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    Scott Heine
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NEWBIE: Looping Color-Changing Effect & Lightning Effect

I'm a total newbie with very little training, figuring things out on my own using training videos, forums, etc. Working in a new theater with all-new equipment and an ETC Element to run everything.

Getting lights up and down, setting cues, etc. makes sense. I think I've got that figured out. The results are really basic, but meeting the need.

However, I need to program in a couple of effects (at least, I'm assuming they're effects) into cues.

1) COLOR-SHIFTING RIVER LIGHTS

I need fixtures 70, 73, 75, & 76 to start out GREEN and shift to BLUE, while fixtures 71, 72, 74, & 77 start out BLUE and shift to GREEN. Then everything shift back to where they started, and loop the effect over and over until I'm ready for the next scene cue. Each shift should take about 3 seconds (i.e., the loop is complete after 6 seconds and restarts).

I need to add this effect to multiple cues through the show (basically, when the actors are standing by a river in various scenes).

Help! I can follow the video tutorials to create step-based effects and such, but I quickly get lost trying to apply those concepts to this specific need. Can anyone give me some step-by-steps to follow so I can figure this out?

2) LIGHTNING

A much simpler issue, I imagine. Maybe even something that can be done manually in the middle of a cue? I don't know.

I need fixtures 50-54 (all Slimpar Pro H USB 6ch) to flash white a couple of times to indicate lightning at one point in the show. Of course, the rest of the stage lighting would remain the same throughout the scene.

I have absolutely no idea how to set this up correctly. Again, can someone give me some step-by-step instructions?

 

THANK YOU!!!! (And thanks for your patience. I'm learning... slowly...)

I have no idea how to set this up.

Parents

  • Yes effects are probably the 'best' way to do this. (There are always several ways to do anything and best just means it works for you.)

    1. Create 2 or more color palettes. Note that not all fixtures need to be the same color in a palette. Don't make them 'by type'

    Create an "absolute" effect and in the level column select a color palette. Pick your other settings to match this or by experimenting:

    2. Here is my lightning effect.

    The drawback to this is that every flash looks the same. If you do several effects with different squiggles and timing you can have variation. If you change "Continuous" to one shot you can place it on a fader or magic sheet button and fire it when the mood strikes.

    For newbies I recommend the "Tea Break Tutorials" as simple and practical exercises on specific topics. Version 2.2 is getting pretty old, the basics haven't changed.

    www.etcconnect.com/.../Eos-Family-v2-2-Tea-Break-Tutorials-Series.aspx

    Last but certainly not least, Eos videos Level 2 chapter 10 is just on effects. I recommend getting the workbook and such off the ETC site instead of just going to Youtube. http://www.etcconnect.com/Support/Tutorials/Eos-Family-Videos/Level-2-Enhanced-Skills.aspx

     

    Whew! There is a lot there

  • in reply to RickR
    Just expanding on the first bit of that where Rick says create 2 colour pallets in case you missed the key point

    In the first colour pallet you set 70, 73, 75, & 76 green and 71, 72, 74, & 77 as blue

    and in the second you set it with 70, 73, 75, & 76 blue and 71, 72, 74, & 77 as green

    then your effect is simply step 1 use colour pallet 1 and step 2 use colour pallet 2.
Reply
  • in reply to RickR
    Just expanding on the first bit of that where Rick says create 2 colour pallets in case you missed the key point

    In the first colour pallet you set 70, 73, 75, & 76 green and 71, 72, 74, & 77 as blue

    and in the second you set it with 70, 73, 75, & 76 blue and 71, 72, 74, & 77 as green

    then your effect is simply step 1 use colour pallet 1 and step 2 use colour pallet 2.
Children
  • in reply to Mike A
    Y'all are great! Thank you! I've got the color shifting working... and it looks terrific! Simple, but effective.

    Giving the lightning a go. (Of course, I could pull out the theatrical strobes I've still got in storage before moving over to this new theater and figure out how to get 'em hooked up, eh? Forgot about that possibility...)
  • in reply to Scott Heine
    for lighting you can try this:

    head to the effect list by double pressing effect. create a new effect by typing a number that doesn't exist yet, like Effect 2. choose linear. you get a Sine graph. click Edit, click Clear. draw what looks like the heart monitor in every ER tv show. click apply.
    Scale 80 Enter, Cycle time 0.5 Enter, Duration 1.5 Enter, Attributes Random Group.

    in Live: Chan 1 Thru 10 Effect 2 Enter.
  • in reply to Scott Heine
    See if your fixtures have a strobe parameter. If so that can give a faster response than just intensity. In fact many fixtures have a "smoothing" feature to make them act more like incandescents.
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