Everyone’s wireless dimming and DMX journey is different. Kat Seaton, Lighting and Projection Supervisor at The Arizona Theatre Company tells her story:
I was working as an Electrician at Scottsdale Community College in 2013 when we had a production that needed wireless dimming; we went with RC4 Wireless. When we got the first products in the theatre, the directors were so excited they wanted to use it on every show. It’s a portable dimmer you can place in the middle of the stage. At the time, we purchased a DMXio transceiver and three DMX2dim wireless dimmers.
RC4 Series 2 products—which are oldies but goodies have been a big part of my next job at The Arizona Theatre Company. I work with a lot of young technicians, that are unfamiliar with these dimmers, and all that they can do. Often believing that if it is older technology that is not working, it is broken rather than learning about it. I work in theater, so I don’t have the budget of someone like Katy Perry or Pink so can’t get something brand new. We have to find ways to make things work, which is why I’m still using RC4 Series 2 products for the past 5 years.
Typically in my world, when there are problems with these dimmers, it’s operator error. When unexpected problems happen, people shouldn’t be afraid to call RC4’s customer service. When I’ve called, it’s been a fantastic experience. At one point when I called, I ended up talking to Jim [James D. Smith] which was kind of mind blowing. You don’t expect to talk to the developer when you call tech support. They are literally the people that have designed it and built it.
Our company performs in two different venues—The Temple of Music and Art and the Herberger Theater Center—and we do every production twice. We do it in Tucson first at the Temple of Music and Art, and then in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center. While the production is going on in Phoenix, we begin work on the upcoming production in Tucson. Consequently, we have double of almost everything. When we have a show that needs wireless, it’s typically for moving scenery pieces and we’re trying to reduce cable traffic or for props. We’ve used it on a number of shows over the years, including our recent productions of ‘Music Man’ and ‘American Mariachi’. RC4 gear isn’t sketchy or unreliable; in fact, it ended up being an incredibly versatile, handy tool for our theaters.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival [OSF] has been delighting audiences since 1935. Their productions are wildly varied; one constant is the fact that when they need wireless dimming and DMX, they turn to products from RC4 Wireless. “I really am happy with our RC4 products. We’re not having drop out problems, and they handle power really well,” notes Michael K. Maag, Resident Lighting Designer, Oregon Shakespeare Festival. For their current performances of Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Hairspray, Maag and his crew, led by Mac Vaughey are using 8 RC4Magic 2.4GHz DMX2dim wireless dimmers. In As You Like It, “There are 8 lanterns; they’re a columnar lantern that are approximately 18” high by 6” in diameter, with a laser cut shade to match the scenic design,” says Maag. Inside each of the lanterns are three theatrical dimmable flicker candles. “We have a DMX2dim in each lantern; at the end of the show the actors move out into the house, surrounding the audience, and spin the lanterns in their yokes. At the final lines of the play, starting with ‘all the world’s a stage,’ the audience is surrounded by spinning lanterns throwing slowly fading firefly light, and it creates a great emotional moment,” he notes. As for the DMX2dims, Maag reports: “They’re working great; they have beautiful dimming curves and they’re very, very solid in terms of communication.” For Hairspray, the properties and lighting department have created two 4’6” by 3‘ tall ‘sputnik’ chandeliers. Maag explains: “There is extremely limited space in which to fly the chandeliers, so we made them only 8” deep. Nina Ball, Scenic Designer, modeled angles on the spokes to give the illusion of three dimensionality even though they are essentially flat.” Other constraints made it more practical to power these fixtures with batteries. “We put individual RGB LEDs with 3d printed bulbs at the end of the spokes,” Maag reports. For wireless control of the chandeliers, OSF is using the RC4 DMXpix, a pixel driver that can be used to control two separate pixel strings. “The DMXpix gives us control over each RGB LED in each bulb. We wanted to give our Lighting Designer Jason Lynch the flexibility to chase the chandeliers along with the beat in the Corny Collins sections of Hairspray.” In terms of fabrication, Maag says: “The chandeliers will make everyone laugh; they’re a rat’s nest of wires, all coming back to DMXpix. There’s a lot of wires… a lot of individual wires” The DMXpix was first used at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last year on a production of Snow in Midsummer. “Costume Designer Helen Huang asked us to create two giant 9’ tall demon puppets from Chinese mythology: Horse Face and Ox Head guide spirits to the underworld. There were about 160 RGBW pixels on each puppet. That’s beyond what we could control in one universe, but the DMXpix allowed us to control them without using another universe. The DMXpix is really convenient for mapping fewer DMX channels to control more pixels,” says Maag. “In fact, we used only 16 DMX Channels per puppet, giving us room for other wireless effects in that universe. Yet our Lighting Designer Jane Cox had all the flexibility she needed to create the creepy flicking demon light.” Maag and his crew have been creating magic with RC4 products for the past ten years. “Having reliable gear from RC4 on stage makes production management happy and makes the directors happy. You don’t find yourself working for very long if you recommend cheap, unreliable gear. I know the products from RC4 are going to work and they solve so many problems in a live theatrical environment,” he says. To program the RC4 gear, “I’m using the using the [RC4 Wireless] XStick [configuration dongle] with the RC4 Commander software and that makes setting all the parameters much more intuitive for me. For my mind, I like seeing it graphically laid out on the computer, using the Commander software rather than doing it from the console,” notes Maag. In terms of technical support, Maag says: “RC4 has fantastic service. Whenever I call and I have a question they are patient and walk me through my mistakes in a gracious way. The guys are really great in terms of helping me understand where the problem is and how to fix it. Every time it’s something silly I’ve done.” The RC4 Wireless customer service team is based in North Carolina, and all products are fabricated in that state as well. “I don’t have to call outside the US; I don’t speak other languages, so my ability to get quality customer support from China, for example, is non-existent. I also consciously support companies that are in the US that share my values. In the end, customer service is the main reason to use RC4,” Maag remarks. Wireless dimming—and RC4 Wireless—is also part of the future at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. “On MacBeth, we’re going to use some DMX4dim500s. There are these 12’ tall light towers, at the base of which will be a bunch of 12-volt LED tape for up lighting through the Plexi base. At the top will be a 36-volt SORAA LED light engine that produces a 4000k 10-degree bright beam; the DMX4dim allows us to easily use multiple voltages in one dimmer module. We can have both 12-volt LED tape and the 36-volt light engine on the same RC4 product, which makes my life easier,” Maag concludes.
When New Orleans-based Lightwire Theater premiered their groundbreaking combination of dance, EL wire and wireless dimming on America’s Got Talent, the judges had nothing but praise. Sharon Osborne said: “That was spectacular in every sense of the word.” Howie Mandel had his own brand of praise: “Three letters. W. O. W. Just wow.” And finally, the inimitable Howard Stern explained, “It’s electronic, it’s lights, it’s dance and it’s a great show.”
The firm, founded by performers Ian Carney and Corbin Popp, produces five shows that tour worldwide: Dino-Light, The Ugly Duckling, Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey, A Very Electric Christmas and The Show. All the productions are centered around elaborate EL wire costumes and, of course, dance. “For us, high technology is not the show, the high technology expands the show and moves the story forward,” states Carney.
However, technology is an integral part of the production, and that means a different set of concerns as opposed to conventional theater and dance. “Being in theater, so much depends on everything working,” says Carney.
Due to the nature of the show, it was natural for the company to venture into the wireless realm. Their first purchase was a key chain style remote dimmer that cost about $30. “That began our journey into the world of wireless,” Carney confides.
Their wireless journey continued as their productions became more complex. Lightwire needed more wireless for the costumes, as well as for the set pieces, props, and lasers. Carney continues: “A long time ago, we told the team at RC4 Wireless that we were looking for not just a vendor, but we’re looking for a partner, and wanted to know if they were willing to be that partner? We tour full year and tour internationally, but we’re not a Cirque company. When we call you on the phone, will you be willing to answer?” The reply from RC4 was a resounding “Yes.” Carney adds: “For a relatively small investment, you are in a very solid world with RC4; they have great tech support and are an organization who is going to be a partner with you. The quality, the service, and the flexibility are there for a company like ours. RC4 Wireless is not just for the big businesses.”
For their various productions, “We use RC4Magic Series 3 transceivers with four and two-channel dimmers; we wire into the drive system that is necessary for EL wire. The characters turn themselves on and off with sliders on their costumes,” Carney explains. He also uses them for the EL wire infused sets. “I can plug the DMX cable into the set, and I can program the RC4 Wireless box with my slider board for that show. It’s as simple as that. And when I’m not doing that show, I can use the boxes on one of our other shows,” he says.
Lightwire Theater also uses the RC4 gear with their lasers. Carney notes: “I can change the cues, program the board, and, using the RC4Magic two channel receiver at the laser, I can actuate the laser cues from backstage.”
Carney and the Lightwire team are using the RC4 Wireless dimmers and transceivers in a very straightforward manner. “The products are as low tech as you want or as high tech. I’m not even scratching the surface of what RC4 products can do and it’s changed the way we can make shows.”
All the Lightwire Theater productions travel the world, from Canada to Abu Dhabi, and everywhere in between, and the wireless transceivers/dimmers are thrust into less than ideal conditions. Carney says: “All the RC4 Wireless units are being stored in non-climate controlled environments, on things like ships going to China. If they’re sitting in a trailer and it’s freezing cold or it’s really hot, it doesn’t matter; we’ve never had an issue.”
Lightwire Theater has a bright future in front of them, and it includes RC4 Wireless. “We’re premiering a new show next year, and we want to learn more about what we can do with RC4’s products,” Carney concludes.
The story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ is an enchanting one. When Lighting Designer/Master Electrician, Jonah Nelson at Xavier College Preparatory (Phoenix, AZ) needed to make their production more magical, they turned to RC4 Wireless dimmers. “From a designer point of view, they are an extraordinary tool that opens up many possibilities to place and control lights where it would otherwise not be possible,” says Nelson. The prospect of incorporating these types of technology has only come about through the robust support of Xavier’s Administration. Nelson notes, “Our President, Sister Joan Fitzgerald (BVM) and our Principal, Sister Joani Nuckols (BVM), have been incredibly supportive of technology within the arts programs, which has allowed us to give students hands-on experience with the latest equipment.”
For the production, Nelson used three RC4 Wireless W-DIMm3 Three-Channel Miniature Dimmers which work in the popular 2.4GHz frequency range and operate on the W-DMX platform. Nelson has been using RC4 gear for the last several years. “They are easy to use, extremely reliable and have great support from RC4; I’ve called tech support several times and have never been disappointed with their assistance,” he notes.
From a design standpoint, the W-DIMm3 helped solve some of Nelson’s challenges — and design requirements. “We needed the dimmer to be small, and had to meet the power requirements of the items being dimmed. It also needed to interface with existing wireless DMX equipment, and the dimming curve needed to be appropriate for the application,” Nelson explains. The W-DIMm3 features a variety of dimmer curves for smoothly dimming LEDs and incandescent lamps, as well as controlling servo motors, ringing telephones, and driving relays, solenoids and more.
For ‘The Little Mermaid’, Nelson is using the W-DIMm3 for several props, including the throne, a magic shell, and the trident, Nelson explains: “We made the trident out of LEXAN™ and had to Dremel out a section for the dimmer to fit into along with the wiring. LEXAN™ was forgiving material generally and the dimmer sat in there nicely.”
This isn’t the first time that Nelson has worked with RC4 dimmers. “For our production of ‘The Secret in the Wings’, we used the RC4 W-DIMm3 in four floor lamps and one book that we hollowed out. We own five of the W-DIMs in total,” he says. For the magic book that appeared during ‘The Secret in the Wings’, Nelson notes, “We had to find a book thick enough and then open just the cover, glue all the pages together minus the top 3, then we hallowed out the inside with a Dremel and other devices, then secured a light, battery and dimmer inside with Velcro.”
Nelson also has some insight for other lighting designers and master electricians who are thinking of taking the RC4 Wireless plunge. “Like anything, there is a slight learning curve but beyond that, the product is intuitively built. Miniature dimmers solve half the problem which is control of something in an inconvenient place/prop/set piece. The other half is powering the device and finding the appropriate fixture/lamp/LED to use. Over the long haul, I do consider them a worthy investment in the toolbox of a lighting designer. The ‘wow’ moments in theater are born from the ability to embrace creativity and achieve the unexpected and RC4 Wireless dimmers have certainly helped me carry out that goal in these shows,” he says.
As for the future productions at Xavier College Preparatory, it will continue to be wireless. “I had the vision to create a standard set of ‘dance manipulatives’ that would include a sphere, cube, 2d squares, etc. I think that would be a fun design tool for dancers to incorporate,” he concludes.
When you need an ugly witch to become magical, where do you turn? When he was working on the production of Into the Woods at the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Lighting Designer, Chris Wood looked to RC4 Wireless products. For the production “We used 3 RC4 Wireless 2.4GHz DMXio Data Transceivers and 3 DMXpix units. Two DMX Pix units were used in the dress, and the third was in her staff so that we could continue the magic animation from her dress to the staff,“ explains Wood.
The dress was the creation of Costume Designer, Mallory Prucha. Wood explains: “Mallory sent me her rendering of the ugly witch dress and I immediately saw the image of magical energy building in the panniers, like fireflies, and then spiraling around her torso to her arms, and finally down to her hands.” The idea resonated with Prucha and Director, Valerie Rachelle. “Knowing the action of the LEDs in advance allowed for Valerie to incorporate the LEDs into her direction of the witch. Whenever the witch performed magic, had an emotional moment, or a decision to make, her dress would react appropriately,” said Wood.
The LEDs were cleverly concealed within the dress. Wood says: “Our Master Electrician, Matt Robson, and Craft Artisan, Sarah Beth Stewart, worked together on creating pouches hidden in the panniers for the equipment and batteries. Mallory came up with horsehair tubes that contained the pixel tape and wiring. These tubes allowed movement of the tape while the actress moved in the costume relieving stress on the tape and avoiding restrictions on her mobility.”
The RC4Magic DMXio and DMXpix were a perfect solution for Wood and Programmer, Omri Schwartz. “We had multiple versions of effects and pixel maps for the dress that we used depending on the witch’s mood. The great thing about using the DMXpix versus an Ardino unit is that we could, on the fly, make changes giving Omri maximum flexibility to make the changes I asked for,” notes Wood.
The DMXpix offered Wood a variety of benefits. “The size of the DMXpix made it easy to hide within the costume, not to mention how lightweight it is. We were able to utilize its ability to mirror output A and B, plus we were able to group pixels as a unit. This allowed us to reduce the number of addresses needed to control the panniers. It’s a powerful device,” says the Lighting Designer.
Wood has been working with RC4 Wireless products for a decade. “So many things can be made simpler by throwing a wireless dimmer on it – table lamps, chandeliers, fridges and so on. Initially, the price can be scary but over time, it balances out. The time saved with equipment that you know works and will continue to work makes up the difference. Some of the theaters that I design at don’t have the budgets to purchase but they do take advantage of RC4’s rentals,” he adds.
In the end, Wood has one favorite feature of the RC4 product line. “They are reliable; the only times that I have had a failure of a wireless lighting element was due to user error. Their customer support is also a huge plus,” he concludes.
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