Types of Theater Spot Lights

Theater spotlights are powerful tools for attracting attention and improving the visual quality of a performance. They allow the lighting designer to create a mood that draws the audience into the story and highlights key moments.

Profile spots produce a tight pool of light that can be framed and shaped with shutters, gobos and lenses. They are great for general stage washes.

Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights

Ellipsoidal reflector spotlights, sometimes called ERS or Leko lights, are a type of theatrical lighting fixture that is named for the ellipsoid (a geometric shape that resembles a sphere but is flattened at the poles) used to collect and focus light into one lens. They are also commonly known as profile spots in Europe, a reference to their ability to shape the beam of light to follow an object’s profile. These types of spotlights are loaded from the rear, either axially, where the lamp enters through the reflector and is directed out the front of the unit, or radially, where the light enters the reflector and then into the gate with shutters, where the image is projected onto the stage.

Ellipsoidal spotlights have a strong, well-defined beam and are very versatile. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including lighting up scenery and creating focal pools of light that draw attention to a performer or create visual interest. They can be mounted axially or radially, and may have attachments that allow the user to change the field angle of the light.

Another useful feature of ellipsoidal spotlights is their ability to accept slide-in gobos, which are thin metal or glass plates with cut-out patterns that can be used to project images onto the stage or other surfaces. This can be a great way to add visual interest and creativity to a show, especially when combined with color-change effects like dimmer curves or filters.

Fresnel Spotlights

Fresnel spotlights are a popular theater lighting option that feature an adjustable lens to shape the light beam. They are named after Augustin Jean Fresnel, a French physicist who designed this unique glass lens in 1823. Each ring-shaped segment acts as a separate refracting surface that bends parallel light rays into a common focal point. This helps to create a soft-edged, controlled beam of light for back, side and down lighting.

These powerful theater lights are a staple for photographers, filmmakers and stage productions. They are versatile enough to be adjusted from a spotlight to a LED Strobe Mobile Light wide floodlight, providing precise control over the light output for an ideal lighting effect. Moreover, they have longer throw distances than other types of theater lights, helping to minimize spill light and ensure that the desired area is illuminated.

Achieving a specific aesthetic with a single light source is essential for achieving success in filmmaking and theater productions. For example, if a scene in a play requires the actor to be highlighted for dramatic impact, a Fresnel light can be adjusted to spotlight the performer and capture the audience’s attention. Then, when the scene shifts to a full ensemble dance number, the same spotlight can be broadened to illuminate the entire stage and provide adequate coverage for all performers.

LED Fresnel spotlights are gaining popularity in the industry due to their high output and energy efficiency. These professional theatre lights use a powerful LED module to produce an optimal light distribution for stage and studio applications. They have an excellent color rendering index of over 95, high luminous efficiency and low glare value to enhance visual performance.

Follow Spots

A follow spotlight is a powerful theater light used to highlight performers as they move around the stage. Controlled by a spot operator, it is designed to track a moving actor and illuminate them with a bright circle of light. This specialized type of spotlight is commonly used in musicals, rock concerts and large-scale presentations where the ability to highlight an individual mobile character is critical. Follow spotlights are usually positioned overhead in specially built aEURoespot booths, on a catwalk or inside of a truss, although they can also be found in control rooms and even front of house locations.

A good knowledge of lighting and the different types of stage spotlights is essential for anyone wanting to become a followspot operator. Training courses and workshops are available for those who wish to acquire the skills needed to operate these powerful lights. A strong head for heights is also necessary, as the operators will be quite high up when operating the lamp and may be required to wear safety harnesses. Teamwork skills are also important, as the operator will need to follow instructions and cues from the rest of the lighting crew in order to operate the spotlight.

When selecting a new follow spotlight for your production, pay close attention to the throw distance. Depending on your specific lighting demands, you may require a longer or shorter throw distance. The type of lens, swivel and tilt range, brightness and power of the lamp are other specifications you should look at closely. When comparing Moving head light supplier specs, always refer to center beam candle power (CBCP) or foot-candle (lm/ft2) specifications rather than wattage numbers, as different lamp types (followspots, ellipsoidals and fresnels) use different bulbs.

Par Cans

Many dance productions use par can lights to illuminate the performers and bring their choreography to life on stage. These fixtures can produce a variety of lighting effects that can transform the overall aesthetic of a dance show, including color washes, spotlights, gobos, and chases. By using these accessories, lighting designers can project intricate patterns, logos, or shapes onto the stage to create a visually captivating performance for audience members.

These simple stage lighting fixtures are often used for general illumination in theaters and concerts, but can also generate a range of colors by using gels. They have a space for a lamp frame near the front that holds the colored gels, which can be inserted to achieve different lighting effects. The term “par can” refers to the shape of these fixtures, which is a closed off cylindrical tube that has a lens at the end. These lamps are usually based on regular incandescent bulbs, although there are LED options available.

LED par can lights offer several benefits over traditional lamps, including lower running costs and virtually no heat output. HyLite LED offers a variety of plug and play retrofits for existing par can lights, making it easy to upgrade your current lighting without the expensive installation costs of replacing the entire fixture. They also come in a wide range of colors and temperature options, so you can create the perfect mood for any event.