Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies

Film and Television Rig Lighting Training

SAQA US 255765 | NQF 5 | Credits 8 | Duration 5 Days
From $1,242 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to rig lighting for film and television productions, ensuring safe and effective illumination for various scenes. Participants will learn to set up, adjust, and maintain lighting equipment in compliance with industry standards and safety regulations.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate the ability to interpret lighting plans and rigging instructions for film and television sets.
  • Apply safe working practices when handling and positioning lighting equipment.
  • Implement appropriate lighting techniques to achieve desired visual effects.
  • Evaluate lighting setups and make adjustments to meet production requirements.
  • Design basic lighting rigs for different scene types, including interior and exterior shoots.

Target Audience

This course is designed for aspiring lighting technicians, grips, and production assistants in the film and television industry who seek to specialize in lighting rigging.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Rig Lighting & Electrical Principles

Objectives:
• Understand the role of rig lighting in film and television production.
• Identify key electrical principles and safety practices.
• Recognise common rig lighting equipment and their components.
• Apply basic rigging terminology.

Topics:
• Overview of rig lighting in film/TV.
• Electrical fundamentals: voltage, current, power.
• Safety protocols: lockout/tagout, PPE, fire safety.
• Types of lighting fixtures: Fresnel, LED, HMI.
• Lighting stands, clamps, and mounting hardware.
• Cables, connectors, and distribution.
• Basic rigging knots and hitches.
• Introduction to lighting plans and paperwork.

Day 2: Lighting Design & Pre-Rigging Preparation

Objectives:
• Interpret lighting plots and cue sheets.
• Plan rigging layouts for efficiency and safety.
• Calculate load capacities and power requirements.
• Prepare equipment for rigging.

Topics:
• Reading lighting plots and symbols.
• Load calculations and power distribution.
• Rigging plans and communication with gaffer.
• Pre-rigging checks: equipment inspection.
• Colour temperature and filters.
• Practical lighting scenarios (interior/exterior).
• Ladder and lift safety.
• Documentation and labelling.

Day 3: Rigging Techniques & Equipment Handling

Objectives:
• Safely rig lighting fixtures on stands, trusses, and grids.
• Use counterweights and safety chains correctly.
• Execute basic wiring and connector assembly.
• Troubleshoot common rigging issues.

Topics:
• Rigging on stands: height, stability, sandbags.
• Truss and grid rigging: clamps, couplers, safety bonds.
• Counterweight systems and loading.
• Cable management: dressing, taping, protection.
• Connector types: powerCon, Socapex, Bates.
• Wiring basics: cable repair and assembly.
• Common faults: flickering, tripping, overheating.
• Team coordination during rigging.

Day 4: Advanced Rigging & Specialised Equipment

Objectives:
• Rig specialty lights (e.g., moving lights, softboxes).
• Implement dimming and control systems.
• Work with generators and battery power.
• Adapt rigging for green screen and practical effects.

Topics:
• Moving light rigging and data cabling.
• DMX control and dimmer racks.
• Generator setup: load balancing, grounding.
• Battery-operated lighting rigging.
• Rigging for chroma key.
• Practical effects: rain, smoke, fire effects lighting.
• High-speed and underwater rigging considerations.
• Safety with heavy or awkward fixtures.

Day 5: Integration, Strike & Industry Best Practices

Objectives:
• Coordinate rig lighting with other departments.
• Execute safe strike and packing procedures.
• Apply industry standards and career pathways.
• Complete a simulated full rig and strike exercise.

Topics:
• Collaboration with grip, electric, and camera departments.
• Strike protocols: de-rigging, packing, inventory.
• Waste disposal and environmental practices.
• Industry certifications and career progression.
• Review of safety incidents and lessons learned.
• Simulated production scenario: rig, operate, strike.
• Final assessment and feedback.
• Course wrap-up and resources.

Practicals

20 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Hands-on practical sessions are essential for developing rigging skills, safety awareness, and equipment handling. Learners will work in teams to rig, operate, and strike lighting setups in a simulated studio environment.

Practical Activities
  • Practical 1: Equipment Identification & Safety Checks — Learners inspect and identify various rig lighting equipment, perform safety checks, and practice basic knots and hitches. (4h)
  • Practical 2: Rigging a Basic Lighting Setup — Teams rig a three-point lighting setup on stands, including cable management and safety bonding. (6h)
  • Practical 3: Truss Rigging & Advanced Fixtures — Learners rig lights on a truss system, including moving lights, and integrate DMX control. (6h)
  • Practical 4: Full Rig, Operation & Strike Simulation — Teams execute a complete production scenario: rig, focus, operate during a short shoot, then strike and pack all equipment. (4h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Fri 15 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Fri 19 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Fri 22 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Fri 31 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,916 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $5,238 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,863 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,238 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,078 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Fri 30 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Fri 26 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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