Gonna be limited in use most likely - do I read the 10' ceiling correct?
Given your already inventory, hold off a
bit especially on going too high tech no matter
LED or
Leko. Don’t know length and with of the theater space or the
stage size in this but I spent years in a 14' wide by about 32' long space with 9'-2" ceilings and know the nature of short ceilings in design.
First given your inventory, you will need a few more items to supplement it I would recommend in at least getting up to a
base of lighting package sufficient to
cover your space. Quote into the package your Q120PAR 38 fixtures - the theater needs to
purchase these items if they intend to use them as a
base of light which they would help with. You than can buy with the money other toys that will help you design further if you wish or pay off bills. Overall concept is that you have to separate what you bring to the theater in helping them with what costs you money and or they are using without necessity given a budget.
On the final statement, I have not priced out dimmers in a few years but theorize that your pricing is not really accurate. A 1.2Kw
dimmer pack should not be double the price of a 2.4Kw
dimmer pack without at least providing more dimmers which would at least provide a similar price. 600w
dimmer packs are an option also but not as flexible in my opinion for a localized
system easy to
re-patch during a show and that will most likely become the case.
Note also 750w Lekos of note... not going to need that wattage of lamp given your expected
throw distance other than for gobos or specials that need to pop given your
throw distance. You will now be in the 575w/115v range at most if not even extended life lamp range for output reasonably for a similar good output. EHD lamps can be sufficient, so can GLA, HX-400 and
HPL 375/115v high output or even
HPL 575/115v extended life lamps for your
base of light sufficiently. Sure other lamps will be best and useful for specials but your
base of light will be for
Leko in the above range and for Fresnels, in the 500w if not 150w range.
Twofering... yep on a 1.2Kw
dimmer you still would be for two instead of four fixtures. Where needed if needed you would instead now be needing to
twofer the
dimmer packs instead as concept by way of
DMX assignment instead of paying money for a
line voltage twofer. The savings on Twofers in needing half per
circuit at most if at all would easily afford possibly another
dimmer pack in getting up to 36 channels as a concept if that’s the director’s intent and budget to afford both 2.4Kw and twofers. Hmm... for a proper
twofer you are in the $35.00 to $60.00 range retail. 2x times 24 channels equals at minimum $1,724 in budget alone (assuming two cables per
dimmer on a two output
dimmer pack) for twofers as opposed to just a minimum of $864.00 in twofers given a 1.2Kw
system - assuming a
twofer plug in and not directly running cable to the second
outlet of the
dimmer. Zero dollars if not in need of twofers given two outlets per
dimmer pack beyond normal
stage wiring needs out of needing a few of them. Present to the “him” the cost of twofers added to the 2.4Kw
dimmer price, and inform him of
throw distance luminous photometric concepts (you will see and be able to show with a pre-design on paper) and such 2.4Kw dimmers with twofers I theorize will seem unnecessary as opposed to getting more control in a less wattage situation for 1.2Kw dimmers and lesser wattage lamps.
Back to your inventory, the 8x 6" Fresnels I would take as a
base of light, not a great
base of light but I would start with that. (When ready for more, I know a local theater that would love to sell off some of their by me factory reconditioned
Fresnel over surplus for cash or trade. I would have no part in this, just kind of know of a small community theater sitting on like 60 or 80 6" Fresnels all in top factory spec or better condition they don’t need half of.)
Still on 6" Fresnels, assuming your theater is wider or equal to 14' wide you should plan into the budget some barn doors for these fixtures. This especially the wider your size of theater. Perhaps up to 50% ratio
Fresnel to available
barn door but at least 1/3 more likely of them having one. That’s a cost to factor in. Get a few at least and
build on the accessories from than. Done with the 6" Fresnels for the most part given what I would assume your theater. Eight of them could be sufficient for now in this
fixture not really being ideal for such a space.
On the Lekos, might see if the 19 degree SL can be traded for another 26 degree or better yet a wider focus
Leko. Both would be better served with at least 36 degree if not fifty degree in beam spread. Your pre-design should show the limited nature of the
fixture given
photometrics. Lamp them with GLA lamps and all will be sufficient. Put away the 750w lamps for a special.
Overall on
fixture count it is not much to start with but something there. Your
PAR 38 fixtures would certainly help with the filling of holes,
wash and or specials dependant upon how many you have.
PAR 38 lamps are sort of a directed
wash beam not a
Fresnel but not a
Leko but can be often helpful for both areas if not for their own concept as unique. In the eight to twelve of them would be a good start.
Beyond this, think small for further needs by way of
fixture count while investing the money on dimmers and control. For now at least. Possibly go to Menards with their discontinued
line sold off cheap or any number of other retailers and buy some
track lights which in using MR-16,
PAR 16,
PAR 20 or
PAR 30 lamps would provide further semi-directed
wash to your theater in a small
fixture package. Such stuff can be adapted to
stage use. All sorts of this type are 120v so you won’t have to worry about
dimmer/lamp life issues. A few banks of
track light are or would be tremendously useful to
cover for holes especially if you go with 40 to 60 degree lamp types available to them at an extra cost for specified lamp as opposed to provided lamp.
Getting further, think like 4.5" to 3"
lens type lighting
fixture for such a short
throw distance. While a few birdies (see above in not needed as much) or
PAR 20's might be good for some places, I think more 3" Fresnels, 3.5" Lekos and 4.5"
zoom type fixtures would be more useful. This especially for the
Leko range that your theater lacks. Wide focus of 50 degree for any of them most needed. Amazing what output a little light will do for a short
throw distance over any normal sized
fixture and that is a key concept.
Normal concept for design might be at least 50%
Fresnel, 50%
Leko so more Lekos might be indicated for needing. Think
Altman 3.5Q5 with Osram HPR 575/115v lamps if not Phillips GLA lamps. Good dependable fixtures, good lamps. These would be primary on my
fixture budget for at least six or twelve of them. Following that 3" Fresnels at least six of them if not sixteen. Note the
barndoor need above also if not top hats also but as a concept on a Inkie, one needs less accessories for the shorter
throw distance.
That’s a
base of light, the 3.5"
Leko, and the 6" and 3"
Fresnel backed up by the
PAR 38 and MR-16 or
track light in general banks. Beyond this, I might look into a few
GAM nook lights and at least two 10" scoops so as to
wash the
stage or provide lightning effects. Really cool to look into would be MR-11 micro stip strip lights for a
cyc light. Good
wash, small size.
Overall note one might be detecting is that if the talent is like 6' high and the audience out in the audience, you don’t want like 2' of yoked lighting
fixture hanging down into the
stage picture above the
stage or into the platformed audience area. Beyond this, you don’t have the
throw distance thus need smaller but wider focus light fixtures. Sure a 90 degree Selcon or S-4 would be really cool to have but also in both cases the size of the
fixture over powers the
stage. A
PAR 56 can easily over
power your
stage now given
throw distance, yet a few feet shorter in
throw distance so can a
PAR 46 if WFL also.
Best to think small fixtures so as not to break the fourth wall. Smaller fixtures, less wattage also. You now get into conditions of needing more fixtures to
cover a design area but those fixtures of less wattage. More
dimmer channels and or control of them helps in a small space over huge for the space 2.4Kw systems of control of them given very limited amounts of dimmers.
Design the show, do the
photometrics and exected
candlepower on
stage for each area and scene and hopefully it in a pre-design type of way will graphly
point out the need for more dimmers or control circuits, more fixtures and less on some mainstage production concept of doing the show. Hmm, these
fixture even four feet apart leave a certain dark spot of coverage over the
stage at 3' or more
throw distance to the actor’s head. This 3' distance in fighting dark spots and shadows are a major factor in fighting
photometrics of what you have in design given such a short
trim height.
That’s even benevolent... Say you have a 10' ceiling, you now have a 4" at least lower
grid, and 12" from there lower to the
fixture if 6" based. 16"-72" in a 120" space from a 6' actor than leaves a minimum of 32" overhead in
throw distance dependant upon how far the talent is from the
throw distance than at an angle. Hmm, less than 3' in
throw distance to at best given shadows and ceiling height like say 8" at best in
throw distance, you now have a very wide focus
fixture needed to design properly with. Also a
fixture that given the
law of squares needs less wattage.
Always remember the A2+B2=C2 in
throw distance three dimensionally. Smaller fixtures wider focus. Thus also the need to design at least one show for the space before you move into it when specifying the gear that will be installed.
Thanks, I'll get working on that, perhaps an early design for the first show in the new space.
Our
current inventory is
8 500W
altman 6in fresnels
1 750W
Strand SL 19 degree
1 750W
Strand SL 26 degree
no light board, no dimmers, bunch of extension cable that won't be used for the new installation.
However, since I am the LD for this theater, I would bring in my 120W
par 38's for
wash reinforcement. I have 16 that I would bring, so
wash wise, i think im set, and the pars would run off of my 4 600w per
channel dimmer packs.
From doing a little
bit of research tonight, what I have found in the 2.4kw range is the
Lightronics RD-122 rack mountable
dimmer pack. it seems like it would meet our needs.
Although I agree with multiple smaller dimmers, the head of the theater group prefers we 2fer/3fer lights to a
circuit. But again, I don't agree with that. Maybe if I go to him with the prices of each option he'll change his mind. However, 1200w dimmers are well over double the price of 600W and comparable to 2400w
dimmer packs, so if you have 750w lekos isn't it worth getting the larger
dimmer. that way you have the option to 2fer if you really needed to.