Comments on: How Do I..? How To..? Stage Lighting FAQ

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:15:37 +0000

Is there anyone who is a lighting designer but also an acrophobic?
I want to become a lighting designer and i’ve been in a internship for a year but still cant conquer it…

any advise?

By: Rob Sayer

Rob Sayer — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:48:51 +0000

Doug, the trouble with Gaffer tape directly on lanterns is that it melts and then hardens again, making a nasty mess an leaving sticky cloth mesh residue behind.

Blackwrap (just like any tin foil) is usually crumpled /folded over any available anchor points such as colour frame runners etc. stays in place by virtue of the fact that it is flexible and mouldable.

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:59:31 +0000

I just had a Doh moment. I was thinking about how I would attache the black foil to the housing and thought Gaffers tape might work then “Doh” Cant I just use the Gaffers tape to cover the gap between the gel frame and the can body?

By: Rob Sayer

Rob Sayer — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:26:11 +0000

Hi Doug. Not quite sure which housing your PAR38s are in, but the usual lighting solution to light leaks is a matt black aluminium foil, often called Black Wrap.

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:10:59 +0000

Yes its shining between end of the lamp and the gel.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:10:14 +0000

Hi Doug,

Is the white light shining out from the ventilation holes in the body of the fixture or between the end of the lamp and the gel? Have you thought about repositioning your lights or maybe using different fixtures? All depends on what you have in the way of kit and what you want to do with it.

Matt

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:38:20 +0000

I am still pretty new to stage lighting, one of my problems so far is that I have par 38s that I put colored gels in. White light shows from the sides of the pars and shines on my back drop pretty badly. How do I fix that?

By: Rashna

Rashna — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:13:17 +0000

hey..
this is really helpful.. in the midst of writing a play and my course work is far from helpful when it comes to lighting!

By: Rob Sayer

Rob Sayer — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:54:39 +0000

Hi Matt – There is quite a few threads on the subject @ the Blue Room including this one. In the old days we used to use neat Meths but lense technology has got more complicated and you need to be careful not to clean off any special coating the manufacturers put on. ETC Source Fours manual makes it clear that you SHOULD NOT use glass cleaner. A weak water/detergent solution is a safe bet if you are not sure.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:16:12 +0000

Can anyone recommend the best way of cleaning the lenses in my stage lights? I have a couple of lighting units with big lenses in them but I don’t think they have ever been cleaned. Is it best to just use a lens cleaning cloth (like for glasses or binoculars) or should I be using something else? Some cleaning substance?

Matt