Paul Roberts Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 You may find this topic useful. Gareth explained a simple way to make your own sights rather than use that method. http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?show...c=23578&hl= Erm, I already posted this link 2 days ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 When you touch the VERY HOT part, remember to keep your mouth shut, :)**£&^""%@#!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leecey Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 You may find this topic useful. Gareth explained a simple way to make your own sights rather than use that method. http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?show...c=23578&hl= Erm, I already posted this link 2 days ago... I was pointing him specifically at the bit about sights, in case he hadn't read the whole thing B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfenton Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Cheers guys thanks for all the help and references! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Don't do this.It's very bad form, and you don't want to pick up bad habits this early in the game. While some LDs might let you get away with it, most will not. I've seen several shows where the spot ops plainly opened the penny shutter to find themselves, and the scattering of crescent moons around the house tabs looked hideous - I would have had very strong words with the ops. I understand where you're coming from and would be a bit against common sense to try this for someone entering in the center of the stage where the beam would hit right in the middle of the set. The few times I've seen this done, is generally when the followspot is at the side of the venue, and when it's picking people up who are coming in from outside the main tabs, so the light is projected onto either the side wall outside most of the view of the audience or just into the wings. Hard to describe the layout really, without having a photo of the venue to show. Although on the note of the crescent moons you mentioned, the shutter on the spot was part of the gel frames at the front of the followspot. Because this is nowhere near the focal point where gobos would go, you just see a feint outline of the beam, rather than a crescent moon shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I hate this - with a passion, and any of my crew doing it get a very short, sharp comment from me. It's a very non-professional way to work, and is totally unnecessary. Sighting really doesn't take that much effort. I've always found enough sighting points on the body. A couple of screws on the top and the yoke mount on the side soon let you get the hang of it. Ghosting, in any shape or form is a crude way of doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfenton Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I'm half way through the show run now and have pretty much got the technique sorted.The spot that I'm using doesnt have any sights fitted but I have found that just sighting down the top of the casing usually works quite well. There is one scene where I have a pickup in complete blackout (minus some uv on stage). Luckily it's a fade in cue and so I can sight don the casing and slowly fade it in correcting my positioning if it's a bit off. Obviously this would be very bad form for a professional production and doesn't look perfect but being a panto it doesn't matter as much. Thanks a gain for the comments. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiefy Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Ghosting, in any shape or form is a crude way of doing it. Here here! Whenever I have had follow spotters doing this sort of un-professional behaviour they are normally demoted to the sound crew!! :** laughs out loud **: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Obviously this would be very bad form for a professional production and doesn't look perfect but being a panto it doesn't matter as much. being a panto it doesn't matter as much - You wouldn't last very long on any pantomime that I run! You are, I assume, aware that the income from pantomime enables many theatres to stay open and host what you might term 'professional productions'. Professional pantomime production companies and many, many amateur organisations put considerable time, money and talent into their productions, with high values. I find the entire concept that panto=rubbish quite insulting. The followspot ops in the show we've just closed were really good, managing some very accurate spotting, on cue, every time - and did look perfect. If the shows you have worked are rubbish and have poor operators, this is sad - but don't tar every production with your own standards - which, by your comments are very low! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Might be the topic for a new thread, but I was sat last night working spots for our panto and started thinking just how little thought had gone into the design of our followspots. The shutter was at the end of the lens tube, with colours halfway back and the iris right at the back of the spot by the handles. It was terribly nose heavy (Ballasts in the bottom of the lens tube) despite the bucket of sand hanging on the back to try and help. I wondered what the perfect followspot would look like? I've seen the DMX controlled ones with a panel on the back giving control of iris, dimmer, shutter and colours and wondered how much use they actually were? I know at the minute if there's a colour snap to do the beam jumps as you move your arm back from the shutter to the colour levers. Also with the shutter being where it is, you can't really take your hand off it and come back to the iris without a noticeable bump. Do any of them have a remote linkage to operate the shutter from the back of the lamp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfenton Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I wasn't at all implying that panto = rubbish. I know that a lot of very hard work and effort has gone into all aspects of the show I'm refering to and suspect this is so of all pantos. I would in no way change the standard at which I work depending on what I was working on, but I hope you will accept that a small scale non - touring low buget pantomime is very different in atmosphere and work ethos than a large buget 'professional' touring show of the like that you would see in the west end for example. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I suppose what you really need is the automatic tracking followspot developed by the University of Southhampton. A belt pack on the actor and the spot tracks him to within 10cm accuracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 A belt pack on the actor and the spot tracks him to within 10cm accuracy.So long as he doesn't move quickly, or more critically, make sudden changes of direction. Horrid overshoot & re-correction. It was used at a gig I crewed at Southampton Guildhall with some metal type outfit. Every time the guitarist made a "power chord lunge" he was straight out of the beam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 A belt pack on the actor and the spot tracks him to within 10cm accuracy.So long as he doesn't move quickly, or more critically, make sudden changes of direction. Horrid overshoot & re-correction. It was used at a gig I crewed at Southampton Guildhall with some metal type outfit. Every time the guitarist made a "power chord lunge" he was straight out of the beam. Hi Andrew, I'm pleased that you posted that reply, I have only read about the tracking follow spot so it is good to find someone who has actualy had hands on experience. Often, when I talk about it people think I'm in cuckoo land. I also seem to recall reading about a system being demonstrated that had thirteen spots tracking thirteen actors but I can no longer find the article. I suppose these days with GPS an acurate tracking system is a distinct possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 GPS isn't too useful indoors, and isn't accurate enough - and accuracy even outside depends on where the satellites are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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