Wash for African American Performance

[mbenonis]

I was just given the tech rider for a show we are having Tuesday (I should have gotten the rider a few weeks ago, but oh well), and it specifies "Clean, general, and even lighting for dark skin African American...suggested gel shades: R99 (Chocolate) and R05 (Rose Tint)." What is the best method for hanging this wash? As many of you know, I'm mainly a sound guy, and I'm certainly by no means a lighting expert. Am I expected here to do alternating gels in pairs, or?

Also, the show requires an "electrocution effect" special on a chair - how would you do this? Perhaps an overhead Source Four gelled blue? What color?

[JP12687]

well in terms of blue, i have fall in love with the new Lee 700 series...they have this one blue that is amazing

[avkid]

I would try to find a lighting bolt gobo and use bright white light to simulate electricity.

[bdesmond]

Mike-

Often you cross light with two fixtures when you have a warm and a cool color.

If you have a pipe:

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You can hang fixtures like this, one cool, one warm, lighting the area


-----/------------------------\--------

Play with the relative intensity and you can usually get a nice balanced look.

[wolf825]

Originally Posted by mbenonis

I was just given the tech rider for a show we are having Tuesday (I should have gotten the rider a few weeks ago, but oh well), and it specifies "Clean, general, and even lighting for dark skin African American...suggested gel shades: R99 (Chocolate) and R05 (Rose Tint)." What is the best method for hanging this wash? As many of you know, I'm mainly a sound guy, and I'm certainly by no means a lighting expert. Am I expected here to do alternating gels in pairs, or?

Also, the show requires an "electrocution effect" special on a chair - how would you do this? Perhaps an overhead Source Four gelled blue? What color?

Hey mbenonis.... Several ways to do a front wash..but in a nutshell the easiest way is to run your gel colors in pairs accross your stage. Depending on the instruments and the distance--4 or 5 areas accross the front with each color will work fine--so that is 4 or 5 pairs of lights. Hanging--I would make your first light Gel A, and the light next to it Gel B, and the next light Gel A and then Gel B and so on..pick your focus points direct on front and focus so both beams overlap. I tend to not like the method of hanging all one color on one side and another color on the other side and X shoot to blend..it gives to much shadow and tinting on the face and side IMO.
As for the gel--R99 chocolate is the BEST gel to use when lighting african americans or other darker skin-toned persons..and use it in contrast to a light amber/pink (the one they suggest is fine) or even no-color clear. Don't use red or blue or green (RGB) for any face/front light--it doesn't work well with most darker skin tones and the combined light of those colors will look very yellow--and it gives too much shadow on facial features.

As for the electrocution...I would do two lights--one faceing almost on top and one from top behind (or a floor light behond the chair if it won't be visable) to sillouette--and flicker them back and forth on a bump button/submaster or fast chase sequence.

thanks my input--others may have other just-as good ideas..good luck...

-w

[SuperCow]

Alternating colors makes infinately more sense, I don't personally like the other method.