Lighting Takes the Scene: An Exploration of Light Through the Big Screen

 Star Wars, Tron and Blade Runner – what do they all have in common?

The amazing use of light to accentuate emotion and tell a story.

Although most of us don’t design movie sets every day, there’s no reason we can’t elevate our projects to evoke that same feeling of wonderment and excitement we felt watching our favourite films growing up.

Lighting designers are tasked with setting a tone for a space that melds function with a sense of identity.

By taking a cinematic approach to lighting design, we can create a space that provides that same sense of drama and emotion once felt at the theatre.

The end result – lighting execution that is as timeless and unique as it is subtly nostalgic and familiar.

Join Victor Quezada, as he draws upon some of his favourite Hollywood films and explains how they can influence lighting design.

A Presentation by Victor Quezada

Victor Quezada is a Principal the Architectural Lighting Team Lead at AES Lighting by AES Engineering in Vancouver.

He holds an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and has specialized in lighting design since 2008.

Working alongside the engineering professionals at AES has allowed him to use his design and product expertise to contribute to a project’s overall beauty and sustainability, facilitating the aesthetic integration of the lighting solution with the overall architecture and built environment.

He has received numerous awards including the IESBC 2014, 2016, 2019 Awards of Merit, IES Vancouver 2020 and 2023 Awards of Merit, IESNA 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2021 Illumination Awards of Merit. In addition, Victor has been shortlisted for the Lighting Design Awards in 2020 for Low Budget Project of the Year and shortlisted for the darc awards in 2019 and 2022.

His work has appeared in various publications, including LD+A. He recently presented Lighting Takes the Scene, an Exploration of Light Through the Big Screen at LightFair 2023 in New York.

Learning objectives:

Using selected scenes from films, we will:

1. Understand how contrast can affect mood and drama in an environment.

2. Learn how colour can be used as an emotional signifier.

3. Learn about architectural lighting integration, luminous planes & linear delineation, and their effectiveness in storytelling. 

4. Understand how filmmakers capture light in various genres, from 19th century period pieces to science fiction.

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Mafi Avila 
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403-629-4819

Before Jan. 24th

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 For free sponsor spots, please contact Mafi Avila