Sunrise effect with cyc lights

[Hunter.tech]

I'm the LD for the a show where the director wants to have a sunrise effect on the cyc as well as be able to evenly wash the cyc with one color in different scenes. The easiest fixtures I have available to me are ChromaQ Color Forces (2nd gen.). each fixture is 6' long and can be controlled in 1' sections. My cyc is approx. 45' long. if I have 6 fixtures being hung from the top and 6 on the bottom of the cyc, how would I go about programming a sunrise effect?

 

[Amiers]

Add a spot light and blend the cyc lights to it.

 

[derekleffew]

Below describes a sunset. Reverse for sunrise.

ONE way to do a cyc sunset effect.
Assume cyc lit from 4E, with "sky cyc" type fixtures
(1)red,
(2)blu,
(3)grn.
R40 strips [300R40/FL lamps] from the floor as a ground row in
(4)red,
(5)blu,
(6)grn.

Q1, daylight, chs (1>6) @ FL.
Q2 P1 T 5:00 ch(1,3) @ 00.
Q2 P2 T 9:00 ch(2) @ 25.
Q2 P3 T 4:00 ch(4) @ 00.
Q2 P4 T 8:00 ch(5) @ 25.
Q2 P5 T 3:00 ch(6) @ 00.

Adjust times in parts 1>5 to your liking.

The effect can be reinforced by a progression of sidelight from one side of the stage, starting with pale yellow/BA in the Pipe End sides, moving to amber in the boom tops, orange in the head highs, and finally, red in the shins. The opposite sidelights would have daylight blue in the high sides, progressing to primary blue in the shins.

Add/subtract the amber circuits to taste.

 

[JohnD]

In addition to the above, first do a Google or Bing search for photos of sunrise. Then search for sunrise in the search box at the top, this has been discussed many times and lots of ideas there. In one thread someone added two fresnels at the bottom center pointed up and to the sides with gels to get the rays of the sun. You could do the same thing with some pinspots in a row perhaps. I also remember one theater which had built some fixtures for their annual easter show using I think either 5 or 6 28 volt ACL lamps in series. That gave them a lower voltage for a warmer color. The were arranged in a line and could be tilted to give the effect of the sun's rays spreading out. Then, do you want a plain sky, or with clouds? Also one of the keys for this effect is very loooong fade times.