Setplot

Feature · Lighting

Plot your lighting alongside the set.

Plan your theatre lighting in the browser. Add positions and fixtures to your groundplan, aim the lights and choose their brightness for each set. Preview the result in 3D and prepare the lighting paperwork.

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  • Bars, booms and ladders
  • Aim by dragging
  • One look per set
  • Free, no account

10 × 8m stage · 7 lanterns

CL · X=0PLASTER LINE · Y=0SR WINGSL WINGAUDIENCE ↓FOH 1 · 6.2m trimLX 1 · 5.2m trimLX 2 · 5.4m trim1234567

The demo rig on the demo plan. Choose a set and the look changes with it.

Try it yourself: open the drawing board, no account needed

Positions

Choose your lighting positions

Place front-of-house (FOH) bars over the audience and LX bars over the stage. Add booms, ladders or floor rows for side lighting and low positions, then place fixtures along them.

FOH bars
Over the house, for front light and specials.
LX bars
Over the stage, with a hanging height set for each venue.
Booms
Upright positions for side lighting at different heights.
Ladders
Suspended vertical positions for lights at different heights.
Floor rows
At deck level, for cyc washes and footlights.

Each venue has its own bar positions and hanging heights. Keep the same fixtures and lighting looks while adjusting the rig to suit another room.

Focus and color

Aim each light on the plan

Aim a light by dragging its focus point on the plan. The beam direction and lit area update on the plan and in the 3D preview.

Choose each unit’s color, beam angle and channel. Set its brightness separately for each set, so you can try different lighting with the same rig.

  • Profile

    Hard, controllable edge

  • Fresnel

    Soft-edged wash

  • PAR

    Strong, simple beam

  • Flood

    Broad, soft backdrop wash

  • Open white
  • Straw
  • Bastard amber
  • Gold amber
  • Flame red
  • Rose pink
  • Magenta
  • Lavender
  • Steel blue
  • Primary blue
  • Deep blue
  • Moss green

A selection of the available gel colors.

PLASTER LINE · Y=0SR WINGSL WINGAUDIENCE ↓LX 1 · 5.2m trim123
Drag a focus point to aim one of the three units on LX 1. Its beam preview follows the new direction.

Looks

One rig, a look for every set

A lighting look records which lights are on and how bright they are for a set. Create a look for each set, then preview the crossfade between them on the plan or in 3D.

  • 01The Parlour

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    • 6
    • 7

  • 02The Storm

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    • 6
    • 7

  • 03The Garden

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    • 6
    • 7

Lighting channels and brightness levels for each set in the demo.

Record the patch and focus notes

Add circuit, dimmer, universe and address details to each light as you plan the patch. These are optional, so you can start with positions and channels and fill in the rest when you know the rig.

Use the 3D model to compare lighting ideas. It does not predict measured light levels or project gobo patterns.

Example: a light on channel 12

Give channel 12 universe 1, address 101. Setplot warns if another unit uses the same address in that universe. Use Assign next free address to find an unused address.

Keep a focus note on each light, such as “Keep light off the doorway”, so you can refer to it as you work on the rig.

The paperwork

Plot, hookup, patch, magic sheet

Print the lighting plot at a stated scale and export the channel hookup as CSV. Create a free account to download standard sheets and tables. Drawn sheets carry a small Setplot credit. MVR rig export for compatible consoles and visualizers is included with a Production Pass or Pro.

What the MVR export includes

MVR includes the selected venue’s fixture positions, aim, channels, colors and recorded addresses. It uses generic fixture profiles; assign the correct manufacturer and model in the receiving software. Scenery and lighting looks are not included.

  • Lighting plotpdfpngsvg
  • Channel hookupcsv
  • Hanging schedulecsv
  • Patch sheetcsv
  • Magic sheetpdfpngsvg
  • Sectionpdfpngsvg
  • MVR rig (interchange)Production Pass or Promvr

Channel hookup

The demo rig, in channel order

  • 1Centre specialFOH 1 · Profile
  • 2Warm on the sofaFOH 1 · Profile
  • 3Rose specialFOH 1 · Profile
  • 4Blue wash SRLX 1 · Fresnel
  • 5Blue wash SLLX 1 · Fresnel
  • 6Night backingLX 2 · PAR
  • 7Garden washLX 2 · Flood

These channel details also appear in the exported CSV.

Plan your lighting rig

Add lighting positions, place your fixtures and try a look for the first set. Start drawing in your browser without an account.

Start drawingCreate a free account