Design Shadow From Side Light with Breakup Gobo

[DHSLXOP]

Hi everyone -

I'm LDing the show "One Third of a Nation," that includes a scene that takes place outside at night in New York in the late 1800s. The director and I agree that the scene should have an element of shadow and darkness, so I was thinking of using some sort of unfocused breakup Gobo from a high side light position. The problem is that I don't want to go out and spend our very limited budget on getting the gobos to test it if this is not going to work. Does anyone have any pictures of this sort of thing? Any opinions? Thanks in advance.

 

[derekleffew]

Yes, it will work, and since a) you want it to be out-of-focus and b) you're budgetarily-challenged, I suggest making your own from an aluminum pie plate or disposable cookie sheet. You can make either a "sharp" breakup by cutting random polygons with a utility knife, or a "soft" breakup with different Phillips screwdriver bits and the "punch and twist" method.

Now for the tough questions..."takes place outside at night in New York in the late 1800s": Is the light source a) the moon, or b) gas streetlamps? And what is it filtering through that creates the texture? Tree leaves/branches? Ironwork of some sort? Other? Will the gobo light be the key or fill?

 

[gafftaper]

I had some awesome results about a year and a half ago with the "Night on the lake" scene in "Ah, Wilderness!". I used about 8 of realistic leaf breakup gobos. I had them about 80% sharp. Nice cool blue filter. It was a perfect moonlight look.

I think I used a combination of Rosco Summer Leaves

and Rosco Blossoms

 

[DHSLXOP]

Yes, it will work, and since a) you want it to be out-of-focus and b) you're budgetarily-challenged, I suggest making your own from an aluminum pie plate or disposable cookie sheet. You can make either a "sharp" breakup by cutting random polygons with a utility knife, or a "soft" breakup with different Phillips screwdriver bits and the "punch and twist" method.

Now for the tough questions..."takes place outside at night in New York in the late 1800s": Is the light source a) the moon, or b) gas streetlamps? And what is it filtering through that creates the texture? Tree leaves/branches? Ironwork of some sort? Other? Will the gobo light be the key or fill?

I think we intend for it to be the moon, and I like the idea of trees/branches. Ideally, I'd like for it to be the key light, but I'm still designing the scene with the director, so i'm not sure yet...

 

[rochem]

I just finished designing a production of "Into The Woods" where almost the entire show was keyed off of gobos, with a number of really shadowy and dark nighttime scenes that worked really well.

I used R77805 for the key light (both cool and warm):

and also had a N/C top system of R71041:

And used a few other assorted patterns for certain specials. For almost the entire show, I keyed off of the warm and/or cool gobos, filling in with near and far side fills of slightly deeper colors. I also mixed in the top temp wash to make the breakups seem less defined and more random. I really liked the look that was created using only the cool temp with little or no cool fill from near and far, it created a very shadowy and abstract feeling while still providing enough facial visibility. As soon as I get a link to the photos (photo call was on Tuesday, the photographer still hasn't uploaded them to his website) I'll post a link.