[wooders]

Hi Guys!


My name's James and I'm a Lead technician at Churchdown School, Gloucester. Here's my dilema .. We have a show coming up at the end of March (its an anual talent show), and for the last 3 years the guy who did the Tech before me hired in a Fat Frog and 2 Robe 575AT Colourspots as effect lighting. I have SOME basic knowledge of setting up, programming etc, but cost is driving me away from using them this year My question to you guys is can you recommend some scanners/lasers that would create a similar effect? Also, I thought about using some Par64's on a T-Bar with split gels and have them on a chase sequence. Do you think this would look any good?


Any help/advice is appreciated,



James Woodcock

Lead Tech

Churchdown School, Glos.

[rossmck]

What sort of effect do you want to achieve ?

There's very little point in hiring MLs just for the sake of it, particularly if you don't have the time to plot them to use them to the best effect ?

Oh and, please, avoid lasers

[Aaron-Hill07]

God.. Is this another joke or something? What effect? What do you expect to achieve from split gels in comparison to MLs? You can't give us parts of a story and expect us to finish it.. We don't know what your trying to do! More information needed!

[paulears]

To be honest, if you have little money and just want flashy flashy exciting lighting - get lots of cheap kit you can flash and chase and generally wash colour all over the place. There is nothing as boring as a couple of movers zooming about in a ballyhoo with a few gobo changes and strobing - Ok for one number but just not good value for money.Lots of cheap leds and a haze machine.

[J Pearce]

Led battens arranged in some pattern can also look very effective and contemporary. Let the show build and keep some stuff back for later.

They are much quicker and easier to program than movers!

[rossmck]

J Pearce, on 12 February 2012 - 10:08 PM, said:

Led battens arranged in some pattern can also look very effective and contemporary. Let the show build and keep some stuff back for later.
They are much quicker and easier to program than movers!

Seconded - even better if you have access to a desk (or MagicQ with the £10 dongle!) that can do pixel mapping - and the time to learn how to use it

Another nice 'effect' light would be the Sunstrip Active, can be used to good effect in the right place - I'd probably have a few if I was doing a 'talent show' type event.

Again, this is all dependant on your budget / venue / acts / what *you* as the (I assume) designer want it to look like.

[Smiffy]

In a talent show situation, Split Gel's in par cans are not going to cut it.

On a limited budget, I personally would be looking to get some big colour washes in, ideally from the back, and what we would probably call 3/4 back (I.e. not quite side light, but not quite back light either) The trouble with split gels is that while they work in a unit like a profile (or ERS or Leko depending on where you are from and what books you've read) for things like Autumnal colours over a gobo based leafy breakup, in a Par Can, they end up as a splodge of no discernible colour.

2 moving lights is pointless. You are new to the concepts involved, and while I am sure that at your age (not that its stated in your profile but we can take an educated guess) I would have probably gone for the movers, you will just end up with a messy repeated, and monotonous set of moving light moves, gobo chases, colour chases, and likely a world of programming pain and hurt.

I would say the same about the LED's

Definitely, on a tight budget, and believe me; 2 movers and a frog constitutes a tight budget, you want to be looking at creating some big beefy looks, and generics are likely to be your friend here.

If you have a Cyc, then ensure that's got plenty of colour available, if you have a good set of cyc floods, then an RGBW wash will get you all you need. From there, plenty of Par's in the background, and if you can, some ACL's. If you want to get your hands on technology, then maybe pick out your CVox position (DSC where most of the acts are going to stand, or where the leads will end up) and point three profiles at that from directly behind, and 45 degrees either side with a scroller mounted on the front. Perhaps. if your budget will stretch to it, do the same for Kit, Keys, Bass, Guitar, Rhythm Guit, and so on.

Ensure that you have Follow Spots and operators available, and then you are off to a flying start. If you have money left over, talk to your rental supplier about ACL's for some nice Beam action...

Just some thoughts, but really, moving lights and LED are not always the answer, and at the moment, you need to be learning about how to make a pretty picture on stage rather than the intricacies of HTP LTP and moving light programming.

Cheers

Smiffy

[kerry davies]

Support for Smiffy's suggestions but why not get yourself over to the Guildhall and chat to the guys there? They sometimes grumble and mutter but I have yet to see them actually bite anyone. I would also be thinking of a visit to see what sort of deal you can get out of Cheltenham Disco and Karaoke.

(I know, I know, it sounds awful, but they have some decent effects at reasonable prices.)
My link

[wooders]

Hi all,

I'd like to say a big thanks to youn all for leaving comments, I now have an idea of what I can do for the show!


Thanks