New Member and New TD in Texas

[Les]

I'd probably start out with a simple McCandless plot. +/- 15 areas (three rows of five), each one with a fresnel toplight (neutral gel) and two ellipsoidal front lights, each one about 45 degrees (more or less) offset from the area it's lighting. Generally McCandless dictates a warm and cool for these two front lights. That is a quick and dirty plot that will at least get some even light on stage. Probably won't be great for everything, but it's something that you can start with and add to. If you could get those LEDs on your electrics for color, that'd be icing on the cake.

Later on if you have time, you could add side and back lighting, but the basic McCandless plot described above should at least get the lighting to a usable state. It was the foundation for most of my shows way back in high school and I think is still the UIL standard.

Welcome to CB! Great to have another Texas member!

 

[chausman]

I would download the offline editor for your new Ion from here: http://www.etcconnect.com/product.downloads.aspx?ID=22016. It is a good representation of the console itself. It has a "virtual console" where you can click on the buttons in the layout of the face panel. Now you can spend more time hanging fixtures and not trying to figure out the console. You could even create a patch for everything. (Might be hard without knowing inventory though)

I would also suggest getting a down center special in addition to the method Les suggested. I always find a good use for it.

 

[Les]

I would also suggest getting a down center special in addition to the method Les suggested. I always find a good use for it.

Amen, brotha.
Might also designate some front lights to use as "podium specials". Two front lights for an SL podium and two more for an SR podium should do it. Nothing light having to refocus an area light when you find that they assumed you knew about their podium.

Given your consoles, I have a feeling that you're not short on instruments, either .

 

[justgina]

I would download the offline editor for your new Ion from here: Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC. It is a good representation of the console itself. It has a "virtual console" where you can click on the buttons in the layout of the face panel. Now you can spend more time hanging fixtures and not trying to figure out the console. You could even create a patch for everything. (Might be hard without knowing inventory though)

I would also suggest getting a down center special in addition to the method Les suggested. I always find a good use for it.

Good suggestion on the console. Fortunately, the positions on the rails match the channels, so it's just a matter of keeping them straight ("uhhh, which rail is the first one?" ). I don't have an exact count of each type of light, but I know that for now I have more than enough, and they are varied between pars, Source 4 Zooms and Source 4's. It's just a matter of getting in and getting my ducks in a row.