Design Silhouettes

[yanksrule0422]

Hi,

So I'm working on a play. In the play there are a few scenes that involve silhouettes. Now these are live actors behind a white screen. I need to light them form behind but i have no idea what to use.


I've tried some lights, and none are giving me the effect I want.


First I tried a row of LED Chauvet colorPalettes (cheap lights i know) and they didn't work because it casted multiple shadows.
Second I tried one colorPalette and that casted multiple shadows that were much thinner in distance.
Next I tried an Elation Opti Tri Par and that worked better, but still casted multiple shadows.
Next I decided to use try a regular Par64 without its shell (just the lamp holder and the lamp) and that casted a weird beam on the wall simply because the beam was altered by the pattern on the lamps glass encasement
Next i tried using a 50 degree source 4 ellipsoidal and that worked well but didn't cover enough of the wall and I dont have enough source 4s cover each spot of the silhouette.


Lastly just to simply satisfy the producer for that rehearsal, I used a High End StudioColor 575 and that worked well enough to create good shadows, but that isnt a wash light so it left and bright circle where the beam was strongest and the intensity of the beam got weaker as it got further from the center.




What can I use to make these silhouettes look good?? How should I set it up?? How can I assure that the shadows projected on the white screen will be nearly focused??


Thanks
Justin

 

[WooferHound]

You need a Point Source light . . .
If you take the cap off of the back of a Source 4 fixture, and use the bare bulb in front of a black nonreflective backing, you should get very focused distinctive shadows. I think there is a post around here somewhere about lighting for shadow puppets that would be very helpful.

 

[Beans45601]

As has already been said, you are looking for as close to a point source as possible. I usually use a fresnel with the lens removed, that was you can still mount it and don't have the lamp exposed (too much).

(edit) Also red text? Really?

 

[kicknargel]

This has been answered exhaustively. Do a search.

 

[MarfaLights]

I've had good success with Source4s placed low and far back. I get good results from 30' behind the projection fabric. When placed low, the feet appear at the bottom of the screen no matter where they stand. It sounds like you don't have much depth behind the screen. I've used three in different positions and heights to make 6 actors look like a crowd of 18.

If you don't have the depth for a focused ellipsoidal, maybe you could brightly wash a white backdrop and put the actors in front of it but not in light. Put a scrim in front of that and it might be convincing. Good luck.

 

[RonHebbard]

Hi,

So I'm working on a play. In the play there are a few scenes that involve silhouettes. Now these are live actors behind a white screen. I need to light them form behind but i have no idea what to use.


I've tried some lights, and none are giving me the effect I want.


First I tried a row of LED Chauvet colorPalettes (cheap lights i know) and they didn't work because it casted multiple shadows.
Second I tried one colorPalette and that casted multiple shadows that were much thinner in distance.
Next I tried an Elation Opti Tri Par and that worked better, but still casted multiple shadows.
Next I decided to use try a regular Par64 without its shell (just the lamp holder and the lamp) and that casted a weird beam on the wall simply because the beam was altered by the pattern on the lamps glass encasement
Next i tried using a 50 degree source 4 ellipsoidal and that worked well but didn't cover enough of the wall and I dont have enough source 4s cover each spot of the silhouette.


Lastly just to simply satisfy the producer for that rehearsal, I used a High End StudioColor 575 and that worked well enough to create good shadows, but that isnt a wash light so it left and bright circle where the beam was strongest and the intensity of the beam got weaker as it got further from the center.




What can I use to make these silhouettes look good?? How should I set it up?? How can I assure that the shadows projected on the white screen will be nearly focused??


Thanks
Justin

Justin of the red print;

Research Linnebach projector.
In the meantime, try a fresnel with the lens open and/or removed.
You could also try removing the fresnel's reflector keeping the housing, socket and wiring.
Save the parts, of course, so the fresnel can live for another day.

Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[gafftapegreenia]

A Fresnel with lens and reflector removed. I did just that with an Altman 1KAF once. STill had to use the color frame in order to get clean edges on the circle or light.

 

[JohnD]

Since this subject has come up again, here are a couple of images from The Golden Age of The Movie Palace* by Ben M. Hall.
Both these are from the Roxy theater in NYC(long gone).

* as I recall the original name of this book was For the Best Remaining Seats (take the grand staircase to the left) The book is now out of print but it is easy to find copies at Amazon.

 

[JohnD]

A Fresnel with lens and reflector removed. I did just that with an Altman 1KAF once. STill had to use the color frame in order to get clean edges on the circle or light.

I have done that a bunch, small club rock and roll lighting, on the floor behind the drummer, great with the patron supplied haze (before no smoking laws).