Manually controlling a cues speed on an ION

[StudioSean]

Hey, long time lurker first time poster.
I've just stepped in for another tech on a theatre perfromance on an ION.
The show is fully cue'd and programmed but I'm struggling with one thing.
We're using I-cues to follow actors. The actors are good at hitting their marks but the rate at which they get there is varying.
Is there a practical way to manually speed up and slow down the I-cue while the cue is running?
Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[SteveB]

Hey, long time lurker first time poster.
I've just stepped in for another tech on a theatre perfromance on an ION.
The show is fully cue'd and programmed but I'm struggling with one thing.
We're using I-cues to follow actors. The actors are good at hitting their marks but the rate at which they get there is varying.
Is there a practical way to manually speed up and slow down the I-cue while the cue is running?
Thanks in advance for any tips!

Probably the simplest method is using the cross faders in manual mode.

Run the master fader pair down.

Press Go

Manually move the fader pair up to max, the cross fade will complete in however long it takes to move the faders.

Repeat as needed.

 

[soundofsparks]

Well... It's doable, but a little complicated.

1. ) Go to the cue with the move in question.

2. ) Type [Chan X] {Focus} [Time] {Manual} [Enter]

3. ) [Update]

4. ) Configure one of the faders on your fader wing for "playback"

5. ) Set the assigned fader to "0" and go back to live and run the cue.

All of the parameters in the cue will move with the cue time except the focus of the channel in question. Now, you just slide the assigned playback fader from bottom to top and the I-cue will move from it's start position to it's ending position in time with your finger.

 

[artable]

Step one is definitely to tell the SM that the actors are inconsistent. The SM can and will hold remedial rehearsals just for you. Consistency is important to us SM types. Ideally, the SM can get the actor to do that cue consistently every night, forever. Hopefully, taking control of the cue will never be a thing that has to happen. If that doesn't happen...
It looks like @soundofsparks response is very good:

Well... It's doable, but a little complicated.

1. ) Go to the cue with the move in question.

2. ) Type [Chan X] {Focus} [Time] {Manual} [Enter]

3. ) [Update]

4. ) Configure one of the faders on your fader wing for "playback"

5. ) Set the assigned fader to "0" and go back to live and run the cue.

All of the parameters in the cue will move with the cue time except the focus of the channel in question. Now, you just slide the assigned playback fader from bottom to top and the I-cue will move from it's start position to it's ending position in time with your finger.

It also looks like the playback controls could take control of the upfade and downfade of a cue too. Does the ion have the ability to run two cues simultaneously?
Also, is the moving light cue just the moving light? Or are there other lights dimming along with it?

 

[soundofsparks]

It also looks like the playback controls could take control of the upfade and downfade of a cue too. Does the ion have the ability to run two cues simultaneously?

You can certainly run multiple cues at once.

To do that you'd want to set up a secondary cue list, and then load it on to a secondary fader without asserting.

In respect to the OP, I think that would make things a little more complicated as it would require more keystrokes during playback. Although, you could write a macro and assign a direct select to handle to loading. Still, ultimately you want to limit the amount of things you have to do during the show itself and let the console do most of the work.

 

[artable]

You can certainly run multiple cues at once.

To do that you'd want to set up a secondary cue list, and then load it on to a secondary fader without asserting.

In respect to the OP, I think that would make things a little more complicated as it would require more keystrokes during playback. Although, you could write a macro and assign a direct select to handle to loading. Still, ultimately you want to limit the amount of things you have to do during the show itself and let the console do most of the work.

At this point I should disclose that I have never worked with an ION. I am assuming that it's programing is related to the ETC Express, and have the users manual for the ION opened in front of me. I am by no means an expert on that desk.
The reason I asked that question is because, not the express at least, if you had other lights dimming in the cue, you may not want the other lights in the cue to be tied to the speed at which the actor walks. To do that, you'd need one cuestack/set to control the rest of the lights, and one cuestack/set to control the mover.

 

[soundofsparks]

The reason I asked that question is because, if you had other lights dimming in the cue, you may not want the other lights in the cue to be tied to the speed at which the actor walks. To do that, you'd need one cuestack/set to control the rest of the lights, and one cuestack/set to control the mover.

Not actually true! The Ion/Eos family uses discrete timing, which is a beautiful thing.

Not only can you assign a channel an independent time, you can also assign just the focus parameter its own time.

So, in the initial instructions, you would be assigning the focus time only on the channel in question only to be manual every time.

The rest of the cue would still run in the pre-programmed time, and wouldn't wait for the I-cue. Indeed, even the intensity of the I-cue unit (let's say it is fading up in this cue) would not be affected by that manual control.

 

[artable]

Not actually true! The Ion/Eos family uses discrete timing, which is a beautiful thing.

Not only can you assign a channel an independent time, you can also assign just the focus parameter its own time.

So, in the initial instructions, you would be assigning the focus time only on the channel in question only to be manual every time.

The rest of the cue would still run in the pre-programmed time, and wouldn't wait for the I-cue. Indeed, even the intensity of the I-cue unit (let's say it is fading up in this cue) would not be affected by that manual control.

Very cool! Like I said, I don't have one of those desks. I like to think I'm pretty knowledgeable about the Express board though.
Would this kind of thing be possible without a fader wing?
With regards to the OP:
It looks like this playback information is contained in the Introduction To Playback section of the ion's user manual. if you don't have a manual, an online pdf can be found here:
http://dramacal.stanford.edu/webevent/PDF/ION Operations Manual.pdf