Ground Rows

[Graham2001]

I;m looking for info on different types of stock ground rows. we currently have one that is constructed with a curved front face, but I am considering other styles, like simply flat, or angled. Looking for photos or drawings of existing ground rows as examples.

 

[SteveB]

Do some Google searches for Altman, Strand, Selecon, Colortran, L&E, Robert Juliat.

They all make (or made) various types of incandescent ground rows.

 

[techieman33]

Do some Google searches for Altman, Strand, Selecon, Colortran, L&E, Robert Juliat.

They all make (or made) various types of incandescent ground rows.

I don't think he's looking for lights, he's looking for facing to hide them.

I've always liked flat, it keeps things neutral and works for anything. Curves or angles can fit with some sets, and look out of place with others. Most of the ones I've seen are made out of 1/4" luan with 1x4 along the bottom, and 1x4's or 2x4's for feet to put weights on. I've also seen some framed out of 1x4 with black duvetyne stapled over it.

 

[SteveB]

I don't think he's looking for lights, he's looking for facing to hide them.

I've always liked flat, it keeps things neutral and works for anything. Curves or angles can fit with some sets, and look out of place with others. Most of the ones I've seen are made out of 1/4" luan with 1x4 along the bottom, and 1x4's or 2x4's for feet to put weights on. I've also seen some framed out of 1x4 with black duvetyne stapled over it.

Yes, which is why it's in the Scenic forum.

I always miss that.

 

[John Palmer]

I've used flat and angled. Are you doing black or are you doing a white grow to continue the cyc line to the floor?
For my money, black is the only way to go. If they don't have to also be used to mask footlights, I would make them straight up and down. Framed and covered with Luaun as discussed above. If you want to go the extra mile or they are going to be someplace more visible, you can cover the hard surface with duvetene to make a very nice looking finished product. Usually, mine are hidden behind a scrim so I only repaint them every couple of years.
Take care,
John

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Always makes me long for cyc pits.

 

[Graham2001]

Thanks everyone for the input. Currently we have a curved one, but it is in need of replacement. There are several good reasons to replace it with a curved one. We find that it is very forgiving when it comes to interactions with performers onstage. We do not have a scrim downstage of the ground row, and there is a traveller right at the DS edge of the ground row. The curve seems to help with redirecting any wayward performers DS and the traveller is also directed DS by it. The ground row is painted black and I will be painting the new one black as well.

One of my colleagues suggested a sloped ground row and I have never seen one of these, so interested in any comments or examples of a sloped ground row.

We are a university theatre that is used academically for dance and drama performances, but also acts as a roadhouse for dance school recitals and high school concerts when not used by internal departments.

 

[JChenault]

Always makes me long for cyc pits.

Bill

Just curious why we don't see more new stages with cyc pits. In our recent renovation we put in a pit one foot deep that fits between the upstage/downstage main floor joists. It cost very little to add, and with modern cyc units the floor beams do not affect the light.

 

[Amiers]

I think the skies the limit when it comes to something like this. You could make anything you wanted. If it looks good and not to busy it will work. Flat, round, angled, pyramid. Then you could go the extreme and do clouds, stars, or other shapes. As long as they hide the lights your good to go.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Bill

Just curious why we don't see more new stages with cyc pits. In our recent renovation we put in a pit one foot deep that fits between the upstage/downstage main floor joists. It cost very little to add, and with modern cyc units the floor beams do not affect the light.

Most clients I ask don't even want bottom cyc lights. I think the problems with rolling things and such make it a difficult decision. The fact that. The lights have become so much smaller - first pit I saw was about 3' deep and 3' wide for 8" strips - harder to justify.

 

[carsonld]

We recently got LEDs for our ground row a couple weeks ago, but before that we made about a 1 1/2 foot tall flat covering that had braces behind it to help stand it up. It was made in 8 foot sections to make it easy to store. And we will usually paint it for each show, for example when we did pride and prejudice we had a two story rock house, we painted the same rocks on there. For footloose we had gotten this wavy metal and put that on there (that was a pain!). And sometimes we just paint it black if we don't have anything special.