Everything You Need to Know About IWBs

In stage design, every detail contributes to the magic of the performance. Among the unsung heroes of theatrical engineering are Internally Wired Bars (IWBs), discreet yet indispensable elements that bring productions to life.  

What Are IWBs?  

Internally Wired Bars, or IWBs, are specialised electrical bars integrated into the framework of stages. Unlike traditional wiring setups, which often involve visible cables and rigging, IWBs are discreetly embedded within the stage structure, allowing for seamless integration of lighting, sound, and special effects equipment. 

Choosing the Right Lighting Bar for Your Venue or Production  

An ideal lighting bar should possess the versatility to provide various lighting options, all while discreetly managing power and data. The right lighting bar will blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment.  

Here are some factors you should consider when choosing the right lighting bar for your production:  

• Power Load Capacity: It’s important to ensure that your chosen lighting bar or IWB can handle the power requirements of the fixtures you plan to use. You will need to check the maximum load capacity per outlet and overall bar capacity 

• Circuit Distribution: Ensure that the IWB offers sufficient circuits for your needs 

• Fixture Compatibility: Consider the type of equipment that will be attached to your bar as well as the size and weight of the equipment. The IWB needs to have appropriate spacing, weight capacity and mounting options for your chosen fixtures.  

• Number of and Type of Outlets: Calculate the number of fixtures required and ensure that the IWB has enough outlets and physical space to accommodate them. It’s also important to consider the type of outlet you need on your bar, common choices include 15a, 16a, Powercon and True1. 

• Bar Location and Height: Consider where the bar will be positioned (e.g., overhead, on side booms, or along the stage floor) and ensure that it provides good angles for lighting the set and performers. 

• Weight and Rigging Requirements: Check the rigging capabilities of the IWB to ensure it can safely support the weight of all mounted fixtures, taking into account both static and dynamic loads.  

• Control and Cabling Management: Verify the availability of DMX ports or other control cabling options to easily connect your fixtures to your lighting console. An IWB can also help with cable management by reducing the need for multiple long cable runs, providing a clean and safe solution for connecting fixtures.  

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Choose an IWB that allows flexibility in terms of circuit layout and mounting options, so you can adapt it for different shows or configurations. You will also need to decide if the IWB will be a permanent fixture in the venue or if it needs to be portable and easy to reconfigure for different shows or locations.  

Stage Electrics manufacture standard sizes in IWBs, but they often end up as a custom item, with many elements you can change to fit the design to your needs 

What are the benefits of IWBs?  

Lighting  

IWBs play a vital role in facilitating sophisticated lighting setups by providing a network of concealed electrical connections. This allows lighting designers to create intricate scenes with dynamic colour changes, precise spotlights, and dramatic fades, all controlled with precision from the lighting booth.  

Soundscapes and Effects  

IWBs enable the installation of speakers, microphones, and other audio equipment directly into the stage structure, ensuring optimal sound quality and minimizing visual distractions. Whether it's the thunderous roar of a storm or the delicate whisper of dialogue, IWBs help deliver crystal-clear audio to every corner of the auditorium.  

Special Effects   

Whether it's simulated haze, fog effects, or even in some cases (safety depending) pyrotechnics, IWBs provide the backbone for these theatrical spectacles. By securely housing the necessary wiring and control systems, IWBs enable seamless integration of special effects into the stage design, enhancing the overall impact of the production.  

Aesthetics  

By concealing wiring and equipment within the stage structure, IWBs maintain the illusion of a seamless theatrical environment, free from visual clutter.  

Flexibility  

IWBs provide a versatile platform for incorporating new technologies and effects, allowing productions to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to evolving creative visions.  

Safety  

With wiring safely enclosed within the stage framework, the risk of tripping hazards and equipment damage is significantly reduced, ensuring a safer environment for performers and crew alike.  

Impressive Uses of IWBs at Royal Ballet and Opera for Carmen 

Carmen at the Royal Ballet and Opera (pictured above) placed Stage Electrics custom IWBs centre stage. Here’s what the Alessandro Carletti, Lighting Designer for Carmen at Royal Ballet and Opera had to say about their choice to use custom IWBs for this impressive production:  

"The idea was to use light as an element that identified a place and the emotional time of the story and could dynamically follow the storytelling of Carmen. 

It had to be a space under violent sunlight that left no escape routes, ‘always everything under everyone's eyes’. And at the same time it became the source of an indefinite and unreal time using colour as an emotional tool. 

With Damiano Michieletto the director, and Paolo Fantin the set designer, we arrived at this solution by imagining the grid itself with movement dynamics that could amplify the meaning of the light itself, as at the beginning of the show where the grid inexorably crushes the scene and the protagonists, or in ending when it almost tries to devour the two singers. 

The choice of projectors [lanterns] was a long process with colorimetric and dimming quality evaluations, and in the end the choice made proved to be the best. The grid met all the indicated characteristics with a great construction quality." 

To read the full Carmen case study and view more images of this impressive production click here.