On the right lines?

[DoctorStar]

Hi Folks,

 

We are doing a school musical in Jan 2010 (OK so I'm bored) and I am looking at the lighting (from the perspective of an enthusiastic teacher). My concern is that the hall has one Zero 88 (MK1 Analogue) dimmer pack supplied by ???Amps and only 10-12 sockets in front of the stage to hang lanterns next to. Previous productions have augmented this paltry rig with T-bars and Alpha packs running off the ring main.

All in all.....not much.

I would like to bring the quality of lighting in line with the quality of the acting/singing and dancing etc. whilst running the production off my laptop.

 

In my favour is the fact that we have lots of new lamps (fresnels and PC 500-650W) and we have several local hire companies that can supply extra (DMX) dimmer packs at decent rates. On the down side, I am not at all confident about the supply. I am going to follow forum advice and get an electrician to check over what is coming into the hall optimistically hoping there is an undiscovered 3 phase 100A line :)

 

As a plan B (when I discover the current rig is powered by two hamsters in a wheel) I am thinking that I could use LED PARS for washes and colour effects.

 

I also need to make some more mounting points further away from the stage front to mount some spots onto.

 

Although early days.....am I thinking on the right lines?

 

BW

 

Ian

 

ps what we really need is a complete rewire and a new rig but this stands no chance of happening B-)

[pritch]

Good move on getting the electrician in. That said, if you're lucky enough to have a load of 13A sockets on different ring mains in the space, you might be surprised just how far you can get on that.

 

I'd query the wisdom of controlling it from your laptop; it might be all very well and good if everything goes according to plan, but if it doesn't and you need to busk something in a hurry, you may manage a bit better with a proper desk, with a fader per channel. If you're already hiring dimmers, then your hire company may give you a favourable price for a desk.

 

Also, I'm not sure what you're intending to do with the hanging points away from the stage. Are you planning on one profile spot on a stand-off arm? Or something a bit more ambitious?

[springgrove]

We are doing a school musical in Jan 2010 (OK so I'm bored) and I am looking at the lighting (from the perspective of an enthusiastic teacher). My concern is that the hall has one Zero 88 (MK1 Analogue) dimmer pack supplied by ???Amps and only 10-12 sockets in front of the stage to hang lanterns next to. Previous productions have augmented this paltry rig with T-bars and Alpha packs running off the ring main.

All in all.....not much.

I work in am-dram, in electrically similarly constrained circumstances - one phase 60A. I would agree with pritch that it is possible to do quite a lot within the limits of a couple of ring mains. Definitely get an electrician to check it out and possibly advise on the possiblilty of a nearby higher current outlet. See what he/she can suggest.

 

I would like to bring the quality of lighting in line with the quality of the acting/singing and dancing etc. whilst running the production off my laptop.

May sound a good idea, but there's nothing to beat having real sliders in front of you when things start wandering off-script.

 

As a plan B (when I discover the current rig is powered by two hamsters in a wheel) I am thinking that I could use LED PARS for washes and colour effects.

Since it's a musical, these may be fine for saturated colour washes, but my feeling is you need conventional lanterns for lighting faces and specials.

 

I also need to make some more mounting points further away from the stage front to mount some spots onto.

I'm not quite clear on the layout, but it seems to me your biggest extra need might be for light from on-stage, high at the sides. Then your FOH lighting bar could give light and shape to faces. Depends on distances and dimensions, really.

 

Nigel

[emsgeorge]

Where is the school canteen / kitchens (they usually are off the hall, or somewhere close)

 

There is usually some high current supplies for things like fryers etc, usually on ceeforms, so easy to plug into.

 

(And with all that 'jamie oliver' syndrome, do fryers ever get used any more ??)

 

Food for thought .......

[Trunker]

I've used 4+ alpha packs linked to a control board for a couple of shows now where there has been on 13a sockets available. These worked fine and you can put 2 pairs of 650w lanterns and a single 1000w lantern on them (as long as your fairly confident and careful with your dimming %'s and wattage). Getting a spark in is the best move though as there may prove to be a few 60a ceeforms in the area you can use.

[karl]

I've used 4+ alpha packs linked to a control board for a couple of shows now where there has been on 13a sockets available. These worked fine and you can put 2 pairs of 650w lanterns and a single 1000w lantern on them (as long as your fairly confident and careful with your dimming %'s and wattage).

And provided you know which outlets are on which circuit and can guarantee nobody is going to plug a kettle or something in on one of those circuits. Also of course that you make sure that nobody else decides to 'adjust' the settings while your back is turned.

[DoctorStar]

Thank you to all who have taken time to reply. Point taken about laptop....quite why I think my laptop will behave well for four x two hour productions when it will quite happily go AWOL 10 minutes into a lesson and leave me high and dry!? I will look to get a desk that will do a good job.

 

The kitchen opens onto the hall so I will do a quick look-see for suitable outlets...thanks for the tip-off.

 

I would like extra rigging points foh as the only ceiling mounted bar is less than a metre in front of the curtains and so is pretty much lighting from above anyone that is front of stage. In order to get some decent angles, I think I need something further away and perhaps as Nigel suggested some side fixtures too.

 

 

 

Thanks again for posting such helpful thoughts.

 

 

 

Ian

[Just Some Bloke]

I would like extra rigging points foh as the only ceiling mounted bar is less than a metre in front of the curtains and so is pretty much lighting from above anyone that is front of stage. In order to get some decent angles, I think I need something further away and perhaps as Nigel suggested some side fixtures too.

Look to try and get an angle of around 45 degrees, if you can. Anything steeper than that will look too toppy (as you have found out!) and anything shallower will be a bit too blinding for the cast and wash out the features too much. Stand downstage centre and put your arm out directly in front of you then move it up 45 degrees and out to the side 45 degrees then see what you're pointing at: that's where you want your positions in an ideal world.

 

I agree that LED pars will give you some extra light but, unless you get loads of them, they're not going to give you a strong, powerful colour wash like you might want for a musical. Their best use at the moment is, perhaps, for lighting items of scenery, especially if said scenery is handily painted white!

 

You don't mention if you have any hanging positions over the stage so I'll assume you haven't. If there's any chance of putting some backlight in (maybe by hanging a piece of hired truss?) it will quickly start to look more professional. Put strong colours in the backlight and pastels in your frontlight so you keep plenty intensity on the faces.

 

Hope it goes well. Out of interest, what is the show?

[DoctorStar]

Hi JSB,

 

We are doing Oliver and (in my mind at least) it would be nice to have very different looks between Workhouse, London Streets, Fagin's Den etc.

 

We have no trusswork above the stage and nowhere to mount fixtures to light the backwall/backdrop.

 

Ironically, we have all the necessary laterns to do both if I can

 

1. hang them somewhere appropriate & safe

 

2. get them some power

 

The ideas listed in earlier posts may go someway to solve point 2 and I think I may have to talk with the maintainance staff about fixing some hardpoints around and above the stage.

 

Perhaps my 6 month lead in time is not such a bad thing.

 

Thanks again B-)