DMX Software Pan Tilt

[amzk]

Hi

Im lookign for a DMX software which is suitable for catwalks as I will be doing a fashion show and I was hopeing to get some sort of software which allows me to point all of the moving ehads in the same point. For example if the person was standing at the end of the catwalk and wanted the moving heads to be pointing at them however I know that ll moving heads will need different address but si there some sort of tilt/pan box so you can point all the moving heads in the same point nommater what of the possition of the moving head?

 

THanks

[David Duffy]

If you don't need the heads to track the talent, just setting up a different scene for each spot will work.

 

I think there are free DMX programs out there that should handle a few movers.

[GridGirl]

Any desk (or PC program) with half-decent moving light control will do this - you just set up a preset palette/position group/whatever other desks may call it, for each position - so you might have five positions over the length of the catwalk, then you just recall each position as and when you need it and send the movers to that position.

[amzk]

Okay... I need it to track the talent reallly as that would be the best!

[GridGirl]

Tracking the talent is a whole other kettle of fish. Basically it's very, very difficult to do unless:

a) you have some sort of radio tracking system where the talent wears a transmitter and the receiver is hooked up to the desk - I believe Wybron (and maybe Martin?) make a system like this, or

b) you have enough programming and rehearsal time to make sure that the path of the light is EXACTLY right and that the talent will follow the EXACT same path at the EXACT same speed every single time.

 

I've done it a couple of times without the tracking system, and we only made it work because the actor's path was totally dictated by the set, and it was a musical sequence so he was stepping in time so the speed was consistent (we were running backing tracks so there was no variance in the speed of the music). Even then it took us a huge amount of time to tweak the programming to get it right. It worked fairly flawlessly for a 12-week run, except when the actor stepped with the wrong foot first and almost fell down the stairs (he couldn't look at his feet!) - but at that point we were much more worried about whether he was going to hit the deck than whether he was in his light!

 

So, in a nutshell, it's going to be very difficult. There's a reason that human followspot operators are still used 99% of the time in theatre....my suggestion is to get some followspots!

[blackbird]

Separate to the issue of tracking, on some modern lighting desks you can tell the desk where the lights are and then move the focus positions relative to the stage rather than just panning and tilting, which would allow you to simply plot cues which tracked up and down the catwalk in a straight path (if you have accurate rigging data). However I don't believe you will find this kind of feature in any software only options, and it is still too time dependant for any sort of reliability I imagine.

 

I'm afraid your best bet is still a followspot, or perhaps a slow chase just lighting up portions of the catwalk as the model moves into them, which you could probably busk the speed of as you go.

[back_ache]

I was hopeing to get some sort of software which allows me to point all of the moving ehads in the same point.

 

there is software out there that will do it, for example http://www.spotrack.com/ but I don't think anyone has done it in the low-cost or open-source way I think it would need to be done to be used as anything other than a niche product

[Jivemaster]

Given a suitable desk, skill and time (for programming), you could simulate tracking by having lots of preset positions and manually selectiong the next suitable one as the artiste walks.

 

Given some cheap DMX controllers with joysticks you could have two or three people manually tracking with hands on

 

AFIK there were two tracking systems. One that tracked a radio transmitter that the tallent carried -no designer wants their models to wear or carry a transmitter appended to the collection! and the tracker will point to the transmitter even if the wrong person is carrying it! The other was an ultrasonic "radar" system that would track the major object in a space. Both needed huge computer resources to work properly.

 

The big reason why they are not common is that they really don't do the job well. Also DMX is fundimentally unsuited to smooth movement, The steps in beam position are bad art but cannot be avoided. Follow Spot Op is still a viable job because nothing does the job even nearly as well as an experienced operator.

 

Fashion shows are still lit by the array of PAR cans because it still works! each place on the runway has a can as front, back and side light, for good sculpting and vision. VERY few colours are appropriate as the designer wants their choice of colour to be accurately presented. Only one white colour is used so that photographers don't have problems with Tungsten/Daylight/Discharge colours being mixed.

[Jivemaster]

Remember also thet the front row guests are there to be seen too. People invite "names" to add caché to their event -sometimes names are paid to attend, and need to be seen.