Modern Day Equivalents to Prelude Fresnels

[GKW]

I'm currently in the early design process for an upcoming show - and for a certain scene I was hoping to use a number of Strand's old Prelude Fresnels for creating a very soft bit of front light which I would want to try and cheat in to make a nighttime streetlight scene a bit more visible for the audience. Although having it bright kind of ruins the scene, it's necessary since the play is being examined for someone's a level scripted piece..

 

Anyway, back to the issue at hand - we lack the necessary number of prelude fresnels, and the hire company I'm forced to use by the school does not stock them; so the big question is can anyone suggest a more modern lantern which would be able to be used amongst a number of preludes to try and give continuity to the design by having the same sort of light qualities. Obviously the big points are trying to get lanterns with the ability to have the same softness that you can get out of the preludes, and hopefully being approximately the same brightness (in an ideal world).

 

Tho I'd love to just go a bit extravagant with the budget and hire a whole new set of lanterns so I don't have any problems with matching the lighting type up, I know full well that will not be happening thanks to tight budgetary restraints - so any advice is appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

GKW

[Mr Steve]

Have you tried contacting the hire company and asking what 650w fresnels they DO stock? We can make suggestions but if they don't have them, you're still stuck!

[gareth]

For the purposes of what you're looking to achieve, whatever sub-kilowatt fresnel the rental company carry in stock will be fine. Just ask them to supply whatever they have.

[Pete McCrea]

Welcome to the board. From your profile it say's your looking to go in to lighting design, so this event is an ideal situation to learn one of the biggest skills in the industry- Communication.

 

10/10 for you written- a good post well written. The next step is to nail the verbal, and that is going to be the way forward. get on the phone to the hire company and see what they've got. Building a good relationship with them will mean that you will get the best for both parties, and will see you becoming a valued client, which means they'll go the extra mile for you, and possibly becoming a source of work in the future. However being negative about them on a public board could well see the relationship soured, and they may then be less than keen to help you out.

 

Not being a Lampy by Trade, I can't tell you exactly which lanterns are best, but if you have multiples, it will be a case of find places you can put these multiples, i.e. if you have 4 of one type, then using the 4 on booms for the same look/focus will help.

 

All the best,

Pete.

[paulears]

I've never really thought Preludes were very 'special'. Most of the ones hire companies rent out are those preferred by their clients - if they had an unpleasant light output, nobody would like them - I suggest not worrying too much.

[JDLX]

Strand Quartets would get my vote. Small but bright and a good focussing range.

[GKW]

Thanks for all the replies - I'll be getting in touch with the hire company tomorrow once I can get back in the theatre, just thought I'd try to do a bit of legwork before I bothered them with what I feared could be a bit of a simple question. I don't blame the company at all for not stocking the lantern, personally I'd prefer to try and get in a set of new <1000w fresnels since our preludes are distinctly problematic at points, but at this time of the year the money is obviously tight for what should be our 'smaller' shows.

 

Many thanks,

 

GKW

[boatman]

The Strand Prelude is a 25 year old design so not likely to have survived the rigours of the hire business. Most hire companies do carry the Strand Quartet though, which is very similar to the Prelude. The Selecon Acclaim is also widely available but is more efficient so has a higher output. Stay away from the newer Selecon Acclaim Axial as that will blow your Preludes out of the water completely.

 

HTH.

 

Edit: SPaG.

[adamharman]

The Strand Prelude is a 25 year old design so not likely to have survived the rigours of the hire business. Most hire companies do carry the Strand Quartet though, which is very similar to the Prelude.

 

This may be a tad OT, but.......

 

It's been a while since I used them side by side, so I can't honestly compare the performance of them, but I remember the general design and build quality of the prelude being far superior to the quartet.

 

The venue's 5 year old quartets, which were only used once a week (arts centre so films 5 nights a week, bands or theatre the other 2) were a pain in the a**e, but my 2nd hand ex hire old preludes kept going.

 

By pain in the a**e, I mean the lampholders burned out for a passtime, the insulation on the earth bonds wasn't heat resistant and the bonds corroded so it failed a pat test on earth continuity, the screws attaching said bonds aren't accessible without prising the sections of cast alloy body away from each other (and they go ping very easily!) These things had only seen 500 hours use! Give me a prelude over a quartet any day!

[JDLX]

I have never personally serviced Quartets, but strictly from a usage point of view I find them pretty good. I have used selecon acclaims (first version) and don't find the ouput on these as good.