Lighting Technician

You design, rig, and operate lighting systems for theater, concerts, film, TV, and events. You're the reason audiences feel emotions they can't explain — warm amber for nostalgia, cold blue for tension, a single spotlight for drama. You'll climb trusses, program DMX boards, and work in the dark so that everyone else looks good in the light. The hours are brutal, the work is physical, and the result is invisible when done right.

What you'll actually do

• 01Hang, focus, and gel lighting instruments on bars and trusses that are 30 feet in the air
• 02Program lighting cues on DMX boards and consoles that have more parameters than a spaceship
• 03Collaborate with directors and designers to translate 'I want it to feel like a Tuesday afternoon in autumn' into actual light settings
• 04Troubleshoot fixtures, dimmers, and control systems during tech rehearsals when time pressure is maximum
• 05Run the light board during performances, executing hundreds of cues with the timing precision of a drummer
• 06Load in and load out equipment for shows, which means carrying heavy gear at odd hours in exchange for union scale