8 replies to this topic

[Bennett Cerf]

I'm about to shoot a music video in a month and I'm looking for an old school device that we used to call the decapod. There were a bunch of versions of it, but I think the final version available was made by mole richardson. It was like a maxi brute made from mr-16 lights.

Here is a 2008 article about it (it's most of the way down the page).

http://icgmagazine.c.../ttmarch08.html

 

Has anyone seen one lately?

 

If I'm not able to find the old decapod, I'll likely have to use a giant LED strip or matrix. Does anyone have experience using those? What might be the most cost effective version of that? It would need to be able to pulse on and off all at once and I'm probably need 4 of them if they were like 4' by 4'.

 

Thanks so much!

Edited by Bennett Cerf, 15 February 2016 - 07:50 PM.

[Edward Lawrence Conley III]

Mole still rents them.

 

Assuming this is what you want

DecaPod

2,250 Watt, 30 Light

• 30 Globes, (75 watts per Globe)
• Available in Wide (36°) or Narrow (12°) (Specify globe when ordering) • Three Circuits
• 2,250 Watts @ 3100° Kelvin
• 120 Volt A.C. or D.C. @ 18 Amps
• House Connector
• Dimmable
• Supplied with Pod Holder
• Size: 42" High x 4.5" Wide
• Weight: 9 lbs. 

 

 

 

http://mole.com/medi...al/rent_cat.pdf

[Bennett Cerf]

Thanks Edward! I contacted Mole a couple days ago and spoke with them about it. Since the pentalight is waht I'm hoping to use or emulate without using more than house power, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to replace the bulbs with LED mr-16's or tried to make a light like this at home.

[Stuart Brereton]

There used to be MR-16 versions of the Par 36 Audience Blinders that DJs and Clubs use, but they all seem to have been replaced with LED versions. Maybe have a look on eBay?

[Bennett Cerf]

Ahhh, blinders! That's the term for it. I never knew that! Ok, thanks! The search continues! 

 

I appreciate the help guys!

 

Bennett

[Edward Lawrence Conley III]

Did you find any?

[Adam Frisch FSF]

Great lights. Hard to find outside of LA. Mole rents them, but decided not to make and sell them.

 

They saved my ass many times. Last was a set at a hospital on like the 10th floor. Couldn't get a Condor high enough to light outside the windows, so I just hung a bunch of those just above the windows, cropped them out of the frame and it looked like sunlight coming in.

[Phil Rhodes]

How come the segmented shadows from that is OK, but the segmented shadow from LED isn't?

[Adrian Sierkowski]

How come the segmented shadows from that is OK, but the segmented shadow from LED isn't?

I suppose you could throw some light diff in front of them to even out the shadows-- also as they're slightly larger sources, what with the bulbs and all; the multiple shadows don't "feel' as "wrong," much like when you're using MaxiBrutes, still multiple shadows-- but don't "feel off" as LED multi-shadows often do. Also this may all just be due to us seeing it and knowing it-- I do wonder if audiences really notice that much (on average)