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The virtual working environment created by wysiwyg for lighting pre-viz...

The Evolution of Visualizers Continues

Recently I was asked about the difference between visualizers and which one would be best to choose for pre-viz (pre-programming a show). Those questions are not as easy to answer as they once may have been. For many years, lighting designers and programmers had only a few choices for pre-programming a show. And video engineers essentially had even fewer than that. All of that has changed, however, in the last few years. Visualizers, or pre-visualization software applications, are now available in practically all aspects of the entertainment and design fields. Which then leads to the questions, “What are they used for?” and “Which one do I need?” Let’s take a closer look at how the one-time “visualizer” has evolved into an array of powerful design tools for lighting and video designers.

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The 4K Blu-Ray: Much More than Pixels

The 4K Blu-Ray: Much More than Pixels

I’ve written extensively about 4K (also known as UHD) over the last few years, and the weak link isn’t the quality or the price of the televisions — it’s the content. To get 4K content onto a 4K display, there are only a few options available. You can connect a 4K-capable PC to the UHD monitor, using HDMI or Display Port, or you can connect several of the industry’s advanced 4K video processors to a small group of professional 4K monitors, using four DVI single-link connections or two DVI dual-link connections.

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Atomos Ronin Portable Video Recorder and Monitor. The unit is available in standalone and rackmount versions.

Atomos Ronin Portable Video Recorder and Monitor

I’ve been uttering the phrase, “That’s my new favorite piece of gear” a lot these days. Any time I get something that makes my gig instantly easier — I’ll take it! Case in point: my most recent gear purchase, the Ronin from Atomos. They’ve made quite a name for themselves in the DSLR market producing small, inexpensive off-camera video recorders, but the Ronin is a bit of a different beast — and by far my new favorite piece of gear.

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ADJ 3 Sixty 2R

ADJ 3 Sixty 2R

ADJ has been stepping up their game in the professional grade segment of their business with the introduction of the 3 Sixty 2R split head moving light.  The company’s goal: to offer a wide range of products for every segment of the market from entry level to professional and installation markets. The 3 Sixty 2R, first featured at LDI 2013, is aimed at lighting pros aiming for both affordability and an array of amazing looks.

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The W1 packs 126 white LEDs in seven modules. Six of the seven modules can move independently

High End Systems Shapeshifter Series

In recent years, automated lighting fixtures utilizing LED technology have begun to evolve beyond wash fixtures into more dynamic visual effects. As many manufacturers continue to strive toward creating brighter and brighter LED profile fixtures, LED wash fixtures have tended to be pretty much the same. That is, until the Shapeshifter. I recently traveled to Austin, TX to spend some time with engineering innovator and Shapeshifter creator Richard Belliveau of High End Systems to learn more about this promising new fixture.

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RC4 Wireless' RC4WMagic Series 3

RC4 Wireless’ RC4WMagic Series 3

When I first looked at the various items in the package from RC4 Wireless, I was unsure how groundbreaking this system would be beyond providing miniscule applications of wireless data and dimming. However, within minutes of watching the start-up tutorial videos, I realized that this product would be much more than that. The modern RC4 system is a highly configurable, multi-functional, powerful set of tools that electricians, scenic/lighting/props designers, and multimedia artists should definitely take note.

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The lighting setup for X Japan at Madison Square Garden

Quick Cues: X Japan, Charli XCX, Bassnectar, Saturday Takeaway and More

X Japan, billed as “the most successful rock band in the history of Japan,” performed a one-off at Madison Square Garden in New York City. LD Peter Morse designed the set and the lighting for the Oct. 11 show, working with production manager Phay MacMahon. “I designed a smaller show for their warm-up concerts in Yokohama, which took place one week prior to the show at the Garden,” said Morse. “The MSG show was shot for DVD, and consisted of 600-plus fixtures, ably programmed via ESP previz by Troy Eckerman and Craig Caserta. We only had one actual day — show day — with the entire rig! So previz was an absolute necessity.”

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Building the Art-Net(work)

Building the Art-Net(work)

Who doesn’t appreciate the power of Art-Net?  Art-Net gives us the ability to manage massive amounts of DMX over a single cable with one controller?  In turn, we can control a ton of fixtures easily from one place which makes programming shows much easier.  However, while Art-Net is an amazingly cool method of control, it adds another hat to the lighting designer — Information technology administrator.  Now, we not only need to think about which gobos overlap best, but also how to make sure that our network of fixtures is running smoothly.

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Picking Up Tricks from Others

Did you go to school? Did you feel that was the end of your education? Lies, I tell you — all lies. I am a firm believer that you never stop your education. Now does that mean that you should be constantly in school or some sort of continuing education system? Hell no. Look at all the veterans in the industry. Many of them never went past high school. What they learned about our industry, they did on the road and on the job.

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Random Thoughts

Many elements of lighting design are built using symmetry; however for every symmetrical system an asymmetrical system is also conceived.  Automated lighting programmers are given the power to create randomness and chaos out of any lighting rig by simply using the tools at hand.  One of the best tools for doing so is working with random values.  Whether contained within the fixtures themselves or a product of the console, random abilities add dynamic excitement to any production such as a color chase or lightning effect.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Boss or Leader?

I had a lighting tech walk up to me one day and ask for some help. He couldn’t find a couple of gel frames that had fallen out of some PARs since the previous evenings’ performance. I asked him if he had any spare gel and frames in the work trunk. “Sure,” he responded. “But my boss will not let me have them because he thinks it’s my fault they disappeared, and he wants me to spend all morning looking for them. That’s why your light rig is still on the ground.” Not wanting to stir up any internal crew conflict, I told him that I wasn’t his boss. He replied, “You may not be the boss, but you’re our leader. Please intervene here.”

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In Memoriam: Patrick Stansfield, 70

In Memoriam: Patrick Stansfield, 70

Patrick Stansfield, 70, tour manager for Neil Diamond, the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, the Grateful Dead, Santana, Tina Turner and scores of others, died in the early morning hours on Oct. 28, 2014 from kidney failure. Along with his prominence in concert touring, Stansfield was the production mastermind behind the transformation of Dodgers and Yankee Stadiums for papal visits in 1987 and 2008 and was co-founder of the Parnelli Awards, named in memory of his good friend Rick “Parnelli” O’Brien. He was surrounded by family and friends at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center here in the days before his death.

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