Process of Illumination

For the final episode of this series we’re turning the questions from firsts to lasts.After looking back at some of those formative first moments in our previous episode, this time I pose a series of “last time” questions to Peter Small, Catja Hamilton, Lucia Sanchez Roldan and Joseph Thomas.Some reflective, some practical, and some just for fun — exploring the last things they’ve learnt, the moments that surprised them, the work that challenged them and the experiences that have stayed with them.It feels like a fitting way to bring the series to a close — looking not necessarily at endings, but at where these four designers are right now, and how their experiences continue to shape what comes next.

As we come towards the end of this series I posed my guests a number of questions around the theme of ‘the first time’ and ‘the last time’ — some serious, some nostalgic, and some that hopefully made them think a little differently about their careers.In this episode, we’re starting with ‘the first time’.We hear about the first shows they ever worked on, the first time they stood in a theatre and thought, “I’m actually a lighting designer,” and the first lesson they had to learn the hard way.So, let’s go back to the beginning.

From opera and immersive experiences to one-night concerts and new writing, this episode takes us across some very different stages and spaces and explores just how varied a career in lighting design can be.

In this second part of our episodes about building a career in Lighting Design we chat about work-life balance.A career in theatre and live events is an all-consuming affair. The hours are long and tech weeks stretch, often ending up being back to back across multiple projects. Work-life balance is extremely important, but often hard to get right. I chat to my guests about finding that balance, love of the industry and what success looks like for each of them.

In this episode we chat about building a career in lighting design.How did our guests get those first lighting design opportunities, and how do they keep the work coming? We explore how they accessed early roles, built their reputations, diversified their work, and why timing, opportunity, and a little luck all play a part in building a successful career.