Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Lights Down" levels

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Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 07-27-2004, 11:33 AM:

Every theater I've been to has the house lights at a bare minimum glow during the feature. Is there some law or fire code that prevents them from turning them completely off? I imagine there are regulations on lighting levels in the theater, but it doesn't seem that having the lights barely glowing like that provides any real light, especially compared to the light coming from the screen. Is it more of a decorative issue than a safety issue?

The reason I bring this up is because someone mentioned to me that they would like to see the lights go all the way OFF during the feature, and it got me thinking whether we are allowed to do that or not.

(I put this in FHF because it deas with the dimmer, but feel free to move to GL if you feel it would be more appropriate there.)

Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 07-27-2004, 11:45 AM:

Ken--

House lights should never be lower than what the local code
allows, if any.

fjn
Local 294 Ret. [Smile]

Posted by Kyle Watkins (Member # 986) on 07-27-2004, 11:58 AM:

I work at 6 different theaters here in FL and all we had the lights go down to OFF. So i dont think FL has one on the the lights down for the movie but they do have one for credits. Not sure about local codes.

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 07-27-2004, 12:43 PM:

In my experience, some theatres/auditoriums the lights dim down to a glow, and then some theatres/auditoriums the lights go all the way off. Even different auditoriums at the same theatre complex each have a different experience.

What bothers me the most though, is when the lights do not dim down enough, and it's distracting.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-27-2004, 01:21 PM:

Most building/firecodes have a requirement for minimum safe ilumination in a public place during a presentation
Step floors have different requirements than say a slopped floor and are often at the un challenbgable opinion of the local building inspector or firemarshal

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 07-27-2004, 01:28 PM:

So long as there are proper exit signs and appropriate pathway lighting, I don't think there are any requirements for minimum light levels in a theater... At least in Pennsylvania or the few other states I have worked in.

One of the venues I am in charge of has stadium seating and there are no pathway lights on the stairs. There are two dimmers that control the house lights: The main overhead lights and some can lights over the stairs & walkways. The can ligts are pre-programmed to never go below (I think) 30% brightness even if you push the fader that controls that dimmer all the way to 0%.

This theater has no projection facilities. It is mainly a lecture/recital hall. There are few, if any, issues with stray light from those cans affecting the performance.

Thus, the reason I say that IF you have pathway lighting and exit signs there are no requirements for minimum light levels.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 07-27-2004, 01:33 PM:

Our settings are slightly different in each auditorium, but 25-30% is the norm for the dim setting at Lakeville. And this is with dark red curtains and purple carpeting... no earth tones here [Smile]

If I ever have to adjust the dim level, I'm trying to slightly illuminate the aisles, without leaving a distracting amount of light on the walls.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-27-2004, 03:11 PM:

If you do have to have some level of ambient light for safety, remember the lights should NOT shine ON the screen. Direct the light ONLY where it is needed for safety.

Kodak Projection Pointers

quote:
Conquering Contrast Killers

People with eyeglasses sometimes have difficulty with reflections from overhead lighting in their eyeglass lenses.

Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 07-27-2004, 03:20 PM:

I personally do not like to have any lights on during a Film as it distracts from the Illusion that you are transformed to another place that the Director wants to take the audience , even EXIT signs under the screens are ugly ..... but there are times when low lights are a benefit and that is when you are showing films to children who are not used to seeing movies in the Dark , I remember a parent who had to take a small child out of the cinema because the child was scared of the dark and was not comfortable even with the light from the screen .

Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 07-27-2004, 03:28 PM:

I've been helping a small theater put in 3 new screens. The owner wants the lights up a fair level during the show to "show off" her auditorium decor. So there is too much light during the show but she usually doesn't listen to anyone. I guess it's a good thing for someone if they don't like the movie they can bring along a book to read [Big Grin]

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 07-27-2004, 06:55 PM:

Before our theatre became a part of a larger chain, we ran all features with auditrium lights compleately off. There was sufficient isle lighting to safely allow patrons to enter or exit the auditorium. Now, our current company requires all lights to be at a minimum of 20% brightness durring the feature. This is especially distracting at our theatre, since our "decorative sconses" were not designed to be on durring the movie. The small bulb is visable, and catches the eye easily.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 07-27-2004, 07:52 PM:

In nearly all of the theatres where I have worked, the ceiling lights (and chandelier, if present) stay off during the film and at a low level during trailers and credits. Only the wall sconces (which almost all theatres seem to have) stay on during the film, and they are either at a low level or have colored bulbs (usually red) which stay on and do not shine on the screen, but make it possible to navigate the aisles.

Oh, let's not forget the obligatory super-bright red or green "EXIT" signs that many theatres have on one or both sides of the screen....

Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 07-27-2004, 07:54 PM:

While I was thinking about this .... I remembered that the CIVIC Theatre here in Auckland has it's roof lights on during the films, this is a Southern Star Constellation and it is quite calming as it is like watching a movie outdoors under the Stars. [Cool]

and if the movie Sucks you can always watch the Stars twinkle .

Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 07-27-2004, 09:02 PM:

I agree that it's awesome to have no lights during a show, but from a safety standpoint you need some. Especially when someone needs to use the restroom or spend more money in concession....do you really want to deal with someone falling on your clock?

Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 07-27-2004, 09:13 PM:

Well Dean , hopefully No One falls on my Clock [Big Grin]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-27-2004, 10:15 PM:

quote: Paul Cassidy
the light from the screen

Shouldn't that be "the light from the projector"?

(ba-da-bum) [Big Grin]

But seriously folks, we turn our lights all the way off. We do have one of those evil red Exit signs next to the screen which I would love to move, but...that's where the exit is. I did put a couple extra layers of red cellophane in it so it's way dimmer than before.

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 07-28-2004, 12:39 AM:

quote: Dean Kollet
I agree that it's awesome to have no lights during a show, but from a safety standpoint you need some.

Isn't that what the aisle lights are for? I really don't think having the house lights to a bare minimum glow adds any real light to the auditorium. It only serves as a distraction.

Regarding exit signs, the LED or glow-in-the-dark versions aren't nearly as bad as the traditional ones.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 07-28-2004, 03:40 AM:

I really like the phosphorescent glow in the dark signs. They require no electricity, are easy to read in the dark, and they just feel theatrical.

Posted by Patrick A. Meister (Member # 1812) on 07-28-2004, 05:56 AM:

Hi

There can be another reason for not fully going off:
When a dimmer with Lamp-PreHeating is used, tha lamps always glow slightly. This is mostly adjustable.
It depends on the dimmer.
Some dimmers allow to fully turn off the lamps when all faders are down. Bypass-Mode morstly forces pre-heating - the more a fader is open, the more pre-heating on the channel.
All the informations depend on the dimmers, I worked with.

Posted by Andrew Jefferson (Member # 2565) on 07-28-2004, 11:10 AM:

Are aisle lights not common in the U.S.? Here in Aus we have house lighting (full during intermission) and half or quarter during advertisements and credits. During the trailers and feature the only light from anywhere is the glow from fibre optic aisle lighting and glow-in-the-dark EXIT signs.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-28-2004, 12:18 PM:

Coincidentally, just yesterday I had a sit-down with the lighting director at our theatre to work out what lighting controls I will need in the booth to control the new lighting system that is being installed as part of our major renovation. And yes, the system will never have a really FULL off; the house will always have a pre-heat state in all the bulbs. But a well designed cinema theatre will never have any lighting being "seen" by the screen directly. Plus there is isle lighting and step lighting that is separate from the main house lights. All the houselights provide indirect illumination,

The wind up was that the booth will have four levels on touchscreen pads on the control consoles -- 1) full
2) 1/2 house, 3) credits, 4) show glow.

I can't wait to play with this stuff.