Having a
cyc in a black box can be lit as several have already discussed. What hasn’t been discussed is how to handle, treat, and store said
cyc. During the last 60 years I have seen some great solutions and some epic fails. Because one of the primary bonus points to a black box is the versatility, one doesn’t want to lock on to a hang and light solution that limits you to a single configuration.
For the rigging, I have seen
roll drop solutions, travelers, temporary rigging with blocks mounted above a tension
grid or
pipe grid, so that the
trim height is as absolutely high as possible.
Roll drop and temp rigging provide a ridgid surface, both horizontally and vertically, with the least amount of work. A one-way
traveler provides the potential for the widest, continuous surface, but presents more work to achieve a taut surface both horizontally and vertically. The
traveler and
roll drop allow for relatively rapid
strike and reset with the
roll drop being the fastest due to the time and effort needed to insert and assemble the bottom
stiffener in a
traveler, wheather internal or external. The
traveler is usually the less costly of those two. However, to work properly, the
track must be at least medium duty, HD is better, due to the stiffness inherent in the heavier
track. If the
traveler has 1/4” rope, you will have great difficulty pulling it taut enough to achieve a good,
flat surface.
One of the biggest issues with a
cyc in a black box, is keeping it clean. Especially if the space is used as a classroom, dance or other rehearsal space while the
cyc is in place. Or if the
cyc needs to be shifted to allow
stage access to or from a scene shop or other storage area. The
roll drop has the advantage of being self storing. A one-way
traveler must have a dust bag or full height wrap-around
cover to have any hope of staying clean. The best solution is to gently fold and store in a hamper with a lid.., but that requires the most hanging time to take out the fold lines and wrinkles when next used.
So, bottom
line, no solution is perfect. You just have to weigh the cost, labor time and
ease of use, and pick the least problematic for your organization.