What to do with a cyc and no fly space.
- Thread starterLightitup
- Start date
You could add a curtain track to that pipe and instead of using rigid weight pipes could go with a chain or weight tape hem. Then you can more freely bunch the cyc up on either SL or SR. May have to send the cyc out to get a new hem put on it though. Also, if you can't raise the pipe trim another 9" or so, you may need to raise the hem on the cyc to account for the added height of the track.
Depending on how wide the cyc is, you may or may not be able to convert it into an olio. The wider it is, the harder this is to do though.
Depending on how wide the cyc is, you may or may not be able to convert it into an olio. The wider it is, the harder this is to do though.
@Lightitup Shooting every kid that comes within a hundred feet of it is the first thing that comes to mind.
The cleaner, better, and more blemish-free the cyc' the more it invites people with dirty, sticky fingers plus open beverage containers.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Straight or curved? Soft or rigid at bottom? Would raising it in half - raising bottom hem to approx same height as top hem - be out of the way enough?
If it were new or if it doesn't require re-hemmimg it, and you have a little wing space, track is the best answer. Get a "bag" to slip around bottom 6-8' too protect the stack.
If the bottom has or could easily have a rigid batten in it, consider a system of lift lines - nearly like an awning - that lifts bottom to top. This can be done with a chain hem but not as neat.
Roll drops are great - if straight - but usually not inexpensive. I guess Van is looking at bottom roller, and not a bad idea - if you can live with roller at bottom and attachment doesn't eat too much existing height.
If it were new or if it doesn't require re-hemmimg it, and you have a little wing space, track is the best answer. Get a "bag" to slip around bottom 6-8' too protect the stack.
If the bottom has or could easily have a rigid batten in it, consider a system of lift lines - nearly like an awning - that lifts bottom to top. This can be done with a chain hem but not as neat.
Roll drops are great - if straight - but usually not inexpensive. I guess Van is looking at bottom roller, and not a bad idea - if you can live with roller at bottom and attachment doesn't eat too much existing height.
We just have a full black traveler mounted DS of our Cyc. Get's the job done and hides the cyc. And when that won't cut it, the cyc is also hung on a curtain track so we can drop the pipe out and move it off to one side.
Taking it down between shows sounds crazy to me. Can you not just leave it in place as a backdrop? With limited lighting options for band concerts, I love having the cyc to help mix things up. I even light it up with the choral shells in front of it to let some color bleed through from the back. But yeah, when the band is on stage practicing I have the black upstage traveler pulled to avoid the sticky fingers.
Oh, and just to avoid confusion. Yes Bill, what we actually have should be referred to as a 'sky drop' since it is not curved. That being said, I don't know of any place in my area that has a proper cyclorama and that term is way more fun to teach, so I persist. If OP actually has a curved cyc, then I've got nothing.
Taking it down between shows sounds crazy to me. Can you not just leave it in place as a backdrop? With limited lighting options for band concerts, I love having the cyc to help mix things up. I even light it up with the choral shells in front of it to let some color bleed through from the back. But yeah, when the band is on stage practicing I have the black upstage traveler pulled to avoid the sticky fingers.
Oh, and just to avoid confusion. Yes Bill, what we actually have should be referred to as a 'sky drop' since it is not curved. That being said, I don't know of any place in my area that has a proper cyclorama and that term is way more fun to teach, so I persist. If OP actually has a curved cyc, then I've got nothing.
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I'd be worried about blood splatter. A taser might be a better choice.
@sk8rsdad I'll concur so long as they don't collapse into the cyc' and powder burns don't become a factor. Possibly we could include a a laser vaporizing beam to shorten any taller intruders should they topple perilously close? Cut 'em off at the knees on their way down. Granted. the bigger they are but I'm not recalling any rules about shortening them a little. Perhaps @derekleffew will have a comment to contribute?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Just giving you a hard time Bill. I seem to recall it used to be a pet peeve of yours
That being said, I would be VERY interested in how a curved roll drop works.
Skervald
Active Member
One space I work in had a similar problem. I convinced them to install a track (or horizontal fly system as I like to call it) which works pretty well. Of course, you need to add a pipe in the bottom which adds an extra step to deploying it but it's much easier than taking it down and putting it up. We do have a protective wrap for it and so far, it's stayed fairly clean. I've often dreamed about something like this: http://www.rosebrand.com/subcategory758/dmx-roll-drum.aspx which may be an option for you depending on how wide your drop is. I guess it does bring up the debate about whether or not DMX control should be used in a situation like this but I hope that doesn't hijack this thread!
I'll also second @TheaterEd's desire to see how a curved roll drop works.
I'll also second @TheaterEd's desire to see how a curved roll drop works.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
I saw some pretty impressive home made top roller units. Operated manually - like a chain on a rolling door - and made of aluminum irrigation pipe. They both had a roller support at center which can of course cause a problem. I think these were used for painted drops so it was fine for one show, then repainted or replaced.
I've never seen a curved roll drop. I asked if it was straight or curved so I would know if roller was a suitable route. And since many cycloramas are (or were) also curved in section as well as plan, it would be especially difficult to roll, particularly if made of plaster.
I've never seen a curved roll drop. I asked if it was straight or curved so I would know if roller was a suitable route. And since many cycloramas are (or were) also curved in section as well as plan, it would be especially difficult to roll, particularly if made of plaster.
The theater were I do sets also has this same issue. A fabric cyc (or is it sky drop since it's not curved) is dead hung at the rear of the stage. 38' wide by 25' tall. It has a solid pipe in the bottom pocket that rests on the floor and the fabric is tensioned laterally by line through grommets which are attached to two solid pipes running vertically on either side of the cyc. There is no fly system in the theater (nor height for one)
Now of course the basic issue is that you don't want anyone putting a hole in this massive bit of fabric or paint splatter, which has happened on several occasions. The additional fun variable is that directly behind the cyc is the platform/flat/set piece storage for the theater. This space is 8' 6" behind the cyc. That means there is a 4' 6" to jockey a 4x8 platform into position for storage. As you can imagine this gets pretty sketchy and there have been many close calls.
Along the lines with what everyone else has said, would it be possible to use vertical track along the sides to attach to instead of the vertical pipe, thus the drop would always stay tensioned laterally and could just be pulled upward like blinds? Any wrinkling from the bunching should be minimized by the lateral pull as well as the pipe in the bottom pocket. Correct or am I missing some detail?
Now of course the basic issue is that you don't want anyone putting a hole in this massive bit of fabric or paint splatter, which has happened on several occasions. The additional fun variable is that directly behind the cyc is the platform/flat/set piece storage for the theater. This space is 8' 6" behind the cyc. That means there is a 4' 6" to jockey a 4x8 platform into position for storage. As you can imagine this gets pretty sketchy and there have been many close calls.
Along the lines with what everyone else has said, would it be possible to use vertical track along the sides to attach to instead of the vertical pipe, thus the drop would always stay tensioned laterally and could just be pulled upward like blinds? Any wrinkling from the bunching should be minimized by the lateral pull as well as the pipe in the bottom pocket. Correct or am I missing some detail?
Bill has a Pet peeve about Cyc's? I have a freakin' issue with the term. In my new position I see the term "Cyc curtain" used so often for an upstage-most walk-draw or cord op curtain with fullness sewn in of any color of style of fabric... It's maddening. From my original comments on @derekleffew 's definition of "Cyclorama" in the Wikki:
"Technically a true Cyc is considered to be a 3 sided soft good hanging in the uppermost area backstage. Traditionally the three sided-ness was achieved using a special rigging connector called a "cyc-knuckle" this allowed the center, straight across the stage section, to be lifted first letting the outside edges to collapse so that the entire unit would be drawn up into the space of a single batten. This was required since the outside < off-stage> edges of a "real cyc" would often curve downstage as much as 6 ft or more. Traditionally cycs are white, or raw muslin colored, more often they are water stained and an aged yellowish color, which often leads to them getting painted a nice cerulean blue which magically transforms them into " Sky Cycs". Again I am being extremely technical here in stating the traditional differences. Sky drops and Back drops are completely flat goods which stretch the width of the stage the primary difference between the two being that a Sky drop typically starts it's life as a white backdrop that gets old and then someone has the bright idea of painting it blue. Please for the love of God do not paint clouds on a blue Sky drop. Use the appropriate gobo from Apollo."
"Technically a true Cyc is considered to be a 3 sided soft good hanging in the uppermost area backstage. Traditionally the three sided-ness was achieved using a special rigging connector called a "cyc-knuckle" this allowed the center, straight across the stage section, to be lifted first letting the outside edges to collapse so that the entire unit would be drawn up into the space of a single batten. This was required since the outside < off-stage> edges of a "real cyc" would often curve downstage as much as 6 ft or more. Traditionally cycs are white, or raw muslin colored, more often they are water stained and an aged yellowish color, which often leads to them getting painted a nice cerulean blue which magically transforms them into " Sky Cycs". Again I am being extremely technical here in stating the traditional differences. Sky drops and Back drops are completely flat goods which stretch the width of the stage the primary difference between the two being that a Sky drop typically starts it's life as a white backdrop that gets old and then someone has the bright idea of painting it blue. Please for the love of God do not paint clouds on a blue Sky drop. Use the appropriate gobo from Apollo."
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Bshend - just lifting the bottom pipe to trip it should give you adequate clearance and not introduce wrinkles. You'd only have to remove half the side ties.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
I'm good with Google:
- a circular picture of a 360° scene, viewed from inside.
- a cloth stretched tight in an arc around the back of a stage set, often used to depict the sky
And the three different ones I worked with were indeed plaster, and curved in both section and plan. Just about like Google says.
No wonder we have fake news when anyone feels entitled to change definitions and mis-lable things.
- a circular picture of a 360° scene, viewed from inside.
- a cloth stretched tight in an arc around the back of a stage set, often used to depict the sky
And the three different ones I worked with were indeed plaster, and curved in both section and plan. Just about like Google says.
No wonder we have fake news when anyone feels entitled to change definitions and mis-lable things.
