Window rain effect

[Barney]

Hi BR,

 

For an upcoming show, I need to project a window gobo on to a flat. In some scenes, it needs to be raining.

 

I have a couple of Mac550s that will be available (but not until I get to the venue), which could be ideal, as the gobo needs to be on different flats in different scenes.

 

So, my question is, can this be achieved with the 550 (assuming I get a suitable window gobo) with the animation wheel softly focussed behind the window gobo? Or will it look rubbish?

 

If anyone has tried something similar, I'd be grateful for your thoughts. Likewise, any suggestions for an alternative effect would be appreciated. I don't really want to go down the route of a gobo and effects disc on a profile, if it can be avoided, as it would be handy to move the effect around the set. I assume this would give the same kind of effect as the 550 anyway?

 

Edit to add: plus, in some scenes, it isn't raining, so that would necessitate an additional profile/gobo if the effects disc option is pursued.

 

Thanks in advance,

Barney

[Ynot]

It's been a while since I played with a 550, BUT I'm pretty sure that this won't be possible using just one source. The effects engine will use the rotating gobo wheel (which I think is the only one that you can switch gobos on) along with the effects wheel and maybe the prism for different effects. Which means that you can use the water effect in conjunction with any other rotating gobo plus the focus is unlikely to work with anything on the second gobo wheel anyway as they're at different focal points.

 

To be honest you're going to have to use two lanterns whatever you do.

 

 

 

[david.elsbury]

Does a mac700 do this? (Been a while since I used one, mind)

[timsabre]

Really though this would be better done with sound.

Unless you are after a stylised "projected window" effect rather than "light through a window" effect... a nice subtle sound effect would give the impression of rain a lot better.

[Ynot]

Does a mac700 do this?

Yes the 700 profiles do also have the animation function, and it is better than a 550, but still the principle is the same and what the OP wants won't be feasible.

 

(And he only has 550s available regardless :) )

[alistermorton]

Not quite what you're asking, but we did something similar by projecting a short video loop of short white streaks moving down a black screen (like drops on a window) which, projected slightly out of focus on to the action, was quite convincing with a rain sound effect.

[Barney]

Really though this would be better done with sound.

Unless you are after a stylised "projected window" effect rather than "light through a window" effect... a nice subtle sound effect would give the impression of rain a lot better.

 

I agree, maybe we can persuade the director.

Thanks for the other comments. If we get something to work, I'll let you know - it's not until December, so a couple of weeks left to try some alternative ideas and also maybe get my hands on a 550 out of curiosity.

 

Cheers,

Barney

[Barney]

All,

 

Just to close this one out, I did use a MAC550 in the end, with a custom (metal) window gobo in the indexable wheel. The primary reason was to cut down on the number of fixtures required, as the window had to appear on several flats/the floor at different points in the script.

 

I found that with a hard focus on the gobo, it was still possible to use the animation wheel behind [note: this is separate to the gobo wheels/prism], giving an effect much like ripples of water flowing/falling down the window as you might get during a heavy rainstorm. With a bit of colour/correction as well, it looked fine for night-time/daytime scenes. If I can find a video, I'll post it.

 

With a bit of a rainstorm sound effect, it was pretty convincing (or, at least it didn't stand out like a sore thumb as an obvious 'projected rain' effect!).

 

 

Thanks for all suggestions.

 

KR

Barney