Seeking search/spot lights, Bay Area

autox · Post by **autox** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:32 am

Hey All,

Long time Burner putting up my first big art installation. The Disco Ball is a 15' dia. helium balloon disco ball covered in hundreds of silver mylar mirrors floating 20' above playa, out in the deep.

I need spot lights for it. 3 of them. They'll be at ground level, 70' away, 120d apart. A 10d beam angle will almost cover the entire sphere from that distance. Borrowing would be ideal, but renting would work, too.

One thing I'm unsure of is how bright they should be - I'm inclined to max out my 2k genny.

Any leads or suggestions appreciated.

Cheers,
-Rene

ps Just started a blog at http://giantfloatingdiscoball.wordpress.com/ Just a place holder at the moment, but expect to update this week.

Token · Post by **Token** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:21 am

Wouldn't a single spot directly underneath do exactly the same thing?

There is no ceiling to catch all that light bouncing off, just the Playa floor.

You could put the spot on a gimbal and if rigged correctly it would track the ball.

rodiponer · Post by **rodiponer** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:32 am

I love this idea.

I think three spotlights will look cooler if there is any dust.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:11 pm

Just wondering...

How are the mirror pieces attached to the balloon ?

autox · Post by **autox** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:46 pm

I actually hadn't thought of a single light directly below the ball, but beams of light radiating out in all directions in the dust is part of the vision, and more sources means more reflections. I'd like to keep the space beneath the ball open for people to occupy, plus, in high winds, the ball will be lowered to the ground and secured, so anything below it would become a hazard.

autox · Post by **autox** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:47 pm

And the short answer to the mirror question is plastic rivets. Details will eventually make it to the blog.