Why lighting is quoted by the set, not by the hour
When someone asks me what lighting design costs, I start by asking what the set has to do. A single interview corner with one presenter and a plain backdrop is a very different job from a news desk with two presenters, a wall of screens and a camera moving across the floor. For that reason jurnexio quotes lighting by the set and the scope of work, written down before anything begins.
The quotation names what we will produce: a lighting plan, a list of fixtures and positions, notes on power and rigging, and the time we spend on your floor. You see the figure once, in writing, and you can compare it with what you expect to receive. Nothing is bought through this website, so the next step is always an enquiry and a conversation.
I find this easier for small studios, because a fixed scope lets you plan your own budget around it instead of watching hours accumulate on a job whose edges were never agreed.
The size and shape of the room
Ceiling height is the quiet driver of cost. A low ceiling limits how far fixtures can sit from the talent, which affects softness, spill and heat, and it often means more careful planning for each position. A tall, open room gives freedom but may need a grid or stands that someone has to supply and rig safely.
Floor area matters too, although less than people expect. A compact set in a large room is simpler to light than a wide set that fills the space, because every extra metre of background brings more separation to solve. Walls and floors play a part as well: a pale reflective floor bounces light upward and changes how faces look, and we plan around it rather than fight it.
On a first visit I measure, photograph the room and note where the power is. Those notes are the base of the plan, and the more complete they are, the fewer surprises appear later in the work.
- Ceiling height and any existing grid
- Floor area and surface colours
- Position of power outlets and doors
How many people and how many camera angles
The number of presenters decides how many key lights we must balance. One person seated at a desk can be lit with a modest arrangement. Two or three people across a long desk need even coverage, matched colour and care that no one is lit more harshly than their neighbour. Each added face adds planning time, whether or not it adds equipment.
Camera angles work the same way. A locked-off single shot lets us light for one direction. A live show with three cameras, including a wide and a handheld, needs light that holds up from several sides without shadows crossing the faces. That is where plans become longer and the quotation rises accordingly.
I ask studios to tell me early how many cameras will be on air and whether the presenters stand or sit. A short written description of a typical programme gives me far more to work with than a floor plan alone.
Equipment you already own and what you need to buy
A good deal of the final spend sits outside our fee. If your studio already has panels, stands and a few decent fixtures, the plan can reuse them, and the design work is mostly about positions and settings. If you start with nothing, the plan includes a shopping list, and the cost of the equipment itself will be paid to whoever you buy from.
We do not sell lighting, so our advice carries no commission on what you choose. I would rather list two or three sensible options at different budgets and explain what each gives up. LED panels draw less power and run cooler, which matters in a small room, while older tungsten units can be cheaper to acquire but are hot and demanding on circuits.
Power is worth checking before you buy anything. A rig that trips the supply on the first rehearsal is a false economy.
- Existing fixtures and stands we can reuse
- Power capacity of the room
- Budget range for new equipment
Background separation and the extras that add time
Separating the presenter from the background is the part of the design that takes the most thought. It involves back lights, background washes and sometimes practical lights built into the set. A plain wall needs little. A set with layered shelves, screens and coloured accents needs each of these lit with intent so that nothing competes with the face.
Other items extend the work: a second look at the plan after the first test recording, a written handover for the crew who will switch lights on each morning, or a short practical session with your staff. These are optional and priced separately in the quotation, so you can choose what is useful.
Travel can also change the figure. We are based in Bangor, and work further afield may include the time it takes us to reach you. That appears as its own line in writing, never folded quietly into the total.
How an enquiry turns into a price
The route is short. You send an enquiry through the contact page with a few lines about the room, the programme and the budget you have in mind. I reply with questions if something is unclear, and we may arrange a visit or a call. After that comes a written quotation describing the scope, the fee and what is included.
If you agree, you confirm in writing and we book the work. An invoice follows, paid by bank transfer, and cancellations and refunds are handled under the payment and refund policy. There is no deposit taken on this site and no checkout, because everything is agreed in conversation first.
The prices page shows the ranges for each service, which gives a realistic starting point before you write to us.
Lighting design costs what the set demands: its size, the faces and cameras it must serve, the kit you already have and the extras you choose to add. None of it is mysterious, and all of it can be written down before work starts. If you are weighing a plan for a desk, an interview corner or a portrait set, send us a short description and we will answer with a clear figure.
