Hanging China Lanterns
- Thread starter mattsdni
- Start date
I hang them from the ceiling or whatever in every way possible, but mostly, I arm them out from a C-stand on a 42" gobo arm or from a much longer boom on a C-stand or baby light stand. Sometimes I run the power cable through a gobo head and others I wrap it around the end of the arm or boom a couple of times and use a number one grip clip - Pony clamp.
I control their spill with flags and a Duvetyne skirt that I clothes-pin onto the lantern or blackwrap or some stuff from the fabric store that is light weight but light tight and black (though not fire-resistant.)
Anymore, I usually use compact fluorescent globes in China balls but still have photofloods for that lovely tungsten look since I can't find 3200K CFLs at Home Depot
RyanT
Veteran
I've been stapling them to things. Just find big enough staples that will wrap around the cable and not pierce it. Great quick way to throw it up without using any gear at all.
On the movie I was just on we would always wrap them in unbleached muslin for a softer warmer look. Mostly used photofloods inside of them, 211's, 212's, 213's. I like skirting them with rip stop nylon, as it's pretty opaque, but extremely lightweight. I don't like using CFL's in mine as I'd much rather go for a BCA or any of those funny looking blue photofloods if I want to go daylight, but that's just me.
On the movie I was just on we would always wrap them in unbleached muslin for a softer warmer look. Mostly used photofloods inside of them, 211's, 212's, 213's. I like skirting them with rip stop nylon, as it's pretty opaque, but extremely lightweight. I don't like using CFL's in mine as I'd much rather go for a BCA or any of those funny looking blue photofloods if I want to go daylight, but that's just me.
What do you do for a power cable? The ones they come with are for a maximum 75W bulb so what do you do with a 500W photoflood. Mostly, I see gaffers ignore the safety issue and use the little cables anyway. They wind up looking cooked and just short of melting. I got some ceramic sockets at Lowe's and good quality cable with conductors big enough to handle the current and made my own.
Seems like wrapping them in mus would really cut the light, no?
Patryk_Rebisz
Veteran
slondon, i kinda don't want to work with your gaffer... Cables getting warm is one thing but borderline melting is another...
RyanT
Veteran
Wrapping it in mus cuts the light, but it also makes it soft and warm. It's basically a high wattage practical with a lamp shade on it, just more mobile.
You can use mogul sockets for bigger globes if you want to go 500 or 1000 watts and you shouldn't have any issues with power cables heating up or metling.
What power cables are you using and where are you getting them? They should be rated up to 660 watts. Here's a link to one you could buy.
http://www.filmtools.com/chinlansocas.html
Just so you know though, I don't really use the 500 watt photofloods. 211 = 75w 212=150 and 213 = 250.