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Hanging Fluorescent lights vertically - music video? How is it done??

Lewis James Hart

Lewis James Hart

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Hey guys, as the title says really, got a shoot coming up with a client and hes seen this (image attached) being done in a few projects.

I can't seem to find a store that sells them,

I would assume that they are T5 lights, with a end plug on one end, with a socket into the wall, and the 2 pins at the bottom are wired up behind the back of the bulb to the circuit on the top (completing the circuit)

Any idea how this is done or where to purchase?

Thanks

Lewis
 

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Quasar had to discontinue their T8 line due to a patent infringement, plus an update in technology. You could see if you could pick up some used T8 4's or 8's.

The newer Quasar bi-color faders can be purchased in an 8 foot length, but come at like an $800 price tag/bulb/tube.

Digital Sputnik is essentially doing the same thing as well.

If you really need really cheap, you could even do a home depot/hardware store run to pick up some 8' flourescent or LED based tubes, but typically those run at a pretty low CRI, which means green/magenta casting.

Another cool look could be using the vintage (well newer) Edison light bulbs with the filament inside. Pretty cool look as well, and cheaper/more readily available.

But if it's tube shafts of light you're after, then yea, those are the options I know about. hehe
 
Chris McKechnie said:
Quasar had to discontinue their T8 line due to a patent infringement, plus an update in technology. You could see if you could pick up some used T8 4's or 8's.

The newer Quasar bi-color faders can be purchased in an 8 foot length, but come at like an $800 price tag/bulb/tube.

Digital Sputnik is essentially doing the same thing as well.

If you really need really cheap, you could even do a home depot/hardware store run to pick up some 8' flourescent or LED based tubes, but typically those run at a pretty low CRI, which means green/magenta casting.

Another cool look could be using the vintage (well newer) Edison light bulbs with the filament inside. Pretty cool look as well, and cheaper/more readily available.

But if it's tube shafts of light you're after, then yea, those are the options I know about. hehe
Click to expand...


800 is far OTT off what my client will pay for the lighting haha.

How do you go about wiring the tubes up thats my main question?

As they tend to have 2 prongs on either end, normally housed inside a body to complete the circuit, but as per the photo i just want the tube to hang. any clues?
 
You could hang a bare Kino tube, you just have to hide the end cap connecting wire behind the tube. The wires it would hang from wouldn't be as neat and simple as the example, you'd have the thicker harness cable starting soon after the end cap wires.
 
the Quasar T8 dimmables are cheap and will power from 1 end: (very easy to rig)
https://www.filmandvideolighting.co...d-t8-dimmable-daylight-4ft-30w-120v-lamp.html
http://hotrodcameras.com/grip-electric/quasar-science-q30-t8-30watt-5600k-direct-4-dimmable/
https://www.quasarscience.com/products/q-led-t8-dimmable-lamps?variant=34781113806

Mactech (Barwell McAllister) has some good led tubes going cheap now (David at Usedmovielighting.com) http://www.usedmovielighting.com/product/4-ft-hollywood-lights-led-tube/
but they would need heavy diffusion and may need power at both ends. maybe Hyperikon "high CRI" versions would work too. easy to get pop on sockets instead of tombstones for t5 or t8
 
I did that exact setup a few weeks ago. Packing wrap and a black stinger or extension cord. I don't know if you have a studio with rigging, we just built a wooden structure to hold and wire the lights. This was a bts from rehearsal.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BceAj3ig7Ek/
 
Chris McKechnie said:
Quasar had to discontinue their T8 line due to a patent infringement, plus an update in technology. You could see if you could pick up some used T8 4's or 8's.
Click to expand...

On their website it says that their T8 Direct (non-dimmable) lamps are discontinued, but it seems like their T8 Dimmable lamps are still available. Did they also discontinue the T8 Dimmables?
 
Just swung by Hot Rod Cameras. The T8s Dimmables are still in production, it's the regular non-dimmable T8s that are discontinued, and so are the older model bi-colour T12s (the ones that only switch from 3200K and 5600K, not the later model Crossfades). I picked up a couple of Crossfades and they're sweet!

They have quite a few T8s in stock - 4ft units for $75, which is a bargain if you ask me considering the brightness and quality of light. I think that would work for your needs and budget.

Also, they're powered from one end only, so you don't need to sneak cables back up behind it.
 
I did this a few years ago for a music video. We used bare bulb kinos which were a PITA to rig and we couldnt get as many as I would have wanted hung because of the ballast limitations. now a days you could easily use quasar science lights - I do this a lot now (when clients request it) with my quasar 4ft crossfades. having them on dimmers helps dial in your looks on the blown out highlights too. here is the video we did with the kinos, hung from a 8x8 frame above the talent so we could get movement from them by shaking the frame.

 
I'd use a Kino 4 by 4 barebones. Hide the wire behind, AND - get them rewired already from your rental/gaffer. In Eastern-Europe barebones kino's are usually called a "Jedi" light. I'd usually tell my gaffer that I want some Kinos as a Jedi light, and he immediately understands they must be rewired (longer wires that go from the lamp itself to the ballast, the original ones are too short ending you using only 1 lamp per ballast, also you can choose a color of a wire, if you want to).

And bring a plenty of gells. ND at first.

Jedi.jpg


The whole fixture is built with Kino-Flo lamps on this video:
https://vimeo.com/91793344
 
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