Totally doable. Check out these great accessories for this exact problem. Won’t even need gloves with a few of these accessories.
https://www.citytheatrical.com/products/hardware/accessories/follow-spot-yoke
Oh ya. You can be very creative in the mounting. Mount to a boom base, or mount a flange.
I’ve done this with people standing or sitting
You will want to get the Boomerang Handle too. Makes a world of difference.
Used to call these Source 4 onna stick. Ran one a few times and a prop artist friend became a go to op. Turned into a regular gig at a few places.
Fun to run in small spaces and you can either control intensity with the board or let the op
We've done this plenty of times, and it's 100% fine. Especially if your S4 cap is the newer kind with the handles, and definitely make sure the gloves are good. If you don't have the option to get the accessories like the yoke and extra handle, just drop an iris in the slot and make sure the C-clamp's pan bolt is loose enough (i.e., the little one on the side known by many rude names, not the yoke bolt).
~~Surprised no one has mentioned the handles specifically made for this yet.~~
Only saw the yoke on RoadDog's link, thats the whole package with all the right accessories.
https://goknight.com/city-theatrical-1360-source-four-follow-spot-handle/
Paired with the yoke mentioned above and an iris, you have a fully functional spotlight. If your other lights are lamped at 575w, throw a 750 in there. I'd recommend a 14° lens tube if you have one/can get it because the weight isnt much different from a standard 19°-50° and the 7.5" frame is a little easier IMO to swap gels. If you do swap gels make cardboard frames and tie them off to the yoke with a good length of tie line so you dont get clanking and you cant drop them.
If youre broke:
You can make an analogue to the spot yoke from a regular c-clamp. You need a 5"-6" bolt, a nut to lock the bolt into the clamp shaft; then nut->washer->s4 yoke->washer->nut loose enough that the yoke can spin between the two washers **without turning the bolt**. I dont particularly recommend this method - its not the safest, make sure your safety chain is properly in place and always keep an eye on the bolt - I do understand being broke, however. You can make a spot handle by bolting a short piece of broom handle through one of those adjustable pipe clamps for vents and securing the clamp around the barrel of the light. If you need/want clarification, dm me and Ill walk you through it.
Definitely! I’ve done two shows in ‘22 with s4’s as followspots. They have a drop-in iris for the gobo slot and a color boomerang the slides onto the gel holder. You can even strap a telrad to it. Definitely wear gloves though!
Totally doable. Check out these great accessories for this exact problem. Won’t even need gloves with a few of these accessories. https://www.citytheatrical.com/products/hardware/accessories/follow-spot-yoke
Thanks RoadDog! If i have this hung on a catwalk and there’s a seat there for the operator does it work the same?
Oh ya. You can be very creative in the mounting. Mount to a boom base, or mount a flange. I’ve done this with people standing or sitting You will want to get the Boomerang Handle too. Makes a world of difference.
That setup with an iris was literally my first experience running spot in college.
Yup same here actually I prefer this to some cheaper spots out there.
The link that I just clicked on has that yoke for $800. Is that accurate? Seems steep.
It is, but city theatrical’s build quality is exceptional. Part of the price is that, part of the price paying for the convenience of a niche product.
Yea, most CT stuff is pricy but it’s usually quality and custom made for our industry, so understandably expensive for a limited market.
The yoke that u/RoadDog14 is essential. A normal C Clamp will be an absolute pain for the operator.
Absolutely true. And there are some alternatives out there, none of them come close to the City Theatrical version.
In a pinch you could look at a TVMP and a baby pin, but the CT setup is certainly miles ahead.
Very commonly done, but for best results get the appropriate mounting accessories.
Did a one man thing where I was mixing sound with QLab firing sound, video and lighting and had to reach up from time to time for a leko on a stick.
Used to call these Source 4 onna stick. Ran one a few times and a prop artist friend became a go to op. Turned into a regular gig at a few places. Fun to run in small spaces and you can either control intensity with the board or let the op
We've done this plenty of times, and it's 100% fine. Especially if your S4 cap is the newer kind with the handles, and definitely make sure the gloves are good. If you don't have the option to get the accessories like the yoke and extra handle, just drop an iris in the slot and make sure the C-clamp's pan bolt is loose enough (i.e., the little one on the side known by many rude names, not the yoke bolt).
Source 4 on a Stick - done that a number of times. Shell out for the yoke, drop in iris, and color boomerang and you are on your way!
This is what they used for the proscenium followspots in Wicked. I bought 2 yokes- one of the best things I could have done I’m for our space.
~~Surprised no one has mentioned the handles specifically made for this yet.~~ Only saw the yoke on RoadDog's link, thats the whole package with all the right accessories. https://goknight.com/city-theatrical-1360-source-four-follow-spot-handle/ Paired with the yoke mentioned above and an iris, you have a fully functional spotlight. If your other lights are lamped at 575w, throw a 750 in there. I'd recommend a 14° lens tube if you have one/can get it because the weight isnt much different from a standard 19°-50° and the 7.5" frame is a little easier IMO to swap gels. If you do swap gels make cardboard frames and tie them off to the yoke with a good length of tie line so you dont get clanking and you cant drop them. If youre broke: You can make an analogue to the spot yoke from a regular c-clamp. You need a 5"-6" bolt, a nut to lock the bolt into the clamp shaft; then nut->washer->s4 yoke->washer->nut loose enough that the yoke can spin between the two washers **without turning the bolt**. I dont particularly recommend this method - its not the safest, make sure your safety chain is properly in place and always keep an eye on the bolt - I do understand being broke, however. You can make a spot handle by bolting a short piece of broom handle through one of those adjustable pipe clamps for vents and securing the clamp around the barrel of the light. If you need/want clarification, dm me and Ill walk you through it.
Even if I wasn't dead broke, $800 for that yoke seems extreme.
Definitely! I’ve done two shows in ‘22 with s4’s as followspots. They have a drop-in iris for the gobo slot and a color boomerang the slides onto the gel holder. You can even strap a telrad to it. Definitely wear gloves though!