Does anyone make precut cookies in different patterns? I looked on all the companies sites I could think of and found nothing.

Josh,

You're talking about gobos, right? You can find some here (http://www.studiodepot.com).

Rosco.. Gam.. are two good sources.
Chimera makes a window pattern kit pattern kit which is translucent patterns you shoot light through.
Unless you are talking about a cokooloris. Then Avenger. Matthews or American is where to look

I just ran across the coolest product a few days ago!

Lightbreak makes gobo patterns that are printed onto heavy, heat-resistant mylar.

www.lightbreak.com/index.html

interesting how they resemble Chimera's window patterns..
Flattery again!!!
Chimera.. the most copied products in the world..
Can't anyone think of anything on their own..?

Scott, the Lightbreak patterns look awesome. What's the rule of thumb for choosing the size? I'd like to add interest behind an interviewer and the subject and throw one of these up on the wall from an angle, but I'm not sure about which size to get.

Anybody?

Marcia

Fascinating stuff; proves once again that lighting at its best is a multi-layered technique that ultimately takes us out of the realm of raw, flat ugly video. :)

Marcia, for the type of shooting you are describing, an 18x24 size with a 650 Fresnel should do fine. If you are intending to balance with daylight (i.e. using CTB gel) you will need to move up to a 1k light at least. Remember that the pattern will knock down the level of the light. Also remember that these will work best with fresnels (actually Source 4-type lekos are even better but not as common).

Marcia - Since you asked the question to me, I thought I should weigh in with my two cents. Charles's points are well taken that you should get the largest instrument you can afford, as you may have to compete with other light sources in the room, such as ambient daylight. The reason that fresnels work better than open-face PAR lights, and why lekos are even better is their ability to accurately focus the light, and bring that focal point closer to the front of the light. That way, you have the ability to project a very sharp pattern on the surface of the wall. Theatrical-style lekos typically use a 6" or 8" high-temperature metal cutout mounted right at the front of the light. Mounted 200 feet or so away from a stage, they can project a sharp pattern 15 or 20 feet across.

But for standard interview-style shoots, you often have to set up that backing light fairly close, say within 15-25 feet of the wall. If you look at the "monting and placement" section of the Lightbreak site, you'll see 2 different ideas. They recommend using fresnels in full flood position instead of open face lights. This is because open face lights (such as the Lowel DP or Omni) and fresnels in full spot focus create too much heat coming out the front. You wouldn't want to clip a 24" mylar gobo onto the barn doors, as it might burn up. Fresnels are also capable of sharper focusing than most open face lights. The other possibility is buying a frame and stand, and mounting the Lightbreak on it, away from the light. As long as you have a focusable light, even an open face or PAR light, you should be able to get good results with this setup.

I would recommend getting the larger 24x36 size with a collabsible frame and stand, so you can move the pattern farther away from the light, have the option of getting a sharper pattern if you choose, and use any focusable light you already have. Also, I tend to keep light levels for interviews as low as possible. It keeps the talent from squinting and being intimidated by light blasting their face, and it allows me to open the camera iris all the way, making the depth of field shorter thereby softening the background focus. Most of today's cameras can capture great-looking interviews with just 300 and 650W lights.

Matthews sells a 24x36" steel frame you can mount on a c-stand or mini-grip head for $21
www.matthewsgrip.com/asp/details.asp?item=539184

Westcott makes a collapsible scim & flag kit called Fast Frames. For $185, you get 2 frames, nets, silks and flags.
www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=279632&is=REG

Another interesting option if portability is a concern is the new 18x24" Road Rags and Mini-Grip kits, which are highly portable yet provide a lot of light control options. It's a bit pricey, but it would be a very neat complement to a set of 18x24 Lightbreaks.
www.matthewsgrip.com/asp/details.asp?item=PN350595
www.matthewsgrip.com/asp/details.asp?item=PN350598

I'm sorry about the length of this post. I talk too much, and you probably just want to buy 1 gobo and clip it to the barn doors of your light. Go for it - just use the light in full flood so you won't burn it up. Once I start shopping with somebody else's money, I find it hard to stop ;-)

http://www.chimeralighting.com/products/accessories.html


the Chimera product uses frame panels that can also be used as reflector or diffusion panels.
The Chimera panels mount directly into gripheads and are strong and light weight.
Most people really like this product. I would get the 42x42 compact kit and a few panel fabrics and have a really nice diverse tool.

Peace..

Wow... thanks SO much, guys. Really helpful info. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I've worked on so many things as an editor that had such pedestrian lighting that I'm determined to accomplish more with my doc. Info like this will go a long way to that end.

These boards rock.
Couldn't do it without ya,
Marcia

Scott, I thought of a P.S.

After checking out the sites you posted I realized I have the Road Rags kit (didn't know it was called that, actually). But my question is, how would I attack the Lightwaves to it? The things that come with the kit slide onto the poles (sewn tubes on either side) then snap over the frame. Also, how would I attach the Lightwaves to the cheap Matthews frame if I went that route? (I'm usually using at least one of the Road Rags, sometimes both.) Would Gaffer's tape work? Could it melt onto the pattern in the heat?

Sorry if these are total no-brainer questions...

Let me top the no-brainer challenge with a truly embarrassing question of divine ignorance--can someone define the attributes of a c-stand as compared to a regular light stand, or are they essentially the same? I constantly see references to c-stands without having the cognitive capacity to fill in the blanks. Thanks for any answer; I feel very comfortable sounding ignorant among friends on this board. ;)

P.S. I heard of those Road Rags; how have they been useful?

Hey, a question I can actually answer. :-)

C-stands are, indeed, different from regular light stands in design, usefulness, and function. They're omnipresent in Hollywood owing to their stability and versatility. I have two, and will probably buy two more before my many shoots are over as I keep coming up with ways to use them. Here's a link to my favorite "place to buy" so you can see what they look like:

http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/cstanmat.html

The key is the "Hollywood arm" with grip heads at either end. It gives you nearly unlimited angles of movement from which you can attach/position all kinds of things. For ex., I have the flag in my Road Rags kit stucks into one of of the gobos to block off part of the light coming off my med. Silverdome (Tota inside) so it doesn't fall against the wall behind the couch. (Am trying diff setups for my upcoming interviews.) I intend to order one of the Lightwave kits (this thread) to have a more interesting pattern fall against that same wall, and it'll no doubt be attached to a C-stand. But my C-stands will also be used when I"m interviewing outdoors as they'll hold up either side of the Scrim Jim (or whichever large rectangle I buy) to cut out some of the sun falling on my subjects. I've also used them to hold foamboard for bouncing lights.

When I bought my first one the salesman made the comment that he'd never been on a shoot where they hadn't wished they had more C-stands. I bought another a month later. They're heavy and somewhat bulky given all I'll be hauling more than likely alone, but they'll be wherever I am, bulky or not.

Almost forgot... what's great about the Road Rags, Barry, is that they travel compactly and are protected from damage that way. The netting on scrims is pretty fragile, and you see 'em in people's kits with rips and holes. With the Road Rags though, you take 'em out as needed then remove them from the frames when done and safely tuck them away for transport.

Hope this clears things up a bit. If not, and it would help to see my current set-up, let me know an email to use and I'll send ya a photo of my C-stand downstairs, complete with flag.

Thanks, Marcia, for the very helpful information, since I'm at the point of orchestrating my array of new lighting equipment into a versatile setup, and C-stands seem to be the missing link. Timely too because I'm also investigating patterns to enhance backgrounds, and a C-stand would be the thing. As it is, my only non-lamp stand is from my Photoflex Multi-Disc reflector outfit.

My E-mail is WG25@aol.com for any and all C-stand portraits. :)

P.S. You mean Lightbreak, not Lightwave, right?

Yep, Lightbreak. Sent you some shots. Hope they help.

They certainly do--thanks!

Slightly different take on "cookies". These are small enough to pack into your light kit and work well.

http://www.cookiepro.com/products.html

in addition to the two grip heads and arm on a C-stand, another characteristic exclusive to C-stands are the different sized legs. the legs are tiered in height, allowing them to be nested very closely together. that way you can place several C-stands with gobos, silks, or nets very close to your light stand. some C-stands have a sliding leg, which is useful for stairs or low tables. others also have a detachable "turtle base" which you can then mount your light onto to get it extra low to the ground.

i think it's commonly agreed upon that the "C" in c-stand stands for Century. one D.P. told me they're called century stands because it will take you a 100 years to figure out every single way to use them.

good luck,

Kris Carrillo
WCTV 56

Marcia:

It's so cool that you already have the road rags set! I'm jealous. Anyway, I would figure that depending on how springy the frames are, you would just use a few grip clips (or pony clips) to hold it in place. They come in a variety of sizes and are great multi purpose tools to have in your arsenal. They're also really cheap, and even available at your local hardware store!

shop.store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/gripclipandc.html

I wouldn't try gaff tape, as it tends to get sticky and gunky after being exposed to heat. You want to keep those poles smooth so that the silks & nets still slide on easily. The same goes for any other type of frame you might use.

Thanks, Scott. Much appreciated. Exactly what I needed to know. And Filmtools is my favorite shop.

Back to my grant... man, detailed line-item budgets are a major pain. Haven't allowed myself to wander around here (or come up for air) for weeks, so I apologize for my slow response.

Thanks again,
Marcia