[Dennis Size]

Hmmm? two stands, limited acetate cuks mounted on a frame, plus a lighting instrument, more gak, more space with a limited throw distance — versus one light, one stand, hundreds of pocket sized templates to choose from that can be projected from further distances (even onto a warehouse wall).
Your choice.

DS

[Dennis Size]

Invest in a few Source 4 Ellipsoidals (lekos) and a variety of metal template break-ups. They will be your best friends.I would recommend the Source 4 Jr. Zoom (wide angle).

DS

[Dennis Size]

The point of my little analogy is that you shouldn’t belabor it. Take your muslin, bunch it up into a little ball so that it’s loaded with wrinkles, throw it up into the air and rely on the wonderful quality of random pockets of shadow, darkness, and highlights that will be created to make their magic. If you plan it too much, you will ruin the “spontaneity” of the look.
Remember also: a little light goes a lonnng way, and use MINIMAL front light.

DS

[Dennis Size]

I LOVE Lite Panels! I’ve lost count of how many I’ve installed on projects in the last few years …. most recently for the newly redesigned WHITE HOUSE PRESS ROOM (in which 50 dmx controlled units are used to light the podiums and press seating).
I install the mini-lite panels in anchor desks everywhere, and on cameras for eye-lights.
I won’t do a location shoot without them. For the MOST HAUNTED LIVE (in Philadelphia last year) I had to light a few miles of the EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY. After laying in all the lekos and HMI’s to create the atmosphere I lit the anchors exclusively with battery powered 1′ x 1′ Lite Panels, carried by electricians.

DS

[Dennis Size]

Have you ever seen the process in which a model spends 5 hours getting her hair and make-up meticulously done for a shoot? Then 30 executives come in to sign off on her “look”, and delicately adjust a wisp of hair here and there as though it were nitroglycerin. On her way into the studio she then bends over, shakes her head like a hose gone wild spraying water all over — while running her hands madly through her hair — creating that unique hairdoo that looks like she just parachuted in from 25,000 feet!
This process is similar to the one you should use when adjusting your muslin backdrop prior to lighting it.

DS

[Dennis Size]

Don’t confuse the color of sunlight with the color of daylight. As a matter of fact don’t confuse the color temperature of daylight on a sunny day with daylight on a cloudy day, or even the color temperature of daylight on a winter’s day with a clear blue sky.
There’s never a time that I don’t color correct my HMI lights.

Although on a recent TODAY SHOW, live from Miami’s South Beach, when the director insisted on shooting into sun rising in the east over the ocean, none of my 18,000watt HMI’s were gelled. I couldn’t afford to lose even the slightest bit of the intensity. As it was, they weren’t bright enough at full spot (No color media would have held up to that anyway.)

DS

[Dennis Size]

Now I’m really confused.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m having a hard time visualizing how the greenscreen is actually playing above the talent.
Be that as it may, it’s always a hell of a lot easier renting what you need at each location, the only problem is consistancy. You might not always be able to rent same Kino’s at every location (or even find Kinos).
That being said you will need more than 2 Kinos for even coverage, and frankly the 4 light units will be too bright. Just rent (or even buy) 4 Doubles and that will be all you need.

DS

[Dennis Size]

Considering the detail of your original post, everyone’s silence speaks volumes…. although asking if a DIVA should be used instead of the 4 bangers belies your experience. Why not just use Image 80’s?
When lighting a 12′-0″ x 20′-0″ nothing could be considered “portable”. Why so high? Why not a 12′-0″ by 12′-0″? Why worry about the greenscreen and not consider the very important talent walking in front.

Incidentally, with a 20′-0″ high greenscreen I would light from the sides and overhead, or just double hang overhead to compensate for separate lighting for the top and of bottom of the screen.

DS

[Dennis Size]

You most likely didn’t have the right CTB color correction on your fixtures. Assuming you didn’t meter it with a color temperature meter, you should have a variety of grades of CTB (1/4 blue, 1/2 blue, 3/4 blue, Full blue) to “experiment with”.
It also doesn’t hurt to have some 1/8 minus green depending on just how much green is in your daylight (Bounce off folliage or light through trees can change your color temperature.)
That being said you could also use daylight balanced lamps …..available for all fluorescent fixtures (KINO FLO being the best in most people’s opinion), or Daylight LED fixtures; or you could spend lots of money for HMI fixtures — my instrumentation of choice whenever working outside (in addition to sunscreen).

DS

[Dennis Size]

The fresnel lens will only take away intensity in a useless atempt to provide directionality. The Chimera lightbank will negate any directionality the fresnel lens will give you. An open face instrument is better for Chimera use (but I wouldn’t use it without a Lightbank) as it will yield more intensity. If you prefer the option of having the fresnel lens without the Chimera then replace the open face Arrilite with a 1000w Fresnel. you can always take the lens out if you need to.
As a sidenote, I never use a Chimera without a “hard” honeycomb (in either 30 degree or 60 degree beam spreads)– which creates a major directionality to the soft beam of light from the lightbank.
If money is tight you could also purchase PHOTOFLEX lightbanks — but with Chimera honeycombs.

DS