Performance flying director to performance lighting designer
A performance flying director already meets 74% of what the performance lighting designer role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
42.7/ 100
1 How much of what a performance lighting designer is expected to do is already part of a performance flying director’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the performance lighting designer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A performance lighting designer role treats 33 of its required skills as things a performance flying director already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adapt existing designs to changed circumstances
- adapt to artists' creative demands
- analyse a script
- analyse music score
- analyse the artistic concept based on stage actions
- analyse the scenography
What stands in the way is 9 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 49 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A performance lighting designer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a performance flying director background worth leading with.
- already held conduct costume research information skills
- already held research new ideas information skills
- already held verify feasibility information skills
- already held analyse the artistic concept based on stage actions information skills
- already held propose improvements to artistic production communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held analyse the scenography communication, collaboration and creativity
All 49 carried skills, including the 33 the performance lighting designer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 22 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn communicate during show required
- still to learn design an artificial lighting system required
- still to learn draw up lighting plan required
- optional, not held develop drama production process optional
- still to learn supervise plotting of stage lights required
- still to learn plan act lighting required
- still to learn assess power needs required
- optional, not held provide technical documentation optional
- still to learn take measurements of performance space required
- still to learn read lighting plans required
- still to learn use communication equipment required
- optional, not held focus lighting equipment optional
- optional, not held light a show optional
- optional, not held operate a lighting console optional
- optional, not held plot lighting states optional
- optional, not held plot lighting states with automated lights optional
- optional, not held set up light board optional
- optional, not held rig lights optional
- optional, not held copyright legislation optional
- optional, not held labour legislation optional
- optional, not held ensure safety of mobile electrical systems optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a performance lighting designer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 supervise plotting of stage lights practise this
- 02 take measurements of performance space practise this
- 03 communicate during show practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 49 skills that carry over
- already held adapt existing designs to changed circumstances skill
- already held adapt to artists' creative demands skill
- already held analyse a script skill
- already held analyse music score skill
- already held analyse the artistic concept based on stage actions skill
- already held analyse the scenography skill
- already held attend rehearsals skill
- already held coach staff for running the performance skill
- already held conduct costume research skill
- already held contextualise artistic work skill
- already held define artistic approach skill
- already held develop design concept skill
- already held develop design ideas cooperatively skill
- already held follow safety procedures when working at heights skill
- already held keep up with trends skill
- already held meet deadlines skill
- already held monitor developments in technology used for design skill
- already held monitor sociological trends skill
- already held perform quality control of design during a run skill
- already held present artistic design proposals skill
- already held prevent fire in a performance environment skill
- already held propose improvements to artistic production skill
- already held research new ideas skill
- already held safeguard artistic quality of performance skill
- already held understand artistic concepts skill
- already held update design results during rehearsals skill
- already held use specialised design software skill
- already held use technical documentation skill
- already held verify feasibility skill
- already held work ergonomically skill
- already held work safely with chemicals skill
- already held work safely with mobile electrical systems under supervision skill
- already held work with respect for own safety skill
- already held adapt artistic plan to location skill
- already held analyse the need for technical resources skill
- already held calculate design costs skill
- already held develop professional network skill
- already held document your own practice skill
- already held draw up artistic production skill
- already held keep personal administration skill
- already held lead a team skill
- already held manage personal professional development skill
- already held organise resources for artistic production skill
- already held prospect new customers skill
- already held set up equipment in a timely manner skill
- already held translate artistic concepts to technical designs skill
- already held update budget skill
- already held use personal protection equipment skill
- already held work safely with machines skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held artificial lighting systems optional
13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held artificial lighting systems optional
- optional, not held develop drama production process optional
- optional, not held ensure safety of mobile electrical systems optional
- optional, not held focus lighting equipment optional
- optional, not held light a show optional
- optional, not held operate a lighting console optional
- optional, not held plot lighting states optional
- optional, not held plot lighting states with automated lights optional
- optional, not held set up light board optional
- optional, not held copyright legislation optional
- optional, not held labour legislation optional
- optional, not held provide technical documentation optional
- optional, not held rig lights optional
25 held skills the performance lighting designer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role coordinate pre-show checks skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate purchasing activities skill
- not needed by the target role design flying movements skill
- not needed by the target role develop methods for choreographic integration skill
- not needed by the target role evacuate people from heights skill
- not needed by the target role identify technical resources for performances skill
- not needed by the target role maintain artist flying system skill
- not needed by the target role maintain flying harnesses skill
- not needed by the target role manage consumables stock skill
- not needed by the target role manage signoff of an installed system skill
- not needed by the target role manage technical resources stock skill
- not needed by the target role pack electronic equipment skill
- not needed by the target role practise flying movements skill
- not needed by the target role prepare performance training session skill
- not needed by the target role prevent technical problems with flying equipment skill
- not needed by the target role promote health and safety skill
- not needed by the target role provide first aid skill
- not needed by the target role react to emergency situations in a live performance environment skill
- not needed by the target role rehearse artist fly movements skill
- not needed by the target role test artist flying systems skill
- not needed by the target role train artists in flying skill
- not needed by the target role understand the architecture of a live performance skill
- not needed by the target role use rope access techniques skill
- not needed by the target role write risk assessment on performing arts production skill
- not needed by the target role write technical riders skill
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held artificial lighting systems optional
- optional, not held copyright legislation optional
- optional, not held labour legislation optional
Other moves recorded from performance flying director
Common questions about this move
Can a performance flying director become a performance lighting designer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A performance flying director already covers 74% of what a performance lighting designer is expected to do: 49 skills carry over, 33 of which the performance lighting designer role treats as required.
What skills does a performance flying director need to become a performance lighting designer?
9 required skills are missing, plus 13 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is supervise plotting of stage lights.
How hard is the move from performance flying director to performance lighting designer?
Its learning distance is 42.7 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.