Tim Stephenson - Lighting Designer

Late Night with David Letterman, Tim Stephenson, Lighting Designer

Tim Stephenson began his career in 1990 as shop assistant for the legendary lighting designer, Imero Fiorentino after earning a B.A. in Technical Theater from Lehigh University. He was trained by Mr. Fiorentino, Dave Clark, Alan Adelman, Randy Nordstrom and Ken Ferencek working as assistant lighting director, and within two years, was working for Imero Fiorentino Associates as a lighting director. Tim worked with Bill Berner and Steve Brill at Berner and Brill, and The Lighting Design Group.

For 18 years, through the May 2015 finale, Tim Stephenson was lighting director at Late Show With David Letterman (5 Emmy nominations for Lighting Direction Musical/Variety Series). Here’s a sampling of the singers, bands, actors and personalities he has worked with and lit for television:

Tim Stephenson, Lighting Designer. It's Not always what you light, it's what you don't light. -Imero Fiorentino.

Adele, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin, U2, Janelle Monae, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, Mariah Carey, Foo Fighters, Sting, Mumford and Sons, Taylor Swift, Warren Zevon, John Mayer, Bon Jovi, Peter Gabriel, Brad Paisley, Katy Perry, Bette Midler, Mary J. Blige, Dolly Parton, Gwen Stefani, Lady Antebellum, Brittany Spears, Keith Urban, One Direction, Justin Timberlake, Cher, Weezer, John Legend, Trisha Yearwood, Pitbull, Rhiannon Giddens, The Black Keys, Depeche Mode, Michael Buble, Tracy Chapman, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.

Alan Kalter in The Shawshank Redemption, Alan Kalter as Fred MacMurray (film noir)
Tony Randall as The Godfather
Gillian Anderson and David Letterman X Files
Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code/Oreo Cookies
The Marty (Short) and Steve (Martin) Talk Show

The New York Philharmonic on the roof, Paul McCartney on the Marquee, Darlene Love Christmas, Paul Shaffer and Martha Wash It’s Raining Men, Phish, Phillipe Petit Crosses Broadway, Cirque Du Soleil salutes Michael Jackson, Magicians Week , Stunts in the Street including ski jumps, motorcycle jumps, circus acts and Blowing Up Pumpkins

Wicked, Once, Spiderman, Jersey Boys, The Last Ship, Catch Me If You Can, Oklahoma.

Dave, Oprah & Jay Leno: The Super Bowl commercial, Mazda commercial.

2016 Rio Olympics – NBCSN Studio
1996 Atlanta Olympics – NBC Morning Studio – Emmy Award for Technical Team Studio
WNBC 4 New York Studio
Triumph’s Election Watch – Hulu
CNBC Studio redesign
MTV
NBC News (Affiliates: Washington DC, Detroit, Albany, Milwaukee, Rochester)
FOX News Sunday with Tony Snow
NBA Inside Stuff
NBA Draft Lottery
HBO Inside the NFL
HBO Real Sports
COMEDY CENTRAL Politically Incorrect
TV FOOD NETWORK
NBC Showtime at the Apollo
COMEDY CENTRAL Women Out Loud
Hardee's commercial starring Joan Rivers

Tim lives in New York City with his wife, New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani and their family.