halloween projection

[ship]

So one of my assistants is looking to project a pattern on his house this year and for other seasons a pattern.

He contacted work and got a hopefully but overpriced price for a S-4 fixture to do a gobo with - assuming he built some sort of dog house about the fixture to protect it. I recommended a 360Q or other fixture if not just shopping at the local Menards or Spencer's type store that sells cheap projectors. This dependant on beam spread and intensity after that. Also assuming the fixture is out of the weather he assures me it would be. I assume that saving like $100.00 on a second generation Leko say on-line for it would be more economic if bench focused properly over that of a S-4.

There is a Rosco product that does projections without paying for a dichroic or gobo which is an add on for him also in consideration.

Still though, what to do for him. Does he need a S-4 to project or will for a house a second generation fixture be fine. Assuming a normal store bought fixture is too small in beam spread, what's his options? This all assuming I or work doesn't loan him anything.

 

[mbandgeek]

personally i would go with a 360q. Lamped right they have just as much punch as that of a S4. The color temp may not be the best, but no one that would be walking by his house would know any differnt(unless they themselves were a lighting designer or a photographer).

The major factor is price, and obviously 360q is cheaper.

Durability would also be a concern if i were to do this. Since it is semi-exposed to the elements, unless you built a water-proof doghouse with clear plexi (which may cause a overheating problem in the summer months) like you said, and other elements like flooding. In this regard i don't know which fixture would hold up better, my guess would be the source4. They seem to be more bulletproof and made of better materials then the 360q.

Thats just my 2 cents.

As an afterthought, could he use one of those really cheap ebay ellipsoids that we had a thread about a little while ago?

 

[ruinexplorer]

Are you looking for something like this? They even have the custom housing. Looks better than this one.

A little bit better quality could get you this by Martin. I used to use one of these for advertising on the outside of my theater (not the one I linked but I think the 300w variety). Definitely more pricey, but you get what you pay for.

 

[TimMiller]

some of the little gobo projectors are not half bad, especially when projecting a gobo on a house. you dont need tons of punch because its not light you are cutting though a bunch of ambient light. Yet I am using two studio spot 575's in eco domes to safely project gobos onto my house, following the metality of use what you own..........

 

[Kelite]

I think it stands to reason that just about any fixture that can be had (the cheaper, the better) for a week or so at Halloween would get the job done. IF, of course, the previously mentioned dog house kept the rain and snow (it IS Chicago, right?!) off the light. Ambient light may not be too much to wrestle with, and neighbor kids will only touch it once....

*OUCH!

There are quite a few spooky Apollo stock patterns to be had these days, and they should last every Halloween from now 'til you're too feable to plug the thing in!

 

[Grog12]

So one of my assistants is looking to project a pattern on his house this year and for other seasons a pattern.

He contacted work and got a hopefully but overpriced price for a S-4 fixture to do a gobo with - assuming he built some sort of dog house about the fixture to protect it. I recommended a 360Q or other fixture if not just shopping at the local Menards or Spencer's type store that sells cheap projectors. This dependant on beam spread and intensity after that. Also assuming the fixture is out of the weather he assures me it would be. I assume that saving like $100.00 on a second generation Leko say on-line for it would be more economic if bench focused properly over that of a S-4.

There is a Rosco product that does projections without paying for a dichroic or gobo which is an add on for him also in consideration.

Still though, what to do for him. Does he need a S-4 to project or will for a house a second generation fixture be fine. Assuming a normal store bought fixture is too small in beam spread, what's his options? This all assuming I or work doesn't loan him anything.

IMHO 360Q's no matter how well they are bench focused, still aren't as crisp and clear as a properly benched S4. Also getting a glass gobo/rosco projector thingie (can't remember the name) into a 360Q is....troublesome.

The Rosco product....isn't really all that cost effective, especially if you aren't printing out your own slides to go in it. I've used it and am not a huge fan of it.

After rereading your post...and realizing he may just want texture on the walls.....I still stand by my statement. Sure for Halloween 360q's and a spooky pattern are great but for the other seasons its still just not as crisp.

 

[ship]

thanks for all. I'll especially send the link and Apollo stuff to my assistant. On the need for crisp S-4 verses it's a house fighting ambient light and a 360Q would be fine debate... I'm no doubt for economy but that is a good debate. Is the better punch / accuracy assuming a dog house for the fixture and no kids or floods about, and it would be I assume used for more than one holiday be worth say the extra $100.00 in investment?

I primarially was thinking more a low voltage mini-Leko type fixture - especially a low voltage one be it architectural or industrial. Say a nice 12v with transformer removed / remote and mounted in a tree. But for economy and in a dog house, a 360Q would be worth it by my thoughts; but see the concept also of that 360Q rusting solid within a week or two verses the S-4 not presay rusting solid but still rusting - even if both or either in that dog house.

All of us no doubt will be in this situation or choice at some point, what's the solution we would use?

Not forgetting the moving light / moving mirror but that's getting a bit advanced.