Dance 287 - Lighting for Choreography Fall 2019

Establishing Shot I chose to visit the Irvine Spectrum Center for my site specific blog. Although I have visited this center a few times in the past, this was my first time seeing the space at night. My overall impression of this center was comparable to being at a resort. I made this assumption based on the manicured palm trees, neatly designed water fountains, and the warm color palette used to paint the exterior store walls. I imagine the design team was trying to create an atmosphere that makes the customers feel as if they were on vacation. In fact, I felt relaxed and unconcerned with time as I walked around the center. If this was their intention, I definitely think they succeeded in creating that experience. BOSE Exterior  I selected Bose as a store with a successful design concept. The exterior glass was spotless allowing customers to clearly see inside. I observed the awning to be sleek and subtly back-lit with a cool blue hue. As I approached...

I visited the Spectrum Center on a chilly Halloween night with my classmate, Chanel.  Being that we were there after hours, we got to take in more of the scenery than I anticipated.  I was impressed by how much fun the designers of this shopping center built in by using lighting. I especially loved the mist that changed colors along the pathway, the ferris wheel and the Christmas tree!  Overall, there was a feeling that something exciting was about to happen...even though I knew that wasn't the case, as all the stores were closed and there was no one around. There was a feeling of whimsy and magic around every corner. All you had to do was look up or down.  No space was left in the dark.  I couldn't help but wonder if one would be as equally entertained during the daylight hours.  Somehow I doubt it. The following picture is of a store that I feel missed the mark where lighting is concerned. Especially when comparing it to the design o...

I really enjoyed this week's blog because it allowed me to travel off campus to see light in a different setting. After seeing several dances, talking about light within our class, and week 6 ending, I feel like I can't help but see light in a completely new way. I also can't unsee lighting that is, in my opinion, unsuccessful based on all of our discussions. When Aliya and I parked at the Irvine Spectrum Center, we walked down this pathway. It felt slightly eerie, even mysterious, but the stark lighting amplified the anticipation of seeing the stores at this mall. This was my first time attending the Irvine Spectrum at night.  The initial view I saw when we walked into the first communal area was this cool, soft glow of blue and orange umbrellas. Sitting underneath them felt like a safe haven. It was calming and at the same time energizing to me; all I wanted to do was  soak in  the scenery and just  be when I experienced the lighting i...

I was fortunate to be a guest of my Aunt on a trip to Disney land! I was so impressed with the lighting and happy to be aware of the techniques used to convey meaning, status, and to direct the consumer! The very first thing I notice upon entry was the parade! It was fascinating to see how they highlighted (literally) the major characters and used softer lighting or no lighting at all for the minor characters. Not pictured are the two major characters of Frozen. The character Anna was on a lower level than Elsa who is seen as a more powerful character. Anna was lit from below with a warm light like how Woody is pictured below which also reflects her character's warmth in the film. Elsa was on a higher platform and had a brighter and harsher cold light which evoked her power and character arc in the film as well. A similar thing happened with Woody and Jesse from Toy Story.   No light on Jesse.  lots of warm light  on Woody. I noticed that I was lead towards m...

This tall, captivating Christmas tree gave the whole mall a sense of warmth and joy for the upcoming Holiday season! I went to the Irvine Spectrum on Halloween Night and there was something very special about walking around with no people around. Brandeye and I walked around the Spectrum after hours and it was captivating to see how much light there was around us. It was hard for me to choose just one picture so I am showcasing a few that caught my eye. For starters, this Christmas tree is spectacular not just for the height but for the intricacy in light and detail. The saturated colors caught my eye immediately, especially since I love the passionate red and blue colors. Looking at these colors gave me a vision for Jehbreal's piece that I will be working on this coming week as the lighting designer. It is amazing what light can bring to this world. This picture is a portrait of mist with lights that flashed on and off. There is so much detail in this portrait, from th...

The Outlets at Orange - Friday, November 8 (taken by Kent Shinomae) This Friday, I visited the Outlets at Orange for the first time. I have been to many different outlet malls in the past, but none in the evening with this style of lighting design installed. When you are at a mall, you can easily forget to look up sometimes. What I mean by that is people tend to just go from store to store, usually on a mission to purchase something. These light fixtures were effective in that they hung above the walkway in between the buildings, so that the eyes could be drawn upwards to appreciate the beauty they were creating. It was a great way to also add light to the palms trees in the evening without it be too direct and excessive. Walking around, I felt a little stressed while looking for the stores to complete this site specific blog assignment. However, when I came to the central area of the mall I found myself noticing these lights and was able to take a moment to breathe and apprec...

  I visited The Irvine Spectrum last night, and I found some really striking lighting designs. The lighting that caught my eye instantly was the Ferris wheel. I had been to The Spectrum before and had seen the Ferris wheel at night, but I had never seen the beautiful mix of lights that are shown in these two photos. In this lighting scene, I think the lighting designers were trying to evoke a heightened sense of attention to detail. By using a mix of vibrant, bright colors, the designers were calling attention to the details in this lighting. Ultimately, I think the design was meant to encourage buyers to pay close attention (to take in all the attractive and intricate mix of colors and lights) which translates into the buyers paying close attention when looking at different products in stores during their shopping experience at The Spectrum. In my opinion, this store was not successful in the lighting design. I get cold, distant vibes from the stark overhead light...