Lights Going On in Sequence

[Edrick]

Alright so I have a general question not so much related to theater but who knows it may be useful for other people.

Well here it goes, so in movies we've all seen where the lights go on in a sequence instead of all on at once. They have that "click" "click" "click" "click" noise as they come on. Any who do any of you electricians know how they go about doing this? I suppose you could have each individual light on it's own switch or dimmer / what have you. However that seems like quite a lot of work. Someone had mentioned that depending on how you wire it would create this effect.

So I guess if it was wired in series so the power has to go through each bulb before it gets to the next it would create that effect. But that seems like it would happen pretty fast and also would cause the bulbs to be dim?

Any who any ideas on how to create this effect?

[Footer]

If they are wired in series, they will all come on together after the circuit in completed.

It would be easy to pull off with a few relays and a 0-10v converter, if you don't have the dimmers around.

[mc2880]

Short answer;
Movies Aren't real.

Long Answer;

You'd need some controller to sequence the lights. A dimmer would work, a relay pack for other loads. Or even a DMX - Analogue converter running contractors. The advantage with contractors would be you would get a click with each channel. The only way to get the loud mechanical noise however would be to have it a recording played back in sync with the lights.

The sound I assume you are referring to sounds like a disconnect switch being engaged?

[Footer]

I assume we are talking about the Shawshank Redemption type lights out affect?

[soundman]

Remember in movies after all the research they still might show what people think something should look like not what it is actually like. This might be modeled after lights being turned on by circuit breakers or by contactors. If I were going to try and recreate the effect I would put each light on its own dimmer or depending on how many lights I needed to control use relays.

[Edrick]

Originally Posted by mc2880

Short answer;
Movies Aren't real.

Long Answer;

You'd need some controller to sequence the lights. A dimmer would work, a relay pack for other loads. Or even a DMX - Analogue converter running contractors. The advantage with contractors would be you would get a click with each channel. The only way to get the loud mechanical noise however would be to have it a recording played back in sync with the lights.

The sound I assume you are referring to sounds like a disconnect switch being engaged?

Well I know movies aren't real I go to school for Film Production . As far as the sound effect goes it wasn't so much as I was wondering how to get that effect to go with it I know it's added in during post. The question I have more so is how I could go about doing this my self wether it was for a film production or if someone wanted to do it in a theater. We're talking regular lights not like Source Fours or anything but regular incandescent lights.

[mc2880]

Are you looking for it to sound something like this?

freesound :: view sample :: clunk.flac

[Edrick]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

I assume we are talking about the Shawshank Redemption type lights out affect?

I haven't seen the movie in a while but I believe that would be the same thing. Where a bank of lights or a single light will turn on or off one at a time. An example I can think of would in Die Hard I forget which one but when the Air Port runway lights light up one row at a time.

[mc2880]

Originally Posted by Ricky Smith

Well I know movies aren't real I go to school for Film Production . As far as the sound effect goes it wasn't so much as I was wondering how to get that effect to go with it I know it's added in during post. The question I have more so is how I could go about doing this my self wether it was for a film production or if someone wanted to do it in a theater. We're talking regular lights not like Source Fours or anything but regular incandescent lights.

A Dimmer (or Some sort of analogue control + Relays or Contactors)

You can put pretty much any incandescent on a dimmer and it'll function as long as it's under the maximum load and above the minimum. If you were doing fluorescents you'd have to use a relay pack or special ballasts and dimming modules.

[derekleffew]

Although not intended specifically for your purpose, the Atlas/Soundolier SACR-191 will sequentially turn ON/off six circuits, with a delay time from one to ten seconds. Similar devices are available from other manufacturers, including Middle-Atlantic and Furman.