# Gels to get fluorescent light look on stage?



## myocum (Jan 25, 2011)

I'm lighting 12 Angry Men and the director would like to have a cold, flourescent light look on stage. Any suggestions on gels to use for this effect?


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## icewolf08 (Jan 25, 2011)

Well, the good old standby is to make fluorescent fixtures part of the set design and then use them as practicals. Other option is to look at some of the color correction gels that are plus-green as fluorescent light generally has a green tint to it. So something like a G515 might be what you are looking for. If you just want to go cold then looking at some of the "no-color" blues like L203 might be a way to go.

Best thing to do is go sit in a room lit the way yo want to make the feeling and then take your swatchbook and and lamp and find a color that you feel emulates that feeling. Consider that almost more important than the color of light in a room lit with fluorescent fixtures is the quality. Fluorescent light is very soft, very non-directional, and usually sourced from directly overhead. Just something else to think about.


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## shiben (Jan 25, 2011)

I think making the lights part of the design is the easiest, then fill in with S4s with a plusgreen. Takes care of all the problems with the directionality and quality of the light.


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## derekleffew (Jan 25, 2011)

If you really want to simulate fluorescent lighting, I'd light it entirely with downlight scoops fitted with L202+L246. 

(Oh boy, first chance to use Apollo's Gel Converter Mobile Site! But wait, the link on the home page doesn't work. Now I have to find that CB post from Kelite...here it is: Apollo Design | AGelConvert. It says:
L202~AP2020
L246~"We're sorry, but no gel matches were found matching your criteria."
...And now I remember that just last week a road show that carried all Apollo color for followspots had to use the house's supply of L279 Eighth Minus Green. What does Apollo have against Plus and Minus Greens?)


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## techno89 (Jan 25, 2011)

Maybe a rosco 1/2 or full CTB


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## skienblack (Jan 25, 2011)

Ive used a Roscoe color correcting one that was like 42XX? The gel was a nasty yellow, though its been a few years.


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## metti (Jan 25, 2011)

I'm just designed a show where we use several 2x4' fluorescent as practicals for this purpose. I got "shop style" ones from home depot which are designed to hang and are pre-terminated with an edison male and we just flew them where the scenic designer and I agreed they should go. I filled in with a mix of subtle plus-greens and NC-blues, mostly in fresnels to get the light nice and diffuse.


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## Les (Jan 25, 2011)

I guess my question is, how do you design a show using fluorescent practicals while avoiding annoying flickering during fades? I know it's supposed to be realistic, but I think I would find that a hard workaround for me, personally. 

I have used shades of gray gel in the past (One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, IIRC) and it made for a nice "hospital" feel in the exam rooms.


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## gafftapegreenia (Jan 25, 2011)

Here's a question: Are you going for ultra-realism, in a true unit or box set, in which fluorescent practicals would feel natural, realism, where you might want the look and feel of fluorescent but want it to be more subconsciously perceived that obviously noticeable, or hyper/exaggerated realism, where the lighting yells, "hey, I'm fluorescent!!!!".


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## shiben (Jan 25, 2011)

Les said:


> I guess my question is, how do you design a show using fluorescent practicals while avoiding annoying flickering during fades? I know it's supposed to be realistic, but I think I would find that a hard workaround for me, personally.
> 
> I have used shades of gray gel in the past (One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, IIRC) and it made for a nice "hospital" feel in the exam rooms.




> Here's a question: Are you going for ultra-realism, in a true unit or box set, in which fluorescent practicals would feel natural, realism, where you might want the look and feel of fluorescent but want it to be more subconsciously perceived that obviously noticeable, or hyper/exaggerated realism, where the lighting yells, "hey, I'm fluorescent!!!!".


 
And herein lies the kicker. If its a box set, the flickers might not be that big of an issue, because they are just kind of hanging out there all the time, and dont need to fade in and out. If they do need to fade in and out, then you might have an issue.


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## metti (Jan 26, 2011)

You're correct that dimming is an issue. There was no need for the fluorescent lights to ever go on and off except at the beginning, end, and intermission. In these cases we just flew them in and out which provided a sort of dimming effect as the light got dimmer and more diffuse because of changing "throw" distance.


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## shiben (Jan 26, 2011)

I cant imagine the setting changes or there are many light cues in 12 angry men. It takes place in a jury room.


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## zmb (Jan 26, 2011)

I'm not sure what the timeframe of _12 Angry Men _is, but I can notice a difference in the fluorscent lights at school between a early-80s and a building that opened last school year. Something to keep in mind.


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## Grog12 (Jan 27, 2011)

I"m a fan of R372 or R371...whichver of the Theatre Booster's that was less saturated.


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## icewolf08 (Jan 27, 2011)

Les said:


> I guess my question is, how do you design a show using fluorescent practicals while avoiding annoying flickering during fades? I know it's supposed to be realistic, but I think I would find that a hard workaround for me, personally.



Well, for 12 Angry men, since the show stars with the characters entering the jury room, it would be natural for them to turn on the lights. Then since the show essentially take place in real time, they would then turn off the lights when they exit. So, no real need to dim the fluorescent fixtures.


Les said:


> I have used shades of gray gel in the past (One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, IIRC) and it made for a nice "hospital" feel in the exam rooms.




By "Shades of Gray" gel I assume you mean Neutral Density as there is no such thing as grey light. ND gel is useful for dimming light without changing the color of the light, so it is good when you need an incandescent source to be dimmer but you don't want to contend with amber shift from electrical dimming. I can't really picture it screaming "hospital" to me, but we all have different aesthetics.


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## shiben (Jan 27, 2011)

icewolf08 said:


> By "Shades of Gray" gel I assume you mean Neutral Density as there is no such thing as grey light. ND gel is useful for dimming light without changing the color of the light, so it is good when you need an incandescent source to be dimmer but you don't want to contend with amber shift from electrical dimming. I can't really picture it screaming "hospital" to me, but we all have different aesthetics.



I have had some success using ND and blues together, and they do make for a more assylum feel to the light, cant explain it but it can work.


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## Ravenbar (Jan 30, 2016)

Working on a production of "9 to 5" and am looking to create a fluorescent downlight look for the office scene's. Will be reinforcing it with a n/c frontlight.

Looking for gel color idea's as I haven't had much luck figuring out what to use. 

Show's still 2 months out.


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## MikeJ (Jan 30, 2016)

Probably look at some Plus Green. Old fluorescent had pretty bad color rendering, and a cool color temp, it might be good you add in some CTB to that plus green as well.
Try for very diffused light. Even though you think just top light will work, in an office there is so much bounce from the ceiling, walls, and other surfaces, that you will likely want to have some front and side light to get this look.


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