Lights and Sound: What's your favorite gel color?

What's your favorite gel color?

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4520
Printed Date: 5/16/24 at 10:32pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: What's your favorite gel color?

Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Subject: What's your favorite gel color?
Date Posted: 3/16/10 at 10:36am

Right now my favorite color is Roscolux 383. I've been using it all the time now. It's a very deep blue with a hint of magenta that works great in cyc lights or as a wash for artsy-fartsy nighttime effects. David Bell, the designer for Community Theatre of Greensboro, turned me on to this particular color during a Greensboro Ballet production he did here.

Here is an example from Les Miserables the School Edition. This color is used as a subtle low-angle backlight behind the barricade: http://www.lowell.to/DesignLesMis/LMisFirstToFall.jpg - http://www.lowell.to/DesignLesMis/LMisFirstToFall.jpg

Here's a close-up photo from the same show. The Lux 383 is used in 1000 watt Sky Cycs mounted on the wall upstage of the barricade:

http://www.lowell.to/DesignLesMis/LMisValjean.jpg - http://www.lowell.to/DesignLesMis/LMisValjean.jpg

Anyway, I was cutting gel today and I thought this would make a good discussion topic for designers. What is your favorite color at the moment?

-Dana

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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

Replies:

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:04pm

I like to use L126 as side light;-

http://www.leefilters.com/lighting/products/finder/act:colourdetails/colourRef:C4630710C59005/

L071 Tokyo blue along with L181 Congo Blue

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: bmiller025
Date Posted: 3/18/10 at 4:38pm

My favorite color to use is R87. I like it not for the color it produces, but the effect it has on the audience. It makes anyone in that light seem closer to the audience. If you are lighting a whole bunch of people onstage, and you want to make one of them suddenly pop, hit them with this color, and you will accomplish the task without needing to ramp up intensity.

Regarding all the rest, it all depends on what is happening onstage at that moment, the mood I am trying to create, the colors of the set and costumes, and how much movement there is.

Stage pictures are created with a mixture of more than one color. In order to create the best effect with a saturated blue, you need to make it stand out by providing a contrasting color elsewhere onstage, by filling shadows, or by shifting the color mixture. I think the biggest challenge a lighting designer faces is keeping the look fresh. Put someone in a saturated color, and within 30 seconds or a minute, everyone's brain adjusts to the color, and it loses its pop.

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http://www.brianmiller.biz/BrianDesign.htm

Posted By: stefenlara
Date Posted: 3/19/10 at 10:35am

R81.. as main light..!!

Fabulous on the stage has its own classy look..

Lara.!!

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http://www.sandhurst-mfg.com/lightingtowers.html - light tower