RGB color mixing

[rapscaLLion]

Alright, for our end of the year show we're gonna need lots of dynamics in the lighting. I've been getting lots of people saying just use all the strip lights (three channels on each), put a red, green and blue gel in the channels and I'll be able to mix any color I want. I know how all this works in computers and such, but I was wondering how well it would work in a theatre. I assume it would work somewhat, but I also assume it would take some work finding the right color gels for good mixing. Any suggestions?

[ship]

Yes, to some degree you can mix, but it's going to be a wash of light and very dependant upon the location of the fixtures as to what it's going to look like or what's covered. That will get you lots of colors in a very broad wash, but little control over them. Also since the filaments are large, changing between them will not be that quick as per a flicker between colors. Add to this that in mixing you will have to account for amber shift - the light when dimmed to get colorations will get an amber color to it in both washing out the punch of pure colors and make it difficult to mix. Primary colors would be the key and hot color temperature on the lamps, perhaps even with some color correcting gel might have a good effect. Should you have budget for re-lamping, matching the wattage to the intensity would be the best plan. Primary color red would have a much lower light transmission than blue or green thus you might need a higher wattage lamp on the red cyc than the other ones also to get the same output.

Can be done, and it can look really good but if it's more of an effect you are looking for, and a quick change between colors in localized areas I don't know if strips would be as useful. Lots of time to tinker is the best plan. More an overall coloration for a few colors at preset levels especially on a cyc or overhead wash of the stage, if not foot lights. If they are not RSC/double ended types you can stand them up as side lights also, but double ended ones are not usable at more than a 15 degree angle.

[rapscaLLion]

No, quick changes are not necessary.
We don't need true color mixing really, just something close to it that will give a good variaty of good locking colours. We have enough strips to covor the whole stage. The rest in between will just be a few fresnels.

[cqlights08]

what we usually use in our high school is 4 sets of 3 scoops from the top of the cyc, one each of red, green, and blue, and then 5 sets of striplights each having 3 each of red, green, blue, and white and we just use rosco's cyc silks for the colors. it looks really cool when you get just the right mixture going on.

[bdesmond]

Laso keep in mind that if cost is an issue, you can plan on using one to two sheets of gel/strip depending on the size of them, and, if you've got the things cookin the whole show, you're probably going to burn up the low transparency gels every run (dark reds, blues, and greens). $5/sheet or thereabouts can add up when you're on a tight budget.

[Les]

Too bad roundels are so expensive.

[Inaki2]

Uhh well RGB mixing in live is tricky business. For starters, as you'll have different centers you'll get oddly coloured shadows. Best way to solve this is to create a very diffuse lighting source, ie: reflect the lighting from a white vinyl etc. In that way you'll blend the lighting centers. Needless to say, you'll lose most control over it too!!!!

[digitaltec]

Martin MAC 600's should do the job fine.

[Inaki2]

True, there are several fixtures, MAC600, MAC200, Studio Color, ColorCommand and ColorMerge that would ease up and make things tidyer and more effective.

[rapscaLLion]

Heheh, intelligent lights are out of our reach, but we may have access to some really cool LED fixtures. Otherwise I don't think it's worth trying.

Thanks guys