hire or purchase for annual event?

[dsli_jon]

Hey PE -

I swear my PMs are not working... I can receive them, but every time I send one, it's like it just disappears entirely, yet the messages I received have the little "replied-to" icon. Weird. :| I hope they're actually going through and just not showing up in my sent items for some reason...

EDIT - GOT your PM, so appears your 'issue' is fixed (?)... I can still PM Admin, for you, if you'd like...try out some more, and lemme know if they 'get thru' or not....

Jon: I definitely don't see our event going away within the next 5 years. If anything we'll continue to grow even bigger. And I would say that we don't have very much competing light at all. There's a fair amount of light up on the stage with the DJ, but the floor itself has no wash lights at all. Any light that it receives is either reflected from the stage or the two large video screens that we have on either side of the stage, and also lighting from our current FX lights.

Well, that sounds good... you just might-be a 'candidate' for an Install / System, then... Even-so, see the 'suggestion', below...

RE: the lighting, also - sounds-good, as-in, the darker you can make the 'area' immediately in front-of (but, importantly, too, behind...) the laser-source, AND, provided you can have a decent amount of 'atmosphere' (haze, etc) you might be able to get away with some 'lower powers'... but, really, it would always be better to get as MUCH laser-light as you can possibly afford - you can always 'turn it down' / cut it 'back' / have it play
a 'less-dominant role' - but if you don't have enough, well, you've already stated you want to 'avoid disappointment'...

And 2 watts of green sounds like quite a lot of power for a 50x70 area, though I've admitted before that I don't really know what we need.

Like I said in the PM, it also depends on your 'goals' for the laser(s) - are they just 'sprinkles' on the sundae' or are you expecting them to really 'shine' / be a 'wow-factor'? And whatever graphics you plan (even if minimal) - how 'important' are they to the Event - do they need to be really, nice and 'snappy-bright' (ie, for a Sponsor or an Artist / DJ, etc) or, are they truly more 'terciary' / less-important? In-all - are the lasers just 'another fx' - or do you want them to be a 'star of the show', as-well?

That-said, 2 Watts of green in that space will be the WOW you need... if they're 'just another fx', well, 1W is probably fine... but, most-likely, there isn't going to be much of a 'price-break' between 1 and 2 Watts, cause, unless the Sho Co is bringing-out a 20 Watt monster, that should not really factor into 'what it takes' for the Co to come-out and set-up - same effort, whether it is 1 or 2 or 5 Watts... typically, where you'll start to see the $$-signs add-on, is for multiple-systems, high-power systems (like 10W or more...) or lots of 'add-ons' (really-complex bounce-mirror arrays, scrims, etc, etc..) Though, often, a Co. will just make you a 'package-deal', either based on a 'flat-quote', or, whatever your 'budget-cap' is.... (for $X, you get this and this and this...)

Still, 2 watts is definitely going to be out of our price range right now I'm afraid unless we're just renting or something. Is renting even an option for most places? Or do the personnel always have to come bundled with the laser?

Unless you have a Variance to perform your own shows, any Co 'renting' you lasers (if it puts-out over 5mW) will also have to supply an Operator - they should NOT just rent you the Gear, because in order for a Variance-holder (assuming they properly have one..) to maintain its' validity, the performances need to be under the constant supervision of a Qualified operator, (working under the Variance) as-to knowing the Regs (what 'constitutes' "safe" vs "not safe"...) AND maintaining safety throughout the performance... This is part of the 'value' hiring a Pro Co., comes-with...

RE: Cost for 2W (green or full-color...) well, my suggestion would be - #1, establish 'what are your "goals" for the lasers (this helps define what system 'best to use') and #2, unless you are talking a purchase-consideration - why-not just *hire* the lasers-out, this first year - and 'see how it goes'?

This way, #1, you don't blow $10-15-20K on a system / controller / etc, etc, etc - only to 'discover' that it really wasn't the 'right' system for your needs / goals / space, and #2, working with a Pro, will allow you to learn, alongside the Co / Operator, whom can explain all the ins and outs of things, so, if, down the road, you do-decide to 'DIY', well, you'll have had some 'experience' under your belt, 'riding shotgun'...

Hope this helps...
J

[LaserWizard]

PE -

You are getting some good advice here!

I would say that if you are putting on the event yourself, hire the professional show, and concentrate on your event planning, and integrating the laser show into the event (make sure it is dark, the sound is good, smoke is good, etc.). You need the experienced professional eye at least the first time to be able to spot obvious deficiencies in the show.

If things are going well after that, and you feel up to the challenge, look into leasing your own system or something like that over the next 4 years.

We typically charge $3500 + expenses for a party.

- Tim Walsh

[Laserman532]

PE -

You are getting some good advice here!

I would say that if you are putting on the event yourself, hire the professional show, and concentrate on your event planning, and integrating the laser show into the event (make sure it is dark, the sound is good, smoke is good, etc.). You need the experienced professional eye at least the first time to be able to spot obvious deficiencies in the show.

If things are going well after that, and you feel up to the challenge, look into leasing your own system or something like that over the next 4 years.

We typically charge $3500 + expenses for a party.

- Tim Walsh

absolutelyfreakinditto

[PsycoEwok]

Thanks again everyone for all of the responses! If it were up to me I probably would do the professional show the first time, but I'm not the one with the money unfortunately. :P BUt I think you guys have given me all the information I needed in order to make a more informed decision. Assuming that our CEO decides to go through with the laser idea at all (buying or hiring), you'll hear from me again with yet more questions.

To those who have PM'd me, I'll get back to you as soon as I have more information from our CEO. Could take a little while though, and it may not be a decision he wants to make until months from now. You will be kept in mind though!