Comments on: Stage Lighting Systems – Lighting Rig Anatomy

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:33:56 +0000

I love this article, it is so true. I am the head lighter at a highschool with an overly expensive lighting system (150 dimmers /250 channels).

By: Joan

Joan — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:27:43 +0000

Awesome! Thank you so much Matt!

Joan

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:31:41 +0000

Hi Joan,

Did you mean PAR64 by any chance? If so then it depends on what you want to do with your lights to be honest but a good rule of thumb for hanging lights is so that they point at 45 degrees to what you are trying to light. So if your lights are, for example, 3m above the stage then you would do well to set them back from the middle of the stage by 3m. If you light from straight above your actors or performers will have no light on their fronts. If you hang them too far back then you will blind your performers and you will have a lot of spread of your lights. Don’t forget that you could do with some safety bonds if your pole ends up over the audience (well you should have them anyway to be honest).

Finally, in my experience, the building will often have a say in where your lights can go – you need something structural to hang them from. Good luck.

Matt

By: Joan

Joan — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:15:05 +0000

I have built a 9 foot platform stage. I am lighting the stage with par 46 can lights. I will clamp them onto a pole and hang it from the ceiling above the stage. Where exactly do I hang this pole? Is it flush with the apron of the stage? Should I hang the pole for the lights a foot away from the edge of the stage? I’m really clueless. I’d love some help.

Thank you so much!

joan

By: Gaz

Gaz — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:11:38 +0000

Brilliant article! Rob has a great way of writing and the articles on this site are straightforward, informative and interesting. I’ve been “playing” with lights since the late sixties and OMG how things have changed! An old f**t like me has trouble keeping up with the technology but On Stage Lighting helps, thank you. (Anyone remember kicking sticking channels on a Strand Grand Master or using a bit of wooden batten to fade all to blackout on a Junior 8? lol. Ahh, those were the days……… hmmm, perhaps not!!)

Regards to all, Gaz.

By: nick

nick — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:31:22 +0000

I like that last bit. When ever we are assembly and a camera is there we all pull on balaclavas. Over the coms there is the notice turn that camera off. Techies don’t get seen herd or any other contact with the outside world that stage master said.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:03:40 +0000

Just researched, current lamp part# ends with MFL so will so will move to 500 watt medium for wash then maybe go with a par 38 low watt spot on each band member.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:16:40 +0000

I’m doing sound at mostly medium sized clubs and learning about lighting. To light the band from the from front I have 4 par 56 short cans on each side. For back light 4 to 8 par 38 cans on a truss behind the drummer. 4 scanners, a couple Chauvet Vue 1.1’s, dimmer packs, controller etc. The front par cans are 300 watts and sometimes don’t light the performers or stage very well. I’m going to put 500 watt lamps in them. Should they be narrow, medium, or wide?

Thanx,

Dan

By: Rob Sayer

Rob Sayer — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:23:57 +0000

Matt, just realised that I made an error in answer to the cyc question. A throw distance difference of 2/3 times bottom -> top is actually fine – the problem of contrast are often with ratios of 6 – 10 times. Close in positions are obviously to blame.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:45:53 +0000

Thanks for that Rob. I think I will have a play with that this weekend and see if it makes a difference. An article about Cycs would be really welcome I think – One thing I’ve discovered with them is that making them look good and getting the most out of them is a real art. Thanks for the help anyway – I will report back in case any one else is having the same problem and is following the posts.

Thanks

Matt