# Another Star Curtain Question



## brozeph20 (Aug 21, 2009)

My school has been looking at cheap star curtain ideas. We have set up large Christmas lights but the effect wasn't there. I know there are a lot of other low cost alternatives to this but... which is better to use: LED's or fiber optic. I would prefer to use fiber optics but I have heard good and bad things for both. Any suggestions or preferences would help. Thanks!


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## lieperjp (Aug 21, 2009)

Low cost and LED/Fiber optic don't really go hand in hand.

Do a search for fiber optic curtains, there was one method that used washers suspended with fishing line lit with side light to achieve a twinkling effect.

[edit: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/special-f-x/4570-star-curtains.html. This one?]


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## len (Aug 22, 2009)

It might be worth renting if you really want to do it but don't have the $$ to purchase. 

Fiber optic if you want it to look like a night sky, LED to display recognizable images. Fiber curtains don't require any more care than any other drop, except to fold them slowly, keep the front surface clean, and not slam the umbilicals around. Same with LED. Just remember how much they cost and you'll be fine.


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## brozeph20 (Aug 22, 2009)

Len, that was what I wanted to know. Thanks
I know fiber optics are expensive but I was just wondering LED v Fiber Optics for star curtains.


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## kiwitechgirl (Aug 22, 2009)

I prefer fibre-optic over LED, purely on the look of the thing.


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## len (Aug 23, 2009)

brozeph20 said:


> Len, that was what I wanted to know. Thanks
> I know fiber optics are expensive but I was just wondering LED v Fiber Optics for star curtains.



These are photos I took from FOH (75 feet away) with a crappy digital camera. They might give you a basic idea of what a fiber curtain looks like. There were 2 panels, each 12 x 20. Each panel has 2 circuits, so we used 4 HES Color Pro FX to generate the light. When I used this (and I would buy some if I had the volume of business to support it) I would address the 4 projectors to 2 separate dmx addresses (fixture 1 and 2 were connected to each panel, not both A connected to one panel, and both B were connected to the other so I could have 2 colors.


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## kicknargel (Aug 23, 2009)

I've done cheap stars by hanging a bunch of christmas lights (net lights make it easier--be creative about bunching them up so the spacing is organic) behind flame retardant black cotton broadcloth.

Nick Kargel
http//:www.youwantwhatproductions.com


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## rwhealey (Aug 23, 2009)

We have a Fiber-Optic star drop, and even though I don't know how it works (sound guy ) I do know it's one of the easiest ways to get the audience crying...

It's my favorite backdrop.


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## NevilleLighting (Aug 26, 2009)

Fiber optic star drops are much less fragile than LED drops. Most of the cost is the fabric with black velour being the ideal choice but you can use cheaper fabrics like duvetyne. Also, there is a huge price range in your light sources, from DMX controlled illuminators with rotating gobo wheels for twinkle effect to simply sticking the fibers in the end of a PAR-16. To build a nice star drop with good illuminators and good velour will run you $3000 - $4000 (materials only) and take several hundred man hours. Your school may want to consider renting one.


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## FatherMurphy (Aug 26, 2009)

I did a star drop on the cheap once by taking an old drop, painting it black, and using xmas lights - but, I ran the xmas lights on the back, and randomly poked the bulbs through to the front, so that the lights didn't make the usual dotted line of stars. I also zigzagged half a dozen different circuits together, so I could slowly chase a few, park a few, and get random twinkling effects going. There were easily three times as many bulbs on the back as on the front, but it looked good. Moving it to the theater was a bit of a challenge, though.

Les Miz used to tour with a star drop that was individual bulbs on random length wires, kind of like icicle lights, only 20' tall. Iirc, they spray painted the bulbs, let it dry, and scratched some of the paint back off to get varying brightnesses.


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## Les (Aug 31, 2009)

FatherMurphy said:


> Les Miz used to tour with a star drop that was individual bulbs on random length wires, kind of like icicle lights, only 20' tall. Iirc, they spray painted the bulbs, let it dry, and scratched some of the paint back off to get varying brightnesses.




Oh cool, that is an excellent idea! I wonder what type of paint would be best. My money is on engine paint or any other high temp paint.


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## SHARYNF (Sep 1, 2009)

It is POSSIBLE to make your own fiber optic curtain. If you take a black drape and working from the rear punch thru a small hole and use a glue gun you can add a fiber optic cable to the curtain. You can buy pre made up bundles of various fiber optic cable typically use for a ceiling star field. For illumination, Martin makes a very good light source but it is possible to also use a mr 16 lamp with a home made ferrule to connect the fiber optic bundle. 
American DJ also made a led backdrop cloth that on occasion you can find used they are in a 70x10 size if I remember correctly
American DJ LED Curtain

Sharyn


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## northcoastlts (Nov 13, 2011)

We've used a bunch of different ideas for stars over the years, from christmas tree lights poked through curtains to fiber optics. Fiber optics seem to read the best as stars. Since fiber optics rods are brightest if the end is facing the viewer, we found that the most effective way to install them is drilling small holes through 1/8" mahogany board and poking them through. You can drill bigger holes and poke several rods through for bigger stars. I used a Dremel tool to drill the holes, and put stick-on colored dots on the board first to locate the stars and find the holes more easily when it was time to poke the stars through (them holes are little!). Prices have dropped on fiber-optics substantially; you can find a kit with an illuminator, color wheel and fiber optics bundles for under $300. Some kits come with MR-16 lamps, some come with LED illuminators. The LED illuminators are closer to real star coloring, but they can't be dimmed easily. MR-16s can be dimmed. I imagine that you could add a gel to change the color, if you want to.


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