Making a flickering lighting effect..

[maxjones2000]

Recently, someone from the chorus part of a show we are putting on in January (Antigone) asked whether for the beginning of their scene they could have the lights flicker on - This left it quite open so I started thinking this morning about how I could do this.

 

I was thinking about the way flourescent lights/strips turn on in somewhere like an office where there are 5/6 of them (we have all seen this so I thought it would be quite good to explain it with :) ), and how they dont all come on together, but some flicker and some come on before others (like staggered). So, I was thinking about how I could do this with the lighting desk. I have the choice between a Zero88 Jester 24/48, an Avo Pearl Tiger or MagicQ PC (although I'd rather not use this one), and the show will be run off a cuestack.

I was wondering how this effect could be put into a cuestack, as I'm assuming it would require autocues and follow cues, and neither the Jester or Pearl can do this. So, I thought I could possibly put 2 or 3 groups of fresnels (probably back lighting them in L366) onto submasters and when it gets to the point where we need the flickering, I could use the flash buttons and make them flicker manually. However, this might look a bit tacky and the timing would not be perfect.

 

Has anyone tried to do this before and got any ideas of how I could do this? Sorry if this is a bit vague and jumbled up!!

 

Thanks,

Max

:)

[LX-Dave]

If you're thinking of using submasters... could you not record a second cue stack or chase which you can run from a submaster? If the desk is capable of this...

[david.elsbury]

Use the search function. We have been here so many times before.

[maxjones2000]

If you're thinking of using submasters... could you not record a second cue stack or chase which you can run from a submaster? If the desk is capable of this...

 

I could off the Avo, but again, how could I make a chase that has them flickering at slightly different speeds and slightly staggered? :)

I'll give it a go though tomorrow!

Thanks! :)

[mark_s]

My personal opinion, but it will never quite look right if you're using an incandescent source. When a flourescent light flickers, the output goes on/off/on/etc pretty much instantly, whereas an incandescent source will not do that. Although whether that is relevant or not depends on how close to that type of effect you want to get.

[LX-Dave]

How could I make a chase that has them flickering at slightly different speeds and slightly staggered? :)

 

I think it would be achievable with careful planning of which lamps are on when, eg on a timeline... then the programming should be simple...

[Ynot]

OK Max,

 

First question....

Why are you taking LX requests from a member of the chorus???

 

If it's a case of 'Oooh, wouldn't it look nice if...' and YOU or the DIRECTOR believe it might add some ambience or effect to the piece, then OK, it may just pass muster.

But only if said director is happy with the idea, and you are comfortable making it work.

 

As to the actual effect you describe, you won't get this - as has been said - with any tungsten light source simply because of the warm up/cool down cycle of the lamps.

Short of hanging some fluoros, the only realistic (ish) way that occurs to me is to use (if you have them) a group of high powrede WHITE LED lanterns OR a small group of moving head wash lights - the former because of the fast switch-on/off times of the LEDs and the latter because of the fast strobe times of the shutters in the movers. Once positioned properly to cover the area of the effect, programming them as a single-run chase effect should be simple - just programme something that LOOKS random enough with them all coming on at the end, as you'd expect the fluoros to do, and voila.

 

BUT the key thing is to first establish what the lighting state needs to be once this has happened - as fluoro light is pretty white, is that what you want to be at once the flickers have stopped...?

If so, then build towards it.

[maxjones2000]

OK Max,

 

First question....

Why are you taking LX requests from a member of the chorus???

 

If it's a case of 'Oooh, wouldn't it look nice if...' and YOU or the DIRECTOR believe it might add some ambience or effect to the piece, then OK, it may just pass muster.

But only if said director is happy with the idea, and you are comfortable making it work.

 

As to the actual effect you describe, you won't get this - as has been said - with any tungsten light source simply because of the warm up/cool down cycle of the lamps.

Short of hanging some fluoros, the only realistic (ish) way that occurs to me is to use (if you have them) a group of high powrede WHITE LED lanterns OR a small group of moving head wash lights - the former because of the fast switch-on/off times of the LEDs and the latter because of the fast strobe times of the shutters in the movers. Once positioned properly to cover the area of the effect, programming them as a single-run chase effect should be simple - just programme something that LOOKS random enough with them all coming on at the end, as you'd expect the fluoros to do, and voila.

 

BUT the key thing is to first establish what the lighting state needs to be once this has happened - as fluoro light is pretty white, is that what you want to be at once the flickers have stopped...?

If so, then build towards it.

 

Basically, I know thats not how its done in the real world, but this show is their Exam piece for their performing arts course, and apparently (according to the teachers) for them to gain maximum marks in their assessment/exam they have to make technical considerations, and therefore contribute towards lighting and sound (i.e. specific lighting effects and sound effects), as it shows that they understand the whole concept of theatre presumably. So, this means that they they have to come up with lighting, sound, video and pyrotechnic ideas, and then give the ideas to us (who arent using this show as an assessment) to see if it is practical, safe and most of all, do-able. And this is exactly what this topic is, seeing if it is do-able ;)

 

Anyways, earlier today (before I read posts on here) I did think about LED's as they can create a *lovely* cold white (which is what we want), and can do electronic dimming and strobing, making them look moderatley realistic.

 

The stage after this is basically going to be a cold wash of the stage as the scene is quite eerie and odd (probably Lee 366), so thats why I thought having several fresnels or even LED's washing the stage in a cold blue/white and flickering on in sections (like a block DSL would flicker and then USR would flicker etc) would be quite effective (as this follows a cue that is two profiles SL and SR).

 

Thanks everyone for the help!!

 

Max :) :)

[niclights]

Regarding programming:

 

Use strobe function of a suitable fixture. Even for mechanical shutter/LED it is unlikely that you could create a fast enough flicker by chase alone due to the limitations of DMX speed.

 

Have a separate intensity master for all fixtures.

Set chase(s) to stop on final step. If it helps you could also unlink the first step allowing you to raise fader and press associated grey key to start.

Chase(s) could start on closed shutter and then (pseudo) randomly use open/strobe/closed until finishing on open.

 

You will need to play with the steps and chase speed, along with whether you need more than one chase to achieve more randomness.

 

To work correctly you must manually set all back to closed shutter before beginning (for example by palette).

Raise intensity master playback.

Raise chase(s).

(all fixtures are still off on stage)

Start chase(s) initiates the effect. When chase(s) complete all fixtures are left in open state.

Kill chase(s).

(all fixtures are now lit on stage)

You now have the option of changing playback page freeing up all but the intensity master.