Design Beam Visibility

[epicket1]

Hello
How could I get light beams visible? I am starting to get some corporate gigs, and smoke is out of the question because they are usually at hotels, and it is irritating to some people.

 

[techieman33]

Your going to have to have some sort of hazer or other smoke effect to see the beams. I don't know that I've ever heard of anyone have health problems from a hazer though. Fire alarms will probably be the big problem.

 

[DuckJordan]

to make any light beam visible you need particulate in the air. We use a hazer (not a fogger) to do this because its light enough to stay in the air long enough and its generally very fine particles so without the light you don't really see it. If its in hotels you will need to get permission from the hotel and find out if they have beam detectors (the haze will set them off) or some other form of visual detection for the fire system. I only know of the beam detectors having issues with smoke or haze. The irritation is in peoples heads unless they are sitting in front of the nozzle of the hazer. While it still "irritates" them its not really harmful.

 

[Lotos]

to make any light beam visible you need particulate in the air. We use a hazer (not a fogger) to do this because its light enough to stay in the air long enough and its generally very fine particles so without the light you don't really see it. If its in hotels you will need to get permission from the hotel and find out if they have beam detectors (the haze will set them off) or some other form of visual detection for the fire system. I only know of the beam detectors having issues with smoke or haze. The irritation is in peoples heads unless they are sitting in front of the nozzle of the hazer. While it still "irritates" them its not really harmful.

The only real way to know for sure, and the only way I will ever check in the future... Is to have someone from the AHJ at the control panel with the system in Test mode, and run the hazer to find out... We've had our MDG hazer in the building for years, and it doesn't cause trouble with any of the heat or smoke sensors... Anymore.
When it was first purchased, it was used (not on purpose, naturally) to discover an old/hyper sensitive/faulty sensor in the ceiling in the hallway behind the theatre.
A lovely discovery in the middle of a show.

We too, had assumed (and been told) that since the detectors were for heat and smoke, we would have no issues... And in theory we shouldn't have.

 

[bishopthomas]

This is a huge battle for me in my world. I would say about 80% of my gigs there is some idiot there to nix the haze. Typically it's an uneducated fire marshall, but there's a band I work with that just does not like it. No matter how I explain it to them they think that it affects their singing/playing. This band just offered me a spot on tour. But I'm really debating it because how am I supposed to make a decent light show with some not so great house rigs and no haze? (There are other reasons why I'm on the fence too.)

But in being challenged with this huge visual handicap I have learned a lot about how to overcome it. First of all, moving lights (spots) lose about 75% of their purpose. I'll still use gobos for projection, but without seeing the beam a narrow spot becomes almost useless for eye candy. This is where things like LED strips and wash units come in very handy. If you can't see the beam of light what's left? Well, there's the face of the light itself. You can create some cool designs with placement and chases of LED strips. I've done some stuff where it looks like red rain falling (or make it green and you have a Matrix-like effect). Then there's the object that the light is illuminating. You can layer gobos on top of a color wash, even slow scrolling gobos can add some energy to a song.

Then, of course, there are strobes. If I do this tour (it's punk/ska) and bring any gear I will probably base it around strobes and blinders. I'll do various moles, 4 light, 6 light, and 8, and create chases and general backlighting.

Whatever you do, DO NOT get into an argument with a fire marshall. They have the final say and the power to shut the entire event down. Calmly and professionally explain to him how a hazer works, that it is not smoke and there's no fire or anything else harmful to people or the environment. The same goes for hotel managers. Remember, you're in their house, their rules. Good luck and have fun!

 

[JD]

Even a high power laser will not give you a visible beam if the air is clean enough. In most cases, there is something there so beam intensity is your friend. Still, this is why a lot of outdoor laser shows are tied in with a fireworks display. Once a few go off, the beaming is very visible.