Running Lights

[sejordan]

Our theatre is looking for a new system of running lights. Currently we use clip lights with either blue or red lamps or gels taped across the reflector.

Does anyone have an idea or system that requires fewer extension cords and is a little more efficient and visually appealing?

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by sejordan

Our theatre is looking for a new system of running lights. Currently we use clip lights with either blue or red lamps or gels taped across the reflector.

Does anyone have an idea or system that requires fewer extension cords and is a little more efficient and visually appealing?

We are a professional company we and we still do it that way. Sometimes we hang a couple old ERS units over the props tables and such, but that is about it. We also use rope light to light the upstage crossover and sometimes to illuminate the edge of the deck offstage.

[seanandkate]

For props tables we use Littlites. They are dimmable and come with a red lens if that's your fancy. We've also used ACLs in similar applications with good success.

[gafftaper]

I've got a few extra S4 Pars I've been using... but that's just a luxury due to inventory and locations it's just easy. I've used rope lights in the past and they are great... although that seems like bad advice with the recent fire apparently caused by them. Just about everyone I know uses clip on lights or rope lights.

A few years ago I took a bunch of clip on lights and wired them into several "christmas light strings" for use in a show. You could do something similar to cut down on the number of wires. You could also install some wire mold and outlets for your clip on lights to plug in in just the right places so you don't have extensions all over the place.

Disclaimer: If you don't 100% know how to do these things don't guess. You should consult an electrician or you might burn your theater down... and that would be bad.

[SteveB]

I'll admit right out, my system is elaborate, but saves ton's of time in not setting up and striking clip lights and assorted extension cords.

I have an overhang in the SR wing, with a suspended catwalk below, roughly 15ft. above deck. From that I mounted a DS to US set of Kindorf channel steel, to which I hung running lights in N/C and Blue. There are 5 Altman MicroEllipses @75w in N/C as well as 5 PAR38 fixtures with blue 90w floods.

For US crossover (behind our black-out drop), mounted with beam clamps from the grid, are 3 - 360Q 6x12's @575w lighting a path across the US floor as well as the US wall.

The rail lights are the original DS/US box installed with the rigging system in the 50's and consist of 16 - 34w A lamps.

All home run to a Colortran ENR 12x2.4kw dimmer pack on the SR catwalk, controlled by a Leprecon LP612 controller mounted in a box on the DSR wall. The control allows for 5 zones of clear for SR, 3 zones of blue SR, 1 for crossover and 1 for rail. All can be switched to run from a Unison LCD station at DSR as well, though we don't use Unison for running as a practice.

All equipment was surplus from assorted sources, so the only expense was running power to the ENR, cabling to fixtures, Kindorf and installation. We've had this system in place about 8 years ?, with the MicroEllipses replacing the original Colortran Mini-Ellipses.

Fancy and expensive if I had to do it with new gear, but it works very well.

Steve B.

[Sayen]

I haven't tried it yet, but I keep thinking those cheap little battery powered LED lights at Target/Home Depot that are designed for dark spaces in the home would work wonders in a theater - dim, and no power cord. I'm thinking about the ones you tap to turn on, little bubble lights. Small night lights work well too, depending on where your outlets are.

Currently I opt for the power-cables-running-everywhere method described above.

[nobl13]

We just use clip lights. What they lack in convenience in setup, they make up for in economy and versatility.

Zip cable is one of the reasons God invented gaffers tape.

[gafftaper]

The Blues System is a cool product that I saw a demo of that would be awesome for back stage... but we are talking about a full install product here. Not something you can just throw together yourself.

[Pie4Weebl]

Originally Posted by seanandkate

For props tables we use Littlites. They are dimmable and come with a red lens if that's your fancy. We've also used ACLs in similar applications with good success.

ACLs? Isn't the typical ACL lamp life something really low like 25 hours?

[waynehoskins]

In college we always used clippy-lights with blue gel or lamps dipped in blue lamp-dip.

I've seen a couple of spare stage lights (S4s, Lekos, PARs, whatever) used to light the lock rail before. Also seen those old-school striplights for that purpose too.