Keeping your diffusion from becoming a sail?

RyanT

RyanT

Veteran
So, say you want a 4x4 frame of diffusion in front of your light, but it's quite windy. What's your best method to prevent it from going flying off into the distance? Tie it off to something? Sand bag the crap out of it? Add more C-stands to the mix? Ran into this the other day and was just sort of interested in what you normally would do.
 
You could angle it so it's a less efficient sail. You could support it with a heavier junior stand with a larger grip-head and put a lot of weight on it.

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Sandbag it and tie it down. And have someone watch it.

Best advice I can give. Wind will always win - all we can do is fight it.

But try setting up a 20x20 and see what happens.
 
Tying it off is your best bet. If conditions don't really allow for that, grab another C stand and use the gobo head to bite the top of the frame and sandbag the whole contraption as much as possible. It'll still be a little wobbly, but not as bad as the frame alone.
 
Two combo stands with plenty of sandbags, a favorable angle (not perpendicular to the wind), and perhaps use some tie downs. Tie cable to the butterfly frame and stake it into the ground.

Sometimes you just can't stop the wind.
 
I thought you would appreciate the 20X20 comment. :) Most important thing to do is watch it in windy conditions. I've seen those things fall and come really close to hurting someone before.
 
I've used a combination of tent pegs, rope and 25kg (50lb) weights left over from crane counter weight system. If you don't have tent pegs to lash rope to then lash it to some handy Teamsters. All their standing around is finally useful!
 
Mattykins said:
But try setting up a 20x20 and see what happens.
Click to expand...

Yes, seriously. Last time I used a 12x12 on hi-roller with two 35 lbs sandbags on each stand and the wind was so strong it actually bent one of the metal stand backward. That was a truly scary moment.
 
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