Control/Dimming Which Lighting board for a cabaret show??

[SouthFloridaSFX]

I am working with a group who is looking to do a cabaret show in a local nightclub. They have mac 1ks, 600s, mini mac, and atomic strobes in there now. I will need to add some conventional lighting for a few things. I am wondering what is a good, rugged lighting board to use. They currently are using light jockey, which I dont think is any good for a love show purpose. I am not a fan of it and have never been trained on it. Whats a good intermediate board which allows cues and scenes to be programmed with intell fixtures.

 

[DaveySimps]

How many of each instrument will you have / how many DMX channels will you be using? Will the show be run back like a traditional theatre show, or will it need to interface with other equipment? The more information you can provide about the rig and the show, the more useful responses we can provide you.

~Dave

 

[SouthFloridaSFX]

I would guess somewhere about 30-40 fixtures total. The board will only be used for lighting.

 

[mstaylor]

When you say "only for lighting" do you mean just conventionals or both conventionals and movers. I originally thought the latter but your last sounds like the former.

 

[metti]

Are you against having a computer based board (eg would you consider MagicQ + a wing)? Also, what is your budget.

 

[BDS0111]

I would guess somewhere about 30-40 fixtures total. The board will only be used for lighting.

Do you mean 30 - 40 automated fixtures or conventional fixtures, or both total?

 

[kiwitechgirl]

What desks are you familiar with? If you're running the show (which you don't say, but I'm presuming you are) then it's going to be a matter of working out which of the desks you know is best going to fit the bill. Unless, of course, you want to take advantage of the show to learn a new desk!

 

[SouthFloridaSFX]

Im know how to use ETC boards, but have never really done anything big like this w movers. Theres only gonna be a few conventional lights, maybe 8. The rest are all movers.

 

[erosing]

My vote goes to the hog if you have the budget and a day or two to learn how to use it.

 

[NickJones]

I second the Hog, it's nice and simple, I also love the GrandMA range, it's pretty easy to learn, there are YouTube vids on LightingTrainer, you can learn it using the GrandMA onPC software and GrandMA3D so you can patch and program your movers and then see Visualisations of what you have done, it's all free and you can get it here, I got it a few weeks ago as I'm using a GrandMA for an upcoming show, so if you have any questions in regards to the basics, feel free to PM me, also contact the hire shop to see if they actualy have one, no point learning Hog & GrandMA only to find that they don't have one.
Nick

 

[BDS0111]

So, you have a show with 30 - 40 fixtures and only 8 or so will be conventional instruments and the rest will be automated fixtures?? Do you have experience using movings lights with the ETC boards you know? How much time will you have to load in and program the show? Would you have time to learn a new console before the show? Are you doing it all? Load In? Design?? Programming/cueing?? Operation?? Load Out? Do you have crew to help you or are you doing everything on you own. This is a very big show to manage on your own.

This is a large rig for someone who has not handled this many moving lights before. 30 - 40 fixtures is a lot of data and information to handle and I promise you that it will overwhelm you very quickly when you sit down to begin programming. While you are under pressure to program and meet deadlines is not the time to be leanring a new console. That is hard enough even if you do have experience with large rigs.

Messing with the offline editors and watching videos on youtube is a great tool, but for those who don't have experience with large rigs it just is not the same. What you really need to do to prepare for a show of this size is to actually get your hands on the console and a handful of fixtures to screw around with for a week to learn.

Do you know what kind of fixtures you will be using yet?? How long do you have to plan for and design this???

 

[SouthFloridaSFX]

Whats a good model hog that will do what I need? Thanks all again.

 

[gafftaper]

Any Hog or GrandMA you can get your hands on will probably be just fine and certainly a better fit than any old ETC console you may have worked with. What can you afford is a much more important question. Is this a rental or a purchase? What is your budget range?

 

[BDS0111]

You would want to be looking for a Hog II or a III. With the GrandMA I'd shoot for the full size... It would be worth looking into Avolites and Compulite Vector too! As for ETC, the EOS can handle large numbers of moving lights just fine...it is nothing like other ETC boards.. Tell us some more about your budget if you can. Where in FL are you...maybe we can point you to a place to where you can get a good deal!?

 

[NickJones]

If you do want to pre-program, or just get a feel, GrandMA has it's own Visualiser that's free, so you can pre-program the show on your computer, and then just make ajustments when you get to the venue, again, plotting time is really important, consider finding someone to be your board op, will save time,
Nick

 

[BDS0111]

Hey Jon. Any update???

 

[VL5]

get the ETC ion if you have the budget for it, I think it is like $4,000 and it is easy to use and is great with both movers and conventionals

 

[SouthFloridaSFX]

Still looking, had found a few on gearsouce.com for around 4800, but it loks like they revamped there site and there all gone now. Best Ive found is 6200.

 

[SouthFloridaSFX]

Anyone have any ideas? I dont know if all the boards from GS are comming back.