11 replies to this topic

[Mark Klassen]

I'm looking to get some advice for an upcoming music video shoot I'm doing. We are lighting a large space (gymnasium). 

 

I've arranged the following gear: 2x 1.2K HMI Par, 4x 575w HMI Par, 2x 200w Joker Bug.

 

I'm planning on doing some overhead rigging with 4 of the HMIs PARs, 2 of which will be shining through a 20'x20' silk. I'm wondering if there are any restrictions/issues with using HMIs in overhead lighting rigs. I know right off the bat, the ballasts will be an issue, and I don't think we'll have long enough header cables to make it to the ground. We'll have to rig the ballasts up in the grid. 

 

Is there anything else I should be aware of?

 

 

[Paul Salmons]

I might not be the best to chime in here, but from my experience hanging anything with a reflector upside down has a potential to melt the reflector. I've melted 2k moles before hanging them upside down although my arris tend to be fine for long periods. 

[Taylor Roesch]

I'm not sure about the Arri HMI PARs but you will definitely melt the reflector in any of the "M" series Arri lights.  Those lights dissipate their hear through the top of the fixture.  Arri says you shouldn't even cover them in rain hat.  I don't know if it is the same for their PARs but the M18 can be made into a 1.2K PAR.  

 

Hope this helps.

[Jon Rosenbloom]

Don't point them straight down.

[Oliver Hadlow Martin]

Those Arris have a 90 degree max tilt. 

[Oliver Hadlow Martin]

Although I wouldn't keep them like that for long periods of time you are probably asking for trouble? Maybe someone else has a better idea? 

[Robert Horwell]

I'm not sure what youa re trying to achieve mood wise with your lighting choice, but maybe you would have been better getting less lights and having larger sources and bouncing the lights off some material or poly in the roof.

[Leonardo Brocato]

The 1.2k arrisun or arrisun plus have no problem on being pointed straight down, no risk of burning nothing i'm really sure.

I've rigged a lot of times and no problem......the arrisun 5 (575) can have after long period problems of lamp because the fixture i'ts very small and hot. Just chek the color temperature after some hours. Rent some head cables more, here in italy standard rent it's the lamp, ballast, lenses, scrims, burndoors, and two for each hmi, that is about 20 meters of cable. If you can't put the ballast on the grid with a rachet strip and chain it too for safety (overhead needs safety chains for the lens, the burndoors and the fixture)
The joker bug will be the hottest because it's very very small, the arrisun and the M series have no problem of position and no problem with rain (i said rain no storm) until 6k. With the rain the real problem is the lens, only one teardrop of rain can crash the lens for thermical shock, really crash it like a bullet.After 6k arri says you cant put 12k or 18k overhead because they can burn recflector and fixture. The only fixture that can fly in the grid it's the Alpha 12/18k of 5600 lighting, It'sthe smaller and the only one.

Overall i agree that have bigger sources like bouncing muslins or ultrabounces it's better, but in the way of filtering the light maybe the silk i'ts the right way but with hmi i prefer grid cloth.

Good luck

 

Leonardo Brocato
Gaffer
Rome Italy

[Joshua Larson]

If you still have not done the shoot, Something that Ive done, if you want a really soft light. you can hang a 12x12 ultrabouce at 45-70degrees, a couple feet above the silk and bounce the light from that. That way the lights are never at an extreme angle. Ive only bouced that with a 4k, But 2 1.2s should do the work

[Denis Dufresne]

if you can fit it within your budget, Why not either replace or add "spacelight" to your lighting package. They always work great for overhead lighting.

[Mark Klassen]

Thanks for the replies everyone. We ended up having no issues rigging them overhead. To play it safe I didn't have them pointing more than 50-60 degrees down. 

 

Here is a behind the scenes time lapse of part of the setup: 

 

I learned a lot from this setup. If anyone is interested I can post what I learned. 

 

Looking forward to working on more larger sets like this!

[Oliver Hadlow Martin]

Yes I would like to know your experiences. With that large room did those smallish units provide enough light for what you wanted to achieve?