Isolation Day 21: Playing with WYSIWYG
I Forgot How Much Fun WYSIWYG Is!
I mentioned a few days ago that I installed Windows 10, along with all the updates, so I could install and get some practice with WYSIWYG. Well, I thought I’d show you the project I started with!
It’s based around BBC StudioWorks’ Elstree Studio 8. Once I’d set up the basic room dimensions (as I couldn’t get the DWG files to load), I popped over to Blender to create a stage floor and a set piece.
I wanted something with screens built into them to make it multi-purpose. I also wanted it to look a bit disjointed, so after I created a basic design and put a window in each set piece, I added the Displacement modifier (after adding a bunch of triangles to the surface and randomly extruding some). A quick .obj export later, and I was back over to WYSIWYG (and Windows).
The Rigging Process
Once I’d imported the stage floor and set piece into WYSIWYG, I started placing lighting bars and fixtures:
- Placement: I placed bars diagonally across the set, parallel with the steps built into the stage floor, spaced roughly 5 meters apart.
- Floor Mounting: Since WYSIWYG doesn’t allow mounting lights directly on the floor without a hidden bar or stand, I installed hidden bars into the stage floor. I also placed bars in the hollows of the set pieces to add decorative color.
- Fixture Selection:
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- Front of House: Fresnels for front face light.
- Set Accents: LED Battens hidden in the set sections.
- Moving Lights: I went with the Robe Robin series, alternating Beam, Spot, and Wash models across each bar.
After getting the bars placed and the lights rigged, I created a few test scenes in the designer to make sure everything looked right. I’ve popped a few renders below for you to have a peek at—believe it or not, I’m absolutely bushed after setting all of this up!
What's Next?
Next time I jump into WYSIWYG, I plan to:
- Add side booms to provide extra light from the wings.
- Increase face lighting for the sofa area.
- Connect to a virtual lighting desk so I can add movement to the fixtures and get some more dynamic stills. Using an external desk will be much easier for creating scenes than the internal designer tab.
So, what do you think of my design so far? Do you have any suggestions on what I should add? Let me know in the comments below!