Moving head Theatre profile

[jimbob]

Hi all wondering if you can tell me the best type of moving head profile for a theatre. we are planning to mount 2 lights up on a high roof were there will be no access so a automated light would be best. Just wondered what was the best makes I have only ever seen Source 4 or Varilite Vl1000 are there any other makes and what sort of prices ?

 

Thanks James

[J Pearce]

Be careful with that idea, moving lights need more maintenance than generics.

Its not uncommon for movers to need to dropped regularly for fixing; whereas, lamp-life permitting, a generic can go on for years untouched.

[benweblight]

You might also want to consider the Martin Mac 2000 Profile/Performance

 

Edit: second the above, maintenance needs to be considered; a mover is not necessarily best for the job here.

[Bryson]

Access issues aside:

 

The ADB Warps also fit the bill, or a City Theatrical Autoyoke perhaps?

 

I've tested the Revolutions and the Vl1000s and they both had their strengths and weaknesses - I was about to get round to the Warp when I changed jobs! It's a relatively new sector in the industry and both choices I tried, while really good in some ways, felt rather "Rev. A"* in other areas.

 

The Mac 2000 doesn't really fit the bill for you IMO. While a superb bit of kit, the higher CT and the lack of shutters would probably rule it out for your use.

 

 

 

 

* = Just in case you don't understand, Rev A means: the first of a tye of product - prone to niggling irritations that haven't been ironed out by experience of use.

[Richard Bunting]

Hi all wondering if you can tell me the best type of moving head profile for a theatre. we are planning to mount 2 lights up on a high roof were there will be no access so a automated light would be best. Just wondered what was the best makes I have only ever seen Source 4 or Varilite Vl1000 are there any other makes and what sort of prices ?

 

Thanks James

 

James,

can I ask why you think an automated light would be best, just because it needs to be in a high position? A high roof suggests that it will need to be a narrow beam angle, but what do you need it to do? Does it need the ability to change focus or just direction?

You could look at the ADB Warp, or the ETC Revolution, both of which allow change of focus as well as direction. An AutoYoke with a Source 4, won't allow change of focus, only direction. If you have a much larger budget, then you could look at spot movers from Martin, Vari*lite, Robe , or others.

 

HTH

 

Richard

[Ken Coker]

Not wishing to make things more complicated, but if you can rig two lights up there can you put two points up there?

That way, with the aid of winches and some truss/pipe, you could make yourself a useful position that you could vary the height of and mount conventional units on.

 

Do take professional advice before you proceed with this idea!

 

Failing that, can you make do with fixed focus units with scrollers? Frankly, movers strike me as a waste of cash for this application.

 

Cheers

 

 

KC

[jimbob]

Thanks all for your input Our F.O.H lights are mounted at either side of the stage which is okay for lighting the stage and sets but we can't have a actor standing right at the front of the stage and light them properly without mounting extra lights at the side and then the spill from lighting this position covers the whole stage. I thought if we had lights mounted across the middle out front and have them coming down at a steeper angle then that would solve the problem and if we had two moving lights they could me moved to what ever position they are needed at the touch of a button. I take your point about Maintenance this is something I never thought of maybe we would be better off with normal profiles but that would make it more difficult to access and the only way to do that would be a scaffold tower not ideal when there is 600 seats setup.

Any other ideas many thanks for the input so far.

[smeggie]

Again, I'd go for the point's idea - if possible it'll make life that much easier in the future.

 

The idea for having lights in the position you suggest is a good one. most theatre's have a few fixtures in a similar position.

 

If you have the budget for movers of that calibre, then it'll most likely be viable [assuming the locations used are strong enough, and the professionals think so] to install a bar on a winch meaning you can then lower them to ground.

 

One thought that just hit me, if you could afford to have a winchable position, take a look at some cheaper units that may be of slightly more limited functions, but may be as usefull, possibly a decent wash unit?

One that I've used a fair few times and have become increasingly fond of is the SGM Giotto Wash 400 - it has a decent focus range and beam quality, cmy mixing and a preset colour correction filter [this takes the visible light colour down to the same as standard tungsten lights]

 

Of course, your results may vary.

 

All the best

AC

 

{ In case of others screaming in type at me, I am not a pro rigger, this is not ''Advice'' and if you do anything it's all off your own back..... you get the idea}

[woody74]

...they could me moved to what ever position they are needed at the touch of a button.

What button? What are you controlling these proposed movers with?

[StevieR]

As another option in the 'generic' train of thought, the Right Arm by Apollo has just been launched. SLX are distributing this one. This means you can pick your favourite profile and with the addition of a scroller you have the solution. To minimise lamp changes, most manufacturers offer a discharge lamp-base/ballast for their fixtures.

 

Steve

[Ike]

But how do you focus?

[Jivemaster]

With the price of two movers you could buy a bar full of PARs or some spots and have them focussed in various usefull places.

 

A bar on some kind of flying mechanism would be so much more use than one lamp up there. You would still have to secure the hanging points for one lamp or for a bar of PARs.

 

Movers need much more maintenance than generics, With care a discharge lamped generic would last for years, well 1000+ illuminated hours.

 

Mover failure due to a small part failing is not rare.

[benweblight]

With the price of two movers you could buy a bar full of PARs or some spots and have them focussed in various usefull places.

 

Bearing in mine this would need more cabling and possibly more dimmer channels, so might not actually work out that cheap. Sensible suggestion though.

[J Pearce]

But how do you focus?

 

It is a pain, but it is possible to bounce focus. (i.e. sending the bar up noting what needs to change, bringing it down, adjusting, sending it up again; then repeating until the focus is correct).

[paulears]

I suppose it's ok if the bar is counterweighted (unlikely) or motorised (possibly). If it involves winding, then bounce focus would be, well, interesting.