On the Fly Advice

Hey Ron,

congrats on getting the Ion! :D It has some really cool moving light features - that some of

the profi - users will soon tell you all about .

First off though - did you get any Fader Wings or Modules with the Ion?

As you've found, improvising (busking) moving lights is much more difficult than a conventionals-only rig.  This isn't a fault of the Ion, or any other console, just that multi-parameter fixtures have many more things to preset than intensity-only.

Here's how I often set up multiple executors on a HogII or grandMA (not sure if the Ion can this capability yet, but if not, I'm told it's coming):

Handle#1: Hard-Edge Units: Intensity and position.  Ten or more cues with positions like DSC, stage wash, band members, cyc focuses, audience focuses, various ballyhoos, etc. toward the end of the list.

Handle#2: Hard-Edge Units: Color.  Ten or more static colors, color rolls, and rainbow chases, toward the end of thie list.

Handle#3: Hard-Edge Units: Beam.  Ten or more gobo looks, with rotating ones at the end of the list.

Handle#4: Soft-Edge Units: Intensity and position. Same as Hard-Edge units.

Handle#5: Soft-Edge Units: Color. Same as Hard-Edge units.

With the Intensity handle down, select the desired Cue# in each list.  Fade up the Intensity handle.  For a live change, use [Go to Cue] X, in whatever list is appropriate.

Handle#6: Various looks using all fixtures that I think look good, but are able to be modified by being over-ridden by Handles 1-5.

Hope this helps.

This sounds similar to what I did for the show last night. I put the intensity of the lights on a subfader, and changed their color/focus/beam settings with cues. I was having trouble getting the cues to not track (cue 1=first position, cue1.2=second position, cues 2.1-2.8 were different colors, but all ended up being in second position). I'm guessing using multiple cue lists / having a better understanding of the cue only command will solve this problem.

I have also considered assigning various cues to faders so we can avoid the command line. Does anybody on here do this sort of thing?

ps. Busking? does that mean i should leave the board case open for tips?

easyice:

Busking? does that mean i should leave the board case open for tips?

Some time ago, I asked the Blue Room board to distinguish for me between "busking" and "flash and trash", because the former term is used there almost every day.  It was explained to me that it doesn't mean "street performer" anymore, but rather, "one-off, no fully organized rehearsal", and has no a priori pejorative connotation.

Being over fifty, I still have trouble separating flash and trash/bar mitzvah/product intro from thoughtful artistic support of a thoughtful, Gesamkunstwerk production. I guess that's hopelessly old fashioned.

That aside, it's astonishing to me how lighting designers who used to demand absolute, total artistic control have been forced to cede massive portions of the design to another guy, working out of sight (i.e. on the ML board) up in the mezzanine, with communication like "what can you do to improve x and y?".

1. Just because there's no rehearsal/programming time doesn't mean the lighting can't be good.

2. "Flash and trash" isn't inherently bad, if it supports the stage action, i.e. the dance floor at the bar mitzvah.

3. I don't feel any designer has been "forced" to relinguish control.  Many designers can say "Group A, Position B, Color C, Beam D, Edge 'a little softer'.  Record that as Cue # X."  It's just that today's "Lighting Programmer" is more of a collaborator and less of a "button monkey" than he/she used to be.  The LD still has (or should have!) final authority.