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    Blog Series: Tech Talk

    Tech Talk: LED Lights, Camera, Action!

    Written by David on . Posted in Uncategorized.

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    —Mike Graham comfortable in the spotlight.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional.

    Over the past few years, we have covered a really wide range of topics. I don’t think we have ever covered video lighting.  So, with no further ado, we proudly present, [insert drum roll here] … lighting for video.

    There are a few commonalities in how we approach this subject. It’s all about angles and elevation. Without even talking about fixtures, let’s approach positioning first.

    I. Know your angle: 

    There are three major types of lighting in video:
    • Key lighting — In an ideal setting, I would suggest getting your key lights (front lights that cover the subject being lit) at about a 20-degree angle above the subject and about 45 degrees off to each side of the subject. This will minimize the shadows on the front of your subject. Key lighting is the business side of video lighting; it makes up for the brightest lights in the room and are only there to highlight the subject.

    CHAUVET Professional COLORado Zoom WW Tour

    CHAUVET Professional COLORado Zoom WW Tour

    • Fill lighting — For fill lights, (side and back light that is used) angle higher (45 degrees plus to the top and 20 to 30 degrees to each side.) Fill light is less intense than key and often will have color in it. Fill light is used to give the subject depth and is the more artistic portion of video lighting.

    • Scenic lighting — is what is used to light up the set (same as in theatrical lighting). Scenic lighting is totally up to you, but don’t make it too bright as you want to make sure you don’t have to bring up your key light so much that your subject is burning up, or more importantly, the video director is not telling you to dim stuff down because all he can see is white glow on his monitor.

    II. First steps for your design:

    This is where I would start a design: much like in theatre lighting, you can divide up your stage area where the video is being shot into acting areas, and then create your lighting plot accordingly. Again, like theatrical lighting, video lighting is all about building a lighting position and repeat. This is why a TV studio looks like a lighting showroom. Each person who is sitting on a news set has his/her own key and fill lighting.

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation E-190WW

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation E-190WW

    • Tips for practical applications — When it comes to the more practical applications like corporate meetings, the common setup is to have a speaker in the middle of a raised stage between two projection screens. In some cases, there is a projection screen in the middle of the stage, as well. In these cases, you have a few obstacles in the way of your lightshow. You have to keep all of your key and fill lighting off of the screens and on the presenter, which shouldn’t pose a problem as long as the presenters stay at a podium in the center of the stage. A little front light, a little side light, a little back light and away we go. However, what if you have a “wandering target”?  Let’s say that you have someone who likes to walk and talk at the same time. How do we light that and keep our projection screens clear of any ambient light? At this point, sidelight becomes more important. We will have to raise our front light up to about a 35-40-degree angle and use more side light. Fresnel-style fixtures with barn doors are great for this application. You can cut off the light from the upstage side and flood out the front. Your sidelight will act as your fill in this case and should keep your presenter in good light no matter where he/she wanders. With regards to your front light, you just need more of it. I would suggest using ellipsoidal fixtures for this application. The beam is very directional and you can shutter-cut the upstage side to keep the light off of the screens. When you have your front lights all in position, you may want to throw them slightly out of focus so that the edges of each fixture even out with each other and prevent hotspots. To be honest, it is almost exactly how you would light a dance recital.

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation F-165WW

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation F-165WW

    III. Know how to color:
    So now we have a little information about positioning of lights and some suggestions about what kind of lights to use. What about color? What are my best bets for making all of this blend together and come out looking professional? Front light, as we have discussed is all about the cameras getting what it needs. Most cameras like warm light (3,100K-4,000K) depending on the camera. CHAUVET Professional Ovation E-190WW and Ovation F-165WW offer a 3,150K light source and it is possible to cool them down a little if needed with a correction gel. Another source of white light is the CHAUVET Professional COLORado Zoom WW Tour. This fixture has tunable white colors that can be adjusted anywhere inside of the typical range of warm white. It can also be zoomed from a tight to wide angle to assist with coverage if needed. For side, top, and backlight, it is very common to use more color in them.

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation C-1280FC

    CHAUVET Professional Ovation C-1280FC

    Again side, top, and backlight are all types of fill light. The main purpose of these light sources is to add definition to the subject that is being lit.  Since you are blasting them with front light, your subject will be flattened out. The fill light needs to be just bright enough to add some definition to the subject that you are lighting. Personally, I like to keep it natural. A combination of warm ambers and cool sky colors is a really good way to make sure that your subject stands out; just keep it diffused and not too bright — just enough light to make your subject look natural. Scenic lighting is just that. It makes the scenery look better than it did when it came off the truck. Simple uplighting and some strategically placed gobos will  do the trick most of the time. It is amazing what you can do with a six-pack of WELL 2.0 battery-operated wash lights and two Ovation E-190WW fixtures with break up gobos installed.

    IV. Remember your people:
    Now that we have our lights positioned, focused and colored, we have to work more with the camera people. The first thing that they would probably do after they set up is a white balance on their cameras. This is the time when they will ask you to turn your front lights up to full. They will put a white sheet or something of that nature in the middle of the stage and adjust their cameras to the light that is reflecting off of the white material. This sets the camera iris and color sensors so that when they shoot, the subject does not get blown out and look like a ghost onstage. This is particularly important for live applications where there is no way to correct the images in postproduction.

    By now you should be fairly set to run your show. Keep in mind that it will look too bright onstage for your taste in most cases. However, for the people who are shooting video, this is just perfect!

     

    Tech Talk: 5 Tips on On-Site Problem Solving

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    Mike Graham comfortable in the spotlight.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    One of my favorite lines from “The Breakfast Club” is “It’s an imperfect world. Screws fall out all the time”. Truer words have never been spoken. If you ask any seasoned show technician, they will tell you that they remember more shows that went wrong than went right. The trick is to know how to react when it all goes wrong.

    This past week during the Super Bowl, the lights went out. When I saw that, my first thought was, “I’m glad I’m not there working.” My second thought was, “How will they get the lights back on and keep everyone in the stands safe while doing so?” From what I could tell on TV, it looked like the security team and the engineers at the stadium had a good action plan to cover the unthinkable happening. That could have been a complete disaster, but luckily for everyone at the stadium, it was fixed and the game went on.

    Here are a few tips on how to keep show problems from becoming showstoppers:

    1. Know your gear – Knowing the ins and outs of your gear will make it a lot easier to get yourself out of trouble. If you know your gear really well, you will be comfortable enough to be able to punt if you have to.

    2. Have backup of important control items – If your budget allows, it is a great idea to have a backup controller on hand if the one that you are running your show from dies. Have at least one extra DMX line from the controller to your dimmers or opto-splitters. In case one of your DMX universes goes down, you will be able to change the cable. With regards to Art-Net or video control, I highly recommend having a backup Ethernet cable in your snake so that in the unlikely event of your main cable getting damaged, you have your spare ready to go.

    3. Practice punting – During rehearsal, I strongly suggest practicing switching out gear, in order to be prepared if something fails. If you don’t have time during rehearsal, at least talk to your team about what to do if the unthinkable happens. Have a clear and concise method of communicating problems and what to do about fixing it. Make sure that your talent is also aware of your backup plans.

    4. Keep a list of cell numbers handy of your crew – If for some reason, your headset communication dies, cellphones are a great backup. At least good enough to let people know that there is a problem and that you have lost your headsets. I also recommend that you keep their numbers written down and not just in your contact list on your phone. That way if you lose your phone, you are covered still.

    5. Keep calm and rock on – At the end of it all, the most important thing is to make sure that everyone who came to the show leaves safely. We have a responsibility to make sure that happens.  Don’t sweat blowing a cue.  Everyone does it.  Don’t even sweat losing control of your lights, just fix it.  Get the house lights up, turn on work lights, but make sure that there is light.  As long as people can see, even a little, they will stay calm and orderly.

    Tech Talk: How Many Languages Do You Speak?

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    Mike Graham, comfortable in the spotlight.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    As a protocol droid, C3P0 is fluent in over 6 million forms of communication. As a lighting industry professional, I feel like we need to be competitive with that number. I’m not saying that we need to be able to speak and understand so many languages, but we should know how to speak to our ever-expanding range of gear.

    The beginning of DMX

    So, let’s back up a bit. DMX was standardized in 1986. That is to say that USITT required all of the lighting and controller manufacturers to speak the same language of control. All was good in the world (for the most part) as all lighting controllers spoke with all dimmers and lights. This still remains true, as DMX is still the standard. And as a whole, I think that we all speak DMX relatively well. However, it has gotten a lot more complex for the lighting industry professional to just speak DMX, and on just one type of controller.

    Disclaimer: If you are lucky enough to be on a sit-down gig and only have to use the (insert console of choice here) to operate the same rig every night, then you can stop reading now. However, if you are planning on doing anything different in your career, then keep reading.

    Accessible software

    At this past LDI, I saw something that I never thought I would see. I saw not one, but at least three of the major controller manufacturers release a widget that would allow any user to download some software to their computer for less than $100.00, and to be able to use a full universe of DMX for their extremely professional PC version of the full-size controller. This tells me that the controller manufacturers are coming off the hilltops and trying to win over the masses of users. This also tells me that as one of the mass, I had better learn all of these platforms and speak the programming language well enough so that when I show up to a job, I can easily work any one of these platforms.

    Pixel-mapping Nexus 4×4 works with DMX, Art-Net and Kling-Net protocols.

    Along with the controllers becoming a little more cost conscious, I have also seen a rise in fixtures that will work directly with Art-Net. Art-Net is essentially the TCP/IP version of DMX. This protocol allows the control platform to output on a total number of DMX universes only limited by the processing power of the controller itself rather than the amount of DMX outputs that are present on the back of the board itself. CHAUVET Professional is releasing its first fixture that will allow direct input of Art-Net: Nexus 4×4. By allowing direct input of Art-Net, building large matrixes of color-changing array fixtures like the Nexus 4×4 becomes much easier. This is because not only do you assign the DMX address to a fixture, but you also assign the universe number. This means that Fixture A can be Universe #3, DMX address #38, and Fixture B right next to it can be Universe #15, DMX address #54, and the CAT5 cable can go directly from Fixture A to Fixture B. There is more to it than that, but again, it is another language that we need to be able to speak.

    ÉPIX Series of pixel-mapping fixtures speaks Kling-Net.

    Past DMX, we have video languages. At Chauvet we have two distinct languages for video: LINSN and Kling-Net. LINSN is a language that is used to communicate between (in our case), the MVP Media System, the MVP Driver, and the video panels themselves. We use this language as it is designed to transmit huge amounts of information over a CAT5 cable to the video panels themselves. In video control, this is the first part of the communication to make sure that the panels are properly configured. Next is configuring the media server to play back your video content how and when you want it to play. There are a few options for this; do you want to use time code? Then SMPTE or MIDI is the key, if you want to have direct control from your lighting desk, that is an option as well as you can always use Art-Net and in some cases, straight DMX for that purpose. Again, that is a minimum of understanding at least four different languages right there.

    Our second video-based language at Chauvet is Kling-Net. Kling-Net allows matrix configuration of specific Kling-Net enabled devices, such as the ÉPIX Series and the Nexus 4×4 with ArKaos MediaMaster and MediaMaster Express software. Kling-Net is another TCP/IP based software that unlike Art-Net, which uses a static IP address, uses a router to assign an IP address to each fixture. Once the fixtures are addressed and configured in the Kling-Net mapper, you can switch the output back to MediaMaster and have content playing back in no time. Again, a few more languages to speak.

    As I have been saying all along over the past several years of Tech Talk, education outside of your comfort zone is really important. I have brought up eight different protocols and languages here, and I didn’t even touch on RDM or ACN, but this barely scratches the surface. The point is that it is critical, now more than ever to be reading, downloading, and playing with different kinds of controllers and protocols every chance you get. The lighting world is no longer just lights and hasn’t been for a long time. And I can guarantee you that it is just going to get more and more complex.

    Tech Talk: ‘Hey, That’s My Wrench in Your Bag!’

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    Mike Graham, comfortable in the spotlight.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that over the past 20 years. Too many times to count, that’s for sure. However, there are some simple and easy ways to make sure that the tools and gear you showed up with at the job or show site actually go home with you.

    Nothing is more frustrating than seeing that shiny new Crescent wrench you just laid out $10 for in someone else’s tool bag. OK, there are more frustrating things, but you get the point. But, how could I have stopped it? Read on and follow my tips, all gathered from experience:

    I. How to protect your own tools. 

    • Much like a wolf, mark your territory. Copying the wolf exactly may not be a good idea, as your tool bag will start to smell. It’s the same concept though: mark your tools with something distinctive. You can engrave them with your name, or put a ring of colored tape on them, or spray paint them in some color (like hot pink) that you know is your mark. This will slow the other wolves from long-term borrowing your precious matt knife.

    • Take out of the bag only the tools you use. Since on the show and job site, there are some tools that should never leave your box, and some that are in your hands all of the time, it is important to keep the ones in your box away from the eyes of others and only taken out when needed. This would include any tool that requires a battery for operation. Typically, those are much more expensive to replace. As for the stuff that goes in your pockets, like a C-wrench, #2 Philips head, snips, and a matt knife, you have to know where they are. Keep them in your pocket and make sure that they are clearly marked as yours. I picked up a ratcheting C-wrench about a year ago. For me, it’s great. I finally got used to working with it at LDI 2012. Someone who shall rename nameless decided to grab it from where I was working to “try it out” on the last show. Since it is marked with a particular string with a particular knot, it was easy for me to spot out and ask for my wrench back. Years ago, my best friend went out and picked up a PowerPuff Girls lunch bag that he used for his tools. I must have laughed at him for months, but he could have put a hundred dollars in that bag and no one would have touched it. Moral of the story, be the wolf.

    II. Tips on handling equipment from rental houses. 

    Years ago, when I was tending bar, all of the bartenders on the avenue would get together once a month to share war stories and exchange glassware. We did this because throughout the month, without fail, we would have everyone else’s shot glasses but our own. That works fine for a group of friendly bartenders, not so hot for very competitive rental houses.

    If you are in a position where you are going to have to use multiple vendors to cover your show needs (commonly known as re-renting) you know that you had better get them their gear back to the last truss bolt. Sometimes that can be tricky, especially if you are using multiple vendors for the same gear, which is always a nightmare scenario during load out. Most times, rental companies label their gear clearly with a sticker that has their name on it. They may also use a distinctive color code. For example, Christie Lites uses purple 3-pin DMX cable and green 5-pin data cable. Now, more and more companies are also including bar codes to make inventory faster. They know that if the barcode does not work, it’s not their gear. If for some reason, company A and company B have decided not to mark their gear, then it is up to you to do so to avoid the nastygram that will follow their gear count at the shop. This is where you get to find out how much they paid for an item three years ago when it was brand new as you are having to buy them a new one. There are ways to keep this from happening:

    • Use multicolored electrical tape. The easiest way is to use multicolored electrical tape. (you should always have at least two other colors besides black electrical tape in your box). Use one color for company A and another for company B.

    • The other way is to try to segregate gear in specific locations, which is fine if you are working alone, but is not at all an option when working with others. When you re-box their stuff, make sure that the gear list matches; especially on the items that had to be re-rented. This will save you a major headache at the end. If for any reason your rental company did not send a complete packing list with the exact count of cables, call them and demand one. Without that, you are going to be in deep wolf stuff when you are trying to get the right gear back to the right location at the end.

    Our team needed lots of tools to build this booth at LDI 2012…

    At the end of the day, producing a show is expensive for everyone. On a given show, there are expenses for flights, hotels, trucking, labor, repairs, gear rentals and incidentals. You can’t charge the client for the wrench we lost or the gear that is missing at the end of the show. You have to eat those costs. Those costs directly impact your bottom line for the show and can kill the profit margins. It might not seem like much at the time, but even a good matt knife is still $10. Putting company A’s gear back in company B’s box can be even more costly.

    Tech Talk: Creating Content for Video Walls — Part II

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    Product Engineer Anthony Chiappone proudly stands in front of MVP panels.

    Written by Product Engineer for CHAUVET Professional Anthony Chiappone.

    Since video walls have become so desirable for large and medium shows, in my previous blog post, which you can read here, I explained why it is important to know when and how you should create video content. I focused on defining the resolution, the pixel pitch, and how these relate to video. Now, it is time to understand the application and the streamline process. Read on:

    Application:
    When selecting the design for the show, it is important to understand the desired outcome. If the intension of a video wall is to have live video (IMAG) played back on them, then you need to know the minimum viewing distance of the stage and also be sure to select an appropriate pixel pitch for this distance. In situations where you intend you play back motion graphics, the pixel pitch can be as low as 50mm, while still being effective. However, it is often good practice to use the following guideline when selecting video panels for an event where you intent to play back live camera/recorded footage.

    Minimum viewing distance:
    You should convert the pixel pitch to meters, and this is the closest that your audience should be at any time in order to comprehend what the video wall is playing back. For example, 12.5mm pixel pitch panels should only be seen at 12.5 meters, or 40 feet; although with increased distance the quality will look even better. This means that for indoor events in smaller venues, you would likely only want to use panels with pixel pitches of 3mm-12.5mm. And, for outdoor events with longer viewing distances, 12.5mm-40mm panels would be appropriate.

    Indoor/outdoor:
    If you are using the LED video panels outdoor, you should consider safety and strength of the structure you are hanging from. If you are using a temporary truss structure, then you should be concerned about the wind blowing over a solid wall. Therefore, the following words should be included in the product description: transparent, blow-through, and sometimes curtain (not used for flexible panels, but rather panels made of strips). This allows the wind to pass through the gaps in the panels, rather than blowing them over. This also is something that you should consider when selecting your pixel pitch, because larger pixel pitches provide greater transparency. Something else you should consider is the local weather. If you are using the video wall in an area that has frequent rainstorms, you should make sure that the panels have some degree of ingress protection (IP rating of 50 or higher). This does not need to protect against permanent outdoor installation. But, it should be sufficient for unexpected rainstorms.

    How to streamline the process?
    Keep in mind that many video playback software have the ability to grab certain portions of a single video file and send them to individual sections of your video wall. One of these is ArKaos MediaMaster Express. If you are using the Express version of the software, then you have the “cropping” tool. This is invaluable, as it simplifies the preproduction of your shows, and allows you to do most of your conversions to accommodate different pixel pitch panels in the same show, playing back the same content. With this tool, you no longer have to render custom video files 24-48 hours before the show time. Keep in mind that when you are using this technique, you should not apply any masks to the video content, if rendering it.

    This miniseries on how to create video content should give you enough info to start rolling, but remember you have to conduct research on your own, as well, in order to keep up with the new technologies. Don’t be afraid to invest hours of practice and don’t forget to have fun!

    Tech Talk: Creating Content for Video Walls — Part I

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    Product Engineer Anthony Chiappone proudly stands in front of MVP panels.

    Written by Product Engineer for CHAUVET Professional Anthony Chiappone. 

    Over the course of the last 18 months, LED video wall has become a necessity to large and even medium shows. With this growth, I’ve observed that video editors and video wall specifiers are struggling to keep up with the large variety of video panels in use, mainly due to a lack of communication, education and understanding the application. To give you the necessary basic information and gain confidence working with video, I have prepared a brief two-part guide to why and how you should generate video content.

    Have the right questions—and answers too. As the video wall technician, the video editor will often ask you certain questions in regards to their content creation, such as, “What is the resolution of each section of video wall?” While this is important for a video editor and for you to know, it is equally important to be prepared and have the right answers to these questions.

    • What is the pixel pitch?
    • What are the actual dimensions/ratios of the video wall sections?
    • How much space is between the panels?
    • Should the video be rendered with a mask?
    • Should the video be rendered as a single, large video or as individual video clips for each section of video wall?
    • What is the minimum viewing distance?

    These questions play a key role in content creation. It determines whether the video editor should design live video content, IMAG (image magnification), large or small text, or motion graphics.

    Create according to resolution
    It does no good to have high resolution graphics that look great on the computer screen, only to play it back on very low resolution, 50 mm pixel pitch curtains or LED mesh. And it would be equally wasteful to design very low resolution motion graphics for video wall that is capable of stunning, high resolution video content.

    Understanding LED video walls vs. video projection.
    One of the most deceiving content design obstacles comes when working with lower pixel pitch panels/curtains/mesh that cover a large area (outer dimensions). This means that you may have to design content of 1500×1200 and use a playback software, such as ArKaos MediaMaster Express to shrink it down to 150×120. This is something that is not true when using video projection, which is why you have the learning curve for LED video walls. This requires an understanding of the content creation, panel addressing/mapping software, playback software, and the collaboration of all to implement it successfully.

    Be educated

    What is pixel resolution?
    For the majority of video products, pixel resolution is all you need to know to create the video content, including LCD/plasma screens and projectors. But, LED video walls introduce a new factor: pixel pitch. This is a term that has long been used for computer displays, image scanners, and projectors—aka dot pitch, stripe pitch, or phosphor pitch. The pixel pitch is defined as the space between LEDs on a single panel. So, when you read in the specifications of a video panel that the pixel pitch is 12.5 mm, this means that the center-to-center spacing between LEDs is literally 12.5 mm. In most cases, the vertical and horizontal pixel pitches are the same. But, it may be different.

    Now, why does this matter when creating video content? In the past, the pitches were mostly in micrometers. So, when you have two different displays, with content passing between both of them, the different is difficult to notice. But, when using LED video wall, the pitches are in millimeters, which is much easier to distinguish when building content for a large or small stage event.

    In next month’s second part, I will explain how to create video content for a certain application and will get into streaming process. Until then, digest the knowledge I just shared with you and don’t be afraid to research on your own.

    Loading In: InfoComm 2012

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    Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP modular video panels.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    I love it when a plan comes together.

    We are almost done with the rig for InfoComm.  Again, preshow planning has proved that going over and over (and over) your plans is time well spent. Having five days to load in doesn’t hurt either. Having this additional time has allowed us the luxury of not rushing anything. We have been able to take our time to make sure every element is working at its best.

    With every show, I try to learn something new that will help me with my next show to make the load in process even easier. On the LDI show last fall, I learned that laying out the floor in a grid makes laying out motor points quick and easy. With this method, you can set out coordinates for each point. This also works for power points under the carpet. You can also send beforehand so the points are laid out before you arrive if you want.

    On my floor plans, I always drop in X and Y coordinates in 1-foot increments on the length and width of the floor. This removes all of the guesswork. Plus, if the people managing your rigging or carpet needs don’t have AutoCAD or some other drawing program, they can easily see the measurements.

    Something else I have learned along the way is that it is important to pack your tools in your road case, but make sure that you at least fly in with the following items in your bag:

    • Tape Measure
    • Chalk
    • Spike Tape
    • Razor Knife
    • #2 Phillips head screwdriver
    • Flat-head screw driver
    • Mag light
    • Show plan print outs
    • Pens, pencils, and markers

    With these simple tools, you can do a ton of work on the floor of the booth before your gear gets there. (For other travel tips, check out this prior Tech Talk.) It’s a good idea to not rely on your computer for your show plans. Firstly, you don’t want to leave your computer running for everyone to touch and play with.  Secondly, the screen is not big enough to look at it quickly. Thirdly, the battery will die at the worst possible moment. Have a set of plans printed out.

    See you at the show!

    Tech Talk: Video in the World of Lighting – Part 2

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    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP panels.

    When we left our heroes, they were sitting at the front of a theatre trying to decide — to pixel map or not to pixel map? Ideally, you want to do both, but let’s hope that this decision was made weeks ago during pre-production. The Wall took three years to produce. Most of us don’t have three years to produce a show. If I went to the management of CHAUVET and said I would need three years to produce LDI, they would laugh me out of the room. We need the ability to quickly and effectively get our content out to the stage. This is where LED Studio, Art-Net, Kling-Net, and a whole lot of Ethernet with Neutrik NE8 connectors come into play. By combining these software platforms, we can easily control a whole stage of products that use various protocols to speak the same language. With the CHAUVET MVP Media System outfitted with ArKaos MediaMaster Express, you can manage your pixel mapping of DMX fixtures and all of your video products all in one source. Combine this with a lighting controller that can send and receive Art-Net communication protocol, and now you can completely control everything under one network roof. I am not going to go into how to hook up the system in this tech talk. The interconnection of the system depends a little on what you want to accomplish and a lot the scale of how big you want to go. Again, I recommend checking out the ArKaos manual and the manual of the controller that you are going to be using to trigger your show. The simple fact is that, yes, you can make your show pop with what you have available in front of you. The reason that you want so much control is to ultimately make it easier to program your show. Here are a few tips on ways to do some pre-production setup that will save you a ton of time onsite.

    1. Know what you’re “looking” for. Unlike normal show programming, when you are planning out video, you want to have all of your “looks” in the can. In the “video” tab, “looks” stands for video clips. You want to show up with your clips ready and filed. This means that you will really need to know what you intend to do on this show. I highly recommend a blog that some guy wrote called “Zen in the Art of Entertainment Lighting.” It’s a three part series and applies to this conversation.

    2.  Accessibility is the key. When you file your video clips, make sure that they are done in such a way that you can quickly access them when you need to. In ArKaos MediaMaster Express, you can set up your folders for specific songs. You also have 64 visual presets per page with 64 pages at your fingertips. You can easily set your clips on each page and have each individual page can be a song or scene of its own. You can also have up to eight layers of video running at the same time. Since you can also tell the video preset where on your playback surface you want your video to show up, having these eight layers really handy. Since ArKaos MediaMaster Express was designed for the lighting professional, it is stunningly easy for us to use.

    3. Keep your eye on the plot. While you are getting all of this set up, have a sketch of the show plot that you are working with. Honestly, it can be napkin CAD, or the finest of visualizers, but have that sketch handy while you are working on setting all of this up. That sketch needs to include all of the elements that you want to send video content to.

    4. Finalize your fixture layout and DMX address scheme. When you are setting up your pixel mapping, this is absolutely critical that the DMX addressing is correct and done before you start working on this.

    5.  Save early and save often. Goes without saying, but just sayin’.

    6.  Keep your products in mind when you are choosing clips. Keep in mind that low resolution and high contrast clips will look much better than high resolution and low contrast clips on higher pixel pitch. Big looks with simple content.

    Whether you are planning on busking, pre-programming and operating live, or using time code, you should now be just about ready to load in.  What to expect on show site?

    … That is for another day.

    Tech Talk: Video in the World of Lighting – Part 1

    Written by David on . Posted in Uncategorized.

    Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP panels.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    Now, more than ever, having elements of video in staging is really popular. If you look at successful shows like Roger Waters’ The Wall, U2’s 360 Tour, any of the WWE shows and television shows like The Voice, American Idol, or The X Factor, you can clearly see that video elements are here to stay. Follow these guidelines to gain a better understanding on why and how you should use video elements in your show:

    1. Build according to a scale and end result. While having video onstage is really cool, one of the tricks is to know how to use it, not overwhelming your design. Keeping an eye on the scale of your design is critical. It is really easy to let video products dominate your stage, and the key here is to know what your desired end result is. You can still use 100 MVP panels from CHAUVET Professional, but making them blend in and become part of the show can be challenging. Since video wall deign is also part of the scenic design, it is important to work closely with the scenic designer and/or the client to see what their intents are. Sometimes, they might have an idea that is not going to fly and it will be your job as the expert to steer them in the right direction. An example of this would be a client wanting to do high-resolution graphics on a lower resolution screen. It is your job to make the client understand that in order to make the video wall look like a high-resolution painting of New York City in “Death of a Salesman,” then using the MVP 37.5 may not be the answer and they will need to switch up to the MVP 18 or MVP 12. On the other hand, if you are looking to show lower resolution graphics such as monochromatic shapes, water effects, line art, or flame, then the MVP 37.5 is ideal.

    2. Incorporating video walls in your show. It is very important to know how to rig the walls into the show. Are you going to fly them, or do they need to hook into a floor support system? Perhaps, you want to bolt them directly to a wall, which is very easy with the MVP system; but you have to think of this in advance, not on the job site. If you are going to fly the panels, the easiest way to make sure that you can get your panels lined up with no off-center gaps is to hang a pipe below the truss before you hang it, or just use batten pipe in the first place. Trying to hang panels directly onto truss is a serious pain in the tail because every place you want to put a clamp, there is a truss support in your way. This is especially true when you are trying to hang a wider wall. The wider you go, the more likely you are to hit a support. For using a free-standing ground support, we suggest sections of support every four feet and mounting your clamps directly to the back of the panels. Make sure that you have enough counter balance on the floor stand. I strongly suggest using truss base plates for this method of hanging. For bolting to the wall, making connections can be tricky. You should keep a few inches of offset between the wall and the panel, which will allow you to easily make connections between panels for both control and interlocking. This will also make panel maintenance possible.

    3. Addressing and controlling video panels. Now that you have decided how many panels you are going to need and how you are going to install them, it is important to think about how you are going to control them. The simple fact is that the video wall is not completely unlike any other lighting element. It needs to know where it is and what it is supposed to do. With the MVP system, we use the LED Studio software to tell the walls where they are and what they are doing. We can create multiple walls (called screens in the software) and make them in any shape that we want them to be in. Essentially, it’s like pre-visualization in lighting. We can build up the entire system before we even get to the job. In this software, we choose how many panels are in a particular screen, then we tell each panel what number it is, how many pixels it has, and how it is connected to the panels next to it. If we are doing this before the show, make sure that when you get to the show, you plug the panels in exactly how you laid them out in the software, or you are going to have a messed up looking wall. If you are doing this onsite, typically you build the show file after you set up the wall. The key here is to be consistent to how you are cabling the signal to the panels. Don’t choose to snake left to right on one set and zig-zag up and down on another. While it is not impossible to configure the software this way, it does make it much more time consuming than it needs to be, much in the way that not grouping your lights properly only leads to a long night of programming. After you have your addressing done, it’s time to make sure that your screens are all in the right place on your monitor. (I’m not going to go into screen positioning here, for that, we have manuals online and also offer training at our office if you purchase a system.)

    4. Display content on your video walls. So, the panels are up, configured and positioned. Now what? A good idea is to throw some content out to the screens, right? There are several ways to get content out to the screens. You can use LED Studio to put up video from any number of file extensions. It will play back anything from a .wmv file to an .avi format. This is ok if you don’t need any other control except to play a video loop over and over again. This is also fine if you are using a video processor to bring in content from a DVD, live camera, USB, or just about any other source of video you can think of. Like the man said, “If your computer monitor supports a video source, so does the video wall.” But let’s say that you need to have a lot more control over what is happening on stage. Is it possible to choose video clips as easily as rotating a prism in a moving light? Absolutely! If you are using s software package like ArKaos MediaMaster Express, it is fairly easy to control your content output right from the controller. The great thing here is that you can use anything from a super high end lighting controller like an Avolites desk or grandMA, to the most basic of fader controllers like an Obey 10. With the higher end desk, you can run Art-Net from the controller to the MVP Media Server with ArKaos MediaMaster Express installed and then treat it like any other fixture. For something simple, you can use an open source DMX to Art-Net converter and use the Obey, or just use Midi control. Assign a DMX address (or midi note) to each video clip fader and now it acts like any other fader on a lighting control desk. You can fade it in, snap it on with a bump button, program it in as part of the show, or anything else you would like to do with it. With the vast amount of parameters that are editable for each clip of content on each individual fader, you have more control over your creativity than you ever thought possible. Furthermore you can still input a camera feed from your signal processor (or any other video source) over ArKaos MediaMaster Express and again treat it like any other clip on a fader. You can still add all of the effects and positioning that you could on any other fader. As a shameless plug, I would highly recommend checking out ArKaos’ YouTube channel and see a lot more about how cool and incredibly easy to use their software is.

    So now you are sitting at the front of the theatre with this video system staring back at you. Intermingled between all of those panels are Legend 412 moving head lights, COLORDash Batten TRI linear fixtures, PiXPar 24 pix battens, and COLORado Batten 144 Tour lights. Now you wonder: do I want to integrate all of this under one large pixel map and run my content over the entire set, or do I want straight DMX control and program each pixel? Or, perhaps I want both?
    … See you next month

    Tech Talk: Don’t Ignore Preventative Maintenance

    Written by on . Posted in Uncategorized.

    Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP panels.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    Keeping your equipment running is critical in this day and age. No one can afford to have a broken fixture just sitting there collecting more dust than if it were in the rig. Scheduling preventative maintenance protects your investments and brings more money in the long run. Depending on your environment and on how much you are using your lights, you should plan for a preventative maintenance usually once a quarter. If your lights perform in a particularly harsh environment, then it would make sense to do it twice or more a quarter.

    1. Exterior inspection. This is the easiest to do, and to be quite honest, should actually happen every time you pack for a show. Watch for these steps when conducting the inspection:
    A. Cable and connection check: check that all of the connections are tight and that the power connector holds the power cable correctly. If it is not locking properly, or is falling out, then it may be time for a new connector. Make sure your DMX connections are sung, but don’t let the cables hang up when you are trying to release them. If you have tails coming from the light, inspect the cable strain relief to make sure it is not cracked. Also, verify that the wire and the connections are in good condition.

    B. Fan vent inspection: if your lights have fans, then there are fan vents. If the fan vents look like the lint trap on your dryer after you run a load of towels, then it is time for a cleaning! This can be done with a rag slightly moistened with glass cleaner.
    CAUTION! Never spray any kind of cleaner directly onto a fixture. Always spray it on a towel or rag, and then rub the fixture clean. NEVER use an air hose or caned air to blow into the fan vents. Spinning the fans may sound cool, but can create a positive voltage feedback into the main PCB and will for sure damage the bearings on the fan itself.

    C. Optics inspection: take a look at the lens and make sure it is free of garbage. Again, a little glass cleaner goes along way. Do not use anything abrasive to clean glass. It will scratch and you will cry.  While you are looking into the optics, check and make sure that there is no apparent heat damage on anything under the glass.

    2. Internal inspection. On any product that has a fan, internal inspections are important. For IP outdoor rated products, this is completely not necessary. Keep in mind that only qualified personnel should open IP products. Opening up a COLORado 1 IP is easy. Getting it back together and maintaining the IP rating is tricky. Also, opening up an IP rated fixture will void the warranty.

    A. Cable and connection check: visually assess the inside of the light to make sure that all of the connections are attached properly. You can give them a little wiggle—not a tug—to verify that they are not falling off. Make sure that no cables are pinched and that they are still flexible.

    B. Fan cleaning: always clean fans before you clean your optics. Once the head covers are off, you will see that you have a rat’s nest of hair, dust, dead skin cells, haze or fog fluid, and other nasty stuff stuck to your fans and heat sinks. To get this off, first put on a mask. You do not want to breath in the dust bunnies that you are about to blow out of here. If you are working on a fixture with an exposed lamp, such as a typical 250-watt or 575-watt moving head fixture, you may want to remove the lamp to avoid having dust stick to it. It’s not so much that the dust will start on fire when you turn the lamp back on, but it will stink as it burns off. So, to make it simple, just follow these steps:
    Step 1: make sure your fan is not going to spin freely. Use a screwdriver to put threw the blades to hold the fan in place.
    Step 2: put on your mask!
    Step 3: using an air compressor, blow the fans clean. Once the fans are clean, blow out the rest of the fixture head with the compressor. Check to see if there are clumps of gunk stuck to anything, especially to the optical path.

    C. Optics clean: make sure that your optics are clean. A little dirt and dust can go a long way to dropping your output. If you are using foggers and hazers, then you will want to pay close attention to this. For the glass gobos, fortunately for you, all CHAUVET glass gobos are on slot and lock gobo holders. Remove the gobo, clean it with a cotton cloth and a little glass cleaner, dry and replace. You can use a cotton swab to get the grime out of the outer edges. If you notice specs of black in the outside of the image when looking at a projected gobo after it has been cleaned, then you are dealing with gunk, which you can only remove with a swab. I like the ones with the long wooden stick like they have in the doctor’s office. For the color wheel, do not remove it. Just do your best to get it clean. Again, I like swabs for this too. Takes a little longer, but looks much better. Repeat process on the prism and other optics as needed.

    All of the above should be followed about once every four months. If you are in a higher usage area, more frequent maintenance might be necessary. Planning a routine like this will keep your rig working for you, and not you working for it.