Subtle but effective lighting

[Ricesnaps]

Saturday gave me time to consider what I was doing. My lighting on Saturday was:

2 x Acme Leo's
2 X Acme Scimitars
2 x Acme Linx (pointed at the ceiling)
2 x Acme Fascinations

Hey I love my Acme don't I!!!

It was a "no smoke machine" night too.

As the third guest came up for a request shielding his eyes from the bright lights, I began to think about what I was using and how I was using it. So I have a couple of questions.

Based on the fact that generally I am very very happy with my show when I am using smoke, I have a feeling I need to think about not blinding my clients. Now I already know the obvious answers - which would be along the lines of Par cans, LED par cans, wash style indirect lighting and so on. Fair play if that's what you think, but I am not convinced and certainly not convinced that this is the whole solution.

The other thought is about how I am rigging the gear. Now scans and barrels by there very nature are fairly mobile little things and without full DMX control, calming them down and making them point elsewhere is not always that easy. As for the Fascinations (goboflower effect), I point these on the dance floor, but generally that doesn't stop the blinding guests - point them on a high wall and you loose the effect generally. I tend to winch my goalpoast up to about 7ft - should I go higher and creat a bigger angle for the lighting or is that not safe?

Hopefully you get the general idea of my ask????

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think generally with scans and barrels you need to get them up as high as you can and them have them pointing down onto the dance floor, so that they are on top of peoples heads rather than at head height.

The trouble is with this, is that it always comes down to the restriction of height in the venue.

[alexperrins]

That's a problem for me too. Love the fascinations, but they are very bright for a small light - I have thought about going for the junior version but that doesn't answer your question - would love to hear some suggestions too!

[CRAZY K]

Rice, as you know I dont use a lot of lights but since I started using the dynatwins I have had to be careful because as you know they have mirrors which send blinding light everywhere!

I get mine up as high as possible--but thats not more than 7 feet.

I guess you may not be able to get yours high enough to avoid the problem.

Theres an onboard programme on my twins which restricts the effects to swinging side to side (rather than up and down or round the room) and thats good especially with older dancers who dont want to be blinded when doing the twist!

The downside is that it produces unwelcome flashes of light for people sitting down at tables who dont want to dance!

When im doing stuff for younger age groups during the evening I use the full onboard range --they just seem to like quick bursts all over the place.

Rather than have all my effects on all the time I vary it between fixed colours, moonflower and scanner or all together depending on whats being played and who is dancing etc.obviously im in a different market because I do a lot of Barn Dancing with full colour floods on--gives the punters eyes a bit of a rest!

That approach gives people a rest from dazzling lights and I havent had any complaints.

I know from another forum that there have been complaints from customers of too many blinding lights in the face!

Lets face it--if you cant project on to ceiling or walls, you dont have many options left, I think some colour may help.

But then again that also depends on some help from the venue so to speak---if you have an oak panelled room---colours wont look bright either unless its on the dancers

HOW DID THE MUSIC PAN OUT SATURDAY? Funky motown etc

regards

CRAZY K

[Ricesnaps]

Alex, Not sure I agree with you on the fascinations. I love them and with a little haze they look great, but in a semi lit room, the projection effect does get a little lost. Possibly not quite the same as say a twister 4 HP would be on walls and ceilings. But without the haze, front on, they do dazzle - catch 22 maybe with them?

The other thing about my leo's and scimitars is maybe how I hang them? Usually they sit virticle (god I can't spell!), so maybe angling them down would help - which would unfortunately also make them lower - hopefully a picture will show what I mean?

[alexperrins]

Maybe lower could work though! I will have to test the high/low theory out when I get my truss up and running. I imagine it'd probably best to take a good hour or so and just play with the heights and angles with the lights you have already got - stand back and see what looks best.

[CRAZY K]

But where can you do that other than on the gig?

Every venue room is different--unless you hire a hall somewhere?

You dont get an hour to play with the lights :teeth:

CRAZY K

[Corabar Steve]

The other thing about my leo's and scimitars is maybe how I hang them? Usually they sit virticle (god I can't spell!), so maybe angling them down would help - which would unfortunately also make them lower - hopefully a picture will show what I mean?

Try hanging them upside down, so the mirrors are at the other end. They run fine both ways up.

[DMX Will]

Rather than have all my effects on all the time I vary it between fixed colours, moonflower and scanner or all together depending on whats being played and who is dancing etc

Thats the key, let the lights take it in turns, don't be scared to programme your lights so a light is out every now and then.

Regarding steve's point about hanging "upside down" this is something we do, depending on the event, so it can work.

Without boasting we dont tend to have a problem with blinding people, maybe it just comes naturally with the lights/rig we use, I don't know, so I'm afraid im little help!

[CRAZY K]

I thought Rice hung them upside down any way--did when I went to a gig earlier in the year?

Think I tried this with the DynaTwins but they were too darned heavy!


CRAZY K