How To Place Your Lights When You Can't Hang Anything (5 Minutes to Better Lighting)

What do you do when you literally can't hang any lights? Here's what to do to make the best out of it!
Links:
Grab Your FREE Gear Guide: www.learnstagelighting.com/gg
Support Us on Patreon: learnstagelighting.com/patreon
Video Specs:
Video Shot On Canon Rebel SL1: geni.us/tWzADD
Shotgun Mic: Vidpro XM55: geni.us/5qMGmf
Voiceover Mic (HIGHLY recommended for the price) SE Electronics V7: geni.us/RI06IiT
Lighting Visualization By Capture: www.learnstagelighting.com/wa...
Video Card: GTX1050 TI: geni.us/WBTe
Backdrop - ENTTEC 8P-60 Pixel Tape: www.enttec.com/range/led-stri...
Driven by ENTTEC's Pixel Port: www.learnstagelighting.com/re...
Disclaimer: This video and description contain affiliate links.
Comments Policy: Be nice, and treat others well. While my focus is on creating great videos and articles, I do reply to comments about once per week.
Remember, creating these videos takes a TON of time and effort, and I am not always available to answer questions here personally.
However, if you do want more help and assistance, check out Learn Stage Lighting Labs, where I do exactly that and more: lp.learnstagelighting.com/lea...

[@elliottk786]

@2:30 - Before redoing the lighting in the youth auditorium at my church, we had set two 36x10W wash units on the sides (one on either side) like that on trussing with a base to sit on as side washes and it gave a nice look as near sidefills.

[@zanedzikonski4234]

I agree, i also like side lights. They can be challenging when the stage fills up with people, they can block the the light completely or create some distracting shadows on the opposite walls. I try to balance with a side light on the other side. if your not careful the light showing up on opposite walls can really diminish the focal point of the stage and if your have up lighting near by it can interfere with that as well. thanks for the great video

[@mikkalbreeden956]

I’ve worked with several bands in the last couple months that use zoom washes with moving heads on 8 ft towers. I’ve wanted to use sides but haven’t this year. I have had bars of fixtures sitting on the back stage pointing at the ceiling. I had 8 beams on the back truss not leaving much room for static wash so I had them on the ground where the beams shot through. When the beams were frosted out, it made some awesome crossing patterns.

[@QuicksilverSG]

If you're setting up an on-stage PA as well, a pair of 6-7 foot speaker stands at the front corners of the stage can serve double-duty as vertical trusses. With a pair of pole clamps, you can mount one or two vertical strip lights on each speaker stand, angled backward to illuminate the backline. If your speakers have screw holes on top, you can use them to mount lightweight COB or moving head LED's, pointed downward toward the center of the stage. Add some uplights next to the wedge monitors, and you have pretty much the whole stage covered.

[@bobbygentertainment6556]

I like this as I do the Full Moon Fest in Phoenix AZ. This is the problem I have at the live music stage...

[@thelongroadhome7582]

Great video, thanks. It is nice seeing the results like this. It would have been nice to see the results if the lights were on the floor. Without mounting hardware that is where they end up.

[@boasfonsdal405]

Thank you sooo much for the video😀 it has given me soo many ideas and insperation. You are soo good to do such videos😀

[@brianholder4866]

another cool trick is to mount the spot or front lighting on the speakers tops, or backs of them on speaker poles too that's what i do and works great

[@yamatojohn8551]

very nice

[@paper_camera]

What type of lighting are you using for the side lights? Our church wants to do an open mic/jam event and we are trying to light our old school stage in the fellowship hall upstairs. Our budget is small. We'd love a bit of a retro vibe. It's the first event of this type we are doing. Thanks!

[@jopayvlogs1647]

Bro, what software did you use in this video?

[@johnelig7723]

thanks for you great video. is it safe to mount moving heads sideways? i've always wondered if that will be ok for the motors etc..

[@LearnStageLighting]

Depends on the light. Most user manuals will list the directions it can be hung. Ultimately, I find that giving it a test run will let you know - if it's really loud in movements and if it struggles, don't hang it sideways. Most smaller wash-type movers are okay like this, but for Spots very few are okay as the head is heavier!

[@crisobrien9690]

Hey David, I placed moving head wash LEDs as side lighting for my stage. They are about 4 ft high right now and the musicians are complaining about it blinding them. Any ideas?

[@amryoussof6651]

thanks

[@Mike_oke10000]

What software is this and is it free?

[@KwesiAyoKweRobinson]

What are you using for the 3D models?

[@LearnStageLighting]

This is Capture: www.learnstagelighting.com/want-lighting-visualizer/

[@rhinodowntheband277]

I've got 2 Chauvet Gig Bar Move 2 trees for our band. Where do you recommend putting them on stage? thanks!

[@LearnStageLighting]

If you don't have front lights, then putting them in front at the corners of the stage will be 1st priority. The Gigbar move for a band is definitely better behind the band for backlight, but you've gotta have some kind of frontlight first in order to do that

[@rhinodowntheband277]

@@LearnStageLighting awesome! thanks so much! I think will solve one of our problems

[@canocano5480]

whats program you are using, illustrator?

[@LearnStageLighting]

This is the Capture visualizer: www.learnstagelighting.com/want-lighting-visualizer/

[@hyunsooseok7787]

The ceiling of our church is low, so what kind of moving lights should we use?

[@LearnStageLighting]

I would look for the widest zoom you can find to maximize the space you have.

[@sennatrompetter5917]

what is the program you made this named?

[@LearnStageLighting]

Capture 3D Visualizer

[@definingimage]

What software is that?

[@LearnStageLighting]

The Capture visualizer: www.learnstagelightinggear.com/collections/capture-visualization?_pos=1&_psq=capture+visuali&_ss=e&_v=1.0

[@definingimage]

@@LearnStageLighting thank you!!!

[@mgr5550]

Forget erecting trusses. In India the auditoriums charge you like between 1500-4000$ to book the hall for a show, but they wont provide you even chairs for artists to sit backstage or in the wings, during setup or rehearsal or just plain you've arrived at the venue, you need to sit on the ground or they ask the Booker to bring their own plastic chairs. For plastic chairs which are $4 a piece. Such cheap mentality is that of Indians. Which is why not many international stars come to our country to perform.

[@thatzmental]

You literally moved lights into the air in your example. Not helpful at all

[@edups88]

Lmao my thoughts exactly. “Okay, let’s figure out where to put lights if you can only put them on the ground.” “Make them hover in the air.”

[@braamkaps4906]

Agreed. But what he said is true though. I have used speakers and speaker stands so many times to mount lights on. It works really well if you are out of options.