Automated Fixtures Orientating MLs: Overhead vs. Floor fixtures

[derekleffew]

So, given that we know all fixtures of the same type should be mounted in the same orientation, usually determined by the tail/whip (power cord) [or sometimes the display (LED or LCD)], should the floor fixtures be mounted the same or opposite the overheads?

For example, I usually make all tails on truss units go toward the dimmers, which 90% of the time in my case is stage right. Should floor units' tails go stage right or stage left?

(Units on side trusses will be discussed in a different poll, once this one is done.)

 

[soundman]

I say the same, that way when you are sitting at dimmer beach you can keep an eye out for any flashing displays or fixtures that loose a strike,

 

[porkchop]

I'd say they should be positioned so that the LCD, error light, data light, and other distracting things are least visible to the audience. Depending on where the unit is on the floor it may or may not be the same as in the truss.

 

[Grog12]

Generally with floor fixtures I prefer to make it opposite, in this day and age its incredibly easy to flip pan/tilt controls on modern ML boards and helps keep a clean look of the powercords both running directly offstage.

Edit* even though I clicked the wrong option before I voted*

 

[SteveB]

If floor units same type, then orient the same as overheads.

I generally like orienting the LCD screen and LED status lights where I can see them from the desk. Some LD's don't want that and it's they're choice. I recently rented 5 Martin MAC700's with the shop having labels on the fixture indicating "Front" so that the LED screen was not in audience view. I hung then that way, not really thinking and then wished I had mounted so the LED displays were visible from downstage. The Martin whips then went to SR, even though power was from SL.

My Studio Spots, OTOH, have whips to SR, where power is coming from on that pipe, with the LED's downstage.

 

[len]

Depends on the unit, and what I'm doing with it. Sometimes, I'll toe in a floor mount, even rotate 90 degrees, so I can just do all the ballyhoos the same and instead of scanning the crowd, the floor units are scanning across the stage.

 

[rochem]

I'd say it depends a lot on the show and the fixture. If I'm doing an Ibsen play where all the electrics are exposed to some of the audience, I'm gonna do everything in my power to orient the display upstage, away from the audience. I'd much rather just wonder why a unit isn't responding than have the audience staring at a bright blinking display for half of the show. If I were doing a rock show or other show that was less about the suspension of disbelief, I would probably go with what others have suggested and orient the LCD so it can be seen from FOH.

As for floor fixtures, I prefer to orient all the MLs the same way, then just swap the pan in the console itself. It's just simpler to say "all tails pointing stage right" than "all tails pointing stage right, except these units, which point stage left".

 

[derekleffew]

...If I'm doing an Ibsen play where all the electrics are exposed to some of the audience, I'm gonna do everything in my power to orient the display upstage, away from the audience. ...

One wonders what you are doing lighting Hedda Gabler or A Doll's House with Showguns™, much less fixtures in view of the audience. Now Peer Gynt, on the other hand...

 

[shiben]

One wonders what you are doing lighting Hedda Gabler or A Doll's House with Showguns™, much less fixtures in view of the audience. Now Peer Gynt, on the other hand...

Some of us dont have theatres that permit this. In mine, for instance, every instrument in the rig is automatically in view of the audience. In low budget situations, they often skip things like masking, and in a black box, its kinda hard to mask things on the grid. Nt everyone gets to work in a school with 100 linesets and plenty of masking. And showguns are not the only kind of moving light out there, some schools and whatnot use MLs all the time as a way of teaching them to students).

 

[Pie4Weebl]

One wonders what you are doing lighting Hedda Gabler or A Doll's House with Showguns™, much less fixtures in view of the audience. Now Peer Gynt, on the other hand...

It just isn't the same with out Atomic Colors....

 

[gcpsoundlight]

If everything points the same way, it is easy to set up, you dont have to guess, just say "All screens point US" or whatever. With Pan/Tilt flip on all desks (or, failing that, the fixtures themselvs), there is no reason not to.

 

[natebish]

Some of us dont have theatres that permit this. In mine, for instance, every instrument in the rig is automatically in view of the audience. In low budget situations, they often skip things like masking, and in a black box, its kinda hard to mask things on the grid. Nt everyone gets to work in a school with 100 linesets and plenty of masking. And showguns are not the only kind of moving light out there, some schools and whatnot use MLs all the time as a way of teaching them to students).

and in my sitchuation i have tops available, but they limit where i can focus to. so for some shows (rockish shows) i have made the artistic call to not use them and open up the fly gallery for a more industrial look and better lighting options.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I'm gonna toss in my vote for "other" I point all lights the way they were intended to be used. All martins have their arrows on stage, all VLs have their whips SR, and all Coemars have their screen on Stage.....

 

[derekleffew]

...I point all lights the way they were intended to be used. All martins have their arrows on stage,...

While I applaud Martin for being the only one to put arrows on its fixtures, I don't put much stock in them. Its User Manuals say:

...hang the fixture on the truss with the arrow towards the area to be illuminated.

Which seems to indicate FOH (frontlight) fixtures should be hung opposite Overhead (backlight) fixtures. That would drive me nuts as a programmer. Ignoring that for the moment, the existence of the arrow would indicate floor fixtures should have their tails opposite the overheads.

 

[SteveB]

In reality, swapping pan is so simple that I've found hanging orientation to be a non-issue.

I have my 5 Studio Spots on a pipe just US of #1 electric. As such they are used either as back lights for my very deep apron/pit, or as front/downs for stage use. When doing an event on-stage I simply swap pan. I built a few focus palettes for on-stage use that account for the pan swap.

I believe the reason Martin has a direction arrow is to indicate "neutral" position that would allow for the maximum pan rotation before hitting it's stops - I.E. 270 degrees pan in either direction.

 

[Grog12]

rochem isn't the only one who uses movers in "straight" plays. One of the things I love about having moving lights in any situation is the boost in color tempature I get from them. And quite honestly unless I'm working a rock and roll show I don't want to be able to see the displays from the house. Even when there isn't an issue I find them distracting.

 

[derekleffew]

...And quite honestly unless I'm working a rock and roll show I don't want to be able to see the displays from the house. Even when there isn't an issue I find them distracting.

Well, most of the time I don't want to see the displays OR fixtures from the audience (but I realize it's often inevitable due to architecture). Most MLs have a menu setting to turn off the display, and black gaffers/blacktak works wonders for those annoying LED indicators.