Interchangeability of terms

[MPowers]

.......Can you explain to me the difference with cyc vs sky cyc.........

First, the classic "Cyclorama" often reffered to in my youth as a"Sourround Cyc" was usually tall enough, often 30' or 40' tall not to need any borders or teasers to mask the top. It was also hung on a looooong pipe bent into a half circle, starting on one side, close to the back of the proscenium, and going up stage, curving across the back and then down the other side until it was again past sight lines. So your old school cyc lights were very high and fairly far down stage but you got an incredibly even wash due to the distance. The stage could look like nothing but endless sky (or other colored background) beyond the proscenium opening with absolutely no black masking anywhere.

Of course entrances were limited to DL and DR unless there was a trap from below or flown in from the light bridge. Or if free standing scenery in front of the cyc did the masking. This typ of cyc was quite expensive, and real exercise to rig with as many as 20 or more lift lines from the arbor(s) or winch drums, miles of GAC and a ton of mule blocks and idler pulleys. This description might clear up some of the photos you may have seen in history books of Appia, Belasco et.al. and some of their scenic/lighting designs from the early 20th century that appear to have miles of landscape behind the scenic units to the "sky".

 

[gafftapegreenia]

A truly historical cyclorama: Welcome to the Atlanta Cyclorama

But I have to admit, my favorite part about going to the Atlanta Cyclorama is the original early 80's Kliegl board and lighting rig, running to this day.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Contrary to Michael's experience most of the classic cycs I've seen and lit have been plaster. My favorite was in Yale's 'X' which included an illuminated star system designed by a Yale professor of astronomy, I think as a favor to Stanley McCandless. They have limitations but also some great potential.

 

[MPowers]

Contrary to Michael's experience most of the classic cycs I've seen and lit have been plaster.......They have limitations but also some great potential.

Yes, I've had the love/hate affairs with plaster also. Though I've seen full round (well, half round....)The one's I actually worked in were all deep dished or flat, back walls. IIRC there are (were?) some in Europe that also domed over, kind of like the inside of a verrrrry BIG , half igloo.

 

[Blake]

Wow! Thanks for the history lesson! I feel so young and very very green!
Michael: That's sounds like it would look amazing! But I definely see the downsides!

Sent from my Galaxy S3

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

The "X" was like that - maybe 12' deep on an 18' deep stage - sides and top. The other thing was they were shaped in section to achieve more even lighting - kind of opposite of an asymmetrical reflector. The two I recall most - Dartmouth College and Bates College - sloped back for maybe 20' - so there was a crossover at floor level but at 20' it touched the US wall - and then curved DS. Fun to light. Soft ones are of course vertical in section. And the rigging was more complicated by the fact that both the cyc if soft as well as the lighting for soft or hard cycs was the curved batten that Michael describes.

 

[Blake]

So not only is the cyc on the curved batton but the electric for the cyc lights is also curved?

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[MPowers]

So not only is the cyc on the curved batton but the electric for the cyc lights is also curved? .......

Curved or in angled segments.

 

[Blake]

Wow. That sounds like a lot of trouble but resulting in a cool affect.


So question on cycs. My church is a small mega church and they broadcast the sermon to multiple venues and multiple campuses. I go to the campus they broadcast from. Now I went to the venue where they film and they had cyc like material that they have stretched in triangle and odd polygons - it look amazing - would that be considered a cyc? Or what would it be called?

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[derekleffew]

"White spandex shapes", one trade name TransFormIt. Not considered a cyc, sky drop. Arguably, might could be called a backdrop, but doesn't fit the definition of "full stage backdrop.
.



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[sk8rsdad]

like material that they have stretched in triangle and odd polygons - it look amazing - would that be considered a cyc? Or what would it be called?

Sent from my Galaxy S3

The term you are looking for is "splat". It should be in the wiki. Rose Brand calls their fabric of choice Trivera.

 

[ruinexplorer]

I thought "splat" was unique to Rose Brand. I used to hear Transformit as the generic name (as Kleenex is for facial tissues or Leko for any ERS).

Here's another one: VGA cable for a video cable with D-sub 15 (DE-15) connectors.

 

[TheaterEd]

I couldn't get the last director I worked with to stop calling the cyc a skrim. (I died a little every time).
Now you're telling me I should have been calling it a sky cyc all along?

 

[techieman33]

When I hear skycyc I think of cyc lights, not the piece of fabric.
.

 

[n1ist]

VGA cable for a video cable with D-sub 15 (DE-15) connectors.

No such critter as a DE-15. The "E" shell takes 9 pins (or two coax/hi power ones). The "A" shell takes 15 in two rows; it was used for the joystick connector on the PC before USB. HD-15 is what you find on a VGA cable (3 rows of pins in an E-sized shell). Likewise, the "B" shell is used for 25 pins (DB25 - early serial ports or printer ports), 13 pins and 3 coax (used on early hi-res monitors) or 5 coax/hi volt/hi current pins.

Another trip down memory lane, wondering why so much cruft has collected in my brain...
/mike

 

[gafftapegreenia]

No such critter as a DE-15. The "E" shell takes 9 pins (or two coax/hi power ones). The "A" shell takes 15 in two rows; it was used for the joystick connector on the PC before USB. HD-15 is what you find on a VGA cable (3 rows of pins in an E-sized shell). Likewise, the "B" shell is used for 25 pins (DB25 - early serial ports or printer ports), 13 pins and 3 coax (used on early hi-res monitors) or 5 coax/hi volt/hi current pins.

Another trip down memory lane, wondering why so much cruft has collected in my brain...
/mike

How about making some wiki entries with those

 

[Blake]

Just remembered the worst one ever! My director for our current production who has an AA in theatre arts calls the main "The red"
Drives me bonkers!

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[ruinexplorer]

No such critter as a DE-15. The "E" shell takes 9 pins (or two coax/hi power ones). The "A" shell takes 15 in two rows; it was used for the joystick connector on the PC before USB. HD-15 is what you find on a VGA cable (3 rows of pins in an E-sized shell). Likewise, the "B" shell is used for 25 pins (DB25 - early serial ports or printer ports), 13 pins and 3 coax (used on early hi-res monitors) or 5 coax/hi volt/hi current pins.

Another trip down memory lane, wondering why so much cruft has collected in my brain...
/mike

I disagree. The DE-15 is the D subminiature 15 pin connector. I believe that the HD15, which stands for high density 15 pin connection, was yet another classification, but is the same item as DE-15, possibly designated by the different manufacturers. It is also very likely that there were some specific classifications which separate those connections similar to calling all Ethernet cables Cat-5, when there are many category standards.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Just remembered the worst one ever! My director for our current production who has an AA in theatre arts calls the main "The red"
Drives me bonkers!

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Well, is the main drape red?

 

[Blake]

Yes.

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