Moving Heads

[Nick LX]

Using some MAC 2000s is it possible to use them as spotlights, having more than one controlled at the same time? How easy is it?

 

Thanks

[LDODD]

Spotlights? - Yes

 

More than one controlled at the same time? - Possibly

 

How Easy? - Depends on your experience.

 

Principally - it's very simple assuming that you have a DMX controller that will set up for movers.

 

More info please.....

[mumbles]

Do you mean travelling between set positions, that you can record beforehand, or following a person as they take an unrehearsed route around a stage.

 

If you mean the first, then depending on your desk it is incredibly easy through theuse of palettes and chases.

 

The latter is achievable, but not by directly conrtolling them, but through the use of something such as this, where the performers wear a pack and the system calculates where each spot chould be facing.

 

Hope this helps, but more information on what you're trying to do please.

 

Damn beaten to it again,

[Dj Dunc]

If only you could get a pc usb joystick, and plug it into a usb port on a board,assign a/some movers to it n program / operate direction using the movement, focus or w/e using the throttle control, colour using one pair of buttons,gobo with another pair, n whatever is left with whatever else is left

[mumbles]

If only you could get a pc usb joystick, and plug it into a usb port on a board,

Thinkning about it, you could do basically this with an AVO desk and the graphics tablet (there must be others out there, just not that I've used), then define the stage for the however many lights and track with the pn that way.

 

Haven't tried this myself, as its always seemed to much effort for a band night, but it is presumably jut what the tablet is designed for.

 

In a sort of hijacking this thread, hopefully someone who knows whether this works or not will come along and could let us know.

 

Following a quick trawl through the manual it is definitely possible, and seemingly relatively easy, so just waiting to get back to uni and have a chance to play and set it up.

[niclights]

^ Yes, exactly what I was going to say! The Pearl allows you to 'define' a stage by plotting the four corners and then you can 'track' one or movers using the tablet. Also never tried it but that's what it was designed for. This does of course require you to not only have a Pearl but also the tablet already since noone makes them anymore!

[niall]

the ALS Enigma allows you to do that, but then it's a club desk so is a right bastard to use for theatre!

[Simon Lyall]

if only you could have a joystick etc...

 

I have one,.. and a USB DMX ( the vellman one), a computer and some sofware (custom made) that enables the joystick following...

 

the pros and cons of it:

 

Pros:

You can remotely follow spot

you don't have to be moving a big old light..

 

Cons:

takes a while to master

no way of getting the starting position right

often a little jerky...

 

 

it takes ALOT of practise, though its useful when you don't have anyone to be follow spot op... (or any space!)

 

 

Side note:

current plans are to update it by combining a camera into the system so that you can see the starting point... though with irising issues, its going to be difficult to get working properly, ho-hum ill go back to working on my automatic DMX lighting for my bedroom! (my desk lamp dims when I should be going to bed, and comes on in the morning... going to update it with LED par cans lighting my room, and colours changing depending on the time of day :huh:

 

 

 

anyway back to the question , yes it is possible, no its not particularly practical, its not really a complete solution, better to get a follow spot op!

[Nick S]

Yes, it's possible...I'm not sure if you'd want to.

 

It invariably looks rubbish. As people have mentioned time and time again here, the best way to do it is to get a follow spot and an op. Programming it is out of the question, automatic systems have pretty significant drawbacks, and if you do it manually you lack the feedback you get with a follow-spot...

[simes]

I have heard of this being done with an etc express using the trackpad, though I think that would take a while to master, and is one of the sillier things I have heard of someone trying to do with a that horrible desk.

[Tomo]

If you want to track a single person with a single light, almost all moving light desks will do it - either on a trackball or via encoders/faders.

 

Trackball is easier, as long as any moving heads don't pass through 50% tilt.

 

If you want to track a single person with multiple lights, you need a desk with XYZ programming or a similar calibration scheme.

 

They must start at a known position so you can recall a memory or position palette, as otherwise the pickup is impossible.

 

If you want to track multiple people - you need multiple consoles and divide the rig.

Plus the mental ability to accurately track multiple objects simultaneously - there are very few people who can do that!

[lonfire]

I've seen a system before where the person to be followed had a belt pack and around the area they are walking around in are sensors.. the system can then be calibrated so it knows where the person is at all times.. it then controls the movers based on this.. you could even setup boundrys and stuff where the lights would fade out or change colours..etc. they had it at plasa a few years ago strapped to a radio controlled car.. seemed to work pretty well..

 

rgds

chris

[Just Some Bloke]

The wonderful :huh: search function finds this as the first hit when typing in "moving head followspot".

 

Have a good read and see if that thread answers your question.

 

P.S. lonfire - it does answer yours!

[Malcolm Gordon]

I'm glad to learn that it's possible as I am hoping for this effect in an upcoming show that includes a "play within a play" with the "audience" upstage, hanging a mover on LX3 to simulate a (badly-operated) follow-spot in a "dress rehearsal". No way to do it with the real thing.

Now to check the venue has the right sort of desk and ask the lighting operator to practice.

[mark_s]

If you're looking for a badly-done followspot effect, there's far less of a problem regarding smoothness etc. All you really need to do is get it to go in the right direction (easier said than done though!) :huh: