Charcoal-
-First, in specific reference to the
iris v.
shutter question. It really depends on what you are doing. Recently, I had 5 VL2500s in
house the don't have shutters, I was doing Les Mis. Now, they were GREAT and the
iris in them was very useful when I needed to just carve out one character on the
stage (if they could hit their
mark that is). However, when I swung the
fixture up onto a set piece, I missed the ability to use shutters and cut to the
edge of certain windows and lines on the set piece. Instead I had a big old circle up there. You can
throw in some
frost and
zoom out to solve that to one degree, but when you want the nice clean edges of a
shutter, you use a
shutter. When you want to be able to go from a very wide angle beam to a very small angle beam, you use an
iris.
-Now, spot v.
wash fixture. Spot fixtures have enhanced optics that allow them to produce a VERY crisp
edge, which in turn allows them to project images, such as gobos. Spot fixtures typically have a smaller beam range, and in terms of MLs, will
zoom from anywhere from 14 degrees like the Mac700 to near 40 degress like a VL2500.
Wash fixtures do not have as enhanced optics, but allow for a much wider beam range. Typically them will
zoom from very low, near 5 degrees sometime, to something closer to 70 degrees allowing for a wide range of full flood to tight, long
throw beams. Some of the higher end fixtures will also employ the use of prisms to split the beam to make nice areal affects in
haze.
-As was mentioned earlier, MLs are not typically used from
FOH, however that's not to say they can't. Most would see that as a waste given that front-lighting
haze is not effective and that front light is often the "boring" light and doesn't provide much drama, dimension, or
effect. Most designers typically will use Source 4s
FOH to provide general area lighting and washes, and then will position MLs either as top light or back light specials that can as well project gobos on the
stage floor or
backdrop as they see fit. This toplight position is the most versatile to most designers.
-As you have mentioned most of your acting occurs DS of the
proscenium, on your
thrust, and that you have one or two pipes positioned over the
thrust itself.
IMO, it would be in your best interest to position whichever ML you buy on the pipe closets to the
proscenium, but still DS of it. This will allow the fixtures to function as near toplight specials, but will set them back a little to wrap around characters and provide the ever popular back light look. Also, this is a great position from which to shoot gobos or projections.
-In terms of which
fixture, and
iris v. shutters, it depends on what type of performances you will be doing. For lots of concerts, musicals, or more edgy dramas I would suggest spot fixtures with
iris because of their smaller
beam angle and ability to project images. If you tend to do more static shows or ones that require precise positioning of the light, such a dance performance maybe, shutters are a good bet. A
wash fixture should be used if you are not that concerned about
spill, but want to provide many different color washes with one
fixture that will
cover several areas.
-VL1000s are NOT huge. Check out the
Vari-lite website. The NEW VL1000s have their
dimmer/
ballast and everything in a separate,
truss or pipe mounted
unit. The VL1000 Arc
ERS is a VERY nice little
fixture (16 lbs!), with enough
power and enough toys for any theater. I would be more than happy specifying them for your application Charcoal. If I were you, I would demo the VL1000
Tungsten w/
Iris and the VL2500 just for comparison. Some other fixtures to look at would any of the smaller ROBEs, Mac500s, and others in that range. Only a select few offer shutters until you get into the really high end fixtures like the VL3500.