What a Lighting Plot Review Costs and What Moves the Price
Oliver Banks
6 min read
A plain account of how we price a Stage Lighting Design Review: what the fee covers, which details of your studio and plot make it larger or smaller, and what to send us first.
What the review fee covers
A Stage Lighting Design Review is a written assessment of your lighting plot. You send us the plot, the fixture schedule and a short description of how the space is used, and we return notes on colour temperature, positioning and camera-friendly levels. The fee pays for reading the material carefully, working through it against what your cameras need, and writing the findings so a lighting crew can act on them without a follow-up meeting.
The price is quoted in pounds sterling and confirmed in writing before any work starts. It is built from the time a careful read takes, not from a flat rate per fixture or a percentage of your equipment budget. Two reviews that look similar from the outside can differ a good deal once the plot is opened, which is why we ask to see it before quoting.
Most of the effort goes into the thinking rather than the typing. Checking whether a key light sits at a sensible angle to the lens, or whether a mixed set of sources will drift in colour, means working through each area of the studio in turn.
- A written report with notes by area of the studio
- Comments on colour temperature across all sources
- Notes on positioning relative to camera angles
- Suggested levels that suit the cameras you use
The size and shape of the plot
The biggest driver of price is how much there is to review. A single-set talk studio with a dozen fixtures takes far less reading than a multi-set drama space or a large entertainment stage with hundreds of sources and several looks. We count areas and lighting states, not just lamps, because each distinct look has to be considered on its own.
Complexity matters as much as quantity. A plot that uses a mix of tungsten, LED and discharge sources raises more questions about colour consistency than one built around a single fixture type. Moving lights, practical lamps in shot and daylight coming through windows each add a layer of checking that a simple fixed rig does not need.
If your plot is drawn clearly and labelled, the review moves quickly. A hand sketch with missing channel numbers is still workable, but we spend longer working out what is where, and that time is reflected in the quote.
- Number of sets, areas and distinct lighting states
- Mix of fixture types and colour temperatures
- Moving lights, practicals and daylight in shot
- Clarity and completeness of the drawings supplied
What you tell us about the cameras
Lighting only makes sense in relation to the cameras that will see it. A review for a studio with modern broadcast cameras that cope well with low light is a different job from one for older units that need generous levels and tidy contrast. We ask which cameras you run, how they are set up and what exposure the operators are working to.
The more of this you can give us at the start, the less we have to ask later. Knowing the shot types, whether close-ups on faces dominate or wide establishing shots matter more, shapes the notes we write about where light should fall and how soft it should be.
Where camera details are missing we can still review the plot, but the notes stay more general and we say so plainly. Supplying them rarely changes the price much, though it does change how useful the report is.
- Camera models and how they are configured
- Typical shot sizes and framing
- Target exposure and any known problem areas
Format, delivery and level of detail
The standard review is written and delivered as a document. If you want more, such as marked-up copies of your plot or a short list of changes ordered by importance, we can include that, and the quote will show it as a separate item rather than folding it into one number.
Depth of detail is a choice. Some clients want a broad assessment that flags the main concerns so their own crew can work out the rest. Others want line-by-line notes on every area. The second takes longer and costs more, and we would rather agree which you need than guess.
We do not attend your studio as part of the standard review. It is a desk-based piece of work built on what you send. If on-site observation would help, we can discuss it, but it is a different job with its own travel and time considerations and is quoted on that basis.
- Written report as the standard format
- Optional marked-up plot or prioritised change list
- Desk-based work; attendance quoted separately if wanted
Turnaround and how revisions affect cost
Timing influences the price in a modest way. A review planned with reasonable notice fits into our schedule without disruption. If you need it quickly, around a recording date for instance, we tell you whether we can manage it and whether that changes the figure, and we confirm any change before starting.
Questions about the report after delivery are welcome and are part of the job, within reason. If a short clarification is all that is needed, we simply answer it. If the plot changes substantially after we have reviewed it, a second pass becomes a new piece of work and is quoted as one.
We would rather say this at the outset than surprise you later. A clear picture of what is included, and what counts as new work, keeps the arrangement straightforward for both sides.
- Notice period and any effect on the quote
- Clarifying questions after delivery are included
- A substantially revised plot is quoted as new work
How to get a quote
Start with an enquiry through the contact page. Tell us about the studio, attach or describe the plot, and mention your cameras and the date you have in mind. We read what you send and reply with questions if something is unclear.
From that we write a quotation setting out what the review covers, the price in pounds and the expected delivery. Once you confirm in writing, we begin, and an invoice follows that you pay by bank transfer. Cancellations and refunds follow our payment and refund policy, which you can read before agreeing to anything.
There is nothing to pay up front to receive a quote, and no obligation to proceed. If the figure does not suit the scale of your project, we can talk about narrowing the scope so that it does.
- Enquiry through the contact page
- Written quotation and confirmation
- Invoice paid by bank transfer
The price of a lighting review follows the size and complexity of your plot, what we know about your cameras, how much detail you want and how quickly you need it. None of these is hidden, and each can be discussed before you commit. Send us the plot and a few lines about the space, and we will give you a clear written figure.