Ambulance lights

[driverrodeshotgun]

Hi everyone,

So I'm doing a scene in my new short film where two EMTs try to revive a guy who's has a heart attack outside his house. It takes place on a driveway during the day. I thought of maybe having lights flash from an ambulance to add a good touch to the scene. Does anyone know a good idea to go about this?

I don't want to just worry about it in Post, I'd actually like to have some sort of lights that we flash over the actors....if this is possible, any ideas of what good and inexpensive lights or mechanisms to buy?

thanks in advance!

 

[rayw]

http://www.rakuten.com/prod/hqrp-8-...lights-for/247557232.html?listingId=269198548

 

[jax_rox]

You could use phones or torches on strobe mode with the right gels. I've done 'driving at night' gags on stages where we've used torches as headlights.

 

[rayw]

You could use phones or torches on strobe mode with the right gels. I've done 'driving at night' gags on stages where we've used torches as headlights.

FYI, driverrodeshotgun: What the Brits and Aussies call "torches" we call "flashlights" here in the States.

 

[jax_rox]

FYI, driverrodeshotgun: What the Brits and Aussies call "torches" we call "flashlights" here in the States.

Ahh

Yes, I mean tihs kinda thing

Not this

 

[wheatgrinder]

The "Not This" option with gels could be interesting... dangerous but interesting..

 

[Will Vincent]

ambulance lights aren't going to throw a lot of noticeable light during the day, unless the ambulance is actually in the shot, in which case you'd be best off just getting hold of a real or prop ambulance for the shot.

If it were at night, or dusk, when there's significantly less ambient light, the colored and white strobes of an ambulance would cast light more noticeably.

In that case, something along the lines of what ray linked to would be ideal.

 

[Zensteve]

You can get cheap LED panels with all kinds of patterns & FX built in.

Here's one we set up just off-camera to sell the illusion of a second vehicle being on the scene.

https://vimeo.com/60311506
pw: TwoCoppers

.

 

[driverrodeshotgun]

thanks for all the replies. I'm glad I won't have to light any torches. A fake heart attack victim, simulated CPR and fake EMTs, and torches, the neighbors might start to wonder.

Buying the LED lights would work if I decide to do it at night, which I may end up doing. Only problem is that they need to run in a car, and it may be hard to position the car in conjunction to be out of the shot but where the lights are close enough to be in the shot.

ZenSteve, Do you have any links for LED panels with all kinds of patterns & FX built in that you used? Did you have that plugged into car too? Really nice set up in that video.

These will work right?:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Undercover-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccf13576d&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emergency-F...Parts_Accessories&hash=item460e2e680a&vxp=mtr

 

[Zensteve]

Buying the LED lights would work if I decide to do it at night

It'll work fine during the day, too, if you take the time to make it work.

ZenSteve, Do you have any links for LED panels with all kinds of patterns & FX built in that you used?

Go down to Guitar Center and play with their overpriced Chauvet lights and see how they work; then compare online. I think this is the model we used. It was in that ballpark, anyway. Linkage to mah light

 

[Will Vincent]

Only problem is that they need to run in a car

No. They have a cigarette lighter style plug, but you don't HAVE to have a car for that.. just a 12v DC power supply.. You could remove the plug and wire it up to a battery directly, or get a 12v power socket from the auto parts store and wire that up.

I have a battery box I use when camping for this, it's got 3 of those 12v cigarette liter jacks on it, and switches to turn power to them on and off.. inside is a small 12v lawn tractor battery. If I charge the battery fully it'll work for me for the entire weekend with limited use for cell phone charging, lighting the tent and an overhead fan. I've never run it down past half this way.. LEDs are a pretty light power draw, so a similar setup would work nicely for you.

The box is a cheap home depot plastic tool box, the battery fits inside with plenty of room to spare, and I wired up the jacks through the end of the box with the switches on the lid.

 

[driverrodeshotgun]

thanks again. So really either one of these would work right ? these are more in my price range:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Undercover-L...13576d&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emergency-Fi...2e680a&vxp=mtr

thanks for the tips Will. I'm not too crafty though, any links I can see of what I could just use that's already made, instead of using it plugged into my car?

 

[Will Vincent]

any links I can see of what I could just use that's already made, instead of using it plugged into my car?

Just find yourself something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BESTEK-7-Am...charger-TV-car-cigarette-socket-/110882053045

 

[driverrodeshotgun]

ok greats thank you so much. there isn't anyway to do this stuff cordless is there? I know there's outlets nearby that the DP will be using too, but just curious.

 

[Will Vincent]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3889591

and a 12 volt battery. (car battery, etc)

 

[driverrodeshotgun]

ok great thank you