How to create a grid effect using lighting

[madmonkeyholly]

HI

 

For a performance I am lighting, I have a scene which is held in a convict ship at night and I need to convey this location using lighting. I'm doing this for my A level so dont have a big budget, I basicly have profiles, fresnels and 2 floor paracans.My idea so far is to use a low dark blue wash using fresnels, but I would like to have the effect of bars running across the stage or the shadow from bars as I think this would be effective.

 

Is there a way to achieve this through lighting. Ie if your draw a grid on a piece of gel would this work.

 

And then is there a way of using the floor parcans to suggest to bars?

[ImagineerTom]

Google "gobo" - that's the tool you need to create what you want to do but you'll have to do the legwork yourself as to how to use it in your situation.

[dbuckley]

You really need a bit of haze to carry the effect well.

[Ynot]

Also to clarify - gel on any lantern is going to be pretty much out of the focal plane, so you won't get anything too sharp or defined by drawing on the colour - that's what gobos are essentially for as tom has pointed out.

 

However, one option MIGHT be to use a number of profiles from the same position and shutter off the sides in exactly the same way and create a set of lines with them to simulate bars with the shadows.

[pritch]

Google "gobo" - that's the tool you need to create what you want to do but you'll have to do the legwork yourself as to how to use it in your situation.

 

Just to add that although a gobo says it's X, it doesn't mean that it can't be Y!

 

A venetian blind gobo turned through 90º can be jail bars. Certain types of window (possibly with shutters used to remove extra details) can also be jail bars.

[LXbydesign]

The 'Les Mis' grills are particually good!

 

or linear line breakups.

 

Pop 'em in some good profiles with nice sharp optics, some haze in the air . . . lovely.

 

A steel blue or a bit murky like chocolate works for colour.

[Wingwalker]

Just remember though if you are going to use haze or if necessary small amounts of smoke then don't forget to have your smoke detectors / fire alarm isolated in the zone you are working in. I once did a gig on teaching young kids not to talk with strangers, don't play with matches etc when we set a pyro off but the SM had forgot to isolate the stage area resulting in two fire engines turning up going nee naw and 500+ little ones being evacuated from the theatre. If that wasn't bad enough the whole thing was being filmed for local TV news as part of promoting the tour...

 

Doh!

[ninjadingle]

Have a look at DHA's stock gobos, plenty of options at £10.50 - providing your profiles have gobo slots and holders!

[Jivemaster]

IF the profiles that you have will accept and focus on a gobo then you can make a few with thick tinfoil and try then.