how do i make multiple random strobes like this?

[mcarthurlighting]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wott8LP7wg

actually 2 questions:

1- how can i get movement and color changes to look random like in the first 30 seconds?

2- how can I get random strobes like at 30 seconds mark?

Thanks guys!

[BillsGate]

1: It looks like the heads are performing a "default" rainbow effect: the color wheel just spins round.

The way I make this look random with my heads, is to alter the rotation speed between the heads.
For example: If the color wheel of your fixtures has a clockwise rainbow effect from DMX value 200 (slow) to 225 (fast) and a counterclockwise rainbow effect from 226 (slow) to 255 (fast) you can program a scene (button) like this:
Head 1 (and 5, 9, 13): Color value 208 (med-slow, cw)
Head 2 (and 6, 10, 14): Color value 245 (med-fast, ccw)
Head 3 (and 7, 11, 15): Color value 214 (med, cw)
Head 4 (and 8, 12, 16): Color value 236 (med, ccw)

I use the same trick to generate random strobes: Just by giving each fixture a slightly different strobe speed.

[mcarthurlighting]

Right that makes sense. What about the movements though? Can you generate those types of movements using FX?

[BillsGate]

As far as I can see, the movingheads are creating circle-like movements. That effect is very easy to create with the FX editor.

The hard part in this case is preventing the movingheads from using the full pan/tilt range. To achieve that, some experimenting is required:
- Position the movinghead(s) globally towards the center-position of the movement.
- Write down the pan/tilt value (or memorize them for a moment)
- Open the sequence-editor, open the FX editor
- Choose a sine, choose the Pan-channel
- Enter the current pan-value as offset
- Enter a small value as Amplitude (say 50)
- Make sure Distribute evenly is checked
- Generate
- Select step 1 in the sequence editor
- Choose cosine and the Tilt-channel in the FX editor
- Enter the current tilt-value as offset (you probably guessed this step)
- Enter a small value as Amplitude.
If your head supports a wider tilt range than the pan range (most heads do: tilt=540deg, pan=270deg or something), make this value smaller than the previously entered pan amplitude.
- Make sure Distribute evenly is checked
- Generate

- Save the sequence, add it to your cuelist or submasters and enjoy.

If the circle-movements are too large, rebuild the sequence and decrease the amplitudes. Too small: increase the amplitudes. Getting the right size might take some fiddling.

Good luck