CAREER INFORMATION
Lighting Designer
Bruno Poet
I actually studied Geography, at Oxford University, and learnt a lot of my lighting skills by working on student productions. In my year between school and university I met and spent some time with lighting designer David Taylor – he was working on a show at London’s Shaw Theatre.
At university I got to light student shows because I’d had that experience with David and ended up working on 50 or 60 shows at the Oxford Playhouse, during my three year degree. I also worked on the crew at the Oxford Playhouse. I learnt a lot of skills from working with a range of professionals. I love the process of turning ideas into a logical order, taking ideas and making them happen.
After I finished university, I was offered a job with a very high profile producer, but instead worked with English Touring Theatre, and because we worked in different venues during each tour, I learnt that if we don’t have exactly the same equipment at each theatre, it’s about touring the idea rather than exact design. In my role with English Touring Theatre, I learnt a lot about managing crew, working with directors and the stage management team.
I didn’t go to the theatre very regularly as a young person, perhaps once a year, but I was in a couple of school shows. I liked being part of making a show, and I did quite a lot of sound and tried a bit of lighting too. There are a vast number of people involved in shows and different jobs that they do – just look at the back of a programme for some ideas!