Lighting a cyc/ backdrop

[Tim Ardner]

I was wondering if altman focusing cyc lights for the top and the altman r40 borderlights for the bottom will work. I am designing lighiting for a Nutcracker production and that is what the venue has. There are 3 cyc colors from the top and 4 cyc colors fro the bottom. The ground row has 120 watt r40 lamps. will that show up or not? also the 3rd electric has 500 watt lamps in the focusing cyc lights. Any tips for lighting the cyc with these units. Also, we are using a backdrop for most of Act 2 for the land of sweets. Will this work for the backdrop as well? The colors for the stage wash and top cyc are r44, r80, and r91. The bottom colors are r58, r80, r392, and r44. What is your opinion on these colors? Plot attached, but is not drawn to scale.

 

[Thetechmanmac]

In my experience with cyc lights for backdrops, just having R113 (frost) in one cell works great for just white wash. This really gives you a "daylight" effect. It may also be worth it to put in R113 with your other color, as it helps diffuse the light a little more evenly. Are you using a backdrop the whole time or is there some parts where it is just white cyc?

 

[Tim Ardner]

I don't need daylight. I just need the colors. I also want to use a ground row, i can only use what's there. Heavy light renting is not in the budget. What is your opinion on my color choices? We are buying all the gel for the r40 borderlights, with 12 cells and 4 circuits each. There are 4 of them, as the stage is not that big. There are 8 dimmers powering them as well.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

My first reaction when II first saw the post was if that's what you got and all you've got, sure it will light the cyc. Two 8" fresnels will do if that's all you've got.

I haven't done much color selecting in years - since Cinemoid and Roscolene were available and Roscolux was a new product. I do think some frost or directional ftost might be useful as others pointed out.

 

[Thetechmanmac]

Your color really depends on what "look" you are looking for, but those colors should work well. It really depends on the show. Definitely but R113 behind all of the cyc color. It will really help. The cyc lights I normally use are only 3 cell, so I usually have a red, deep blu, and a white with R113 behind all.

 

[MrsFooter]

You know the beat way to find out? Try it. Plug 'em in, see what happens. Do you like what you see? Mozel tov. Don't like what you see? Unplug' em and move on. It sounds like you're not in a situation to rent or buy other gear, and the venue has what it has. Don't get too caught up in what's the "right" or "proper" way of doing things, just try it.

Because you want to know a secret? None of us here on this internets actually know if it will work or not either. Sure, we can make very educated guesses based on things we've seen and tried, but without being able to see it ourselves, we're making up answers. At a certain point, you can't rely on a bunch of strangers to make decisions for you, you have to have the confidence to decide for yourself if something works for your design or not.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[gary smith]

I couldn' agree more. Some great effects have been acheived by having to use exactly what's given to you. Experiment....and don't stress.... and you'll probably be the only one that doesn't think its not quite right. It's about developing your own taste.

 

[flyweed]

gels come in "cyc silk" as well....this is colored gel that are frosted as well...I use this in our cyc lights to smooth out the color wash