Strange One - Advice Needed...

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hi all,

This will probably sound really strange and please, no jokes as I need some advice and some serious replies.

I have a booking in a couple of weeks which is a Charity Dinner & Dance Fundraiser for the Blind and Partially Sighted. I have had a call from the organiser this morning and he wanted to know the situation regarding the lighting. He mentioned that they had a Disco last year and the DJ didn't really take on board his concerns and went with a full lighting rig which wasn't ideal as a number of people attending had problems with them due to the eye problems.

I advised that I would provide Uplighting in the room to give it some colour which he liked the idea of. However, I am not sure if that will be enough as I'd like to put colour on the dancefloor too. I'm not sure about movement etc so I wondered if I used my Kam RGB192 Panels too, would it be enough? Maybe the Rainbow laser up high and pointing down over the dancefloor for some movement?

Any ideas would be cool. Thanks.

[funkymook]

Personally I'd err on the side of caution and stick to the up-lighting, it'll look classy and won't cause any problems for anyone. As you don't know what range of conditions the guests may have you don't know what will affect them or not.

And last years DJ may well have taken their concerns on board (but just not enough) - what they consider is a full lighting rig may have been nothing of the sort, but because it caused problems it was perceived as such (unless you've seen photos to verify what he used?).

[Shaun]

I completely agree with Martin. Caution is definitely required. In a similar situation I'd stick with just the uplighting.

[Sapphire Disco]

Think I'd go Impossibled or similar down direct on dance floor and LED Pars on ceiling, if impossibled proves too much you can switch if off and just have a couple of pars on floor & ceiling.

[DazzyD]

I'd discuss this with the organiser to find out what exactly is required. As Martin said, you don't know what conditions the guests have and I wouldn't recommend trying to second guess this.

If I was to guess, though, I'd avoid fast-moving, flashing effects as these could easily disorientate someone who is registered partially sighted or blind (and blind doesn't necessarily mean they can see nothing - it can be confusing unlike deafness where you're either deaf or not!). I'd do for the uplighting and maybe panels pointing out on to the dancefloor with slow rotating colours.

But that's just my initial thoughts and I'm in no way an expert with blind people.

[Matty12]

I would not use the laser for sure.;)

[DJ Paulie]

:agree: go with simple colours, maybe slow fade on the floor & steady single colour uplighting. Good luck & well done for taking the gig. :)

[Alchemy]

I agree with Daz, talk to the organiser, find out what problem the people had last time and go from there.

[Matty12]

I would use uplighting, some led light and wash effect on the dance floor as you do need some lights on the dance floor.

Ps: make sure there is no heavy strobe in the light.

I am partly blind as well in my right eye.

[ultrasound disco]

Being partially blind myself I would advise on just up lighting and static and NO moving lights for obvious wobbly reasons. :)

[Matty12]

partially blind . :)

Thats what I mean.:o

[mike8863]

working for a well known opticians full time, and seeing people with these problems, i would suggest NO bright lights moving or static. You will get away with static uplighting, and maybe static downlighting pointing at the floor where the dancefloor is.
If you can imagine being in a dark room for years then someone shining a torch in your eyes, you'll get the idea...
and thats not taking into account people with "tunnel vision".

[sxboy]

Sight problems can vary alot, so you need to get full details really of the condition's the guest's have. My son was born with congenital cattaracts, this is not the same as older people get. My son had his "surgical lenses" removed at 6 months old(he is now 21yrs) He has about 60% vision with tripple vision lenses, he has never had any promblems with any type of flashing/moving/effects lights, infact we were advised when he was younger that it is a very good stimulant. Now as he has no lenses as such, his vision is not really made worse by lighting, being to close to the t.v etc. Now I can only comment from my son's sight problems so, as I said before you really need to check , how severe/what sort of problem the guest's may have, some may suffer from epilepsy for example, which my son has never had.

Hope this helps.
Daren

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Thanks for the advice guys. Sorry for the delayed response, I had a long night last night.

The laser suggestion was just to put some movement on the dancefloor but I was a bit 'iffy' with that idea. I think I will stick to Static Uplighting and a Colour Wash on the dancefloor.

I had quite a lengthy conversation with the organiser about the lighting and he mentioned no strobing or flashing lights so I think this will be the best way.

Thanks again.

[EMSL]

How about some uplighting and some light boxes on a slow chase just to highlight the dance floor. Like the others said steer away from bright flashing lights and strobe effects!!