Control console for complex film lighting with 12–48 motorized faders, managing up to 32,768 intelligent fixtures via DMX512 with millisecond precision.
Professional film lighting consoles feature 12-48 motorized faders with 16-bit resolution (65,536 dimming levels per channel). Standard connections include 5-pin XLR for DMX-out, Ethernet for Art-Net/sACN protocols, and USB for show files. Processor power in modern devices ranges from 1-4 GB RAM with Linux or Windows-based operating systems. Two main types dominate: compact Wing Consoles with 1024 parameters and full-fledged consoles with up to 32,768 controllable attributes.
In 1976, Strand Lighting developed the first computer-controlled lighting console, the "Light Palette," with 8-bit resolution. The breakthrough came in 1986 with the DMX512 standard, which enabled unified device communication for the first time. Wholehog introduced moving light control in 1992, while ETC established touchscreen operation with the Eos series in 1995. Since 2010, network-based systems with tablet integration and cloud synchronization have dominated.
On "Blade Runner 2049," Gaffer Giles Nuttgens used an MA Lighting GrandMA2 to control the complex LED wall choreography in the replicant scenes. Typical film workflows utilize cue lists with 0.5-2 second crossfade times between lighting states. The console stores presets for standard setups like "Day Interior" or "Magic Hour," which the gaffer recalls with the press of a button. Disadvantage: Complex operation requires specialized operators; advantage: Millisecond-precise repeatability of lighting states for retakes.
Distinction from simple dimmer packs: Lighting consoles control intelligent fixtures (moving lights, LED panels), while dimmers only regulate conventional tungsten lamps. Software solutions like Chamsys MagicQ PC are increasingly replacing hardware consoles but offer less tactile control. Tablet apps like Luminair are suitable for smaller productions with under 100 DMX channels but do not achieve the precision and speed of physical faders in complex setups.
Ich brauche das Lichtpult für präzise Reproduzierbarkeit meiner Lichtstimmung zwischen Takes - wenn der Regisseur nach drei Stunden nochmal Einstellung 12A will, muss das Licht millimetergenau identisch stehen. Die DMX-Steuerung ermöglicht mir fließende Übergänge während Kamerafahrten, etwa wenn wir durch verschiedene Tageszeiten schwenken.
Das Lichtpult gibt mir die Freiheit, spontan mit Lichtstimmungen zu experimentieren, ohne dass der Gaffer erst zwanzig Scheinwerfer manuell verstellen muss. Ich kann während der Probe verschiedene emotionale Grundtöne abrufen lassen und sofort sehen, wie sich die Schauspielperformance dadurch verändert - das beschleunigt meinen kreativen Prozess erheblich.
Ein professionelles Lichtpult kostet 15.000-80.000 Euro Anschaffung oder 200-500 Euro Tagesmiete, spart aber Personalkosten durch reduzierten Einrichtungsaufwand. Statt vier Beleuchtern für manuelle Verstellung genügt ein Lichtoperator für 200+ Scheinwerfer - das rechnet sich ab 15 Drehtagen definitiv.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Lichtpult"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.