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Need help with lighting


Sorna

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Hello,

 

I am doing a show next friday and I have to operate the lighting as well as the sound.

I am a sound engineer and I have never worked with lighting before. can anyone give me some tips and advice?

 

The board is a 48 way Fat Frog. I just downloaded the manual to read it. The show is a rehearsed reading that will have audience. (its not a big show).

 

Thanks,

Sorna

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Set-up, Program as well as operate?

 

What's your level of experience with lighting?

Do you know what fixtures are included in the rig?

 

(Will all help answer the question)

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The show is a rehearsed reading that will have audience. (its not a big show).

Sounds like it needs a general wash in 152 or similar skin-tone colour and maybe something to make whatever backdrop you might have look pretty. Q1 Preset; Q2 General wash; Q3 Final preset.

 

If you want to know how to do a general wash have a look at the FAQs at the top of the Lighting forum and read one of the recommended books.

 

Can't see there's any need to make it more complicated than that.

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Thanks for your replys guys,

 

I have no experience with lighting at all! These are the fixtures they have in the venue (and I hope they are already in the rig)

 

9 x Patt 223 Fresnels (650w)

6 x Minuette Fresnels (650w)

4 x Patt 123 Fresnels (500w)

20 x Minuette Profiles (650w)

4 x Patt 23 Profiles (500w)

2 x Source Four Zoom Profiles (575w)

20 x Par Cans (500w)

8 x Small Floods (300w)

 

 

Sorna

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I don't wanna put a downer on things but if it turns out it's not rigged it sounds like you may be in well out of your depth.

 

It's not a huge rig, but needless to say it's big enough to cause issues for a beginner. Are you sure there is no one who can help you? I would really start looking around for someone... local am dram etc. Where abouts are you? What kind of show is it? How big is the theatre?

 

Find out if it's already rigged and focused, thats possibly the most difficult part. In terms of programming, the show can be made to be very simple and you can follow the boards manual.

 

If you are rigging it yourself, just go for a really simple setup so there is less that can go wrong.

 

Fingers crossed for you!!

 

Matt

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assuming nobody has zero'd the board, then you'll almost certainly find some states in it that you will be able to use without worrying too much about 'how' - just concern yourself with 'when'. Give use a clue about the actual show - what it is, and what's in it and we can give you a few tips on not looking like an idiot!

 

My venue has a new general manager - and with ten minutes explantion, he was quite happy prodding a few faders witha few coloured states and 3 faders for the rgb cyc.

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It's not a huge rig, but needless to say it's big enough to cause issues for a beginner. Are you sure there is no one who can help you? I would really start looking around for someone... local am dram etc. Where abouts are you? What kind of show is it? How big is the theatre?

 

Rehearsed Readings are usually held in black box type spaces (from experiance - maybe I have not been involved in the right sort), and for a black box, that is a pretty decent rig.

 

If it is already in the rig, chances are there will be some washes already focused and gelled, as well as some specials (spots). I would go in and just see what each fader is controlling. Write yourself out a list - or mark up the board. Then throw things up. But don't throw everything to full. Start putting things half up, then add more or less from there. It is a crude way of designing states, but the timeframes for rehearsed readings are usually tight, so you can quickly make 5 or so decent states using this method. Use the existing specials if they need a spot on an actor - mark them on the floor so that the actors know where they are.

 

Try not to change too much - unlike conventional theatre, chances are you will not have time to do a decent rig and focus session, let alone a plotting session. If you mark the board up properly and get a decent feel for what each fader does, you can even busk the entire thing by setting one state you like for the entire show, then just adding and subtracting through the night as you see fit.

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If it is already in the rig, chances are there will be some washes already focused and gelled, as well as some specials (spots). I would go in and just see what each fader is controlling. Write yourself out a list - or mark up the board. Then throw things up. But don't throw everything to full. Start putting things half up, then add more or less from there. It is a crude way of designing states, but the timeframes for rehearsed readings are usually tight, so you can quickly make 5 or so decent states using this method. Use the existing specials if they need a spot on an actor - mark them on the floor so that the actors know where they are.
Thank you,

 

This was a realy good help, I try to do that.

 

Sorna

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The venue capacity is 100 seats and the show I What I want to know is, what sort of lighting should I have for this kind of show and how I can achieve that?
For a reading surely you will simply want a general wash, with some kind of white focus on the people reading.

 

You will find out how to do this just by pushing faders etc and seeing what effect it has, then work out what looks about right and do that. As if you are a novice, as has been said just keep it simple.

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For a reading surely you will simply want a general wash, with some kind of white focus on the people reading.

 

You will find out how to do this just by pushing faders etc and seeing what effect it has, then work out what looks about right and do that. As if you are a novice, as has been said just keep it simple.

 

Nice one

 

thanks for the help guys, I done the show and it was okay

 

Sorna

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