General equipment recommendations?

[Michael Palmer]

I really think it would be a huge benefit for you and this club to consult (hire) a professional DP, LD or Gaffer who has years of experience with lighting and shooting video. You will find answers to general questions here but not everyone will be able to give you all the details necessary to really save you money.

Scaffolding….. Lighting Grid

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Jonny Harris]

I’m sure you’re right, Michael, and I plan to do just that when the time comes, but I’m months away from that. For now, (for the business plan,) I just need a listing of the hardware needed and estimate the cost.

Thanks for the correct terminology on the lighting grid.

[Mark Suszko]

I’m not a pro LD either so I’m not going to give you too much advice. But I’ll point out that lighting for a live stage and lighting for great TV can be and often are two very separate things.

What looks good to a live audience around a stage may look horrible to a camera. What looks good to cameras may lack the “punch” and “drama” you expect of a live stage. There are issues of color temperature and white balance. The interface between stage lighting people and video lighting people is not always a very smooth one, because they often have contrary jobs to do. So you’d want to decide early on: is this a comedy club that also shoots video, or a video stage set in a comedy club? How you look at that will have some influence on the budget, I’m sure. You are not yet at the stage for pricing out lighting grids or trees.

And yes, you need a pro consultant to put all this together for you. This is not a good DIY project for the uninitiated: ask the guys that DIY’d the setup at that club where Great White played that fateful gig.

[Jonny Harris]

Great info, thanks! I had no idea that lighting requirements would be so different. The emphasis will definitely be on the cameras and subsequent DVD production. Live audiences are there primarily because the comics need them to be there. (They feed off of their laughter.) If the lighting is sub-optimal for the live audience, that’s OK. (Though hopefully it will at least be acceptable for them.)

I’m not familiar with the Great White gig you referred to, but I have no intention of trying to DIY this. Which brings up another good question…

For a job of this size/scope, how much should I expect to pay for a pro LD to set this up? Obviously, I’ll need to include such costs in the business plan.

[Dennis Size]

If you try and cost this out without involving profesional consultants in the various disciplines involved you will most assuredly fail. Regarding lighting specifically, you’re worried about lighting instrumentation, yet I’m guessing you haven’t even contacted an EC (Electrical Contractor) to determine how much power you have available….. and how much more can be brought in. You can’t expect the cart to move properly if you put it in front of the horse.
You plan on installing a lighting grid, yet I’m guessing you haven’t considered a structural engineer — or at least a qualified rigger –to determine if the ceiling can sustain the weight loads necessary to suspend lights, speakers, etc. above an audience. There are countless things to consider, and without bringing in someone with experience in systems and facilities you are setting yourself up for a fall.
DS

P.S. The Great White incident refers to a club in New England (if I remember correctly) that burned down a few years ago due to improperly planned lighting and pyrotechniques — which set fire to poorly installed soundproofing. The space went up in minutes ….killing many people.

[Jonny Harris]

You’re right, Dennis, I haven’t contacted an EC about available power, nor a structural engineer to determine the capabilities of the ceiling.That’s because I have no building! I’m still months away from that! I do, however, have the cart before the horse. It goes something like this…

1. Business Plan
2. Funding
3. Location
4. Build-out (Consultants and Contractors)

When I’m talking about costing this out, I’m not looking for precision or perfection… just a ballpark estimate. That said, investors do like to see attention to detail, so I’m trying to put together a reasonably solid list of equipment and costs.

Don’t know if you’ve ever written a business plan, but startup costs absolutely have to be included. You can’t ask investors for a blank check then fill in the blanks later.

P.S. Build-out costs have been considered and will be incorporated into the business plan. I think, though, that they are beyond the scope of the CreativeCow forums.

[Michael Palmer]

What city is this in?
Are you building this theater or planning a major TI (tenant improvement) to an existing building?

Perhaps you need to take someone to lunch that can help you.
I’m in Los Angeles.
Dennis is in the Bay Area.

I can tell you an approximate business lunch amount for 2 people, $30-$40
Of coarse this will double if there are cocktails involved.

Michael Palmer

[Jonny Harris]

That sounds like a good plan. Know anyone in San Diego?

[Michael Palmer]

No, but I’m not that far away, I shoot an Animal Planet series from the North County area (Bonsall). I live in the Long Beach community about an hour from Bonsall. Find my email on my profile if you want to get together.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Dennis Size]

Actually Michael …. I’m in New York City
— the Hudson Bay Area! 🙂

DS