Boomerang - Past optics?

[Charc]

I'm wondering where the boomerang is in most follow-spots. Between the optics, or in front of them, or what? Let me try and clarify the use quickly. I've started preliminary research for the show. I'm considering using followspots on Amadeus to pull him out of the scene when he narrates/address the audience. Now I have yet to finish the script (Hey, I did say preliminary, right?), but I feel like these followspots should be gelled with an unrealistic, or almost dreamlike color, as he is reminiscing. To enhance this concept, I wanted to soften the focus, and add some sort of gobo to breakup the edge of the light. It would be, in essence, a circle, with a jagged edge. Now maybe this is really unconventional or just plain bad, but that was my first thought reading this script. Now, I was wondering, is there anyone to safely put a gobo in a followspot? Is this even possible? I'm also worried about beam diameter with this gobo. I assume it'd have to be a shop-built piece. And where is the boomerang in relation to the optics, I mean, otherwise it wouldn't be a gobo, right? Any thoughts are welcomed.

[Logos]

Being Australian I naturally looked immediately at a post bearing the word Boomerang.
I have certainly used follow spots with gobo slots and I have used follow spots without gobo slots. I'm a bit out of date on the newer gear and I'm on a different continent so the lanterns would be different but the idea certaily works. I used a CCT 2K followspot with a heart gobo once for the finale of "The Boyfriend".
AS far as whether the idea is a good one or not. You are the designer. If the image fits with your design and you still feel strongly about that when you have got further then it's a good idea. I don't believe there are bad ideas as such. There are concepts that don't work but that means that when you get into the theatre and start the tech's if it doesn't work the way you envisaged it you may need to modify it or drop it. That doesn't mean it was wrong or bad as an idea it simply means it didn't work this time.

[Radman]

Whether or not a gobo is possible depends on the make and model of the followspot.

Boomerangs are after all but I think one of the lenses. Again this may vary.

Gobo in the boomerang? No. If you can use a gobo chances are it will be in a gobo holder and the unit has a gobo slot.

Midget 2k's have a gobo slot.

[icewolf08]

Color boomerang is usually the last thing in the light path in most follow spots. The interior temperatures in most spots get high enough to melt gel even without light passing through it, so putting the color as far away from the light source is most practical.

As for templates, some follow spots are designed to accept them and some are not. The Robert Juliats that I own accept an A size template (using an RJ template holder). In theory you could put a template in any follow spot if you mount it at the gate (or where the gate would be). There is nothing unconventional or bad about using templates in follow spots.

[gafftaper]

Wow 3 replies in 10 minutes and it's the middle of the night... well not for Logos... great idea Charc, you just need the right follow spot to do it.

[Charc]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

Wow 3 replies in 10 minutes and it's the middle of the night... well not for Logos... great idea Charc, you just need the right follow spot to do it.

Hmm. I don't think our followspots (Lycian Midget 1209) have those gates. Shoot.

Well I guess I'll just play with color for the effect, or perhaps consider a narration spot, but I don't think our actors can hit the same spot consistently.

[jonhirsh]

To fuzz out the edge of the beam just add some L119 to the boomerang. So when you need the spot they throw in the L119 and what ever your other Colour is.

JH

[drawstuf99]

Depending on this placement and how active the person is onstage (moving, that is) you may be able to off-set some of the sharp followspot light with a gobo or two placed somwhere in a conventional. I'm not sure, though...it depends on placement...however, if this was the case I would just use a conventional and no followspot if he wasn't moving.

[Charc]

Originally Posted by jonhirsh

To fuzz out the edge of the beam just add some L119 to the boomerang. So when you need the spot they throw in the L119 and what ever your other Colour is.
JH

Can I put two gels in the same boomerang flag? (dunno what to call it?)

I'll assume that L119 is some type of diffuser, will that work with a gel?

The reason I ask is that our boomerang only allows one color up at a time, besides the douser and the prism, I guess it's a prism, it's really weird. What is that for?

[DarSax]

A diffuser would certainly work with a gel; it'll reduce your focus and light output combined with the gel, but it'd work in the same boomerang slot as your gel.

Worst case, if you can figure out a way to do it, I think you could just hold up/blacktak some of it on the front of your followspot, if you don't want to screw with your boomerang.