Mission Impossible lighting

[jot100]

Hi all,

 

I have just been approached by a dance tutor to discuss lighting for their next show and this has stumped me.

 

They are doing a dance based on the film Mission Impossible and would like to have the laser effect from the film. You know the type, the security ones were the guy/girl has to navigate their way through the criss crossed lasers with out tripping the alarm.

 

How can I recreate this effect for them?

 

Cheers

 

JoT

[jot100]

Just thought I should mention I have searched this forum and read all the links to lazers (I'm now very worried). I think it best not to go down the using real lazer path as this is a college and the risk factor would be huge.

 

So some suggestions on how else to create this look would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers again

[Spock]

I've seen this effect done on stage before using red nylon rope stretched between uprights in the wings and a uv wash. It was more effective the more the ambient light level was reduced. Depends a lot on the amount of stage you will have to cover and the setting/striking time available.

[Brian]

I've seen this effect done on stage before using red nylon rope stretched between uprights in the wings and a uv wash. It was more effective the more the ambient light level was reduced. Depends a lot on the amount of stage you will have to cover and the setting/striking time available.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a neat idea. Might be worth looking on the Glow Shop website, they do UV string.

[Guest lightnix]

I've seen this effect done on stage before using red nylon rope stretched between uprights in the wings and a uv wash...

Just the kind of thing I was thinking of when I started writing this post half an hour ago :)

[jot100]

Would be nice unfortunately the show is a series of different dances, having read my first post I realise I didn't say that bit sorry. There wouldn't be time to set it up in between dances plus I'm not sure they would cope with it to be honest.

 

I think it may have to be a case of red light, smoke machine, the music and the audience using their imagination! Unless there are any more suggestions? I have until Fri 10th Dec to set it up.

 

Thanks again

[Brian]

OK, so it's got to be light.

 

What about gobos? Lee have a 'Laser Dots' gobo, a line of dots. Not perfect because the beams won't be parallel unless the lantern is way off stage but it might work.

[Andrew C]

Take the idea a bit further. Paint the lines on the floor with UV paint?

 

Actually, using low power lasers isn't too much of a problem. They/it would be at floor level and contained within the stage, and presumably used in a reduced ambient light scene. Of course; research, risk assess, do properly etc.

[ANDYLASER]

Using small "keychain" type laser pointers is possible and relatively cheap. They can be obtained for about £5 each. However, they all have non latching push buttons for activation. This is a safety feature to prevent them still operating if dropped and therefore "flashing" yourself or others in the face.

 

For your application you would need them mounted securely and have to overcome the button issue. One solution would be fixing a cable tie around the body to keep the switch depressed. By doing this, you have over-ridden a safety feature and made them very difficult to turn off. Your risk assessment now goes out the window as HS(G)95 regulations insist you need an emercency cut off for the lasers.

 

The only way I see to do it with lasers would be obtaining laser modules that run from an external power supply (more expensive £25 each) thereby giving you control over them or use a professional laser company with a larger laser and use a mirror array. (also expensive). And more dangerous.

 

My recomendation - UV string and a high power black light.

[ANDYLASER]

Been thinking (sound of slowly moving gears and cogs) :) . The lasers would presumeably be running across the stage, Therefore even with haze, most small laser pointers would be virtually invisible to the audience. Lasers are much more visible when the beam is either coming towards you, or going away from you. A beam passing left to right in front of you is a lot harder to see, unless quite high powered. You would need at least 50mW beam power in red or 20mW in green to achieve satisfactory results.

 

UV string is looking to be a much more satisfactory solution. With much less paper work involved.

[peter]

Been thinking (sound of slowly moving gears and cogs) :) . The lasers would presumeably be running across the stage, Therefore even with haze, most small laser pointers would be virtually invisible to the audience. Lasers are much more visible when the beam is either coming towards you, or going away from you. A beam passing left to right in front of you is a lot harder to see, unless quite high powered. You would need  at least 50mW beam power in red or 20mW in green to achieve satisfactory results.

 

UV string is looking to be a much more satisfactory solution. With much less paper work involved.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could always line the lazers from the front of the stage - thus they'd be going away from the audience, and hopefully result in a lot less risks.

[Jivemaster]

Hope you can get lots of smoke/haze for this. Look into par36 pinspots its a 4" dia beam 30watts of white light. or look into the usual laser sources with a beam expanding lens then the beam isnt 20mw into a 0.1mm circle its 20mw into a 10mm circle still parallel and still very bright but not an optical risk as the power into the eye's open (7mm) iris is so vastly reduced.

[timmath]

PAR 36 Aero's are the answer your looking for! a very bright 250w 28v lamp. one bar of for in each of the wings with a bit of red gel and bobs you uncle!

 

regards

 

Tim

[ANDYLASER]

You could always line the lazers from the front of the stage - thus they'd be going away from the audience, and hopefully result in a lot less risks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yes, but you would still need several of them. You would also need to be able to turn them on and off remotely.

[Tom Baldwin]

I did a similar effect when I was at college using lots of Patt 23s - all we really had available at the time - with small dot gobos in. It's not bright, but if you can do it on a really black stage with plenty of haze, it's still pretty impressive. We made the gobos ourselves, with cooperation from the metal workshops - just guillotine sheets of metal down to the size of a Patt 23 gobo holder, and drill a 3/8" hole in the middle.

The effect was of "fat" laser beams; surprisingly, the divergence of the light wasn't really noticeable.