Design Knock Knock...Who's There? Focus Track?

TheTheaterGeek

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Does anyone use Focus Track?

If so, How deeply and to what effect.

Is there any how to available?
 
Does anyone use Focus Track?

If so, How deeply and to what effect.

Is there any how to available?
We use focus track all the time. It is often far moe efficient than ladders and lifts, and it allows us to get over box sets or raked decks easily. Our track system is a custom built system, and we are actually looking into updating it with some new track and carrier tech. As focusing by focus track typically involves flying people, I won't go into the details of actual operation. Suffice it to say, anyone operating a focus track system needs proper training to do so.
 
In NEW installs LED's will usually be a cost savings, just in the savings on Larger(er) transformers, dimmers, copper wire, lamps, and labor.
It does depend on the venue, and the intended use.
 
All true, if a new install and you can plan on LED's from the get go.

What the Seattle Rep. study showed though was the existing largely incandescent load accounted for only 2% of the yearly load on the building and that the cost of changing to LED was not going to be recovered via savings on the electric bill.

It was a very interesting study that used Focus Track to evaluate the loading on the electrical system.
 
I assumed he meant Focus Track - as in the cue tracking lighting software.

http://www.focustrack.co.uk/

Focus Track was used to calculate the entertainment lighting loads at Seattle Rep., and essentially debunked the theory that converting a large theatrical incandescent lighting system to LED would see the purchase price of the conversion paid back via savings in the electric bill.

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?eid=444f8e2e-96bb-41de-8eb7-ca450656911e

It is an interesting read, however I wonder if the study took into account the idea that if you were to swap to an all LED rig, your hang probably wouldn't include as many instruments. If you have 3 colors of par back light currently, it's unlikely that you're going to hang 3 LED pars for each area. I could see two systems still, so you could mark your colors and not need live moves, but I'd think that on the whole you'd be able to cut a decent amount of lights from the plot if you transitioned to an all LED theatre.

On a related note that still takes this thread off topic... If you were to transition to a primarily LED rig, how would you approach the marking problem? Would you want two LED units for each area from each angle? It seems kind of overkill... Maybe a conventional unit and an LED unit for each area? Something to fall back on while marking.. but then you still need dimming infrastructure. I guess you could hope that live color fades are not too hideous, but that seems dangerous as well.
 
Are you trying to find software to document your show?

I've used Focus Track and Fastfocus Pro a lot in the past, I'm not a fan of Focus Track, I find the UI really bad and if you're not using it all the time and it's very slow if you have a medium to large show.

I've now switch to using Moving Light Assistant (MLA) which is a proper piece of software.

http://www.movinglightassistant.com/wp_folder/?page_id=2

I highly recommend MLA, if you're looking to document your show.
 
I guess you could hope that live color fades are not too hideous, but that seems dangerous as well.
It would be interesting if console developers could come up with curves that make a single mixed color source apear the same as a cross fade between two fixed color sources - I wonder if this is in anyone's R&D yet.
 
It would be interesting if console developers could come up with curves that make a single mixed color source apear the same as a cross fade between two fixed color sources - I wonder if this is in anyone's R&D yet.

I recently got a peek at ETC's Beta software. The answer is 'Yes'
 
It is an interesting read, however I wonder if the study took into account the idea that if you were to swap to an all LED rig, your hang probably wouldn't include as many instruments. If you have 3 colors of par back light currently, it's unlikely that you're going to hang 3 LED pars for each area. I could see two systems still, so you could mark your colors and not need live moves, but I'd think that on the whole you'd be able to cut a decent amount of lights from the plot if you transitioned to an all LED theatre.

.

All true, but with the huge investment in LED's running into the thousands or potentially hundreds of thousands, you'd still only be lowering the electrical costs from 2% to .5 % ? and would that savings ever pay for the gear ?. On a new install, when you factor in wiring and labor, they yes, but as a retrofit ?, probably not.
 
Continuing the hijacked thread...

Cost savings are sensitive to regional pricing schemes and are highly dependent on the facility and it's usage patterns. Consequently, trying to draw any meaningful conclusions or claiming that something is "debunked" because of one article is silly.

I'm saving more than $5000 a year on what was a $30,000 electricity bill because I lowered peak demand below a threshold on delivery charges. Toss in lamp replacement and other maintenance costs and the LEDs are paying for themselves in 5 years. The next wave of refurbishment will have to come up with some other justification though.
 
It would be interesting if console developers could come up with curves that make a single mixed color source apear the same as a cross fade between two fixed color sources - I wonder if this is in anyone's R&D yet.

I actually approximated this a year ago, but I did it to match a pair of gelled ellipsoidals, so I simply turned the conventionals to 15%, matched the hue on the LED unit, and wrote that color into the cue with a square curve. Only looked "good enough," and it's not what you're looking for, but it's do-able.

I honestly think the biggest savings in an LED rig comes from not having to deal with gels and lamps on a daily basis for that fixture. Less load on your ME means less stress and less time in the electrics, which is good for everybody.
 

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