Northern Lights

[Illuminatio]

I want to create a northern lights/aurora borealis effect on a cyc. Has anyone any (cheap) ideas? I was wondering how a Laserpod might look, but don't know if the output is sufficient. I don't really want to use video becasue of shadows from my projector position.

[Jamtastic3]

Throwing an idea here:

 

What about Optie's??? Optikenetics like the solar 250 have really cool effect wheels on them - get an oil wheel one with suitable oil colours stretched out from the side of the cyc nicely mixed in with the dark colours of the cyc (for night sky).

[niclights]

I would be tempted to rig movers in the wings almost in line with the cyc. Shallow angle use of frost filter with gobos could work nicely. As always depends on budget/inventory/rigging capability but you could probably get away with just one either side. This might be the only time I promote the use of 'intelligents'!

[Darkfold]

These gobo's look quite funky. It wont pulse or move like the real lights (and my are they beautiful) but they have similar colours and could be the ticket. Dont know what they cost though, I'd imagine its quite a bit.

[broadcast_techie]

combine the gobo with a moving mirror, or some safe and cheap way to move the light slowly.....

[zonino]

I'd be more tempted to position the movers behind the cyc on the floor and point them up, then again the OP said cheaply so unless the OP already has movers it may not be an option,

 

I'll have a look at my pictures of the lights later and see if I can come up with any other suggestions

[Don Allen]

Have a look inside a Waterwave (cheap) at how they move one disk of shower screen glass beside a fixed piece of shower screen glass, to see how animation is achieved. Try the Waterwave on a shallow angle from each side of the cyc, so the effect is horizontal. If the Waterwave's colours don't work, see if you can fit one of Darkfold's funky gobo's into the Waterwave, to give you the nice streaky colours.

[roryfm]

Try using linear breakup gobo's and an animation disc from a couple of profiles either side, keep them really close to the cyc and light across (as others have suggested)

Knock the edge off a hard focus, and try split colour as well.

Will be cheaper than getting movers in, and can look absolutely stunning (also a good for simulating moving clouds)

 

hope this helps,

 

ror

[wycome5]

They have a good effect at Wicked in London, didn't get a chance to look how it was done but it created a twinkling, moving green shape similar to 'the lights'. It might be worth contacting the theatre to ask.

[stormster]

Also an old tv trick use the gobo movement previously posted but light foil on the floor in front of the cyc it bouces up and creates ever changing patterns.