Gobo, how to use?

[LightingManEvan]

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Hopefully the theater, though small, will have a gobo I can use for this. Although, I have no idea on how to use the gobo, it would just be run on the board as a regular light but with the gobo in the fixture itself? Sorrry, I dont know this as I am in high school and only have worked with a 2-scene manual board.

And if they have a gobo and I can figure out how to use it, then we can play around as to where it will show on the stage or something.

When people here mentioned a blue or brown-out that just means going down to those colored lights, so the stage is dim but still lit with either the blue or brown right?

And one more question, sorry, but what is a cyc, I dont know what that is or if I do I may just be calling it something different?

Thanks for all the help.

[Edit: This and the following twenty or so posts have been moved here from http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/14898-need-help-scene-changes.html#post143270..]

[JackMVHS]

Originally Posted by LightingManEvan

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Hopefully the theater, though small, will have a gobo I can use for this. Although, I have no idea on how to use the gobo, it would just be run on the board as a regular light but with the gobo in the fixture itself? Sorrry, I dont know this as I am in high school and only have worked with a 2-scene manual board.

And if they have a gobo and I can figure out how to use it, then we can play around as to where it will show on the stage or something.

When people here mentioned a blue or brown-out that just means going down to those colored lights, so the stage is dim but still lit with either the blue or brown right?

And one more question, sorry, but what is a cyc, I dont know what that is or if I do I may just be calling it something different?

Thanks for all the help.

A gobo is a pattern cut into a piece of metal that is inserted into an ellipsoidal. When that light is turned on, there will be a pattern projected onto whatever surface the light is pointed at. I would recommend using several gobos if possible.

Yes, a blue-out is turning off all the lights except for the blue gelled ones. Then putting the blue lights at a level with enough light to see, but not bright. Same with brown.

A cyc is a large, usually white, piece of fabric hung at the back of the stage and is used with cyc lights with gels to change the color of it. The cyc is as tall as the stage and as wide as the stage. Gobos can also be pointed at the cyc for an interesting pattern or look.

Hope that helps!

~Jack
Mounds View High School, MN

[LightingManEvan]

Jack, that helps so much!!

I am still unsure if this small theatre will have gobos or even the right lights to use gobos with so I will see. If they have the right lights, we may order a cheap gobo online to use for just this play.

I am unsure about using the cyc for this but its a good idea, I have never used one before. I dont know what lights this theater has so once I found out hopefully things will get bit easier.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by JackMVHS

A gobo is a pattern cut into a piece of metal that is inserted into an ellipsoidal. When that light is turned on, there will be a pattern projected onto whatever surface the light is pointed at. I would recommend using several gobos if possible.

Yes, a blue-out is turning off all the lights except for the blue gelled ones. Then putting the blue lights at a level with enough light to see, but not bright. Same with brown.

A cyc is a large, usually white, piece of fabric hung at the back of the stage and is used with cyc lights with gels to change the color of it. The cyc is as tall as the stage and as wide as the stage. Gobos can also be pointed at the cyc for an interesting pattern or look.

Hope that helps!

~Jack
Mounds View High School, MN

Cyc is short for cyclorama (a standard short form).
Gobos are inserted into the light itself to create the pattern desired....



This is an example of an ERS (aka Ellipsoidal, or Leko). The gobo goes in near the shutters, (the things sticking out the sides in the middle).



A couple examples of gobo holders.
The gobo goes into this, and in turn into the lighting fixture.



A few gobos, with a different type of gobo holder

[JackMVHS]

For more detailed information about gobos or cyclorama's search the ControlBooth.com glossary.

I am not sure how familiar you are with standard lighting equipment, so you may want to learn a little more about lighting instruments. Here are a few standard lights:

Ellipsoidal (also known as lekos or source fours): Instrument that allows you to "shutter" off light, project gobos, and are used as special's or washes.

Fresnel's and Scoop's are used for general stage washes.

Cyc lights or striplights are often used to light the cyclorama and come in 3 or 4 circuit versions. So the cyc light will usually have 3 or 4 lights in it, in which you can put a different color gel in each and then mix them to produce different color backgrounds.

Just a little info, if you need more details, ask or gooogle it!

[LightingManEvan]

Thanks for all the help guys, sorry I dont know much of the terms with the equipment as no one has ever really taught me the terms of equipment at my school, unfortunately.

I will check all the links provided and I hope the theater has at least a light that can have a gobo. So then, I can buy a cheap gobo (I looked at GoboMan and some other places) and use it for the show with the exisiting fixture.

I am not sure where we would show the gobo projection but I will figure this out once I visit the theater this week.

Thanks for all the help so far, if you have more help please share!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it.

[JackMVHS]

Originally Posted by LightingManEvan

Thanks for all the help guys, sorry I dont know much of the terms with the equipment as no one has ever really taught me the terms of equipment at my school, unfortunately.

I will check all the links provided and I hope the theater has at least a light that can have a gobo. So then, I can buy a cheap gobo (I looked at GoboMan and some other places) and use it for the show with the exisiting fixture.

I am not sure where we would show the gobo projection but I will figure this out once I visit the theater this week.

Thanks for all the help so far, if you have more help please share!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it.

Since you haven't had the chance to learn much about theater equipment and techniques I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of "Technical Theater for Nontechnical People" by Drew Campbell at your local library, bookstore or Amazon.com. It's a great book that does a fantastic job of introducing the basics and more.

If you tell us where you are located someone might be able to give you the name of a local theatrical supplier where you could easily and quickly pick up some gobos and get advice.

[LightingManEvan]

I am located in New Jersey, Jack.

And I will look into that book. Like I said, I know some terms but the cyc and the gobos stuff is new to me, but probably because we dont have those so I never got to really hear/learn about them.

Thanks for the help again.

[JackMVHS]

That makes sense about the terms. When I started high school I had never heard ANY of these terms before. I learned a couple terms from older students, and a bunch from a technical advisor we had helping us for one play. But a lot of what I have learned has come from this website, other websites, and book's like the one I recommended.

I live in near the Twin Cities in Minnesota and I purchase a lot of my stuff from Norcostco. They are based out of Minnesota, but looking at their website (Norcostco - Contact Us) they have a location in New Jersey as well. The NJ location might be costumes only though, I would give them a call though, they have pretty good prices. They have more products than shown on their site, and usually sell for less than the listed price if you email them. Someone on CB from NJ might be able to help you more in finding a supplier.

[Soxred93]

Originally Posted by LightingManEvan

I will check all the links provided and I hope the theater has at least a light that can have a gobo.

Most ellipsoidals can fit gobos. Have you been taught any theater terms? Maybe you've learned it as leko, spotlight, source four. This si what they look like:



Hope this helps!