Author Topic: Light hang and focus  (Read 2777 times)

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Bwoodbury

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Light hang and focus
« on: Sep 13, 2010, 11:26 pm »
I don't know if this is quite the right place for this, but figured I'd give it a shot. I took a full time job that requires some overhire work and I have my first light hang in a long time coming up. I did a little bit of hanging and focusing in school, but not much and I was hoping for some reminders if anyone has any tips or tricks!

AdamJ

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Re: Light hang and focus
« Reply #1 on: Sep 13, 2010, 11:39 pm »
Don't drop anything...

TarytheA

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Re: Light hang and focus
« Reply #2 on: Sep 14, 2010, 09:39 am »
Don't drop anything, of course, and don't carry anything to the grid that isn't firmly attached to you. :)

When hanging:
Try to hang the instrument so that the gobo and gel slots are on top when the light is pointing the right direction - this makes focusing and dropping colour in much easier.  Sometimes you don't know for sure unless you're looking at the plot yourself, but if you're working on the furthest downstage pipe, for instance, you can pretty well guess that the light will point upstage b/c designers don't typically want to light the audience (though there is no guarantee!).

When focusing:
pan = moving the lighting instrument side to side.  You first have to loosen the tiny bolt on the side, which requires a c-wrench.

tilt = moving the lighting instrument up and down.  You first have to loosen a large knob on the side, which can be loosened by hand.

rotate = self-explanatory

flagging an instrument = waving your hand in front of the light so the designer can see what light onstage is actually coming from that instrument.

running the barrel = sliding the light from really unfocused, through a sharp focus, to really unfocused the other way.  This is done by twisting the circular knob (usually on the bottom, but sometimes on the top), pulling the barrel all the way towards you, and slowly letting it out until the designer says stop.

going "sharp to shutter" = pushing a shutter in (doesn't matter which one) and running the barrel until it is as sharply focused as you think you can get it.  Then pull the shutter back out.

If the designer says "lock that", then tighten the bolt/knob on whatever you were just working on.  That means you got it just right!

Remember that when shutter cutting, the light output is flipped so that if you push a shutter in on the left side of the instrument, you will see it taking effect on the right side of the onstage pool of light, and vice versa.  Same thing with the top and bottom.

Hopefully that helps, Bridget.  If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.  You'll do fine.
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