Cyc Light Gel

[ajblanck]

Hello All,

My high school has an array of three cell (is that what you call them?) cyc lights that are hung on our fourth electric. We use them to light our cyc and any backdrops that someone has the foresight to place on a pipe BEHIND the electric.

My question is about the gels that are installed on these fixtures. We currently have red, blue, and amber gels installed. I don't know the exact gel numbers. The amber really gets used very little. It seems too white, and because of our reflective stage (ugh) we don't really need any more white light. It would be nice to be able to get more than pink, purple, red, and blue on the cyc. What would be a good replacement for the amber gels? Does anyone use RGB mixing on cyc lights?

Thanks

 

[Les]

Actually, pretty much everyone uses RGB in cyc lights. I've used amber in Cyc lights before but you really pay the price for that ultra deep amber. Using green instead gives you many more options. You can also mix red and green for an acceptable amber (if you're lucky and it happens to be a full moon outside). Be sure to use Cyc Silk. And yep, they're called 3-cell if you have 3 compartments.

 

[ajblanck]

Actually, pretty much everyone uses RGB in cyc lights. I've used amber in Cyc lights before but you really pay the price for that ultra deep amber. Using green instead gives you many more options. You can also mix red and green for an acceptable amber (if you're lucky and it's happens to be a full moon). Be sure to use Cyc Silk. And yep, they're called 3-cell if you have 3 compartments.

Well that makes sense. More options is really what we want. Now another question: What does cyc silk do, and what would be an example of cyc silk?

 

[Les]

Cyc silk is similar to standard gel, but is used in cyc lights to refract the beam for a wider spill onto the cyc and to prevent scalloping. You will see that unlike regular gel, which is smooth on both sides, cyc silk is rough on side (with small lines running down it). You want to place these lines in your gel frame vertically so the light will be spread evenly to the bottom of the cyc. I suppose if you have a low trim height and you have problems with horizontal illumination you could rotate the gel for a similar effect.

If you have ever seen diffusion (rough) gel, cyc silk is very similar. You can also order it from the same people you order your regular gels from and it should be about the same price.

 

[ajblanck]

Ok, I've almost got it. One more question: is the cyc silk an extra gel that is added in addition to the other gells, or does the cyc silk come embedded in the other gels?

 

[Les]

The cyc silk is the color, or is 'embedded' as you say. They make cyc silk in Red, Blue, Green and Amber (maybe more?) and you won't need to buy anything extra. Drop in the silk and you're ready to go!

 

[shiben]

Cyc silk is a gel-type product. It is colored, and the silk bit of it is simply saying that is colored gel with a type of diffusion in it. You buy it in sheets of a specific color. From the Rosco inventory, you would be looking at R124, R125, and R126 for an RGB cyc.

 

[marcusianl]

I don't know if this is standard or not but the gel frames for my school's cyc lights have a mesh on one side of them. Is that to achieve a similar diffusion effect or is that just how the frames come?

-Marcus

 

[ajblanck]

I don't know if this is standard or not but the gel frames for my school's cyc lights have a mesh on one side of them. Is that to achieve a similar diffusion effect or is that just how the frames come?

-Marcus

Our fixtures have that. I believe that it is just to hold the gel and shape it so that it curves around the exterior of the cyc light. I'm sure that somebody else can tell for sure if that is what the mesh is for.

 

[marcusianl]

I think I agree with you aj, the mesh is far too sparse to actually have any diffusing ability.

 

[derekleffew]

The mesh safety screen is to prevent shards of molten hot glass from raining down upon the "talent" should a lamp explode.

 

[marcusianl]

The mesh safety screen is to prevent shards of molten hot glass from raining down upon the "talent" should a lamp explode.

Ah. 'Tis a shame that's standard then

 

[ErickAlexJames]

Ah. 'Tis a shame that's standard then

The screen is also used to hold gel form if you are using them as a cyc ground row...but thats a whole 'nother can o worms.

 

[Les]

Ah. 'Tis a shame that's standard then

Yes, quartz halogen lamps can "go out in fashion" without warning. See WIKI entry Super Nova. The safety screen protects your soft goods from being exposed to large chunks of molten glass as well.

 

[NevilleLighting]

The mesh is actually a safety mechanism in case the lamp explodes. Safety code calls for a physical barrier between the lamp and the performer or technician. That's why when you buy a PAR can it has a screen inside.

RGB is a very acceptable approach. I tend to abandon the green quickly if I find that I really need a good yellow or deep amber such as R41. In an ideal world, if you have the budget to do this, build up a stock of different cyc cuts. As you have learned, there are colors that cannot be achieved with RGB.