Fade (lighting)

An example of a fade out in film

Instage lighting,afadeis a gradual increase or decrease of theintensityoflightprojected onto the stage. The term fade-in refers to gradually changing the lighting level from complete darkness to a predeterminedlightinglevel. A fade-out (also known as fade-to-black) refers to gradually decreasing the intensity of light until none is shining on the stage. Acrossfadeis when lighting levels are gradually altered from one setting to another. A fade-in is sometimes called abuild,and where this terminology is used, a fade is understood to be a fade-out.

Increasing lighting intensities that are not black is referred to as a fade-up. Similarly, decreasing lighting intensities to a level above black is referred to as a fade-down.

Cross-fades are accomplished by executing fade-ups and/or fade-downs. In nearly all theatrical lighting designs, multiple lighting instruments are used to illuminate the stage at any one time. A cue refers to the recorded state ofilluminationfor the entire stage at that time. The intensity of the lighting instruments is often altered with a single crossfade, altering the lighting state of the stage.

The lighting instruments are altered from adimmerboard or lightingcontrol paneloperated by a lightingtechnician.The dimmer board, now referred to as the lighting console, especially with newer digital control systems likeDMX,uses a serial data stream to control multiple groups called "universes" of 512 DMX addresses to control compatible fixtures including dimmers, via different methods leading to a single twisted pair of wires connected to the fixtures. DMX consoles are largely computerized, thus allowing digital process control from multiple input devices, and synchronization viaMIDI,SMPTEetc.

The termsfade in,fade out,andfade to blackwere borrowed by Hollywood, and are used in the formal structure ofscreenplays.