overlay a chase on a static scene

[LeeStoddart]

I have the situation where I need to create the effect of a train going past during a scene. Fairly simply I have a couple of lights which I need to flicker to produce the effect. I need for all the other lights in the previous state to stay as they were.

 

So lets say I have Q10 - the beginning of the scene, Q11 the train is passing, Q12 the train has passed, Q13 next scene.

 

Q12 is a copy of Q10 but what are the contents of Q11?

 

It seems that the state which is Q10 needs to be in every step of Q11, with each step of the chase having different levels for the two train effect lanterns. But when I use an Attack with either the slow fade in or slow fade out I don't get a steady state for all of the "Q10" lanterns - all the lanterns in the steps flicker even those where their level does not change from one step to the next.

 

So... is it possible to program the chase in such a way that the lanterns from Q10 remain steady throughout Q12?

[K-Nine]

How do you want the channels specifically programmed into the chase to behave between steps - do you want them to snap or fade ?

 

If you set the Attack modifier to snap (first option on desk) or fade (4th option) as opposed to slow decay (2nd option) and slow attack (3rd option)then the 'static' channels from the previous cue should not be affected, If you use the slow attack or slow decay options the will. 8O

 

Alternatively, you could program the chase memory containing just the lamps in the chase, and then transfer this onto a submaster. Make sure that the memory number is not part of the normal cue stack you run during the show (eg 990).

 

You can then simply raise the submaster to output the chase when the train is moving and lower the fader to stop the chase when required. If you run the separate chase from the submaster, then you can choose from all four attack modifier options without affecting the other lights in the scene ... I just tried this and it appears to work

[LeeStoddart]

How do you want the channels specifically programmed into the chase to behave between steps - do you want them to snap or fade ?

 

If you use the snap or fade attack, as opposed to the slow attack and slow decay attack then the 'static' channels from the previous cue should not be affected, I think if you use the slow attack, slow decay options the will 8O

 

To get the "right" sort of flicker on the train specials we were using one of the attacks with a vertical edge - to be honest I can't remeber which I think it was slow up then vertical down /|

 

Alternatively, you could program the chase memory containing just the lamps in the chase, and then transfer this onto a submaster. Make the memory number such that it is not part of the normal cue stack you run during the show (eg 990).

 

You can then raise the submaster when the train is moving and lower the fader to stop the chase when required.

 

Well that's almost exactly what we did - only thing you got wrong was the memory number - we used 90

 

But this presents the board op with something different from just pressing the go button - not impossible but a potential for error.

 

Is this flicker for lanterns where their level is not changing between steps by design? (I expected the changes to be dipless :!: )

[K-Nine]

I take your point about the board operator having to do something other than simply press the GO button, but I can't imagine it should stretch the mind too much to simply raise a submaster fader and lower it again when told 8O

 

Interestingly, when I sat in the control box during a local pantomime earlier this year, they did virtually what I described above, ie they had a chase/effect stored separately and simply ran it when required. In fact they used the same chase on several of the musical numbers, just starting it and stopping it at the appropriate times

 

The two attacks snap on/fade off and fade on/snap off have been used for generic chases for ages and can be found on most of our desks dating back to the Sirius

 

The way these attacks work is by design and I'm sure somebody who has been around longer than me could tell you how and why they are there 8O

[Haytech]

Hi,

what about to have some auto- go cues containing the lamps of Q10

Cue 11 - lamps of Q10on plus step 1 of 'train special' fade in 00:03:00 fadeout 00:00:00 dwell 00:01:00 (or else) trigger auto

Cue 11.1 lamps of Q10on plus step 2 of 'train special' fade in 00:00:00 fadeout 00:00:00 dwell 00:01:00 (or else) trigger auto

Cue 11.2 lamps of Q10on plus step 3 of 'train special' fade in 00:03:00 fadeout 00:00:00 dwell 00:01:00 (or else) trigger auto

Cue 11.3 lamps of Q10on plus step 4 of 'train special' fade in 00:00:00 fadeout 00:00:00 dwell 00:01:00 (or else) trigger auto

 

This enables you to have about ten steps in your train special cue with the jump- option it could be made random. It simulates a "slow decay attack" without altering the cue10 lamps, and it culd be started with the go button.

It´s harder to program but the result is very exactly adjustable.

 

I´m curious, let me know whichsoever way you go for.

 

greets

[LeeStoddart]

Well the way I did it was to use then submaster with the chasing lights in it. That worked out to be fairly simple.

[K-Nine]

Glad to hear the effect worked fine; sometimes the simplest solutions can be the best

[Haytech]

I´am glad too ...

in spite of wound fingers typing that much that I did.

K-Nine is right

the simplest solutions can be the best