by boss | Dec 31, 2013
What’s at the heart of Iron Man and generates eight Gigajoules of power? The Arc Reactor or Repulsor Transmitter (RT) of course. What’s at the heart of the RT? That’s the RC4Magic DMXio and the RC4Magic DMX2dim. When the folks at Marvel Studios started planning the Iron Man movies, they teamed with Al DeMayo at LiteGear to construct the RT unit for the films. Al has been part of some of the biggest blockbusters to come out of Hollywood and was the perfect candidate for this project. The RT unit had to be controlled in real time, be portable and be wireless. Al has been an RC4 Wireless distributor for many years. He knew that the tiny size of the RC4Magic DMX2dim would allow him to satisfy the demands of this special project. By taking the RC4Magic DMX2dim out of its case he was able to build the dimmer into the RT unit. RC4 Digital Persistence allowed for the smooth, step free dimming of the LEDs built into the RT. Because most movies today are shot on high speed video vs 24 fps film; a higher resolution dimmer was required. Working with Al and LiteGear, RC4 developed a 6k/Video version of our standard DMX2dim and DMX4dim. Working at 6k heartz ensured that he would avoid the frame buffering that can often be problematic with LEDs and video.
For more information on Al DeMayo and LiteGear visit their site here: www.litegear.com
For more information about Marvel Comics and Iron Man visit their site here: marvel.com/movies
[pexyoutube pex_attr_src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t716QGZBJ4Y”][/pexyoutube]
[pexyoutube pex_attr_src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OUKPuRX9Ek”][/pexyoutube]
by boss | Dec 31, 2013
Here are a few photos of one of the shows I have designed this year, a show for young people called:
THIS GIRL LAUGHED, THIS GIRL CRIED, THIS GIRL DID NOTHING by Finegan Kruckemeyer
We had a couple of set items that we lit up, they were always rolling around the stage and so needed to be wireless. We achieved everything we needed using the RC4Magic Series 2 DMX4dim and DMX2dim.
The sink lit up from inside just for a special effect really, and for a stylized moment where the character was looking into the ocean to see her bloodied reflection after a huge war.
We also lit up the dials on the Oven, and with some cutouts in the top gave the impression that the hotplates were burning red hot. We made cues where the dials would almost snap on, and the burners would slowly fade in for some authenticity, the fades were superb.
We also made a “skyscraper” effect on the back of the Oven, with some LED strings.
Directed by Noel Jordan
Set & Costume design by Alicia Clements
Lighting design by Trent Suidgeest
Produced by Barking Gecko Theatre Company, Perth, Western Australia
Production photos by Jon Green
Cheers,
Trent Suidgeest
by boss | Dec 31, 2013
From Furman University –
In a recent production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, our design team wanted to do a special effect for a particular moment in the play. The shepherd’s son discovers a fardel (package, bundle, box) abandoned on a seacoast. When he looks inside of the box he discovers that it is filled with gold coins.
The style of the play was to emphasize the fantasy and lyrical quality of the story and language. The scenic designer wondered if a golden light glow out of the fardel might create just the effect needed for that moment of the play.
He had long been interested in the wireless DMX products produced by RC4 Wireless but had not come up against a production moment that seemed to call for the use of that technology. This seemed like a perfect convergence of need and technology!
Seeing the products demonstrated in person at the Milwaukee USITT cemented the concept. The department purchased an RC4Magic Series 2 DMXio (transmitter) and an RC4Magic Series 2 DMX4dim 4-channel wireless dimmer. We also bought a Baxter Controls Pocket Console DMX to both allow for future light lab experiments and demonstrations of the capabilities of the equipment. We would also run the effect for the show out of the pocket console.
It was determined that a single MR16 DC lamp with a golden gel would serve to create the glow of the gold in the fardel. The technical director acquired the gel cell, rechargable 12V battery, lamp and other necessary cables and clamps.
It seemed necessary to have the “works” removed from the fardel because of a particularly active bit of stage business with the fardel in the second act and to reduce the weight. The technical director devised a wooden “sled” for the battery, lamp and dimmer module which fit down in a manufactured recess in the base of the fardel box. The removable module also facilitated the ease of attaching the recharge cables between performances.
The pictures show the inside of the fardel, the “sled” of components for the lighting effect and the stage picture from the moment in the play when the gold was discovered.
The resulting effect was quite magical, surprising and very effective in making that particular moment in The Winter’s Tale memorable – thanks to the beautifully designed compact equipment from RC4 Wireless.
by boss | Dec 31, 2013
Candles. Lots and lots of candles — 142, to be exact. But no real flames. These are electronic flicker candles, wired across 6 RC4Magic wireless dimmers.
Beyond that, these images speak for themselves. Truly beautiful.
Shakespeare’s R&J
Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia
Photography by Teresa Wood
Adapted & Directed by Joe Calarco
Scenic Design James Kronzer
Costume Design Kathleen Geldard
Lighting Design Chris Lee
Sound Design Matt Rowe
Production Stage Manager Kerry Epstein
Cast:
Rex Daugherty (Student 4)
Jefferson Farber (Student 2)
Alex Mills (Student 1)
Joel David Santner (Student 3)
by boss | Dec 31, 2013
Ram’s Head Theatrical Society is Stanford University’s oldest and largest performing arts group. The organization produced Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” this year in the campus’ largest theater.
With an abstract/”steam punk” design vision, the set designer decided to place a monolithic geometric structure on a 24′ turntable as the focal point of the set. This piece revolved throughout the show to morph into various locations, such as the barber shop, bakehouse, and judge’s house.
It was essential for the lighting designer to have control over instruments located on the turntable, used for uplighting, backlighting, and creating the light for the bakehouse’s oven. However, the turntable was only designed with a receptacle for power, not data signal. RC4‘s wireless dimming system was used to power a 6 circuit ETC SmartModule and a ColorKinetics LED fixture. The wireless dimming system allowed the turntable to rotate unobstructed.
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As with all Ram’s Head productions, the set design, lighting design, sound design, directing, producing, acting and all other aspects of the show are entirely the work of Stanford students. More at http://ramshead.stanford.edu/.
