Tips For Using a Spotlight

[PhantomBialystock]

Tips For Using a Follow Spot

I'm doing spotlight for a show, and while I'm pretty good with a lot of the concepts, I'm still shaky on getting the spotlight to go to the right place when I pull back the shutters. A lot of times I get close, but I miss by an inch or two, and it has become quite frustrating. I want to get it perfect for the performance which is in a few days and not make my inexperience with this obvious.

Any tips on how to tell if the light will be in the right place would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MarshallPope]

Do you have a window in front of the spot? If so, it can help to draw a few dots in critical locations on the window, and tape a pencil or something to the end of the light to use as a pointer to line up with the dots so that, for example, if you needed to bring the light up on someone downstage right, you could have a dot on the window labeled DSR and then you would be able to line up the pencil before opening the shutters.

 

[PhantomBialystock]

There's no window. . ..

 

[kicknargel]

Build yourself a quick sight. Get some wire or a coat hanger. Attach one piece that sticks out from the side of the fixture near the front, and another near the back. Find places to attach them that don't get too hot, or use blacktack or some kind of tape that can take the heat. Turn on the spot and point it at something, then bend/position the two wires so that when you line the tips of the two wires in your eye, they point at the center of your light beam.

 

[derekleffew]

Type followspot sight and/or followspot tips into the search box.

 

[shiben]

Build yourself a quick sight. Get some wire or a coat hanger. Attach one piece that sticks out from the side of the fixture near the front, and another near the back. Find places to attach them that don't get too hot, or use blacktack or some kind of tape that can take the heat. Turn on the spot and point it at something, then bend/position the two wires so that when you line the tips of the two wires in your eye, they point at the center of your light beam.

I have found that it helps to make the rear wire have a small loop at the top, rather like a rifle sight, that way it is a bit easier to aim. Also, place dots of glo-paint at the tip of the front, and maybe 4 dots on the circle in back, that way it glows and you can see it in the dark. This is very similar to a lot of iron sights on military-spec handguns, and i have found it works well for spotlights too.

 

[PeteEngel]

There are a large number of options for sighting out there, i always used the drink stick when i needed one. all of the options are subject to some form of failure. battery died, someone knocked your sight, etc. whatever choice to go with, always remember that if your shot is off, don't quickly over correct. mae everything smooth. if the audience doesn't know anything is wrong, then the cue is saved, even if you know it was scewed up.

 

[Bobby]

if the audience doesn't know anything is wrong, then the cue is saved, even if you know it was scewed up.

well said Pete

 

[eternalfire1244]

last time I had to do follow spot I made a bracket (similar to commercially available ones I have seen since) to hold a red dot rifle sight I had laying around. Worked well and was dead easy to aim.

 

[Les]

Bright end towards the stage always works for me!

Beyond that, practice makes perfect.

 

[PhantomBialystock]

Thanks everyone! I actually found a piece of tape that was a good indicator, and I'm doing much better. Not perfect, but certainly a lot better.

 

[mstaylor]

If you are blind aiming then always leave the spot wherever you blacked out so you have a frame of reference when you are to come back up. When you are given the go then quickly swing to the new location and run your cue.

 

[Wolf]

Also for blind pick ups an old trick is to use a pencil or tape to mark the wall or floor behind you for where the light spills out. Just line up the spot of light and long as you got your right iris size you're all set to go.

 

[zuixro]

Also for blind pick ups an old trick is to use a pencil or tape to mark the wall or floor behind you for where the light spills out. Just line up the spot of light and long as you got your right iris size you're all set to go.

Or the same thing, but with a laser pointer firmly attached to the back (or the front if there's a half wall in front of you)

 

[shiben]

Also for blind pick ups an old trick is to use a pencil or tape to mark the wall or floor behind you for where the light spills out. Just line up the spot of light and long as you got your right iris size you're all set to go.

Never heard that, but that seems to be a pretty darn good idea.

 

[Esoteric]

Or the same thing, but with a laser pointer firmly attached to the back (or the front if there's a half wall in front of you)

That is what we did at Bass Concert Hall.

Also, like anything, practice, practice, practice.

If you want an interesting experience, man a truss spot for a 6 month tour.

Mike

 

[mstaylor]

We used to use the light leak method on the old carbon supers. I have never used it on anything newer.