Isolate fixtures from blackout

[MattR]

Greetings.

I'm very new to setting up lighting etc. so please be gentle.

I want to be able to isolate a followspot from the other fixtures when they are blacked out so the next set of lighting arrangements can be made while the followspot is being used. Can you advise how this could be done please?

I am uing the most recent version or QLC+ with a windows PC and an Enttec dmx usb pro. We have bars and wash lights plus the followspot. For our theatre production, one of the actors moves to one side - where the followspot will be used. We want to set up the lighting plans for the next scene while the bars and wash lights are blackout but the followspot is on the actor on the side stage.

[GGGss]

If you only want to use the convenience of one slider, it will get a little complicated.
Make a frame where all your scenes reside.
Put a slider inside in submaster mode.
Outside of the frame create an extra slider. This one controls the intensity of your followspot.
And here comes the complexity: At the same time, you control a dimmer channel inside a loopback universe.
Use the channel modifiers to invert the values for this dimmer. So 0 => 255 and 255 => 0.
Now bind this loopback channel to the submaster slider.
Here comes the 'magic': If you increase the level of your followspot, you'll simultaneously decrease the level of all other lights.
You can tweak the channel modifier setting, to get the outcome you like. (f.i. followspot at 200 = other lights at 60)

[MattR]

If you only want to use the convenience of one slider, it will get a little complicated.
Make a frame where all your scenes reside.
Put a slider inside in submaster mode.
Outside of the frame create an extra slider. This one controls the intensity of your followspot.
And here comes the complexity: At the same time, you control a dimmer channel inside a loopback universe.
Use the channel modifiers to invert the values for this dimmer. So 0 => 255 and 255 => 0.
Now bind this loopback channel to the submaster slider.
Here comes the 'magic': If you increase the level of your followspot, you'll simultaneously decrease the level of all other lights.
You can tweak the channel modifier setting, to get the outcome you like. (f.i. followspot at 200 = other lights at 60)

Thanks for this. I was not planning to just use one slider if that helps. My intention is that during the scene changes the stage lights are all turned off and are prepared for other scenes (in blackout mode). When the announcer comes on to the side stage, we would be able to turn on the followspot but keep the stage lights in blackout. Perhaps towards the end of the announcements, the stage lights can be raised.

[GGGss]

The best workflow will be to create sliders for groups of fixtures, so they are under control later on.
There isn't a blackout function for all but one fixture, so you will have to be creative I guess...

[MattR]

The best workflow will be to create sliders for groups of fixtures, so they are under control later on.
There isn't a blackout function for all but one fixture, so you will have to be creative I guess...

We did something like that for the show. It just seems a little frustrating that we can't get the levels prepared for each scene while the followspot is on without creating a whole series of groups.