Primary School Show

[dfinn]

Hi,

 

I have been asked to work with Yr 6 able and talented children to link their school's science linked with arts show.

 

Their theme is the planets and space and I have a few ideas in mind.

 

Now as normal with education, money is an issue and basically it's as cheap as possible.

 

The hall they are using is about 15m by 25m, and stage space will be along the 25m length of the hall, dimensions of the stage will be about 10x 5m.

 

The installed kit is OK. It consists of 2x internal dimmer bars on each 15m wall with space for 8 lanterns max each but power and space mean 4 on each is more suitable. So a total of 16 lanterns. Desk is a zero 88 juggler 12 ch 2 preset for 24 ch desk which is programmable.

 

As my high school is linked with this project we are using our equipment as well. I am going to take down out fat frog and some discharge lamp colour changers to spice the show up a bit.

 

Basically I'm posting to get ideas about what I could do in this show. I'm thinking about making some gobos with stars/ constellations in, whacking them in some profiles and projecting them in the roof, but I don't know how effective this would be. Data projectors will be a bit naff because the show will be in the day so a good blackout will be impossible.

 

What other lighting effects/ ideas do you think I could put into this show.

 

I'm going to be running a 2 day workshop with the children prior to the event to show them how to use the equipment and will make them some handout activities and stuff like that as well as giving some hands on experience of the kit, any good ideas for running this workshop as well?

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[Guest mattladkinlx]

Hi there,

 

If the show is in the daytime and blackout isnt that good using profiles with stars in wont be that effective. Firstly because it wont be that dark and secondly because of the angle from the LX bars to the ceiling you will get a very distorted stars effect. Possibly though you might think about projecting onto the walls with stars instead of the ceiling.

 

How about also doing some "planet" shaped gobos such as a 3D sphere with rings (I.e DHA 99004 or similar)

 

As for activities, giving them a lighting desk to play with (especially a new one - your Frog) is always a good idea - perhaps doing a series of activites like how to rig (obviously not them up a ladder!), focussing, setting up a lighting state, recording it, and memory playback would work as you are showing them the fundementals of lighting in a real scenario.

 

Also a basic lighting design workshop (how to draw up a lighting plan) and use of gels and gobos?

 

On a slightly different note, I wish we had that lighting kit when I was at primary school!

 

Matt :D

[dfinn]

** laughs out loud ** I agree, when I was at primary school they had a 2kw fresnel and 3 security lights rigged up to a big dimmer pack with built in faders.

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[Jamtastic3]

Well my instant thoughts of lighting something of a space theme would be to go with UV - you could go UV mad actually but it all depends on how bright or dark the space is going to be. You could have glow in the dark stars and planets stuck around the place or UV paint covering planet mobiles. Obviously its going to cost hiring UV's but it isn't that much. Cannons are good but I prefer your bog standard 4" UV strips becuase they are easier to buy.

[AndyJones]

** laughs out loud ** I agree, My primary school have a 2kw fresnel and 3 security lights rigged up to a big dimmer pack with built in faders.

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

 

 

corrr! kids grow up quick these days, primary school kids posting on the BR :D :o

[dfinn]

** laughs out loud **, Haha - post edited

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[five_pin_xlr]

Local theatres are always happy to hel[ mostly, as long as you pick the gear up and look after it and pick it up, making it colourful will also look effective, maybe with som haze or something in the air, but not to worry if you cannot get a hazed, my school only has a zero 88 sirius, so using my initiative, buying a compulite spark that ill use when needed.

[Tomo]

May I suggest LED starcloth?

 

Most of them are fairly tough and pretty bright, and extremely light to boot.

[mac.calder]

A starcloth about all you need to create instant "Space" effect. That said, if they have 'martians' or aliens, try and accent any coloured makeup they are wearing - if they 'land' on a 'plannet', roll out the low lying fog and shove some red or green onto it. Blacklight is also fun to play with, especially if UV makeup is used on the 'cast'.

 

As for the workshop:

 

I would start off with safety (as I would in any workshop). You could spend close to an hour on safety with ease.

 

Then I would move onto the various components involved (Desk, dimmers, lanterns).

 

Then talk about each type of lantern. Show how they work. There are some really interesting facts about fresnel lenses that may interest them (I cannot remember the numbers off hand, but I was told once the size a plano-convex lense would have to be to equal the size of a 10" fresnel - it was truely stagaring).

 

Talk about all the accessories you can add to lights (barn doors, gobos, gels, shutters etc). If you can get your hands on some really soft tin, you may like to get them to design their own gobo's.

 

Teach them how to calculate the theoretical load on a circuit

 

If you have a meat rack at your disposal or a scaff tower (or some other device with a bit of horizontal scaff at a decent light), teach them to rig a basic light. Emphasize the use of safety wires.

 

If you have some vertical scaff and some boom arms, show them how you hang from a boom arm (ie correct washer placement!!!!)

 

Show them how to focus

 

Get some birdies and play with colour - demonstrate a split gel in various lanterns (and finaly in a profile with an interesting gobo)

 

Talk about the basics of design

 

I would avoid talking about things like movers and colour scrollers etc. I think it is an added level of complexity which is completely unncessary.

 

I could add quite a few other things to deal with, but I think that is enough to start you off.

[Ben Langfeld]

Er, guys, these kids are 10 years old. They're never going to understand lighting design or anything about electricity. I think the most you can hope for is to put up a basic rig with a few colours and a couple of specials and go for the "this slidy thing turns that one on" approach.

[Guest mattladkinlx]

Hay at 10, I was designing my first show thanks! Not all 10 year olds are mindless baffoons! :huh: :huh:

 

As to the kit comments - my primary school had (and still does) 9 Floresent strips in the ceiling and a mirrorball for the disco's (hi-tech stuff!) When I went bck last year to do a drama workshop with the kids I took some movers in (8 MAC 250's and 4 MAC 300's) and the kids loved them. The year 6 kids understood how the basics worked (there are discs with patterns and colours n and if you move this encoder (I had a Hog II controlling them) it changes the colour/gobo/pan/tilt etc. Some of the kids looked to have potential!

 

Treating them like adults (or at least equals) means that they will all get more out of it, and they are less cheeky to you!

 

Possibly not go as far as theories of electricity and calculating loads but programming and design basics would be fine.

 

And I echo the safety aspect!

 

Matt

[dfinn]

Hi,

 

Thanks guys, this is great advice, never taught kids before so this task should be fun (or not).

 

I think I will stick to the core of lighting:

 

1) Safety, safety, safety.

2) Function of each component of the system and how to set it all up.

3) How to rig and focus a lantern

4) How to create certain moods and athmosphere

5) Use of barn doors, Gobos etc

6) How to program their desk

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[Thornden-Jack]

1) Safety, safety, safety.

2) Function of each component of the system and how to set it all up.

3) How to rig and focus a lantern

4) How to create certain moods and athmosphere

5) Use of barn doors, Gobos etc

6) How to program their desk

 

As previously said by someone esle, please remember that these are 'only' year 6 kids, and you really should'nt go into anything to complex (how to program a desk) and also how can you have about 30 kids round a lighting desk teaching them all, and expect them to all have a go? unless you split them into groups.

 

I would also steer clear of doing anything that they're not going to be able to have a go at theirselves! for instance, rigging and focussing a lantern means going up a ladder which means they're not going to be able to do it -> which means they get bored :huh:

 

Jack

[dfinn]

Hi,

 

Good point, however if they were to be split up into two groups as I forgot the mention I am running the workshop with a friend it could work. I will be teaching them sound as well.

 

I am unsure how big the group is so will have to plan accordingly.

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[Ben Langfeld]

Hay at 10, I was designing my first show thanks! Not all 10 year olds are mindless baffoons! :D :D

 

Well in that case, I envy you and the opportunities you've had. I'm now nearly 17 and the only experience I've had is picking up tips through am-dram and teaching myself from books/videos/photos and of course the BlueRoom. And I'm the most proficient LD at school! Ah well, I mostly do sound anywho (which I have a lot more experiece of).

 

Still, on topic, I do think over-estimating the ability of these kids could be more disasterous than under-estimating it. If you start trying to teach them how to program a desk (whatever desk it might be that you plan to use), about electricity, and basically anything you think your grandma might be confused about, they will quickly loose interest (remember, kids get bored when they don't understand something), and once you've lost them you'll never get their interest back in a month of sundays. If I were you then I'd stick to simple stuff, and wait for their reaction. If they show that they've easily understood it, then show them some more advanced stuff. Then the ones who are really interested will become apparent, and you can take them on (perhaps separately) to more practice/training.

 

But most of all, enjoy it. This sort of stuff can be very rewarding when you spot a kid who's obviously interested and showing potential.

 

Start small!

Ben