Automated Fixtures Recommendations - Moving Lights - High School Auditorium

[MNicolai]

In high school, there are budgets. There are also administration. If the budget isn't spent, it's gone. If the administration says to spend it on moving lights for eye candy, then you spend it on moving lights for eye candy.

The choir director isn't an administrative position and it doesn't sound as if any budget has been allocated for this. If the money does exist, it is much more responsible to counter-propose a more effective use of the funds than to rattle off a few product names and price tags for someone to go buy.

I've been an adviser for capital projects at the local arts center which is attached to a high school. I play this game frequently. Most everyone in this industry plays them game frequently. Somebody says, "Let's do X to achieve Y", and then someone with better background in the matter says, "Actually, X will give you these problems over time. Let's try Z instead and let me tell you why it'll be a more effective use of your funding."

Professional designers know this. Directors ask for a lot of crazy things, and sometimes they're the right flavor of crazy to begin with, but a lot of the time the designer needs to reign them in a little bit and lead them down a different path to achieve the initial goal through better means. Blindly saying "Yes" without seriously considering the consequences of those actions is irresponsible.

 

[JDurnford2011]

What everyone seems to be forgetting is the OP asked a question, an would like an answer. It doesn't matter if you think the money should go elsewhere. Answer the question, or don't answer it. But please do not try to change the topic.

In high school, there are budgets. There are also administration. If the budget isn't spent, it's gone. If the administration says to spend it on moving lights for eye candy, then you spend it on moving lights for eye candy. This is the fact of life for working in a public school. The teachers don't have much of a say where the money gets spent, and students never have a say.

All we can do is try to help the OP the best we can with his question, and try to not question the politics or reasoning behind it.

To answer your question...

I personally don't recommend Chauvet as I have had many problems with them and they pretty much suck and are up there with American DJ.

Now for a low end fixture, I would recommend that you go with Elation. There is one in particular that is very good and is also wireless controlled. Its called the Elation DesignSpot and I have used it many times and its quite reliable. They come in various models and range in pricing from $1800 to $6000.

If you want something more high end and reliable, than go with Martin. They are one of the leading moving light manufacturers used on Tours, Corporate Events, Concerts, and even Decor lighting.

You might also want to check out High-end Systems.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Justin Durnford
Lighting Specialist
Denver, CO

 

[BobHealey]

I know the plural of anecdotes is not data, but instead of a moving head unit, what about a good quality scanner? There seems to be a lot less to go wrong with them, even when no one really pays any attention to them. I've got two sets that have needed new mirrors and lamps here and there, but otherwise for the most part have never been in a shop. One set of 8 gets pulled out on average 5-6 times a year for one off events, the other set of 4 gets used in 5 community theater productions a year. The Martin Roboscan 218s from 1993 are finally starting to develop issues with some of the motors and mechanical dimmers, but 2 of the 4 of them are still in good working order. One needs a new tilt servo, one needs a new dimmer wheel. The American DJ Accuscan 250s are 6-7 years old, and other than a broken mirror due to carelessness, have not had any issues. I know scanners aren't as flashy as a full moving head unit, but something like a trackspot bolt will probably do most of the eye candy you want, and possibly last longer than a comparable moving head just due to design differences.

 

[hslighting]

My school is in a similar situation to that of the OP so here's my question: If not movers, what gets you the most bang for your buck for those just starting out in the automated light area? (Right-Arms, scrollers, ect.) What will give you the most flexibility in general for the least amount of money and maintenance?

 

[Footer]

My school is in a similar situation to that of the OP so here's my question: If not movers, what gets you the most bang for your buck for those just starting out in the automated light area? (Right-Arms, scrollers, ect.) What will give you the most flexibility in general for the least amount of money and maintenance?

Scrollers, no question about it.

 

[JCarroll]

If you're looking for eye candy and insist on buying and not renting, I'd add to the list to look at Mac 101s. Around 1700 new, stupid reliable, and fast moving. Plus if you want to add a slight color wash throw the diffusion kit in it.

 

[gafftaper]

Your budget is simply not high enough to purchase and maintain a mover that is considered reliable by a majority of pros in this forum or the industry.

Before you spend several thousand on low budget products that break in 6 months and you don't have the staff or budget to repair them. And let us not forget who is going to spend the hours and hours to program them when they are working? PLEASE print out a copy of my "Gafftaper method" and take it to the teacher who wants to make the purchase. Your school is a classic example of a situation where you could spend the money but it would be extremely unwisely spent vs. buying useful lower tech tools that can be used for every show and make everything look cool.

Here's an analogy that will hopefully make sense to your teacher: If you want to buy a fast car, should you buy a full on NASCAR race car or a Corvette? You do not have the skill to drive a NASCAR car. You do not have the money or the support staff to maintain a NASCAR car. Yes the NASCAR car will go faster and you will look really awesome but how often will you be in a situation where you can even drive it on a track? The Corvette will get you going as fast as you will ever really have the opportunity to go, you have the ability to use it and maintain it, you will look awesome every day on the freeway, and you can afford to buy 10 for the cost of one NASCAR car.

Here's the link to the full write up of my "method"

You have the budget to buy a lot of cool lighting toys that will provide a lot of eye candy. Toys that will make every show look great. Toys that won't break all the time and won't need regular maintenance. Toys like Scrollers, rotators, iCue's, Right Arms, Seachangers, etc...

 

[Sayen]

Scrollers, no question about it.

With LEDs becoming as common as they are, and ETC entering their new ellipsoidal, I'm not sure about scrollers in the long run. Plus, scrollers can be just as big of a nightmare when it comes to maintenance if you don't know what you're doing. If you want training and the experience of automated lights, Rosco's I-Cues are great. Moving mirror, fits on standard ellipsoidals, and will give you a similar experience to needing to figure out location and coordinate programming with lamp on/off concepts.

 

[danTt]

A right arm might be a better choice for "mover experience" programming, simply because you are adapting to a moving head and not a moving mirror, which takes a different thought process to program. Regardless, programming any of this on an element is going to be less than ideal, and scrollers/seachangers/LED are probably the most easily used thing on an element, and give you the best bang for your buck.

 

[len]

Except a Corvette will either make you look like a young snot or an old, divorced guy with a combover. [/snark]

 

[josh88]

With LEDs becoming as common as they are, and ETC entering their new ellipsoidal, I'm not sure about scrollers in the long run. Plus, scrollers can be just as big of a nightmare when it comes to maintenance if you don't know what you're doing. If you want training and the experience of automated lights, Rosco's I-Cues are great. Moving mirror, fits on standard ellipsoidals, and will give you a similar experience to needing to figure out location and coordinate programming with lamp on/off concepts.

Most places however can't afford LEDs unless they are the cheap stuff which won't hold up or be able to punch through other lighting. Where as they could get a bunch of scrollers. LEDs are starting to come down, but not fast enough to make a lot of schools interested in the expense.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[LampyTom]

I don't have any experience with the 560 (although I know a venue near me that does have some) but I use the Q Spot 260 an awful lot. A rental house here in the UK I freelance for owns a load. The only slight issue with them (I believe the 560's use the same LED's as the 260 but instead use 3 of them), is heat dissipation. On the 260 units lack of thermal compound in some units mean the LED chips burn out. Literally. You get a black spot appearing on the LED and it decreases output significantly. That said, one phone call to Chauvet and they said they were aware of the issue and quickly sent out replacement LED's free of charge under warranty.

Other than that they're pretty bright and do a decent job. Although I think you may be better off looking at getting more lower powered units than 2 highpower units. Of course that depends on what you want to do with them but whilst movers FOH are good for specials and bits, if you've got a gig or something happening with lots of flashing lights on stage that's where you want your waggly beams to come from too!

 

[StNic54]

My high school has just rectally built a new performing arts center.

Sounds tricky.

 

[AEGProduction]

Sounds tricky.

Ha! I caught that too. I didn't want the first reply to be a sarcastic one, but now...

Sounds like they will have be dealing with alot of crap in their new theater....