! I had such fun with them, and Jo helped me a lot by taking over the euipment lists for the bands the week of the record, as it was proving extremely hard to get any confirmation or response. As we were making a music programme, sound was extremely important, and there was A LOT of equipment in the studio, but it went smoothly, with only one issue with a bass guitar, which they did they best to sort out. I was so proud of this team, with the can do attitude, anything I threw at them was dealt with ease. I would love to work with them all again in the future!

Rory's beautiful desk.

The super duo

Final Sound Checks

Rehersing Shots

One of the CAFT members (you can just get a glimpse of in his red jumper), showed a great interest for lighting on their first rigging day. So the lighting technicians took him under their wing, and he became our a official lighting assistant, as no one from our course seemed to want to take on the role, which was a shame. He said that it was something he had always wanted to try, and looked like he throughlly enjoyed himself. At the end of the show he found me personally and thanked me for making him feel a part of it, and that it was one of the best experiences he has ever had! I'm so glad he was there, he really proved invaluable and helped control the lights during the actual record!! It just proves again that this industry is always about being there at the right time, and showing willingness to put your hand to anything!