Our school has some extra money to spend about £1000, we usually hire in four scrolllers for the school show but we thought we could maybe buy in some equipement to do the same job. We would like light we could change the colour just like we can with the scrollers. Any suggestions?
Full Version: Money to spend
Theres has been two very similar thread on this recently; the first asking whether buying scrollers was advisable. The general opinion is that unless you use them every show and do a lot of shows then stick to hiring them. The second post was about school funds burning a whole in someones pocket where he got a slightly heated reply....
If you use scrollers all the time and have the money available then go for it providing the money couldnt be put to better use elsewhere. Remember you will have to maintain and service them unlike when hiring.
Could some LED fixtures be an alternative? They may have more usses and you could always hire in the scrollers if still needed?
If you use scrollers all the time and have the money available then go for it providing the money couldnt be put to better use elsewhere. Remember you will have to maintain and service them unlike when hiring.
Could some LED fixtures be an alternative? They may have more usses and you could always hire in the scrollers if still needed?
QUOTE (Mark M @ 5 Feb 2010, 11:15 AM) 
Theres has been two very similar thread on this recently; the first asking whether buying scrollers was advisable. The general opinion is that unless you use them every show and do a lot of shows then stick to hiring them. The second post was about school funds burning a whole in someones pocket where he got a slightly heated reply....
If you use scrollers all the time and have the money available then go for it providing the money couldnt be put to better use elsewhere. Remember you will have to maintain and service them unlike when hiring.
Could some LED fixtures be an alternative? They may have more usses and you could always hire in the scrollers if still needed?
If you use scrollers all the time and have the money available then go for it providing the money couldnt be put to better use elsewhere. Remember you will have to maintain and service them unlike when hiring.
Could some LED fixtures be an alternative? They may have more usses and you could always hire in the scrollers if still needed?
I am quite keen on the LED solution, this seems like the way to go for me. But the next question is what type of LED light should I be looking at
QUOTE (Mark M @ 5 Feb 2010, 11:15 AM)
Could some LED fixtures be an alternative? They may have more usses and you could always hire in the scrollers if still needed?
I would also recommend the LED route, not so much use for colour washes as such, but have many more uses in terms of uplighting, set lighting, etc. Think how many cheap LED pars you could find for £1000, and how many different uses they could have.
If you're used to using scrollers, be prepared to be utterly dissapointed with the cheap LED nonsense you'll get for £1000.
Alternatively, have a look at the Rainbow 8/11s on Usedlighting. Despite the snobbery about scrollers that don't have ChromaQ printed on them, these units are fairly bombproof, and spares are readily available.
Gareth.
Alternatively, have a look at the Rainbow 8/11s on Usedlighting. Despite the snobbery about scrollers that don't have ChromaQ printed on them, these units are fairly bombproof, and spares are readily available.
Gareth.
I would agree with the scroller route. Apart from anything else, the dimming curves on LED's is just nasty, and hard to make look good without a massive ammount of follow cues.
Most scrollers I have used have worked well, but just make sure you buy a gel template for your scroller, or you will spend the rest of your life trimming 4mm off that scroll string.
Most scrollers I have used have worked well, but just make sure you buy a gel template for your scroller, or you will spend the rest of your life trimming 4mm off that scroll string.
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