Programing Movers

[WLProductions]

Whats up guys new to the forums here plan to spend some time here it looks like a great web site !! So here is somthing I curious about does anyone know were I can find a diagram of moving light effects . . I had a old console years back that had a manuel that had a bunch of diagrams for movement using tape on a stage . Had things like can cans and balyhoos and a few others .

 

[Anvilx]

I'm not sure what you are looking for? Are you looking for a tutorial on how to program moving lights or are you interested specifically in moving light effects? As always, try the search feature!

 

[WLProductions]

Definetly moving light effects. Thats the word i was looking for lol

 

[mozsey]

Definetly moving light effects. Thats the word i was looking for lol

Do you have a specific console already? Do you know what lights you want to use? Or are you asking for lights that can move and can be programmed and what console to use?

 

[WLProductions]

We have a number of consoles and fixtures , Im just looking for somthing that demonstrates some of the moving light effects that are used in the industry . I had a old console back in the late 90s it was a celco ventura (TERRIBLE THING LOL ) but it did have some samples that showed diagrams of certin moving light effects . I was trying to locate a resorce that may give us some fresh ideas .

 

[xander]

Punctuation is a phenomenal thing.

This is an educational forum after all.

-Tim

 

[WLProductions]

Yea i suck at it lol pointing that out isnt really helping me out on this issue lol

 

[AhClem]

Since you haven't mentioned why you're looking for them, I'm not sure if you're looking of some type of hard-copy you can show to others, or if you want to look over the features of some of the currently available fixtures, but...
have you used any 'visualizer' software that allows you to build a real time virtual 'stage'? There's a program called Capture Polar that offers a free Student Edition (albeit with a limited fixture library). They also have their "full" version that can be run in Demo Mode which allows you access to the full fixture library , but you can't save your work and the Demo version 'times-out' after 90 minutes.
If you just want to get a feel for the various fixtures, you should be able to 'test' quite a few fixtures before the 90 minute timeout, so you can explore some of the features of each of them.

 

[lefhalas]

I think you're not really on the same page as the rest of the lighting community. Most lighting effects that you're talking about involve pan and tilt. These two values are controlled by 2 or 4 channels on the fixture. Each of these operate from 0-100% (8 or 16 bits) which completes the area of motion for the mover. Right now I'm working with the Ion's preprogrammed effects which takes an initial pan/tilt value and then modes that value to can-can or bally-hoo the pattern. The console also allows you to draw patterns for movers.

My old console the Strand 550 had "shapes" preprogrammed that allowed the user to set the mover to trace a circle or triangle.

What it comes down to is basic geometry and complex trig. But I would recommend just setting some focus palettes and then stepping through them in an effect.
Move them CS and record values as a palette or group, then move SR and SR, move US, move DS. You can mix these palettes together to get a variety of movement.
This is the sort of programming I would do if I had to run moving lights on an express or something similar.

The math will change for different fixtures with different throws. So there isn't a diagram that will show you how to program them.

Ian

 

[Les]

I think the OP is looking for a plot of some kind that illustrates the waypoints and paths of moving lights on stage. I'm not sure of anything like this existing in paper/2D form, or what one would do to show aerial effects. Usually this is done with Pre-Viz software.

 

[WLProductions]

That's it ! That's what I'm looking for ! Like I said the only reason I'm asking such a question is because I remember my old manual I had for my dreaded celco Ventura had these illustrations in the back of the book . I thought that was pretty helpful and iv never seen anything like it ever again . Thanks les for clearing up my lack for the correct description of what I was looking for .

 

[RickR]

I found this in the ETC Ion manual.
Unfortunately they only show the one effect when there are a dozen or so built in.


I suppose someone with time could do screen captures from the offline editor.

Of course the really cool thing is that console lets you can draw your own shapes.