I'm getting a little worried. This is the second issue in a row with a cover story in which the big, sexy element is the video and/or projections. I'm starting to wonder if the LDs of this world are going to feel a bit neglected. Don't: Whether, as in last month's Jay-Z concert, the LD is also in charge of the video element as well, or, as in this month's look at David Bowie's Reality tour, the LD works closely with a visual director, it's all part of the same phenomenon. Lighting, which was once solely about illumination, is becoming something else — content, in the form of projections and video. The appearance of new digital media products signals another sea change in the lives of LDs. It's a tremendous opportunity, as some LDs will get learn how to design and create imagery. And it's a tremendous responsibility, as all LDs will have to come to terms with projections and video, learning to use lighting to integrate them into the overall design.
Of course, this is happening in the concert worlds; that's where most of the new technology comes from. Then again, Howell Binkley, a man of theatre, here discusses two productions, including a straight play, in which his lighting interacted nimbly with projections. So pay attention: there's more to come; personally, I can't wait to see what happens next.