Looking for Ideas

[Amiers]

I am looking for a moving light or light accessory to attach to a conventional fixture that has an IR sensor and transmitter to create and auto spot. All Ideas are welcome, I currently have to run an entire show lights, sound, and video and do not have a free and or time to run out of the booth and move a spot around. I have heard of the IR sensor trick and was looking for ideas and or fixtures that can accomplish what I am looking for.

I have 4 movers Qspot-260s

80 S4 Pars

Any and all ideas and information is welcome.


Thanks.

[derekleffew]

1. Rosco I-Cue, Apollo RightArm, or City Theatrical AutoYoke.
2. Wybron Autopilot II (cost $35,000!)
See the threads
Auto Followspots
Mover - Followspot

I'm not sure an infrared sensing system would work on a stage where the light levels, and thus heat levels, are ever-changing.

[Amiers]

Thanks for the info, We are definitely looking for something cheap yet reliable. 35k is way out of our price range.

[derekleffew]

...We are definitely looking for something cheap yet reliable. ...

A human followspot operator, aka spot op, is probably the cheapest, most reliable option, as efforts to train lesser beings (truss monkeys) have not met with much success.

[JChenault]

A human followspot operator, aka spot op, is probably the cheapest, most reliable option, as efforts to train lesser beings (truss monkeys) have not met with much success.

And the operator does not have to be next to the followspot. There is a venue in town where they built a joystick that controls one of their moving units. With lots of practice, and actors that do not move too quickly, they can do a reasonable job of following the actor from the booth using the joy stick.


Thinking about this a bit more - you might want to try our software and attach either a track ball or a joystick as a pointing device and drive one of your movers with that. This would be a bit of a kludge without some additional programming - but I can see how we could fit it into the product if there is interest.

If interested give me a PM and we can chat.

[cbrandt]

I've had some success with programming two faders to control a moving head, with one being pan, and the other tilt. Most movement can be followed with the pan, and it takes very little practice to get pretty accurate with it. Of course, then you have to lose a couple faders on your console, and it might be more difficult depending on what you're using for control.

Several companies had tracking systems at LDI last year, but they were all for very high end production, nothing in the inexpensive range.

[Amiers]

And the operator does not have to be next to the followspot. There is a venue in town where they built a joystick that controls one of their moving units. With lots of practice, and actors that do not move too quickly, they can do a reasonable job of following the actor from the booth using the joy stick.


Thinking about this a bit more - you might want to try our software and attach either a track ball or a joystick as a pointing device and drive one of your movers with that. This would be a bit of a kludge without some additional programming - but I can see how we could fit it into the product if there is interest.

If interested give me a PM and we can chat.

I run an Expression 3 I could use that with the XY wheels but I am trying to stray away from any kind of manual control. Now if you have some sort of software where I could implement it into our PC running the show which could send DMX out to the movers to auto track that would be great.

I've had some success with programming two faders to control a moving head, with one being pan, and the other tilt. Most movement can be followed with the pan, and it takes very little practice to get pretty accurate with it. Of course, then you have to lose a couple faders on your console, and it might be more difficult depending on what you're using for control.

Several companies had tracking systems at LDI last year, but they were all for very high end production, nothing in the inexpensive range.

Yeah we are not a very high end facility so anything to expensive is going to get shot down immediately.

[ssss2art]

What do you use as a follow spot now?
Its hard to believe that a q-spot 260 will actually feel like a follow spot with all those s4's unless the light levels are really low.

Keeping a moving head trained on horses running around a ring is gonna be a challenge! especially if you are trying to coordinate other cues at the same time.

Another option may be to automate the cueing of the show, freeing you up to actually run the spot or q-spot . We make a great PC based system that can control Lights Audio and Video playback. You are only about 45 min away from us. We have a new version of software coming out soon and a BETA site program going on right now, we may be able to set you up with some software to make your life easier. let me know if you are interested (send me a Private message).

Stewart
www.StageSoft.com

[sk8rsdad]

Personally, I think the quest for a cheap automated followspot is doomed from the get-go. Given that demand for such a product is practically zero, there's no way to recoup the R&D cost without charging an arm and/or leg for it.

I prototyped an automated followspot using directional radio (FM) as a university project; and before you ask, no it isn't ready for prime time, doesn't exist any more, and will never be resurrected. The algorithms for pan, tilt, and iris based on a reliable signal weren't too complicated, but the feedback mechanisms and predictive algorithms to provide a smooth traversal and guess correctly when the target moved too erratically for the motors to respond led to some very amusing homing behaviour.

[JD]

I had some success setting up 8 cues on a mover to hit four locations across the front of a stage once. (4 light and 4 dark) With a little effort from the performer it comes off ok. Not automated, but free

[Amiers]

What do you use as a follow spot now?
Its hard to believe that a q-spot 260 will actually feel like a follow spot with all those s4's unless the light levels are really low.

Keeping a moving head trained on horses running around a ring is gonna be a challenge! especially if you are trying to coordinate other cues at the same time.

Another option may be to automate the cueing of the show, freeing you up to actually run the spot or q-spot . We make a great PC based system that can control Lights Audio and Video playback. You are only about 45 min away from us. We have a new version of software coming out soon and a BETA site program going on right now, we may be able to set you up with some software to make your life easier. let me know if you are interested (send me a Private message).

Stewart
www.StageSoft.com

We already have a program that we use for automation. It is called Venue Magic which controls everything Lights via Midi and does Video and Audio Playback, but thanks for the offer.

We currently dont have anything kind of follow spot because I can not be in two places at once nor do I get the luxury of getting myself a 'truss monkey' to stand out on the balcony and hold a spot when we need one for specific acts.

[cbrandt]

Sounds to me like enforcing rules on where people can be, and programming cues for them is your best bet for those acts that need a spot. Otherwise, the best cheapest method is to hire a spot op, which you've said isn't an option for your situation.

[Amiers]

Sounds to me like enforcing rules on where people can be, and programming cues for them is your best bet for those acts that need a spot. Otherwise, the best cheapest method is to hire a spot op, which you've said isn't an option for your situation.

The problem that we are running into is that if the horse does not make it to the mark at the right time then the light is just sitting there or they make it there early it pops on after they hit their mark it just doesn't look right.

[JSFox]

You need a contest. Audience members who want to be a part of the show enter a drawing. Winner gets to run spot. :-) You can't get a local high school or college kid or two to intern for you? Kids who like theatre, electronics, or horses should be game.

[Amiers]

You need a contest. Audience members who want to be a part of the show enter a drawing. Winner gets to run spot. :-) You can't get a local high school or college kid or two to intern for you? Kids who like theatre, electronics, or horses should be game.

that would be pretty funny but I don't think that would work either. As far as the intern thing you still have to pay them or compensate them somehow, which our staff is already filled up.

[David Ashton]

tell management to start a "friends of the theatre" group, it is difficult to think of any venue which would be more attractive to volunteers, you could add incentives like "meet the horses", complimentary tickets, etc.. A cheap technical solution you will absolutely not find.

[JChenault]

I run an Expression 3 I could use that with the XY wheels but I am trying to stray away from any kind of manual control. Now if you have some sort of software where I could implement it into our PC running the show which could send DMX out to the movers to auto track that would be great.
.

I understand your desire not to run the spot manually, but running it on a track ball, or a joystick is WAY easier than using encoder wheels. Try it, you might like it ( or at least not hate it)

The products that I have seen that try to automatically aim the fixture have been very expensive, and ( my understanding is ) they are fiddly to make work correctly. The design issue is not trying to figure out where to point the light given the location of the performer - it is understanding where the performer is in space. Dependably and reliably.

[TimMiller]

I have had a bit of luck programming a follow spot move on the console by coordinating with the actors I know horses usually have a better idea of where they need to be. Then you have to be able to rehearse the timing so that the light tracks properly without needing to pause half way down. I also tell the actors to follow and stay in their light (if your blinded the whole way down your doing it right. I program cue 1 as a light being at the top of the stage cue 2 is at the bottom if it's an angled move program in additional cues and set them to automatically follow. I set a slow timing for them to follow. Any auto tracking system is not worth the expense and hassle to setup.