Subtle moving breakup gobo with animation wheel

[Barney]

Hi,

 

In a forthcoming show, I am using a lot of leafy breakup gobos etc for a couple of scenes set in the woods.

 

I am thinking of using an animation disc on the front of the profile to create the effect of movement through the trees (think swaying branches). If you've done something similar, I would appreciate your tips on which animation disc to use.

 

It really needs to be an irregular kind of movement, rather than rippling, so I'm looking at the Spiral Breakup or Elliptical Breakup wheels.

 

[For a bit of background: the effect is really to give the impression of a giant moving on the edge of the wood, rather than just wind - hence the idea of an irregular breakup. We never get to see the giant of course, but I want something to indicate it standing/moving between the sun and the woods of the stage.]

 

Anyone got any tips as to what works well?

 

Cheers,

Barney

[themadhippy]

How about the low tech option,strips of diffusion hanging in front of lantern,with an oscillating fan in grid.

[Barney]

How about the low tech option...

 

That's certianly something I've thought about, although more on the lines of 'casting a shadow that slowly moves around'. Not entirely sure how successful this would be, but have been thinking about some kind of convection-operated rotator above the lamp.

 

But maybe an animation disc would be more controllable/reliable! :D

[LeeStoddart]

Consider putting random strips of gel on the animation wheel. using different colours, widths and directions can be very effective in giving a changing aspect to the gobo. Can't guarantee that you will get the effect that you want - but it's one of those effects which is hard to visualise but is worth some experimentation.

[Martijn de Groot]

Barney;

If you can get a scroller, it is worth to try with a (self made) string of clear gel and pieces of neutral density gel attached to it.

[Barney]

Well, show is up and running now and the effect seems to work well. It's what I was imagining in my head and the director seems pleased!

 

In case anyone wants to know in the future, I used an Open Breakup with a Flicker animation wheel. Used blackwrap to block up some of the wheel openings, added a few strips of colour at random angles across the wheel (thanks for the tip above Lee), and all is good.

 

With a DMX vari-speed rotator, the desk runs a one-shot chase to rotate the wheel slowly one way, pause, and then the other, as required by the location of the 'giant'.

 

Now, if only I could work out a way to get light through masking flats!