The Lights Are On And The Fun’s Just Begun: An Interview With Erica D. Hayes

Artistic Finance host Ethan Steimel and Live Design/LDI creative director Ellen Lampert-Gréaux sit down with Erica D. Hayes, a pro lighting designer whose career seems to glow a little brighter with every project she takes on. This chat was packed with laughs, career insights, and the occasional gripe about overdue invoices (we've all been there, right?). If you’re ready for a lighthearted take on life as a lighting designer and programmer in the entertainment industry, settle in—this one's for you.

Lighting Up The Stage—And The Screen

Erica’s story is a classic example of jumping into work and getting more work out of it. She first caught her big break on the road with KEM, who had a fellow touring artist Ledisi. When Ledisi needed someone to handle lighting, Erica didn’t miss a beat—she asked for a shot, and the rest is history. Fast forward a few years, and Erica has lit performances of music legends like The Isley Brothers and Anita Baker, as well as contemporary stars like H.E.R. and Daniel Caesar. And in the past several years, Erica transitioned to programming for television and film, including hits like Westworld, That Girl Lay Lay, and Insecure.

Takeaways From The Trenches

Ellen, Erica, and Ethan shared laughs as they swapped industry stories and nuggets of wisdom, with a few good takeaways:

1. “Follow the Money:” Erica’s career mantra is refreshingly down-to-earth. She’s gone wherever the pay is right, whether that’s concerts, TV, or film. Ethan couldn’t help appreciate this, noting that he’s often been surrounded by artists chasing dreams rather than paychecks. Sustainable art is the best art—especially when you’ve got a family to support.

2. No-Rock Water Policy: Don’t waste time trying to squeeze water out of a rock or getting a market paycheck from a low-budget gig. In Erica’s experience, working with people who have it together leads to better contracts, smoother projects, and far fewer gray hairs. Ethan admitted he’d spent a little too much time hoping for big things from “scrappy” productions, but Erica’s advice? Seek out the ones who “get it” from the start.

3. “Net 30”—A Contractor’s Friend or Frenemy?: Erica knows her payment terms inside and out, and she’s skilled in the art of managing those dreaded Net 30, Net 45, and Net 60 payment schedules. Keeping the lights on (both figuratively and literally) sometimes requires next-level patience.

4. The Great Accountant Search of ‘Yore: One piece of advice Erica shared was the search for an entertainment accountant. This is a topic that often comes up on the IATSE 728 social groups. Erica’s come across a few misleading accountants, as have Ethan and his wife, Nicole, who accidentally ended up with a financial advisor masquerading as an accountant. Ethan recommended heading straight to his Artistic Finance Resource List for accountants who actually know the entertainment biz.

5. Console Wars: The Light Showdown: Erica’s console-agnostic approach made Ethan feel seen. While many lighting designers get territorial over their consoles (ahem, GrandMA, Hog, and Eos users), Erica’s like, “Give me any console, I’ll make it work.” Ethan could barely contain his excitement over this “unpopular” opinion, and he took a hilarious detour to vent about all the console drama he’s had to endure. If lighting consoles were celebrities, this interview would be the Oscars with each console getting a turn on the red carpet.

6. Holiday Rentals, Anyone?: Erica touched on the perks of renting out her own equipment to studios and productions—something Ethan has done in the past without much success. While Ethan’s rental “empire” consisted of a couple lights and a hazer, Erica’s rentals are GrandMA consoles.

A Sparkling Wrap-Up

At the end of the episode, Ethan read a holiday short story inspired by Erica’s willingness to program on any lighting console. This whimsical tale about a HedgeHog named Eosa. If you’re familiar with the major lighting consoles, the story is a nerdy gem in an already fun episode. As Ethan and Ellen wrapped up their conversation with Erica, the conclusion: lighting folx do well when they know when to switch things up, follow the money, and take a little time to laugh.

Catch the full episode at artisticfinance.com/171bonus, and sit in on a LIVE recording at LDI with Erica and Ethan on December 8 and 9 both at 11am.

Find Erica at LDI in these sessions: