footlight trenches

[benweblight]

we have discovered our school has some old footlight trenches (currently boarded) up, and were wondering if we could bring them back into use.

 

only problem is they are not at the front of the stage (well, not with the extension anyway). and I can foresee headaches with the safety assessment etc., is there some way we could cover thease up so they could be walked on with minimal effect on the lights (other than covering them up inbetween scenes!)

[Brixton]

What about thick plastic/perspex?

I am thinking back to the 81 and 82 J.C.Superstar tour when I was the 'lighting lad' we had 1mx1m plastic panels that covered the entire stage. These supported a large number of luvvies with no problem. Lifting them was done by means of industrial glasiers suction tools so there was no lip / trip hazard.

The L.D. was Howard Eaton (of HELL / Howie Battern fame) He might even remember where they came from. Don't remember the set company but the production chippys were Johhny Leonard, Phil Reavy and the touring carps were Tim Spencer and Ted Irwin ( I think Ted is a big wheel at Covent Garden)

The Production Sparcs were Durham Marenghi and Alan Jacobi (unusual Rigging)

Technology must have moved on since then.

Most new trendy hotels or bars have glass or plastic panels in the floor these days.

[robloxley]

Steel 'mesh' flooring?

[the kid]

Persoanly I would prefer perspex. Any metal seems to make noise unless thick which will impead light.

[mac.calder]

Persoanly I would prefer perspex. Any metal seems to make noise unless thick which will impead light.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The grill used in cement, roughly 5mm diameter with 5cmx5cm holes, over the width of the average floor box would not make much noise, or even that wire used on bird cages should be able to hold (over the small width) the weight of most people, especially if pulled tight. Perspex would probably impede the light more than a grill - especially thick stuff (5mm +).

[the kid]

Surley diffuse or bend not actualy impead.

[Darkfold]

How hot are the lights in the pit... Is there any other vent or cooling for them? If not, perspex will get very hot and go plastic again. Tread on that and you're in for fun ;)

[ChrisD]

I wouldn't go for plastics at all with conventional lighting, I can see them either melting or burning (thermoset or thermoplastics). If the budget stretched, would LED lighting be any colder/easier to keep cool? Mesh would create shadows and possibly if it got hot enough, and an actor decided to stand in the light for once, their shoes could potentially melt onto the mesh I guess.

 

That's all kinda hypothetical but I think people know what I'm getting at.

[mac.calder]

Mesh would not create shaddows - have you ever projected a light onto someone through a wire fence - they do not have a criss cross pattern on them (unless you are using a focused laser or something) - lights (especialy those used in trenches) do not use focused beams of light - the beams come out in every direction, which means that unless you were right on the trench, you are going to get a fairly even cover of light.

 

As for the mesh getting hot, you place gel in a candle and it burns quickly. You place a piece of cement mesh in a candle it takes a long time to get hot. The heat from lights is WAY less... Add to that the speed in which the heat will disipate over the large surface area.... it's almost a non-problem... And anyway, WHAT are they doing putting their shoes on the footlights anyway!!! Mesh I see as a safety precaution, not as permission for actors to use it as a foot rest.

[ChrisD]

I was thinking more metal mesh as the OP said it was in a wooden stage and it might not be able to take the weight. But as I had my daft hat on yesterday, I didn't think of concrete mesh. I know, and you know that actors shouldn't walk on the footlights, but they always will. If there's no mesh, or the mesh looks thin/weak, they might think twice about walking on it. Either way, I think sticking standard incandescent lights within treading distance of actors might'n't be the best idea.