Pre-Show Workshop: Light-O-Rama Immersion 2-Day

Light-O-Rama Pre-Show Immersion Workshop

Light-O-Rama (LOR) is a well-known and popular light show animation equipment and software that allows you to create a display where the lights dance to music. The Light-O-Rama products are incredibly versatile and can be used by all skill levels but does take time and effort to master. While you can just dig in an learn on your own, this educational workshop leads you easily through the learning process in topic groups with uninterrupted instruction.

Hardware

This class will teach you about the technologies and controllers available for your display, how to use and troubleshoot those controllers, and how to test items in your display using both hardware and software. Items to be discussed include display layout, hardware selection, power requirements, security, and potential issues from both residential and commercial points of view. We will include troubleshooting tips for displays for issues which happen during installation and/or run time. We will cover setting up both hardware and software configurations for AC channels, dumb and smart RGB channels, and data networks (both serial and ethernet-based). Other points of interest include how the LOR Hardware Utility works and how it all comes together in LOR Network Preferences.

Topics discussed to include:

Introduction

• Advantages of LOR products
• Technology overview
• Hardware
• Software
• Hardware versus software control
• LED, DMX, pixels, E1.31, etc.

Hardware

• LOR ShowTime Directors
• Light controllers (different families)
• Other hardware (DC, DMX, SPI, Servo, etc.)
• Product usage
• Matching controller to display elements
• Physical layout and connectivity
• Failure points
• Service kit
• Electrical considerations
• Audio
• DMX
• Troubleshooting
• Discussion – a sample setup

LOR Hardware Utility

• Finding controllers
• Testing controllers
• Addressing controllers
• Updating firmware

LOR Network Setup and Configuration

• Different network types
• Which networks controls different types of lights
• Protocols (LOR vs E1.31 vs ArtNet)
• Physical connectivity

Show Design

While the bulk of the time spent of creating animated displays is spent in programming and creating sequences a good amount of thought and effort should be spent determining if there is a display theme, the message or story being told using the display, the display location, the types of lights to use, where the lights or other display elements will be placed within the display, and the media used with the display. Taking these and other ideas into account will help take your display to the next level. Example ideas include the grouping of elements, when to use and when not to use certain types of lights and pixels, how those and other items can add to or take away from displays.

We will also learn about the process of creating shows from sequences which have already been programmed, running shows on different platforms/hardware, and the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Topics discussed to include:

Show Design

• Use of various types of lighting and light sources
• To pixel or not to pixel
• Telling a story or conveying a message
• Interactive elements
• Mechanical elements
• Utilizing existing pre-programmed sequences

Software I

The bulk of the time spent of creating animated displays is spent in programming and creating sequences. This class will start by reviewing the various pieces of software in the LOR software suite and how and when each piece of software should be used. We will then move to the fundamentals of setting up a display in software and learning how to control individual items or groups of items in your display.

We will quickly learn how to use various functions in different pieces of software. After a review of networks/universes we will complete the tool chain by matching up the various display items on those networks with props in the software. We will also learn about the importance of preview setup and prop grouping.

Topics discussed to include:

Software

• Downloading and installation
• Licensing
• Help system
• Applications in the suite
• Control panel
• Sequencer
• Show Editor
• Schedule Editor
• Verifier
• Hardware Utility
• Hub
• ServoDog Utility

Editors

• Sequencer
• Preferences
• Animation and musical (media-based) sequences
• Creating sequences
• Previews
• The grid
• Channels
• Lighting effects
• Cut, copy, paste, undo, and re-do
• Importing existing sequences and animations/visualizations

Software II, includes programming design and techniques

This class will teach you how to program media-synchronized sequences as well as sharing tips for how to program faster and more efficiently. We will also cover how to use timings and various effects so the display sends a message or tells a story with the performance. Also includes learning how, when, and why to use other software such as Audacity and MP3 gain for audio editing.

Topics discussed to include:

Sequences

• Animation and musical (media-based) sequences
• Tracks and timing grids
• Sequencing time savers
• Wizards
• Skewing
• RGB display elements
• Previews
• Prop groupings
• Effects available
• Groups
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Saving and loading sequences (file management)
• The programming/sequencing cycle

Show Building

Building Shows

• What will run the show?
• Setting a show up to run on a computer
• LOR Show Editor
• Parts of a show
• Show options
• LOR Schedule Editor
• LOR Hub
• LOR Hub vs. Show Editor/Schedule Editor
• Creating and running a show on a LOR ShowDirector
• LOR Verifier

What to bring with you

If you have a laptop computer, please bring it so you can participate in the hands-on exercises. Light-O-Rama demonstration software will be provided if you don’t already own the product. Light-O-Rama controllers will also be available so you can test your work.

Drew Hickman, Holiday Technologies

Drew Hickman was an early pioneer in animation, creating the very first commercially available hardware (ChristmasCave) and software (Dasher) products for music-synchronized displays. Since those early days in his garage, Drew has gone on to help drive advances in the lighting and animation field and has helped an untold number of lighting enthusiasts create displays. He has also designed impressive home and commercial displays through his business, Holiday Technologies. Holiday Technologies is an official dealer of Light-O-Rama products and the official LOR training partner.

Drew has worked on all types of displays, large and small, commercial and residential. He has worked with everything from C9 incandescent lights to the latest pixel trees and is sure to share some of his more interesting experiences of being in this business.

• This is an LOR 2-Day Immersion education workshop on using Light-O-Rama products.
• This workshop is taught by an authorized LOR partner company.