Impact
"It is fascinating how my career has developed, and one of the things that has made it so exciting is that I was involved in many different projects at the same time. I could finish a tech rehearsal on Broadway and go back to the office where I would talk to a client who was building a theatre in Australia. The next morning, I could be in a conference with David Bowie."—Jules Fisher, reflecting on his career in 2008
Jules Fisher's self-motivation and understanding of light on a deep, intrinsic level is what drove him to continually take on design projects throughout his entire life. It was this ability to combine his interests in light with his interests in physics and the nature of science, mechanics, and, most of all, magic, that made his career so diverse, as he describes in the quote above. Combined with these passions, his success as designer was also derived from his ability to make connections with others, whether it be a director at Carnegie Tech, a producer, a writer, or his fellow lighting designer, Peggy Eisenhauer.
"The producer walked over and he saw all these lights on the floor...and he asked me. 'Why do you need all these lights to make it dark?' My answer was 'Because I do. Because the darkness is just as important as the light.' "—Jules Fisher
In the video on the left, Fisher offer's advice to people who aspire to have a career in lighting design. He suggests that a deep fascination with light is necessary, as well as an aesthetic intuition. Fisher's unique designs relied on his own aesthetic intuition in combination with his acquired technical skills. By challenging past lighting designs and allowing himself to be permeable to new ideas and new technology, Fisher was able to revolutionize lighting design in theater, film, concerts, and even everyday living spaces. Fisher's influence pervades throughout our lives and our culture, even though his name is rarely mentioned outside of the world of professional lighting design and theater.
References:
Unruh, Delbert, and John Lahr. Jules Fisher. Syracuse, NY: United States Institute of Theatre Technology, 2009. Print.
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