Your Preferred Lighting For a Wrestling Show?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

I was just watching an ROH clip earlier and it still seems so dark even with improvements in the production department over the years.

For all of WWE’s flaws it always seems like a big time show with the lighting and how you can see just how big the crowd is. In fact it probably seems bigger than it actually is since they usually hide the empty seats pretty well. I know there have been some poor drawing events and fan photos have surfaced where a big chunk is empty, but comparing those handful of times to how many times no one notices it is something.

AEW seems to be continuing this. Since they have the same production guy as WCW, Double or Nothing had some similarities to how it was shot as latter day WCW which isn’t that different from WWE in the grand scheme of things.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Constantly red.

[Ultimo Gallos]

For me as long as the ring is lit good I don't care if I can see the crowd. Cause I am watching wrestling to see wrestling not the people in the crowd. Just like I rather not see shots of the crowd. And hate it when the crowd tries to take over the show. Like the Raw after WM years ago. Chant all you want. But once the crowd starts trying to make it about them ...well yea that is when I turn the channel. "We are awesome!" no yall are awful and trying to take the focus off the wrestlers and onto your smark asses.

[Deleted]

leave the crowd dark and don't show fan close ups

[corndog]

I like the way New Japan lights their big shows. The ring is very well lit and the focus is on the action. You can see some of the crowd, but not all of it. The last couple of Takeovers I watched seemed to have similar lighting. It gives it a big match feel. Nitro and Raw lit the crowds well because the show was almost as much about them as the action, with the signs and showing off the attendance. But in a way that hurt wrestling and nothing sucks more than sitting behind someone with a giant sign they hold up the entire show.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Jun 22, 2019 11:01:25 GMT -5 corndog said:

I like the way New Japan lights their big shows. The ring is very well lit and the focus is on the action. You can see some of the crowd, but not all of it. The last couple of Takeovers I watched seemed to have similar lighting. It gives it a big match feel. Nitro and Raw lit the crowds well because the show was almost as much about them as the action, with the signs and showing off the attendance. But in a way that hurt wrestling and nothing sucks more than sitting behind someone with a giant sign they hold up the entire show.

What I never got is fans that bring signs to indie shows that aren't being filmed. Powerslam Pro had to ban signs. Since most of their shows were held in a community little theater. The place held maybe 110 people. And once people started bringing signs it got where unless you sat front row,which was usually all reserved for family and long time fans,you couldn't see the show.

Might just be me being older than most IWC members but to me bringing a sign is just attention seeking. Especially if you are over the age of say 10.

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

I was really surprised that AEW took the colored audience lighting thing

[Heeltown, USA]

Ring lit up bright as the sun and the only thing visible in the crowd is a Budweiser ad on the mezzanine. Throw in a nice cigar smoke haze over the whole thing and now we are in business.

[Deleted]

Jun 22, 2019 11:31:37 GMT -5 Heeltown, USA said:

Ring lit up bright as the sun and the only thing visible in the crowd is a Budweiser ad on the mezzanine. Throw in a nice cigar smoke haze over the whole thing and now we are in business.

One reason I enjoy Halloween Havoc 1992. The arena is almost black except the front rows and ring.

[Tenshigure]

Jun 22, 2019 8:23:23 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

Constantly red.

It's all about the Blue and Gold:

[Venti]

I think early 90s WCW had wonderful lighting. Very easy on the eyes.

Same with WWF from the late 80s through the Attitude Era.

I like a less is more approach.

New Japan's whole production style is great.

[Deleted]

I do think darker is better, but it definitely shouldn't be straight up black like when TNA first moved to Destination America.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Jun 22, 2019 20:04:15 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

I do think darker is better, but it definitely shouldn't be straight up black like when TNA first moved to Destination America.

And then they started the first show with a roster riot segment where you couldn't see shit because they weren't lighting anything.

As far as my preferences for crowd lighting, if you have an energetic, lively crowd in the background, it'll rub off on the rest of the product. However, the WWE's trend of bathing the audience in bright red or blue (especially blue, it's a calming color which visually drags Smackdown down just by its existence) needs to stop badly.