A very ambitious music video with an even more ambitious schedule. Over the course of 2 days, we shot 20 different sets. The largest set is the arrow wall performance area which included hundreds of lightbulbs, several moving lights, and numerous LEDs creating a large softbox.
Cinematographer: Larkin Seiple
Lighting Designer: Matt Ardine
Best Boy Electric: Mike Beckman
Rigging Gaffer: Geoff Knight
Stage: Willow Studios
Equipment: Cinelease Los Angeles
Lights
4 – Clay Paky Sharpys
4 – Martin MAC Auras
3 – Colorblaze TRX
35 – Colorblasts TRX
3 – Litegear Literibbon RGB & CwWw DMX
2 – Image 85
16 – 4’ 4 Bank Kinos w/ DMX
20 – Source 4
20 – Par Cans
106 – 2.4kw Dimmers
6 – 12kw dimmers
Control
GrandMA Command Wing
GrandMA OnPC on Laptop
Madrix Media Server
Proplex IQ
2 – Proplex GBS w/ Fiber
Proplex Fiber OM3 Fiber, 150 meter spool
Tablet PC & Iphone as remotes
Wireless Router
4 – Swisson RDM & DMX Splitter
There were 20 sets spread out over two stages. While I was shooting on Stage 1, I wanted to be pre-programming the large arrow wall set, which was on Stage 2. Geoff Knight was the rigging gaffer in charge of rigging the arrow wall set on Stage 2. Geoff ran GrandMA OnPC software on his laptop and we used TMB’s Proplex GBS switches and ProPlex OM3 TAC4 Fibre to connect the two stages that were 450 feet apart. The main console was the master in the session and the laptop on the Stage 2 was a slave. We used different user profiles. This allowed us to create different worlds for each set. Seperate worlds ensures that someone is not selecting fixtures that another programming is using. On stage 2, we used an IP Camera and the feed was sent over the fiber to my laptop on stage 1. With the video feed, I was preprogramming Stage 2 while my console was on Stage 1 filming the current scene. While the console was not on the Stage 2, the DMX was output using a TMB Proplex IQ running Artnet. When the main console moved to Stage 2 to shoot, we used the direct DMX output from the console.
The Madrix media server was used to create some pixelmapping effects for the overhead softbox that had 20 Colorblast TRX going through a ¼ grid diffusion. The console was controlling the Madrix through sACN then the values for the lights were merged back into the console via sACN and output through the DMX ports on the console. This allowed me to control all the fixtures through the media server or pick single fixtures directly from the console. Artnet was also being sent out of the console when we were in preprogramming mode. The Proplex IQ listened to the Artnet and output universes 0&1. Artnet was shut off when we were shooting since the DMX was being directly output from the console.
The Colorblasts TRX, Martin Mac Auras, and Swisson Optosplitters were all used and RDM enabled. The version of GrandMA2 used did have RDM functionality. But at the releases 2.7.0.10, it only allows for the console to get PIDs and not set anything. But it was still useful in making sure they had the correct address and personality.
Geoff on the Rigger’s Console Station.
