Finally threw together a video of a couple gigs last weekend to show my clients how some uplighting can change the mood. I've since shown....and sold this package to two brides
Thought I would share.
Thought I would share.Weddings up lighting video
- Thread starter knardini
- Start date
Kris,
Very nice! I was doing a simple Google for 'uplighting' last night and seen literally thousands of examples.
So, can you explain how you set-up the lighting? How do you get power to them all? One long run or are you plugging into different plugs along the way. And, do you dmx them all? Or dip switches?
I'm going to start picking up some led's soon to add some flare initially to the set up, but eventually as an upsell to add to the different areas of the reception.
Very nice! I was doing a simple Google for 'uplighting' last night and seen literally thousands of examples.
So, can you explain how you set-up the lighting? How do you get power to them all? One long run or are you plugging into different plugs along the way. And, do you dmx them all? Or dip switches?
I'm going to start picking up some led's soon to add some flare initially to the set up, but eventually as an upsell to add to the different areas of the reception.
Kris : Outstanding demo. Prices for 10 or more is weak [note: some may view the pricing meaning the first ten are over-priced. Consider to perhaps knock 5 or 7 bucks which will seem more like a volume discount but not 50%!! or even 25%!!] but your effective presentation (before and after with uplighting is crucial) is superb.
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Yeah, I can rent LEDs from a lighting supply house for $15 a day. I guess you are charging $25 per light for you to set them up, but $40 a light is a bit pricey. Unless you are the only game in town.
I think I would go with $30 each for the first 10 and then $20 each after that.
Just a thought.
Nice video though.
Mike
I think I would go with $30 each for the first 10 and then $20 each after that.
Just a thought.
Nice video though.
Mike
Esoteric: My comments were directed to the additional lamps over ten. Personally, I think $40 is too cheap.
Yes you can rent lights for $15 day but I doubt they are of the intensity and quality of what we see in those pictures. The client would also need to drive to the rental place (time & fuel), assume they are all working, buy extension cords and gang boxes, set them up, run the power cords, run the DMX cables, break them all down, then take them back the next day. (Or you, if you're renting them.and upselling them as an option)
Unless you value your time and efforts and equipment expenses at about $10-15/hour (once the math is performed from an r.o.i. stand point as opposed to what the rental place does), $40 is a deal!
Other peoples mileage and mentality will vary.
Yes you can rent lights for $15 day but I doubt they are of the intensity and quality of what we see in those pictures. The client would also need to drive to the rental place (time & fuel), assume they are all working, buy extension cords and gang boxes, set them up, run the power cords, run the DMX cables, break them all down, then take them back the next day. (Or you, if you're renting them.and upselling them as an option)
Unless you value your time and efforts and equipment expenses at about $10-15/hour (once the math is performed from an r.o.i. stand point as opposed to what the rental place does), $40 is a deal!
Other peoples mileage and mentality will vary.
Yeah, I thought of that. I was looking from my POV.
The lights you get from a lighting supply house are actually a little brighter and a little better color mixing (I have seen them side by side).
It would take me about an hour (if that) to do that full room set up.
I have a lighting supplier about 20 minutes from my house (in downtown Dallas) or 30 minutes (in North Dallas), so even taking into account time and fuel it would be significantly cheaper for me to do it than $40 per unit.
Just a thought.
For average Joe $40 is a good deal, although I used to rent mine for $25/day ($75 a week) each.
But I had to deal with competition.
Mike
First off, Amazing Job Kris... WOW is all i have to say
Few questions?
- What fixtures?
- What Controller (Or what software and Box)
- How long did that take to setup
- How many do you have... Looks like a couple grand investment there... Just in LED par Cans....
Few questions?
- What fixtures?
- What Controller (Or what software and Box)
- How long did that take to setup
- How many do you have... Looks like a couple grand investment there... Just in LED par Cans....
Thanks for all the props and advice. I'm still trying to settle into the right price point for these and figuring out what I'm happy with for the up sale. I'd set up just about any configuration for $500+, and why I dropped down to $20 for the second 10....but I see what you're saying Cap about making that seem like the first 10 are over priced and will likely jump up to $30 for the second 10.
To answer some questions:
These fixtures are a rectangular 4 channel LED fixture...252 LED's nice and bright. In this case I had 8 of my own and rented 12 more. Next month I'm trading in my 8 LED 56's for 6 of these rectangular versions and buying 12 more. These newer LED's are 6 channel and have some built in fade features. I'd like to be able to hit a button and have the whole room slowly fade during dinner hour. The fact that they sit directly on the floor, no need for a base. They have a bracket on one side that you can adjust and give the fixture a little tilt...perfect! THe cords can sneak behind them. They are the same size as your typical floor register in your house. I inlcuded a pic (I think)
This set up took me about an hour. I had 3 "stringers"...12 guage extension cords that plug into an outlet then have 4 outlet sockets every 4-5 feet. Perfect for a long wall run. They were all linked with DMX cable and controlled using my Elation DMX controller. When I get more of these I will buy another controller just for the up lighting. It was a pain to have to program my movers along with the uplights for every scene. The brides colors were pink and yellow so I set the scenes using two lights at home the night before, then just addressed half of them to fixture 3 and the others to fixture 4 so I could have the alternating color effect with my scenes.
In this set up I also linked everything to some led par 36's in my truss stands (2 in each) so they were on the same page with their friends.
I'm all about this uplighting at my gigs these days. I set up 4-8 of these almost everywhere I go, then just add a couple movers and maybe my mirror ball and call it good.
One thing I didn't include in the video was me getting some footage about 10 minutes until guests arrived and backing up into the bride/groom special table. I knocked over thier center piece candles and one of them broke and wax spilled on thier nice table cloth:sqerr: I grabbed one from another table, and moved thier place setting to hide the wax stain - they never had a clue The video is priceless though (said some choice words), sent it to the couple who got a kick out of it.
Later everyone, after a late one last night I'm enjoying the rest of the weekend off!!!!!!
To answer some questions:
These fixtures are a rectangular 4 channel LED fixture...252 LED's nice and bright. In this case I had 8 of my own and rented 12 more. Next month I'm trading in my 8 LED 56's for 6 of these rectangular versions and buying 12 more. These newer LED's are 6 channel and have some built in fade features. I'd like to be able to hit a button and have the whole room slowly fade during dinner hour. The fact that they sit directly on the floor, no need for a base. They have a bracket on one side that you can adjust and give the fixture a little tilt...perfect! THe cords can sneak behind them. They are the same size as your typical floor register in your house. I inlcuded a pic (I think)
This set up took me about an hour. I had 3 "stringers"...12 guage extension cords that plug into an outlet then have 4 outlet sockets every 4-5 feet. Perfect for a long wall run. They were all linked with DMX cable and controlled using my Elation DMX controller. When I get more of these I will buy another controller just for the up lighting. It was a pain to have to program my movers along with the uplights for every scene. The brides colors were pink and yellow so I set the scenes using two lights at home the night before, then just addressed half of them to fixture 3 and the others to fixture 4 so I could have the alternating color effect with my scenes.
In this set up I also linked everything to some led par 36's in my truss stands (2 in each) so they were on the same page with their friends.
I'm all about this uplighting at my gigs these days. I set up 4-8 of these almost everywhere I go, then just add a couple movers and maybe my mirror ball and call it good.
One thing I didn't include in the video was me getting some footage about 10 minutes until guests arrived and backing up into the bride/groom special table. I knocked over thier center piece candles and one of them broke and wax spilled on thier nice table cloth:sqerr: I grabbed one from another table, and moved thier place setting to hide the wax stain - they never had a clue
The video is priceless though (said some choice words), sent it to the couple who got a kick out of it. Later everyone, after a late one last night I'm enjoying the rest of the weekend off!!!!!!
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I would recommend LumiDesk. I can get it for you for $375 (less than the $399.99 they charge). You can set the LEDs in an initial sequence, and then as long as they are not programmed into any other scenes you run, they will stay whatever color you set them at (HTP programming). It is a DMX widget that runs off of software on a computer (USB to DMX). You can also program them into a song during the dancing portion for them to change color or strobe (for fast songs) to add to the mood.
Mike
Mike
Nothing against you mike, but I got even a cheaper solution... The DMX box is $50-$60 and all you need is a laptop, software is free... {Freesytler} Did a club install and now im getting my own for the next couple gigs I have... Hope it will all go well...
I like them very much, but I honestly don't think many venues (around here) would be so open to the idea of lighting the whole room like that. They already try to confine us to tiny spaces of the room as it is. They also hate long set up/take down times.
It seems like something the venue should be offering and not the DJ.
It seems like something the venue should be offering and not the DJ.
I dunno, not many venues offer it down here, it usually comes as part of a package from a designer through the wedding planner (along with pipe and drape, custom linen, etc). Most venues need some sort of decoration, I would rather let the decorator and DJ bid against each other and see who will give me the best deal. Why not if the DJ upgrade is cheaper than decorators price, go with the DJ?
As far as time, except for the feeding trough wedding chapels, most venues only do one reception a day, so you have at least 6 hours, if not the previous day to set up. I would think twice about having my wedding at a place where I did not get enough set up time. I would also think twice about any space that would not let me decorate the way I wanted to (assuming of course the obvious no nails/screws in the wall, etc).
jk: No offense taken, and nothing against you, but you get what you pay for. I hate Sunlite. I don't like their software interface, instability, installation issues, and I have had bad experiences with it. The only reason I recommend LumiDesk is because it is the best of that level of DMX controllers. Otherwise I never spec anything lower than a HogPC. But the LumiDesk box and software are the most reliable of the fourth tier lighting controllers.
I would say since your whole lighting set up depends on the controller, don't cheap out, spend what you can afford to spend and if you have to, save up and get something worth having.
Mike
As far as time, except for the feeding trough wedding chapels, most venues only do one reception a day, so you have at least 6 hours, if not the previous day to set up. I would think twice about having my wedding at a place where I did not get enough set up time. I would also think twice about any space that would not let me decorate the way I wanted to (assuming of course the obvious no nails/screws in the wall, etc).
jk: No offense taken, and nothing against you, but you get what you pay for. I hate Sunlite. I don't like their software interface, instability, installation issues, and I have had bad experiences with it. The only reason I recommend LumiDesk is because it is the best of that level of DMX controllers. Otherwise I never spec anything lower than a HogPC. But the LumiDesk box and software are the most reliable of the fourth tier lighting controllers.
I would say since your whole lighting set up depends on the controller, don't cheap out, spend what you can afford to spend and if you have to, save up and get something worth having.
Mike
Why shouldn't the DJ offer the lighting? Seems like what we do. Around here the bride can do whatever they want to the venue they pay for. Just booked a wedding at my normal rate $850 plus a 20 fixture up lighint package for $650 and a ceremony system $200...not a bad payday for a full day of work!
Dance lighting seems like what we do.
Don't get me wrong...I think it's beautiful and if you can sell it, then kudos!
However, it is ambient light, and not something that one would expect to see from a DJ service. It's kinda like finding out that your plumber also sells designer glassware and towels. Maybe a pleasant surprise, but totally unrelated.
I hope it continues to be a good investment for you.
Other downsides to consider:
*It would probably inspire the venue to make something like that a permanent addition after seeing it, resulting in your future loss.
*Unless you're going out of the way to let the audience know that you provided it (which would be tacky), they will all just sit there and think "what a beautiful room" and not "what great DJ lighting".
I think you would be surprised, most venues will not make the investment in ambient lighting for several reasons. They don't have the staff to set up, keep up, or implement it. Not all their clients want/need this item and so it means extra work for them to take down and put up the units. They also don't believe that it is necessary for their space. I have never seen a space that was not built with ambient lighting in mind implement it later.
You don't have to let the audience know it was you. Just the people who get your card, view your website, or talk to you on the phone. Those people you can certainly tell about it without being tactless.
I think it is a wonderful addition to any DJs gear and certainly not a non-sequitor. It is more like a plumber who can also lay down tile (in order to restore a floor that he has to dig up to get to pipes).
Mike
Hank think of it in this vain. Some venues have in fact seen our setups especially the PC setups and instantly thought and even ventured into providing their own DJ in a box, Hiring the Cooks assistant to operate the Ion setup they have purchased. I have seen a couple do just that and then watching it fail miserably like the events some brides decided to hire the kid down the street who claimed he was a DJ cause he owned a mixer. I know several DJs who use Pars on a truss exclusively with great success. Adding something unusual sometimes will separate the men from the boys. In this case it very well could be Kris's Hook. Thanks for giving us a peek at your new additions Kris. Hank thanks for your viewpoint as well.
G