Trying to get a light overhead SAFELY

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dtjohns1

Well-known member
I've recently wanted to do an interrogation type scene and I want to have a like coming straight down on my subjects. I recently bought this boom stand
http://cowboystudio.com/product/c03/p0302-05.php but I can only get it to go at a slight angle before it threatens to topple over. They gave me a sandbag with it but they didn't give me anything to put in it. Does anyone know how I can balance the stand at a 90 degree angle above the talent safely with what I have? If not can you suggest something you know that works.
 
With that kind of cantilever, you must have a counterweight on the other side of the fulcrum to offset the weight of the fixture. A sandbag, water container or exercise weights work.
 
Man, I'd think twice about that stand.

Start with the smallest & lightest light that will work;

I'd look into screwing a nail plate into the ceiling if possible (four dabs of spackle when you're done). Screw into a joist and make sure you can hang on the thing first.

Or two c-stands with superclamps holding a 10' length of 3/4" or 1" conduit (that's cheap stuff). Use a theatrical pipe clamp (easy to find in a decent sized town) vs. a spud and hang the light; This is really the way I'd approach it if I didn't have a junior stand and a really serious steel boom. Pipe is cheap.

And use safety cable, wire or rope in either case. Booms can fall over or do the slow "tilt of death" very suddenly - a counterweight helps, but if your stand isn't beefy, the whole mess can come down.
 
you could invert the problem ans set the heavy part on the floor (behind the actor) pointing up .
then you can use a lightweight relflector to send back the light down.
you can find mirrored plastic sheet or thin silvered mylar on a balsa wood frame that should not be heavy more than few grams.
 
Yea, that cheap stand is not what you want, it's an accident waiting to happen. A C-stand with arm and a few sandbags are what you need at a minimum.
 
dtjohns1 said:
I've recently wanted to do an interrogation type scene and I want to have a like coming straight down on my subjects. I recently bought this boom stand...
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After reading the first words I just thought 'lawsuit'. Spend extra money and cover your ass brother. A lawsuit can ruin you.
 
Man lawsuits aside, a hot light coming down on your crew or talent can cause serious injury. I'm very weary of rigging lights over people unless it's rock-solid and I feel we've gone overkill with the rigging. I was going to suggest using a mirror to bounce as well. If that doesn't really cut the specific look you need then rent the beefiest stands you can get. They're dirt cheap to rent and it's worth doing the shot safely. Never risk safety over a 7 dollar rental. Also yes, please sandbag the heck out of it. Safety wire as well. Depending on the scene, you might be able to get away with a small light for this so you may be in luck but should still not risk safety.
 
OK, what I do (In a theatrical setting) is set up two Manfrotto wind-up stands, a Doughty Big-Ben clamp on each and a length of 48mm ali scaff. Then hang the lantern using a standard theatrical hanging clamp and safety bond. Your lantern may have different support fittings, but any reputable hire company should be able to sort out what you need. Oh yes, if you have barn doors, safety bond those as well, and anything else that might fall.
Over here it's not just the lawsuite I have to worry about it's the potential manslaughter charge and 14 years to life.
I do a lot of stage work for my school and think safety, safety and more safety!
Dave
 
Yah, the bag is a counterweight. Fill it with about 15 lbs of clean playground sand which you can buy for about $4 per 40 pound bag at a big box home improvement store. Adjust the position of the arm so that with the light on the business end of the boom and the bag on the back end the whole thing is balanced. Use only a very light fixture such as a Lowel Pro or fresnel of 300W or less. I very frequently arm out a China ball on a stand similar to yours. The sand bag end of the boom will probably protrude one to two feet. You then bag the legs or spreaders but you'll find that when the light and the bag are balanced the weight is straight down on the stand and the rig is very stable.

I do what you want to do all the time and with care it is perfectly safe. And yes, use a safety.

For a heavier light you need to rig a menace arm with speed rail, a very heavy stand and a ratchet strap for a counterbalance. I'd stay away from that until you are comfortable with your current gear and have lots more experience with grip equipment.
 
Looking at it I realized I could get away with a couple of cheap clamp lights overhead. If these fall it won't be a big deal. Thanks for everyones response. Im going to practice rigging lights to the boom stand i have on my own personal time until im comfortable enough to use them in the field.
 
dtjohns1 said:
Looking at it I realized I could get away with a couple of cheap clamp lights overhead. If these fall it won't be a big deal. Thanks for everyones response. Im going to practice rigging lights to the boom stand i have on my own personal time until im comfortable enough to use them in the field.
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The safety issue is not one where you're worried foremost about damage to the fixture, rather, your principal concern is for the actors beneath the light.

I'd have to think about how to rig a clamp light effectively since they don't have fittings such as a receiver or stud like movie lights or grip would have, even if you take the clamp off.

The small lights I mentioned have a standard 5/8" receiver that fits on the end of the boom where there is a 5/8" spud. For a China ball you wind the power cable around the end of the boom a couple of times and use a #1 grip clip to secure it there or, more commonly, you put a grip head on the end of the boom and catch the power cord in it.

Safeties for the small fixtures we're talking about are generally short lengths of 1/8" trick line which are tied securely to the lamp and clipped securely to the boom in case the fixture comes loose from the boom.
 
Careful with the wall-busters! A ledger of #2 pine under them with a couple drywall screws can save lives. I've seen them come down - especially when used on todays cheaply constructed walls.
 
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