BenLoftis Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hi everyone! A few weeks ago I started a little project to light our local coffeehouse shows. Now I've turned it into a Kickstarter project and I thought this group might find it interesting: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1165472524/fishbowl-dynamic-stage-lighting-for-any-venue FIshbowl is inexpensive software that you run on your computer and projector. It gives you background colors and/or a moving followspot and/or psychedelic moving backgrounds. Please check it out, and tell me what features you think I should add! Best Regards, -Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hmmm... Welcome to the Blue Room. Whilst for many, the program will have limited appeal, I do think there will be some applications that might make it an interesting tool to have in the box. I think I read it right that you have limited scenes on the package at the moment - obviously you can/will develop more as time goes on and you hopefully get the support you need. How will you publicise/promote those additions? Is there any scope for the software to use existing backgrounds such as movie loops as optional add-ins? If so, that to me would make this far more attractive. Just a couple of thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 It looks like it may have its uses once it has been developed a lot further than it appears to be now. I was interested, though, in The top row of keys, 1-0, choose solid colors from "cool" (green) to "hot" (orange). "Cool (green)" is a new concept to me and I wonder where blue has gone? Also, a choice of only 10 colours is incredibly restricting to those of us who are used to the Lee swatch! Good luck with it, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Indeed - maybe a colour ball like the one used on consoles like the Ion/Eos that you can select via the mouse pad would be 'cooler'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 Hi everyone, thanks for the nice comments! @Ynot: Regarding scenes: Backers at the $100 or higher level can specify a scene to be added to FIshbowl. Personally, I've done everything that I would want to do in a small-format music production.Regarding looped movies: I don't have much interest in that, no. Firstly, there are lots of apps that can show movies. Secondly, it requires a much more involved interface, while FIshbowl is intended to be simple and fun. @Just Some Bloke:I chose to go green->aqua->blue->purple->red->orange->yellow. Just personal preference I guess. Again, the goal isn't to be encyclopedic but instead to get the most common tools directly under your fingers without any setup required. Of course a more complicated app could certainly come in the future. But surely there is already some professional-level projection software out there? Thanks again for the comments, please spread the word about Fishbowl ! This is my first light project (I usually work on audio applications) so I don't yet have a lot of connections/collaborators. Best,Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 Over 50% funded now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Most moving lights have pretty standard stick colours, so having the colour range built on primaries and secondaries would be very useful - so the usual red, blue and green are pretty important, plus yellow, cyan and magenta? I'm a little confused as how the followspot would work. I assume the idea is to have, say, the band on stage then light the area with the projector, so the white splodge hits the highlighted persons face? Are you thinking using a white cloth at the back of the stage for the screen? I think I'm concerned the product is useful BUT needs a mega bright projector if it's got to cover the performers too? Have you any clips of it being used live, with real people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Have you any clips of it being used live, with real people? @paulears: Here's a short clip from last night:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7SzQfSYQYM Despite a lot of shortcomings (bad camera placement, bad projector placement, not knowing the songs, outdoor gig, etc) .... you can get an idea of the light output. There are only 2 lights used in this scene: an LED color-changing "Mega Panel" and Fishbowl. You can see vertical bars running horizontally across the amps, generated by Fishbowl. I've got the followspot focused on the lead singer's mic, so when he steps in to sing you can see him clearly. Finally, I'm triggering a "flash" effect along with the music (this is the C key). Occasionally I tried a quick "dim" effect but that didn't look good so I stopped doing that. I got much more adventurous with rotates & zooms later in the night, but unfortunately the camera battery gave out. I'm looking at some alternative camera footage. Keep in mind this is a bottom-of-the-line consumer projector from 5 years ago; "it's not about how well the elephant dances, but rather the fact that it dances at all!" Best,-Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Keep in mind this is a bottom-of-the-line consumer projector from 5 years ago; "it's not about how well the elephant dances, but rather the fact that it dances at all!"Indeed, it's certainly got legs. However:I've got the followspot focused on the lead singer's mic, so when he steps in to sing you can see him clearly. This means that it's a fixed spot not a follow spot. Does it actually work as a follow spot (where it can follow people around)? Otherwise you might be over-stating things a bit. Hope you get your funding sorted and keep going with the R&D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 This means that it's a fixed spot not a follow spot. Does it actually work as a follow spot (where it can follow people around)? Otherwise you might be over-stating things a bit. The spot can be moved with the mouse, yes. Later in the night, I used it to follow a guitar player around stage. But for this particular clip, I dilated it really tiny around the lead singer's mic. ( note: I'm not experienced at lighting at all! My artistic choices may leave much to be desired) Best,Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 A lot of users on here would be more interested in a "automated" followspot. One where you point a camera at the stage, select a person or object to follow then project the "spot" onto this. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks everyone! Fishbowl was successfully funded on Kickstarter and is now available at my web store: http://www.benloftis.com/fishbowl.html -Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 I've updated Fishbowl to v1.2, and reduced the price to only $9 ... check it out here: http://benloftis.com/fishbowl.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDF Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 It says $29 on your site, are the keys user configurable?I notice it has been setup for a US keyboard, some of our keys are in different places :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoftis Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Hi PaulDF! Sorry for the mixup on price. I changed the store but forgot to upload the new web page. It's fixed now. Regarding the keybindings: I might be convinced to make them configurable, if I have some customers who need it. Thanks!-Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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