Showing Top&Bottom Rung on Plots

[Wolf]

Hello all,

I was wandering how you show the difference on the plot when hanging some fixtures on the bottom rung and the top rung. In general would be fine but im specifically thinking in terms of VectorWorks, im using 2011 but any recent year should be good.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[DuckJordan]

Hello all,

I was wandering how you show the difference on the plot when hanging some fixtures on the bottom rung and the top rung. In general would be fine but im specifically thinking in terms of VectorWorks, im using 2011 but any recent year should be good.

Thanks for the advice.

Usually when i'm plotting I'll do a section view so i can show which fixtures are where. Another way is to denote on your fixture unit # of A or B, A being top, B being the bottom.

I don't think it really matters as long as you note it down in your notes section or your legend.

 

[rochem]

Bottom and top rung of what? For ladders and such, where I might have multiple rungs, I'll usually expand it out to the offstage side and show each rung from a side view. If I have more than a few ladders/booms, or if I'm crammed for space on my plate, I'll put all my vertical positions on a separate plate. Same method for box booms, regular booms, and other vertical positions. If you're talking about just two rungs, like two rails of a catwalk, I've often seen it with the top rail drawn in position, then the bottom rail drawn just far enough US of the real position to be separated, labeled "2Cat - TOP" and 2Cat - BOTTOM" respectively. Just make sure you show it very clearly on your section and this should be fine.

In regards to doing it specifically with Vectorworks, are you trying to use 3D visualization? There is a Vertical Positions tool in the newest version of VW, but in all honesty, I've never really liked it or needed to use it. I don't draft my light plots in 3D at all, I just draw the plot like I want it to look, so if you're trying to make it work with Renderworks, you'll probably want to learn how to use that tool. But other than that, just draw it in a way that looks clear and you should be fine.

 

[derekleffew]

...If you're talking about just two rungs, like two rails of a catwalk, I've often seen it with the top rail drawn in position, then the bottom rail drawn just far enough US of the real position to be separated, labeled "2Cat - TOP" and 2Cat - BOTTOM" respectively. Just make sure you show it very clearly on your section and this should be fine. ...

This. Except, whichever has more fixtures is drawn in the actual location. If the top rail is drawn in actual position, the bottom rail is drawn a couple of feet DS. If the bottom rail is drawn in actual position, the top rail is drawn a couple of feet US. Either way, if it's a front catwalk, the rail shown toward the center of the drawing is the upper one. Reverse for backlight catwalks. Same principle for sidelight catwalks. Label CLEARLY both ends of every rail. Note than many/most times, the FOH postions will not be drawn in actual location, as this would lead to an overly large sheet with a lot of empty, blank space over what would be the orchestra seating section. If you truncate the distance by moving them upstage, add a note stating this: "FOH positions NOT drawn in actual location."

It really gets complicated when drawing lights on 20.5" truss, which has four rails:
Units underhung on the bottom cords are hung in actual position (or as close to it as practical while still allowing for labeling conventions (channel, dimmer, circuit, focus, color, acc., etc.)
If a frontlight truss, units overhanging on top, US chord are drawn upstage of the truss; units overhanging on top, DS chord are drawn downstage of the truss. Reverse for trusses upstage of plaster line. If no plaster line such as in a ballroom or arena, use the DS edge of the stage as the Left-Right reference line.

Same idea for booms, which can be drawn:
a) parallel with the electrics, with the bottom unit the most onstage, top the most offstage.
b) perpendicular to the electrics, with the bottom unit the most onstage, FOH booms: top unit DS; backstage booms: top unit US.
c) 30, 45, or 60° from the position, with the bottom unit the most onstage, FOH booms: top unit DS; backstage booms: top unit US.

I hope all of this is clear. It's based on Warfel's Handbook of Stage Lighting Graphics and Shelley's A Practical Guide to Lighting the Stage. I don't have time right now to fire up Vectorworks to illustrate.