Concert Lighting

Jim is the Head of the Technical Theatre Program, Technical Director, and Lighting Designer for The Theatre Academy at Los Angeles City College (A Professional Conservatory Program). Considered one of the founders of concert lighting he received the first Concert Lighting Designer of the Year Award from Performance magazine in1980. Early in his career he moved into Las Vegas venues along with many of his touring artists even winning the Las Vegas Designer of the Year in 1982 for "Dream Street”, a production show. Active also in television, his work has been recognized with two Emmy nominations and one team award. He served for 10 years as Director of Photography on Entertainment Tonight and then switched to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune for 12 years. Jim is a member of both USA 829 (Theatrical Lighting Designer) and IA 600 (Director's of Photography). He has written two books; The Business of Theatrical Design as well as 3 editions of Concert Lighting; Techniques, Art, and Business. In theatre Jim has designed lighting for over 300 productions including a recent production of "Doubt” at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre Company. Jim has also received several theatre design awards including the Drama Logue Award and a Los Angeles Theatre Critics Award. Recently he was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award in Lighting Design from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. He has also been honored as a Fellow of the Institute. His academic background includes degrees from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in English Education with a Theatre minor and an M.F.A. degree from U.C.L.A. in Theatre Design and a recent Ed D degree in Educational Administration for the University of Phoenix. He has taught as adjunct faculty and appeared at several universities as an Artist-in-Residence including U.S.C., Carnegie-Mellon University, CalARTS, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, San Diego State University, Pepperdine University, and the University of Colorado. For "fun” he is a member of TEAM Coast Guard assigned to Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor about 50 miles north west of Los Angeles where he serves as a communications watchstander and Coxswain on rescue boats.

Part One: The Concert Lighting Field: The Birth of Rock and Rise of the Concert Lighting Designer * Tour Personnel and Unions * Business * Pre-Production * The Design Stage * Cueing the Music * Road Problems and Scheduling * Road Safety * Dealing with Problems * Part Two: Equipment Designed to Travel: Technical Innovations * Lighting Consoles* Lighting Trusses * Lifts and Hoists* Moving Lights * Part Three: Practical Examples of Techniques: Designing to Fit the Space * Rigging with No Ceiling * A Look Inside the Design: Other Designers Talk About Their Designs* Concert Designers: Art versus Business * Overseas and South American Touring* Part Four: Cross-Media Use of Techniques: Industry Wide Benefit from New Developments* Concert Techniques in Television Production* Music Performance on Tape and Film* Postscript * Bibliography* Glossary* Index