SLevitt, Author at Parlights, Inc.

All posts by SLevitt

Parlights Talks with Cognito designer Rob Bell

Posted on: March 28, 2014 By: SLevitt

Parlights CEO Cary Levitt, and president Walt Dowling, caught up with with Robert Bell (center) of Pathway Connectivity in the City Theatrical booth at USITT today. Mr. Bell created the Cognito console and recently visited Parlights to personally demonstrate the board’s intuitive features. The Cognito solves the complex task of programming shows for systems that include incandescent dimmers, moving lights and color changing LED fixtures. Customers love the streamlined user interface and drag and drop technology and give it high marks on ease of use.

Learn more here:

Cognito

or call Parlights for your demo.

From the Grid

Break A Leg, Don’t Catch A Cold–Keep Theatrical Makeup Germ Free

Posted on: March 3, 2014 By: SLevitt

These simple rules from professional makeup artist Roger Riggle will keep your shared theatrical makeup germ free, and your cast healthy. First, gather some supplies: a small glass, cotton balls, 91% isopropyl alcohol, and hand sanitizer.

Billions of microbes live on your hands, so always make it a rule to wash with soap, rinse and do it again before applying makeup. If that isn’t possible, use your hand sanitizer, and reapply frequently.

Dip ONCE and apply. For mascara use disposable applicators, load with enough product for both eyes, and then discard after use.

Ditto for lipstick—surgical Q tips are tightly wound, making them good applicators.

For pencils—sharpen prior to use. Repeat after use, then swish the tip in alcohol. Remember to wipe the handle.

Cream makeup can be removed from container with a small spatula onto a disposable surface and used from there. Wipe down the spatula with alcohol after use.

Brushes can be cleaned between applications by using a squirt of Ben Nye brush cleaner and swirling on a paper towel until no more color comes out.

Parlights carries Ben Nye makeup for all your production needs. Watch our seminar page for upcoming makeup workshops.

Curtain Call Blog

Don’t Spike the Fog Fluid

Posted on: February 24, 2014 By: SLevitt

It may sound odd, but many a rental fogger has come back blowing green smoke, or smoke that smells like burned beer. Obviously, a very good party…but not a good idea. Professional Foggers work by heating a USDA approved glycol-based fluid that becomes a mist and is blown out the front. Adding ingredients to that fluid, and then heating the mix, could make something toxic. At the very least you will ruin a perfectly good fogger!

Parlights carries a complete line of professional fog machines from Rosco, Ultratec, and more. We also fix broken machines from a variety of manufacturers.

Curtain Call Blog, From the Grid

What’s the Difference Between a Lamp and a Light Bulb?

Posted on: February 23, 2014 By: SLevitt

About 30 bucks 😉

Seriously – Stage and Studio Lamps put out a lot more light, and are designed to run hotter than regular light bulbs. There is a special chemical reaction (called the Halogen Process) that puts the tungsten that makes up the filament (the part that glows) back on the lamp filament as it cools.

Find out more about the Halogen Process here!

Parlights carries an extensive inventory of stage and studio lamps (many under $30!)

Curtain Call Blog, From the Grid

5 Ways to Green Your Stage

Posted on: February 18, 2014 By: SLevitt

1. Don’t leave the house lights on when there is no one in the audience area

2. Replace your Ghost Light lamp with a compact Fluorescent

3. Only use enough stage lights during rehearsal to light the rehearsal…no need to burn ’em all.

4. Recycle cardboard, cans, and glass. You do it at home!

5. Fix it or upgrade it – most lighting equipment can be repaired for less than the cost of replacement.

Parlights offers upgrade and repair services for equipment from a variety of manufacturers, including Altman Lighting, Strand Lighting, and Entertainment Technology, and EDI.

Curtain Call Blog, From the Grid

FORE!!! New PLPROFILE4 Now Shipping

Posted on: January 25, 2013 By: SLevitt

NEW FROM PHILIPS STRAND SELECON

The PLPROFILE4 is the best LED front of house fixture we have seen with output comparable to a traditional ellipsoidal. Low energy consumption, virtually no maintenance, infinite colors, and no additional dimming required make this the go-to light of the future…now!

The PLPROFILE4 luminaire is a LED, variable-beam profile with precise beam control and pattern projection from a high output beam. An innovative combination of LED source technology and precision optical design, the PLPROFILE4 luminaire delivers Philips Selecon’s industry benchmark projection quality in a compact, robust luminaire.

The PLPROFILE4 luminaire uses the same proven LED engine as the Philips Selecon PL3, PL1, PL Series 1 luminaire range, and the Philips VARI*LITE VLX wash luminaire ranges, meaning color matching is simplified across the stage. The user interface is the same ensuring ease of use.

A key benefit of the PLPROFILE4 luminaire is that it is no longer necessary to change lamps or color filter. Combining the superior control and light quality of a Philips Selecon Profile with seamless fading between colors allows designers a new level of creativity. Less power consumption and no dimmer circuits makes the PLPROFILE4 luminaire the obvious choice for pattern projection and stage washes on the larger stage.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF COPY OF THE PLPROFILE4 DATASHEET