How to Talk to Civilians
Chris Lose shares how he handles the inevitable ‘civilian’ question: ‘What do you do for a living?’ The answer can be complicated for touring professionals to explain—and others to understand.
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Pixels and Beams: Who’s Driving the Show?
Chris Lose and Lucy Ockenden, Screens Producer and Media Server Specialist, look at the blurry borders between lighting and video programming. Who takes the lead in the changing control dynamic, trying to answer the question: Pixels or Beams?
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Be Like a Duck
In his LD-at-Large column for May 2025, Chris Lose looks at the golden rule of live events: “Be like a duck.” In live production, mistakes happen. It’s not about avoiding them altogether, it’s about how you recover and keep the show running smoothly despite them.
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Moving Lights Move Your Heart: A Neuroaesthetic Perspective
Chris Lose and Jason Ahn delve into neuroaesthetics, the nexus of evolutionary biology and entertainment lighting. A place where art, science, and our primal instincts collide in a cacophony of photons and imagery.
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Nomenclature by Nature
Chris Lose extols the virtues of good nomenclature, the simple act of naming things properly. He praises the unsung heroes of concert lighting programming who make sure each cue is well labeled, color-coded, and harmonious between songs.
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Keep It Simple, Stupid: The Bright Side of Simplicity
Chris Lose reminds readers of one of the most reliable design principles, “Keep it simple, stupid.” The KISS mantra has saved many shows, and a few lighting designers’ careers. He unpacks why simplicity reigns supreme and when complexity might earn its keep.
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Unlocking the Power of GDTF
Chris Lose discusses how GDTF is helping manage the torrent of different profiles from multiple sources.
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The Double-Edged Sword of Multifunctionality
Chris Lose discusses spinning the wheel programming multi-function hybrid luminaires.
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Backstage Pass Syndrome
Chris Lose discusses Backstage Pass Syndrome and the feeling of being both connected and disconnected.
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Souvenirs, Tchotchkes, and Swag
Chris Lose looks at the pros and cons of the many different forms of mementoes tour professionals become overwhelmed with as they accumulate souvenirs, tchotchkes, and swag.
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Gigcitement
Chris Lose discusses not letting Gigcitement get out of control. He offers some hard-earned advice to allow you to balance your own work/life priorities.
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In Confidence We Trust
Chris Lose discusses the importance of instilling and nurturing confidence—in lighting providers, co-workers, visual technologies and ourselves. Don’t do a trustfall without it.
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