Lighting Mirror Ball: Which would you recommend?

LesWilson

Well-Known Member
I don't have a lot of time to experiment. I've read as many of the mirror ball threads here as I can to narrow down my options. I have a 20" ball mounted on a 25' ceiling on our center FOH pipe (we have three 10' FOH pipes). The FOH pipes are about 30' from the proscenium.

I want to create a star field effect as well as blender. I have two Altman Shakespeare ellipsoidals at the end of the pipe with 30 degree lenses slightly below the bottom of the ball. Alternatively, I can use 20 degree Shakespeares on the FOH left and right pipes which is about a 25' throw but at a shallower angle.

What order would you try things?
A) Shutter the 30 degree Shakespeares on the center pipe
B) Shutter the 20 degree Shakespeares from further away
C) Swap the 30 degree lenses on the center pipe with the 20 degree lenses on the left/right pipes and shuttter the center pipe fixtures to taste
D) Other

TIA

IMG_4302.jpg
 
I don't have a lot of time to experiment. I've read as many of the mirror ball threads here as I can to narrow down my options. I have a 20" ball mounted on a 25' ceiling on our center FOH pipe (we have three 10' FOH pipes). The FOH pipes are about 30' from the proscenium.

I want to create a star field effect as well as blender. I have two Altman Shakespeare ellipsoidals at the end of the pipe with 30 degree lenses slightly below the bottom of the ball. Alternatively, I can use 20 degree Shakespeares on the FOH left and right pipes which is about a 25' throw but at a shallower angle.

What order would you try things?
A) Shutter the 30 degree Shakespeares on the center pipe
B) Shutter the 20 degree Shakespeares from further away
C) Swap the 30 degree lenses on the center pipe with the 20 degree lenses on the left/right pipes and shuttter the center pipe fixtures to taste
D) Other

TIA

View attachment 17933
@LesWilson With the instruments, lenses and mounting positions you have available, choose the option that best includes your entire ball WITHOUT any shuttering. Try and find the choice that puts ALL of the source's light on the ball with as little left behind warming your shutters.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you do shutter - consider using the shutters to measure the size of donut for the template slot - better round than square.

And can you afford to use both? Two lights on a mirror ball from opposite sides better IMHO. And I wish you could move the near by 30 degree so shutters open beam is just 20". With a 30 degree, I *think* that means about 54" away.
 
My snap reaction was that you're gonna light the back of your pipe really well. :)

Can you get a 2-ft hook to drop the ball on, so it hits your prosceunium instead? (I assume that's to the left).
 
My snap reaction was that you're gonna light the back of your pipe really well. :)

Can you get a 2-ft hook to drop the ball on, so it hits your prosceunium instead? (I assume that's to the left).
@Jay Ashworth If I'm understanding the OP, he has one FOH pipe consisting of three 10' (120") lengths. I believe he's suspending his 20" diameter mirror ball from the centre of his centre 10' pipe and lighting the ball with two ellipsoidals, each ~60" from the ball at either end of his centre pipe thus his lamps are shooting across the width of his venue and not towards his proscenium. I may be envisioning this incorrectly but I think that's what @LesWilson is proposing.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard (And thanks @derekleffew )
 
He posted a photo; the motor is mounted on the ceiling behind his second pipe, as near as I can tell; the actual pipe appears to be about halfway up the ball.
 
He posted a photo; the motor is mounted on the ceiling behind his second pipe, as near as I can tell; the actual pipe appears to be about halfway up the ball.
@Jay Ashworth Understood. I still believe @LesWilson is intending to light his mirror ball cross-firing from either end of his central 10' / 120" pipe thus from approximately 5' / 60" away.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Yeah, sure. It's just that most of what I'd expect he'd want to splash towards FoH will instead die on the pipe and fixtures.
 
Three instruments, 60 degrees apart in plan, (or as close to this as you can get with your available mounting positions), irised down tight on the ball, gelled in three different mildly saturated colors (say, a nice middle blue, rose and green.)
 
Last edited:
Three instruments, 60 degrees apart in plan, (or as close to this ass you can get with your available mounting positions), irised down tight on the ball, gelled in three different mildly saturated colors (say, a nice middle blue, rose and green.)
@JonCarter and @LesWilson Irised down tight but fully including all of the ball, NOT eliminating ANY of the ball's periphery.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Sorry I miised all these posts yesterday, busy making set. The Mirror Ball is on the proscenium side of the pipe. I see the confusion because some of those ellipsoidals are facing the rear of the room. The pipe shown is as @RonHebbard described as the center pipe of 3. I estimate the equator of the ball is level with the top of the fixture harp so the lamps will hit it from slightly below. I think I can get to it today.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back