Hello!
I'm looking at ordering about 20 total gobos for my performance hall. We deal mainly in concerts, and I just want something that will add a little texture to the stage rather than just having a flat wash. Are there any gobos that you would recommend, or consider to be a "hidden gem"?
TIA!
I have just seen the show on Saturday in Szeged, Hungary and am completely outraged! Even so by the fact that according to media articles the opening night was visited by no one else but Stephen Schwartz who is on the first picture.
The broschure says the artwork was done by Kentaur and Toth Kazmer, so I am crediting them so the post can remain, but look at that seemingly AI use! What do you think? I saw other posts here mentioning this, but it is worse than I imagined!
Photos are from Facebook, publicly awailable, not mine. https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=wicked%20szeged
I am thinking of getting 2 of the new Sheds 300w 3 in 1 fixtures and I wanted to see if they are worth it.
If someone here has experience with them please share your opinion
I have an outdoor musical coming up, and I need to purchase a Lighting Package for it. It will be in South Florida, technically outside, but up under a covered roof/amp.
The budget is roughly 10-12k for everything.
Has anyone used indoor lights outside, in this type of environment. Will I be ok? or do I need to go for IP65.
This is one of the only outdoor productions we do, but it happens once a year. Everything else is inside. The IP65 are twice the cost, so it would be 1/2 the rig.
Looking for real world advice on Risk vs the Reward here....
Thanks in advance.
Just an appreciation post for Axwell's LD and our in-house stage/set design team
Can anyone reccomend a good software/app to control lighting for a cover band that does mostly bar gigs?
It dosent need to be much, one Universe would be plenty.
Thanks.😎
Hi everyone!
I’m currently structuring a personal "Grand Handbook" for stage lighting design and scenography. The goal is to build a systematic, fast-reference guide strictly for my own education and daily work on stage, fully respecting copyright through synthesis and personal transformation.
Coming from a background as a stagehand and scenery builder at the Habima Theatre, I wanted a resource that directly bridges theoretical concepts with real-world spatial execution. To speed up the research process, I’ve been using AI models as a co-editor and peer reviewer. Fact-checking and challenging the AI forces me to dive much deeper into the subject matter, while also allowing me to digest complex adjacent disciplines—like optics, electrical fundamentals, and spatial geometry—that the AI breaks down into clear concepts.
The guide blends theoretical and practical foundations, covering lighting physics, geometry, optics, and spatial modeling from key authors like Richard Pilbrow, Max Keller, Andrei Melnik, the McCandless 45° system, Ismagilov, and Izvekov. It also covers modern field practice, console workflows (GrandMA, DMX, Art-Net), 3D visualization, and how light interacts with set materials and stage depth.
As I finalize Chapter 1, I’d love to gather some wisdom from experienced designers and technicians:
Hello everybody!
My band just bought some cheap knock off lights. (they say atomic led strobe on them, but are not atomics at all)
I'm now looking for a fixture file from an existing fixture that might work on them, or would require minimal adjustments to make them work.
Visually, the Chauvet Color Strike M would work, but doubling the amount of RGB channels and removing the tilt.
The largest channel layout on them is, iirc:
1 master dimmer
2 - 145 RGB intensity (4×12 RGB LED matrix)
146 - 153 Strobe strip intensity (8 LED sections in a row)
154 Strobe effect
We're using QLC+ 4 to send the DMX, if that matters.
Is there a fixture that comes to mind that would make sense?
I already tried to make a fixture file from scratch, but that hasn't worked out yet.
Thanks in advance guys
Apologies if this topic has already been discussed. I searched but nothing came up.
If you are touring a pre programmed show into a venue which has a house rig, what mode would you prefer the multi-cell house fixtures be set to?
Do you want the basic mode which gives you a simple feature set to clone into with no frills and no complications?
Do you want the expanded mode which gives you the highest level of pixel control?
Do you want full pixel control but know deep in your heart of hearts you probably won't use it all...
Really interested to know how you approach integrating venue rigs as so many now feature more complicated fixtures.
Hi, I'm new to the DMX scene so I have some questions about the controllers.
I have a particular moving head lighting fixture that I can't get working with my Chauvet 4.
This fixture has 7 channel or 15 channel modes. but I'm really only interested in turning it on and off remotely rather than individual colours, motors etc.
In 7 Channel Mode:
| Channel | Function | Value | Instruction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motor 1 Route | 0-255 | 0-135 degrees |
| 2 | Motor 2 Route | 0-255 | 0-135 degrees |
| 3 | Sum Dimmer | 0-255 | 0-100% |
| 4 | Strobe | 0-255 | 0-100% |
| 5 | Effect | 0-255 | No Effect to 1-25 |
| 6 | Effect Speed | 0-255 | Slow - Fast |
| 7 | Reset | 241-250 | 5 Seconds To Reset |
Currently I can get the heads to move only, the dimmer on CH3 does nothing as I'm guessing there is no effect on CH5 yet. So if I want to access Channel 5 in order make it light up, I'm going to need a 5th slider yes? Will I need to upgrade to a minimum Obey 6 or 10?
Thanks!
I have a pair of Martin Mac 600s that I got for free. As far as I can tell everything in them works, they just need new bulbs. Having looked online the bulbs for them seem to be around the price that the whole unit sell for anyway is there a cheaper alternative and failing that a good way to test that they will work before I invest in bulbs? My biggest fear is putting new bulbs in and they blow immediately.
Anyone have any tips or tricks on replacing the Rotating Gobo belt? What I thought was a cassette which could be removed from the fixture appears to be screwed in on both sides and would have to be tilted sideways to remove but there is not clearance near the lense nor the lamp. I also tried to slide the color wheel off the bottom to remove the gobo wheel off the shaft, but again there’s not even clearance to do that.
Anyone have experience with repairing this fixture? It seems like it is a commonly replaced part as my client has 3 fixtures with destroyed belts. Seems like the fixture being shuttered closed and lamped on will cook these belts to powder. Looks like I have to disassemble the entire fixture but I wanted to check before I do that.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Hey all,
I'm running a show this weekend on a grandMA3 and I have never touched a grandMA3 before.
I am fairly decent at grandMA2 but I would like to know what is your must know/starters advice for someone who has never touched the 3 before?
Specifically anything to do with workflow, commands, or programming the console would be helpful!! If you know any good online tutorials that would be super helpful too.
Cheers
Due to limited fund availability and age of venues, I am trying to figure out the best way to make slow but steady upgrades. There are 3 spaces in the school district that have the same problems. Aging equipment. From what I understand is I have a couple specific related, but different problems.
The cubes in the ETC D20 dimmer modules are dying (resulting in flickering lights). 90% of the dimmer modules date back to 2004. I know how to replace the cubes and have done so to about a dozen of the modules. There are about 160 dimmer modules between the 3 spaces.
The desire to incorporate more LED into the rig to maximize flexibility and less maintenance. Thought about using the Source 4WRD II to convert the numerous SourceFours I have in the venues. Buying that item allows me to avoid buying completely full/new fixtures and repair/replacement of burner bases that are dying from 20+ years of use.
Trying to think of a way to utilize the raceway already in place and use parts of the equipment (Source 4 body) that I have a lot of. I wish the conversion kit had power-thru, but looks like I have to plug each unit into single circuit.
If using the conversion kit, will I also need to replace the dimmer module it plugs into with a relay module? Is there a different way folks have upgraded their venue lighting rig that wasn't a complete one-time overhaul?
Hello y'all. I found that some moving wash lights claim that they (wash light) are 4-in-1 or 7-in-1, how does it work? Does it mean that I can buy the same piece for the whole stage lighting system?
Hi Fam,
do you have any inspiration for cheap/simple but impressive stage design?
I am looking for materials but also complete setups you have seen or build!
Recently i have seen people using acrylic corrugated sheet in front of LED Bars to diffuse the light.
Thank you in advance!
So a nonprofit broadcast studio that I work with is working with me to redo the lighting grid. I’ve already got the fixtures handled (unless there are some good budget studio fixtures) but I’m struggling with a controller. I would want a ion xe 20 or element 2 at a minimum but that’s not in the budget. I was thinking about going with nomad but I’m still confused on how it all works as I have only worked on consoles such as gio @5 and element 2. We only need 2 universes so it makes it easier.
From what I understand, I can use a computer and buy the usb key and an artnet node and I should be good? I’ve also seen the gadget 2 and wondering how that works and if that might be better/more cost effective. A big thing that they want is some kind of control surface. I was thinking of using a couple touchscreen monitors as that has been great on the element 2, but they want more. To trigger cues, is there a way to use a stream deck/midi controller or do you have to stick with etc’s stuff?
Finally, I know this is probably dumb but since the software is free, do you have to buy the usb key if you want to go direct over usb to the gadget 2? Also, is there anything I might be missing?
Thanks in advance!
I'm planning to build some led strip fixtures for a live show (music) and looking for good strobe performance in particular, so looking to go as bright as I can within a reasonable portable setup. I do also want pixel control.
System:
Ableton Live - MIDI data to design and sync lights to music - send to >
Resolume - artnet to>
H807SA controller (ethernet connection) >
Mean Well LRS-150-24 Power Supply >
24v WS2814 FCOB RGBW strip
Aluminium channeling
---------------
Once I've got this working, my plan will then be to try and build some fixtures and design a show synced to my music.
Does this sound like a decent setup (within a fairly tight budget)?
I've done quite a lot of searching and that strip sounds like it will be the brightest for strobing white, is this correct?
Any general thoughts or advice?
Thanks so much for any help, completely new to this.
So I work in a theater that is a converted barn. In our main performance space, our house light chandeliers are controlled via a dimmer in the basement (pictured). This would be fine for incandescent bulbs, but unfortunately, we use LED bulbs instead.
The reason we use LEDs is because of their longevity and the fact that these chandeliers are impossible to reach without renting a lift, and we simply can't afford to rent one every time an incandescent bulb expires. These lights get a lot of use every day.
We tried to purchase some "dimmable" LED Bulbs and test them on this dimmer pack, but they all suffer the same issue (to varying degrees). They flicker at low intensity, an effect that is very distracting and unpleasant. We tested 100 watt equivalent bulbs from various brands including Phillips and Feit.
I know our setup is far from ideal, but is there a solution to this issue that doesn't involve completely overhauling our lighting system? Obviously The easiest solution would be to find a 100W LED bulb that doesn't flicker but I understand why that might not be possible. The chandeliers in question use standard E26 sockets.
The last two fans I’ve got for our LD crap out after a short while, I’m guessing because haze fluid gets pulled into the air intake and mucks up the internal mechanisms? Is a regular box fan ideal?
