Theatre

Room lighting control is an important aspect for home theaters - especially if you have a front-projector and screen set-up. Video projectors often demand a controlled lighting situation due to the lower brightness of their displays. Room ambiance is another important function of lighting during a viewing as you most likely not want your guests to sit in darkness (unless it is a really creepy horror flick). Reflected room lighting is a consideration as well as you do not want a glare on the screen - whether it be ambient light from a window or merely reflections of a lamp within your room. Ambient window lighting is major when determining your living room layout or designing a dedicated viewing room. A dedicated room would of course be best without windows altogether - if you have the luxury of designing a room from scratch.

Glare Control and Picture Enhancement

Room lighting control is relatively easy with a little planning. If you want to incorporate your home theater within your living or family room you will want to postion your video display so that any ambient light upon the screen is diminished or eliminated altogether. Each time we have moved to a new home one of my first considerations (much to the chagrin of my wife) is where we will place the TV in our living room. Since video is my profession I plan our living room layout around the TV and entertainment center (again to the chagrin of my wife). The TV is always placed at an angle away from the main window in the room in order to eliminate window reflections on the screen. Our living room lamps have shades that direct lighting downward and are not very translucent in order to minimize their reflections. Since I have a front projector and screen display in the living room - in addition to the 32″ Mitsubishi we use for normal viewing — we have vertical blinds which do a nice job of darkening the room. We also have velour drapes which can pull to either side of the screen and do a great job of providing a controlled lighting environment for our projector. You will want to do much the same — have your video display directed away from any windows and use blinds with drapes to control daytime lighting from windows.

Setting the Mood
Wall sconce lamps located along the sides of your room for ambiance during viewing in a dedicated theater room is a nice touch and lends to the theater-esque atmosphere. Depending upon the overall decor and theme of your dedicated room sconces can be either plain or elaborately gaudy much like the movie houses of yore. Basic sconces can be found at a local Home Depot or lighting store. More elaborate theater-looking sconces are available at specialty stores. A dedicated room will benefit from remote controlled lighting - or at least it will add a touch of class to your theater. There are many varieties of remote controlled lighting which can be controlled either by their standard controller or be included within a macro-programmed command on one of the many all-in-one macro-type remote controls such as the Harmony H659 which I am quite pleased to own.

Regardless of whether you are incorporating a system into your living room or planning a dedicated room, the principles of home theater room lighting are the same. No glare or reflection on your video display and sufficient ambient room lighting for your guests during viewing. If you have any further questions about home theater room lighting feel free to use the contact form at http://www.Home-Theater-Systems-Advice.com/contact.html and I will be pleased to answer any of your inquiries to the best of my ability. You may also find more resources for home theater lighting and components at www.Home-Theater-Systems-Advice.com — from beginner’s component selection tips to room design and acoustical considerations.

Phil Taylor is a 27 year veteran in the Audio Video field and hosts Home Theater Systems Advice which offers sound advice on selecting home theater system components and also includes room design and installation information.

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London boasts some of the best plays and musicals in the world. You will often find A list celebrities joining in productions across the capital with passionate theatre goers paying very little for the privilege of seeing the best in action. London is a buffet of entertainment that delights all tastes. Ballet to Hamlet; Mozart to Mamma Mia - London is a hub of theatre excitement and creativity.

Why not pop along to the theatre whilst you’re in town and catch up on the best that London has to offer. The show line up over August and September caters for a wide variety of tastes. The classic, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, is perfect for the mild evenings. This funny and worldly Shakespeare classic has enticed thousands and is a must see for all ages. ‘Hay Fever’, another comical theatre production, stars the captivating Judy Dench at her very best. ‘Brasil Brasileiro’, inspired by the Brazilian culture, combines sexy samba rhythms with slinky dance moves. The music will have you practicing the cha-cha long after the curtains have closed. ‘Mamma Mia’ is an absolute classic feel good production that brings Abba’s songs to the theatre world. The contagious songs will have you singing out loud to songs you thought had long since passed you by. This is the pinnacle of feel good entertainment. Then there are the die hard favourites like ‘Joseph and his Technicolor Dream coat’ that are always great for a laugh and a bit of a sing along.

Theatre goers looking for a luxury hotel to relax in after a show have a variety of hotels to choose from. Hotel review site can give you a good idea about the top hotels to stay that give you access to vibrant West End. Some hotels you could look at include the Hyatt Regency ‘The Churchill’ situated in the heart of the West End; The Waldorf Hilton that links the West End and the Square Mile giving guests great access to some of the most popular parts of London; and, St Martins Lane hotel that takes modernity to the extreme as guests enjoy sophisticated surrounds before stepping out into a city steeped in history.

Drake & Cavendish provides a luxury hotel research directory featuring over 5,000 luxury hotels in over 700 resort locations around the world. As a content provider we are committed to developing entertaining and informative travel related information. You can read further articles and details at www.drakeandcavendish.com

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There are a couple of things every actor should know about auditioning:

Before you leave your home, make sure you have your headshot/resume neatly stapled together, the address and a map of where the audition is, and the phone number of the auditors in case you get lost.

Dress appropriately for the audition (and if you’re unsure of what to wear, make sure prior to the audition to ASK the auditors what is appropriate to wear).

Arrive about 15 minutes early. This will ensure that you will have enough time to catch your breath, sit down, look over the sides and freshen up before your audition.

Be aware that there are actors who will try to distract you. Politely acknowledge them and excuse yourself graciously. Focus on your sides or on your monologue. Being distracted like this before an audition can leave you nervous, unsure of yourself, or incapable of delivering your best performance.

Don’t count on nailing the auditionthis puts too much pressure on yourself. Nailing the audition is good, but in the world of acting, rejection reigns supreme. It happens 95% of the time. The trick here is to not see the audition as the end all-be all. Just do the best job you can and leave it at that.

If you think you did a bad job, don’t apologizeever. Casting people and directors hate that. Just thank them and leave. Remember, there will be other auditions!

Consequently, if you think you did a great job auditioning, send a note of thanks to the auditors for inviting you to audition for them and how much you enjoyed meeting them. It never hurts to be nice.

If your agent set up the audition for you, thank them for doing so. Call or email them and tell them how the audition went. This makes them feel appreciated by you and they will remember you as “the polite one who actually cares enough to call.” This will get you noticed and you will be more likely sent out on auditions.

Amy is an actress in NYC. Her website can be found at http://www.amyhoerler.com/menu (includes loads of links and tips for actors).

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