Good ways to update props

[randyf]

Looking for advice from this wonderful community...

I'm starting to work on my holiday display early as I have some new props and sequences to add, but I also have a number of existing strings (AC and RGB) that run into my plants and trees.  The one problem with these plants is that they are not so static (they grow, get pruned, and even get moved/removed).  During last year's show, it bothered me a bit that two of the big trees (Palo Verde and Mesquite for those interested) had changed enough that many of the effects just didn't look right.  So I want to update the props for those trees (in a couple of instances, I expect to increase the string length), and was interested in how others handle this issue.

Do you create new ones and try to replace the existing?  Do you tweak the existing (could be interesting as there are at least 32 strings of 50 pixels, and few pixels would be untouched)?  Other methods?  Maybe some just live with it?

All suggestions are welcome (since I cannot be the only one with this problem).

 

[k6ccc]

Kind of depends on how you are sequencing.  In either case, I would start by modifying the preview to reflect the new reality.  If you are using Motion Effects (which I don't) as I recall, opening the effect will stretch it to the new size.  If you are using SuperStar, there is a resize command to do that as well (and you can do the entire show in one command if you sequence that prop as a single "Insert SuperStar Effects".

 

[randyf]

Sorry, I might not have been clear: I want to change the props not (yet) update the sequence (may be more on that after I update the props, but for now it is the prop).

The vegetation in my yard have "evolved" even in the short time I've been here, such that the props I had originally created for them no longer match.  Trees (and their branches) have grown; existing branches have have "curled" more; cactus have grown new arms (and some arms have needed removal).  In a nutshell, the vegetation no longer matches the props I initially created for them and should be updated so that the show looks proper (I mentioned Palo Verde and Mesquite trees, both of which are wiry growers and can make significant changes in just one growing season).  So my question here is how to change the prop, and not the sequence once I've changed the prop.

For a crude example, consider you have a prop that is currently a box of 40 pixels, and you want to make it an arch of 50 pixels.  It would use the existing controller and channels, but would definitely look different in the yard and preview.

You could create a new arch and possibly replace the existing, but that might confuse sequences that may not get updated (don't know for sure, just speculating).  You could move each pixel to match the updated layout, and it might easily allow for the addition of pixels in the prop (also, just guessing); but with the number of pixels that need adjusting, it could be tedious (though, shouldn't impact any non-updated sequences).

There are possibly other methods; but at the same time, it's possible that most people haven't had this problem (and I'm guessing I'll have it again in the future).

[tlogan]

18 hours ago, randyf said:

You could create a new arch and possibly replace the existing, but that might confuse sequences that may not get updated (don't know for sure, just speculating).  You could move each pixel to match the updated layout, and it might easily allow for the addition of pixels in the prop (also, just guessing); but with the number of pixels that need adjusting, it could be tedious (though, shouldn't impact any non-updated sequences).

I have made prop updates almost ever year. I ALWAYS create a new Preview for each year, even if I haven't made any changes, just so that I can go back to a previous known, working version. It seems there's ALWAYS a tweak or two that needs fixing, if not planned, it's  something you notice once the show starts. For instance last year, I had to move one AC channel to a new one. It was a fast fix to update the current Preview with the fix it will carry over to this year's Preview. Once all the sequences were run again, they automatically picked up the changes.

Once you have your changes in a new Preview, you can open up any of your sequences and assign this new preview and it will pick up all the changes in one or two clicks.  It's hard tell from your post, but if there are any sequences that you DON'T want changed, leave them assigned to the old Preview and they will not be affected by any changes in the new Preview. So, I would take new pictures of the space and create a new Preview using these new pics as the background so that you can see how they will look.

I found it easier to to create new props and delete or archive the old ones. And, usually when I am working on an new prop which is an update to an exiting prop, I'll move the old prop to an area on the Preview where I can still see it for reference.

Hope this helps!

[k6ccc]

I agree with modifying your preview for the new year AND SAVING THAT WITH A NEW NAME.  Then assign your sequences to use the new preview.  So I have a Christmas 2020, and Christmas 2021, and Christmas 2022, etc.  Some years I may even have more than one.  If for example I start 2024 sequencing in February and use a Christmas 2024 preview based on anticipated changes for 2024.  Come summer when I am actually changing props and end up building a bit different than what I anticipated six months earlier, I will create a Christmas 2024-2 preview.  Just to make sure I stay on the same page, I have a spreadsheet each year of things to do for each sequence.  For example, a column might be "sequence candy canes" - referring to a new or modified prop that I need to sequence.  One of the columns is which preview is assigned for that sequence.  So right now, most of my sequences are still assigned to the preview Christmas 2023-3 because I have not touched them yet (I'm behind this year).  Once I start editing the 2023 sequences to become 2024 sequences, they will get assigned to the 2024 preview.

Note for clarity.  I said "modifying your preview and save with a new name" and also "create a Christmas 2024-2 preview".  Neither of those is the actual steps required to making the new preview.  I wanted to clarify the actual steps.  In the Sequencer, on the Preview pop-out, select your source preview (maybe Christmas 2023), and use the icon to copy that to a new preview.  Give the copy, the new name (for example, Christmas 2024).  Then edit the new preview to reflect the changed to props.

 

[Steven]

Each person has different preferences, and the are all valid.

My method is to keep a backup of the previous year's sequences and Preview export file, should I ever need to review them. I make changes to the Preview called "Christmas", and the sequences automatically pick that up, without having to do extra clicks.