Stage Lighting:Instruments

Stage Lights can be separated into 3 basic categories:

Flood lightsSpot lights

Intelligent lights

Flood lights

Flood lights are lights that light a wide area. The light produced is considered a “soft” light and generally does not produce a harsh shadow.

Common types of flood lights are:

Strip lightsScoops

Cyc CellsFresnels

PARs

Strip Lights

Strip Lights use standard light bulbs like the ones used in your home. Typically

150 watts max.

Strip Lights

RedGreen

BlueStrip Lights use a

minimum of 3 circuits to create colored washes.

Strip Lights

Typically, gels are not used for color because the proximity of the lamp to the color would melt the gel. Therefore, Roundells are used.

Strip Lights can be placed on the flood or hanging from a batten to light a cyc.

Cyc Cells

Cyc Cells are much like strip lights. However, they use a much higher power lamp and can be used on

large stages.

Cyc Cells

Unlike Strip Lights, Cyc Cells can come in multiple configurations.

Scoops Scoops use a reflector from 10” to 18” across to light a large area of the stage or backdrop.

They typically do not create high heat

temperatures and therefore can use Gels

for color.

Scoops are hung from a batten to light a cyc or large area of the stage.

PAR Cans

These rugged and efficient lamps, which

gained popularity in the concert field, are

typically used backstage for strong washes of down and back light.

Often called “Cans”

PAR Cans

PAR cans are the most inexpensive stage

lighting instruments.

They are often pre hung in banks of 12 to be

used in large numbers.

PAR Lamps

PAR lamps are identified by their diameters, in eighths of an inch; a

PAR64, therefore, is 8″ wide

PAR Lamps

Because pf their high efficiency, PAR lamps are also used as Aircraft Landing

Lights, (ACLs)

Spot lightsSpot lights (also known as Profiles) produce a narrower, more controllable beam of light than flood lights.

Spot lights can be “Focused” more precisely that flood lights.

Fresnels

Fresnels are used to create a soft light at a

high intensity in a focused location.

Fresnels

Fresnels use a specialized “stepped” lens that is lighter weight than a

traditional lens.

Fresnel lenses were used in lighthouses to maximize the amount of light emitted. This diagram shows how a light source hits the lens, which has different shaped prisms to

refract the light and direct it forwards.

Profile Spot lightsProfile spotlights typically use a special reflector that uses an ellipsoidal shape to create a focused beam of light. Because of this spotlights are often referred to as ERS or Ellipsoidals.

Profile Spot lights

Using Shutters allow the operator to manipulate the shape of the light so that it does not appear in a circular shape.

Profile Spot lightsProfile spotlights allow for the use of Gobos to project patterns with the lighting instrument.

Profile Spot lightsIn order to accommodate for various throw distances, profile spotlights come with different lens tubes that create specific angles of beam spread.

Spot lightsThe most common spotlight used today is the ETC Source Four.