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    Light Talk with The Lumen Brothers

    LIGHT TALK is a show featuring three seasoned professional lighting designers and educators who discuss the latest developments in the world of live entertainment and architectural lighting design. Steve Woods (SMU), Stan Kaye (University of Florida), and David Jacques (California State University Long Beach) offer sage, and sometimes controversial advice to professionals and students of lighting design. Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and very little makes sense.
    enDavid Jacques362 Episodes

    Episodes (362)

    LIGHT TALK Episode 342 - "The Butter Stick"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 342 - "The Butter Stick"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) discuss everything from MIdJourney to Cold Las Vegas Nights.
     
    Join Ellen, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: LDI Light Talk Pit Bull Swag Challenge; Your first meeting with the director; Table reads; Having a diverse background and finding a job as a lighting designer; Teaching lighting design with pre-viz; Creating designs with MidJourney; "The Butter Stick";  Looking back at 35 years of LDI; "The Battle of the Busk"; The Pixera media server; The greatest lighting technology introduced at LDI over the past 35 years; Easier ways to hang your lights; and Improper boom hanging etiquette.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 341 - "Stop Making Sense!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 341 - "Stop Making Sense!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers  discuss everything from David Byrne to "The Book of Mormon Podcast".
     
    Join Brackley, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: Snoot and Rudy; Brackley's view on the Sphere; The LDI Portfolio Review; Beverly Emmons, Wendall Harrington, and The Talking Heads' new "Stop Making Sense" restoration release; Working with co-designers; Getting over your hatred of working in the theatre; The "Distinctive Color Picker"; and The greatest gobo of all time.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 340 - "This Show Has Gone to the Dogs!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 340 - "This Show Has Gone to the Dogs!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers  discuss everything from U2 to Louie the Chihuahua.
     
    Join Stan, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: Not getting credit for the work you do; The curse of being ahead of your timel; Being a goldfish; Should you share color ideas at early design meetings?; What to do when your friend and collaborator is fired from a show; "Budget in a Box"; The Sphere in Las Vegas; Studio Populus; How this affects future consumer entertainment technology; Someone is making a lot of money; and Dogs at teachnical rehearsals.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 339 - "Iguanas Nibbling Toes"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 339 - "Iguanas Nibbling Toes"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) discuss everything from Priceless Lighting Angles to Where is My Assistant?...
     
    Join Ellen, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about:  The writers strike is over!; Cueing Processes; Working over rehearsals; The "Design Score"; The best way to learn how to program specific lighting consoles; Bad Discoveries; What if there are no overhead lighting positions?; "Career Maker!"; Brava, Tayler Swift!; Where are all the Assistant Lighting Designers?; Solar Heated Iquana Pens; Being a nice person; "LIGHT TALK from The Sphere"; Old production books; and U2 vs. LDI.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 338 - "SHYSTERS!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 338 - "SHYSTERS!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers discuss everything from The Las Vegas Sphere, to Being a Jerk, Rude, and Generally Unpleasant.
     
    Join Brackley, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about:  Not receiving your last fee payment; Small claims court; Protecting yourself with contracts; "Shystettes"; How to deal with cheap clients; Being paid by "The Lord"; Shysters in training; Dealing with friends who do not wish to sign contracts; Entertainment lawyers; Club owners; Working with people with bad reputations; Do you really need an entertainment attorney?; Protecting your intellectural property; Do you need liability insurance?; How to deal with fight calls; and The benefits of not being liked.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 337 - "Technology Transferred" - A Conversation with Richard Cadena and Neel Vasavada"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 337 - "Technology Transferred" - A Conversation with Richard Cadena and Neel Vasavada"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) welcome guests  Richard Cadena and Neel Vasavada to the show. They discuss everything from Tesla Journeys to "The Chicken and Waffle Guy".
     
    Join Neel, Richard, Ellen, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: Sustainable Power Distriubution in our industry; Battery inverted systems for the stage; Burning Man technology; The "Skin Effect"; "Overdrive Energy Solutions"; Hybridizing; Entertainment lighting returning to Direct Current; Dog Mode; Working with Billie Eilish and her family; Willie Nelson; Are promoters really interested in sustainable energy?; "The Toaster"; Neel and Richard's LDI sessions; and A Moment of Nerdity.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 336 - "Roaming Monkeys and Dead Ducks"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 336 - "Roaming Monkeys and Dead Ducks"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers welcome guest listener Magnus Boyle to the show. They discuss everything from Dropping Theatre and Getting into Broadcast Lighting, to Solar Panels Orbiting the Earth.
     
    Join Magnus, Steve, and David, as they pontificate about: Hurricane update; "Lucky Hank"; Life as a lighting designer in Norway; Advantages to having a musical background; Advice for touring your show in North America; Useful homework before your tour; Last second console nightmares; Getting into broadcast lighting design; Truss Monkeys; Missing our monkeys and ducks, Can you really survive as a lighting designer?; Outragious car insurance rates; Design fees in Norway; and Should you buy used lighting equipment "As-Is"?
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 335 - "Monkeys Riding Alligators"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 335 - "Monkeys Riding Alligators"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers discuss everything from Fighting for your Students, to Hurricane Idalia heading for Light Talk Central.
     
    Join Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Lighting areas of control; Compromise or too many choices; Remembering "Dimmer per Circuit"; Fighting the Season Selection Committee for shows that serve lighting students; Knowing when to keep quiet; Successfully navigating Craft Services; "Future to the Back"; What the hell is going on in West Virginia?; Corporate efficiency companies destroying higher education; Unexpected consequences; and Color-matching your light sources at Tech.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 334 - "Learning to Learn - Our Conversation with Lap Chi Chu"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 334 - "Learning to Learn - Our Conversation with Lap Chi Chu"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) welcome guest designer Lap Chi Chu to the show. They discuss everything from Endless Previews to Bad Hair.
     
    Join Lap, Ellen, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: LDI Update; The Elvis Church; New Light Talk Live time at LDI; Moving from undergraduate to graduate training programs; Crosstraining; Lighting color training: LED or Tungsten... What's first?;  Remembering John Gleason; The future of lighting and theatre education; ChatGPT's sense of humour; The state of the regional theatres and how it affects young designers; Stan Pumpin' Iron; The differences between working in regional theatre and Broadway; "Camelot" at Lincoln Center; Influential artists; and Finding new things in new places.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 333 - "Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 333 - "Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers welcome guest listener Doug Feinberg to the show. They discuss everything from Lighting Measurements to Listening to LIGHT TALK Backwards.
     
    Join Doug, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Lower priced lighting options for theaters on tight budgets; MEGA-LITE;   Playing with gobo morphing and automated shutters; Unexpected light cues; When will LED completely replace incandescents?; "Creative Lighting Metrics of Los Alamos"; It's All About the Moment; and Everything you ever wanted to know about lighting output standards. 
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 332 - "Concept Rears its Ugly Head"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 332 - "Concept Rears its Ugly Head"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers welcome guest listener Jack Coody to the show. They discuss everything from Stan's New Medication to Royalty Lighting Designers.
     
    Join Jack, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Remembering our Senior years; Vacuuming with LIGHT TALK; Point of View and Approach; Buffoonary and Puffary; Breaking down comedies; Brazilian Nuts; Program Notes; Weighing Production and Classroom work; Unknown knowns; Suck No-More Pro Edition; The Lumen Brothers' plans for Jack's future; "We don't have no stinkin' dimmers!"; and How to meet directors. 
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 331 - "Smoke Signals"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 331 - "Smoke Signals"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) welcome guest listener Jack Justus to the show. They discuss everything from Stan's Solar Poser to "Divine Lighting".
     
    Join Jack, Ellen, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: No more incandescent lamps in the US; LDI's Professional Workshops; What happenes when you Power-Cycle?; Stan's Full Brain-Wash; Drain the Gunk!; Saving your life when working outdoor gigs; The two levels of neglegence; The path of least resistance; Light Talk University; Water in Stan's walls; Artificial Intelligence in education; "Pushing you to keep going"; Ted Lasso quotes; Folding proteins; The best way to successfully integrate followspots into your lighting design; and NERD ALERT!!!!
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 330 - "It's a Barbie Movie!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 330 - "It's a Barbie Movie!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers welcome Guest Listener Jacqui Thomassen to the show. They discuss everything from Sneaking into Barbenheimer to Owning Your Scan.
     
    Join Jacqui, Steve, Zak, and David, as they pontificate about: Weekend movie madness; The end of Chautauqua Opera productions; Broadway's Back to the Future; How to find an agent; 10% of zero; "Heads in Beds"; How to buy a big, bright video projector; B&H, Best Buy and Fry's; The Amazon counter at Whole Foods; Dramatic Exits; Wrecking Ball Seminars; "There... I ruined it!";  Supporting SAG and the Screen Writers' Guild; How much lighting technology should you know?; and A Stratocaster analogy.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 329 - "Don't Burn Bridges - Our Discussion with Jim Tetlow"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 329 - "Don't Burn Bridges - Our Discussion with Jim Tetlow"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) welcome Lighting Designer Jim Tetlow to the show. They discuss everything from Lighting Presidential Debates to The Muppets.
     
    Join Jim, Ellen, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Living in La Jolla; Working for the Democrats and Republicans; Getting into television lighting; Learning from the designers who invented television lighting; Moving to LA; "How many IntelliBeams would you like?"; Working with Vladimir in Las Vegas; Becoming the "Guru" of cruise ship entertainment systems; "Nautilus"; Feeling responsible for your employees; Protecting the integrity of your design on a cuise ship; Moments of Nailing It!; Lighting "Requiem"; Goldfish memories; Consulting business tips; How to be the Best Designer you can be; Will AI replace Lighting Designers?; and Advice for Young Designers entering the industry. 
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 328 - "It Takes More Than a Village - Our Discussion with Jared A. Sayeg"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 328 - "It Takes More Than a Village - Our Discussion with Jared A. Sayeg"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and Sister!) welcome Lighting Designer Jared Sayeg to the show. They discuss everything from Talking to the Console, to Talking Turtles, Live Camels, and Flying Armadillos.
     
    Join Jared, Ellen, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Backstage Babies; Training with mentor Elizabeth Stillwell; Recreating Phantom of the Opera in Jared's spare room;  Working at the LA Opera; Being admitted into 829 as a teenager; "A Little Night Music" at The Pasedena Playhouse; Very long sunsets; Lighting on Cruise Ships; "Anything goes on the High Seas... Make it a three count!";  Incorporating Pre-Viz in the process; Vibration Challenges; Walking the Plank; The differences of working on The West End vs. Broadway; Working at Radio City Music Hall with Ken Billington; 100 Rockettes; Talking Turtles; A Sea of Legs; and How Artificial Intelligence may change our profession... "I don't want to talk to the console!"
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 327 - "Three Guys, Six Opinions"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 327 - "Three Guys, Six Opinions"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers welcome Guest Listener Dalyn Kvapil to the show. They discuss everything from Programmers Crossing the Line, to the Crisis in Regional Theatres.
     
    Join Dalyn, Steve, Stan, and David, as they pontificate about: Programmers overstepping their place; Tips for working at summer festivals; The "Lightning Strike Deathzone"; "The Moti-Vay-Ta!"; The Crisis in Regional Theatres; Stan quoting Karl Marx; Bad Programming; Rediculous ticket pricing; Cheering for the Home Team; and Falling Ceilings.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 326 - "Have a Beer!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 326 - "Have a Beer!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and SISTER!) discuss everything from The Praguie Quadrennial to Snoot Saves the Day!
     
    Join Ellen, David, and Steve as they pontificate about: The Prague Quadrennial; Stuck at the end of the runway; The beauty of Prague; Real beer; Drinks with Thaddeus Strassburger; Eco-Scenery; Surviving abusive summer gigs; "Resident Lighting Designer" gigs; Is it OK to leave graduate school if you are unhappy?; "Lighting Twister"; Are graduate design programs sustainable?; and Deciding which photos to take at Photo Call.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 325 - "Pixels are Free!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 325 - "Pixels are Free!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers (and SISTER!) discuss everything from Color Shifting Approaches to "Does Anyone Watch the Tony's Anymore?"
     
    Join Ellen, Stan, and Steve as they pontificate about: How to decide if your show should incorporate white light or heavy color; Tuning white light for individual actors; When to push new technology; Facade lighting strategies; Vertrical vs. horizontal illumination; "The Fixture Daisy-Chain-Gang"; Giving up your New Year's resolutions; Are the Tony Awards irrelevant?; and How to get better as a lighting designer.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 324 - "Aim Low... But Not THAT Low!"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 324 - "Aim Low... But Not THAT Low!"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers discuss everything from Audience Members Giving You Notes to Getting Blottoed in the Hot Tub.
     
    Join Steve and David as they pontificate about: "The Groucho Marx Quote Kerfuffle"; David and Lori's Western Caribbean Research Cruise; Unlimited Drinks Packages; How to make suggestions to your design colleagues on a show; Protecting yourself in a dead-end academic job; Catch-22 RTP Policies; "The Focus Squad Mobile Lighting Maintenence Team"; Is lack of maintenence ruining your show?; Satan Scrollers; Non-shaky lighting positions; and Creating a modern script analysis class.
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

    LIGHT TALK Episode 323 - "For the Record... Groucho Marx"

    LIGHT TALK Episode 323 - "For the Record... Groucho Marx"
    In this episode of LIGHT TALK, the Lumen Brothers discuss everything from Blinking Lights to Kim Kardashian.
     
    Join Ellen, Steve, Brackly, and Stan as they pontificate about: David's Margaritta to Go machine; The pros and cons of joining a union; How to design a problem-free lighting system; Stan's Wild Lights; A few beers and some chicken wings; Who has "disposable income"?; "The Gaffa No-Go"; The writers strike and how it affects our industry; Crossing a picket-line; "Here Lies Love" and the American Federation of Musicians; and "I refuse to join any club that would have ME as a member."
     
    Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.