Lighting
- 1. By Joe Miri
- 2. Types of lights. Parcan LED Par Can Source Four Minuette Profile Pin spot Birdie Floodlights Fresnels: PC (pebble convex) Selecon CCT 1K (scena)
- 3. The basics. Every light hanging from the rigging needs a G-clamp and a safety chain. If a light can be used on the floor and is on the floor it doesn’t need a safety chain or g-clamp. If a light is on a boom it should still have a safety chain still attached just for extra safety. When lighting a stage for a general cover try not to use different light as it will making the lighting look patchy. For example putting one person in a spotlight and another person in a spotlight, you should use the same make for both of them otherwise one light might be whiter than the other.
- 4. Parcan Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb Can be placed a boom The Parcans are mainly used for aesthetics and music gig. The can be used for a chase which is a series of flashing light and to add depth to a general cover. The down side is that they can’t be controlled once they’re set up and focused on the rig. They are either on or off. I would use a parcan over a source four to create a light up a general area of space across a stage because it has a larger beam angle of 24° Beam angles: CP60 - 12° CP61 - 14° CP62 - 24°
- 5. Parcan comparison/scenario Music gig: I would use a parcan because it gives a good cover of light and that they can be programed to do a chase, they can also use gels which means the chase can flash different colours,. I would use a parcan over a profile because a profile gives off a specific light that is usually used to isolate a performer and draw focus of the light. I would use a parcan over a birdie because a birdie is simply not powerful enough or as bright as a par can.
- 6. LED Parcan Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm LED light bulbs Can be placed a boom The LED parcans are used mainly for the same purpose as a normal parcan and can also not be controlled once set up on the rig however LED parcans can changed colour without the use of a gel. Using a DMX cable running from the desk to the light they can change the colour of the light without having to fit a gel. LED parcans are also more energy efficient and cost less to run. However they cost more to purchase. Beam angle: 45°
- 7. LED parcan comparison/scenario Change of scene: I would use a LED par can because it is able to change its colour without the use of a gel and the colours can be changed from the desk by using a DMX cable. I wouldn’t use a floodlight because it would need a gel to change the colour and it isn’t specific enough as it doesn’t have a beam angle it will go everywhere. I wouldn’t use a parcan because it would also need the use of a gel and that would only stay as one colour.
- 8. Minuette Profile Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb Iris Gobo and gobo holder Detached shutters Pebble effect lens Minuette Profiles (profile) are spot lights they are used to draw focus of light. It has shutters on to block off light and create shapes. It has 3 knobs to focus the light on the base of it to focus the light. However this is an older spotlight which means it doesn’t produce such a white light and isn’t as energy efficient. Beam angle: 6°- 48°
- 9. Minuette profile comparison/scenario Set design: Say I wanted bars from a prison cell on the wall I’d use a profile with a gobo. I wouldn’t use a CCT as it isn’t able to use gobos and it isn’t specific as a spotlight. I wouldn’t use a parcan for the same reason.
- 10. Source Four Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb Iris Gobo and gobo holder Attached shutters Pebble effect lens Source fours are also spotlights they are used to draw focus of light. It has shutters on to block off light and create shapes however unlike on the profile these shutters are built in. It has 3 knobs to focus the light on the base of it. This light is newer than the profile and this means it is more energy efficient and it has a whiter light. It also is better because there isn’t a chance that shutters could fall out and be lost. Beam angle: 25° - 50°
- 11. Source four comparison/scenario Isolating an actor: I would use a source four as it’s a spotlight and creates and more defined white light to sine upon the actor and it can create a circle around them of light or different shapes using the shutters. I wouldn’t use a flood as the beam angle can’t be controlled mean that I wouldn’t be able to control where the light would shine so it would light the actor and everything around the actor. I wouldn’t use a selecon as it defuses the light meaning that it wouldn’t be as defined around the actor, therefore just making the actor brighter not isolated.
- 12. Pin Spot Accessories: G-clap Safety chain 15/13 amp plug Adjustable arm Coloured bulbs Pin spots are used to light up disco balls. They could be used on a boom if wanted however they’re not very aesthetically pleasing. Usually used in groups of four or two to get equal coverage over a disco ball. Beam angle: This light has no beam angle.
- 13. Pin spot comparison/scenario Disco glitter ball: I would use a pin spot because it is designed for such a task. I would rig in near to the glitter ball and focus it on the ball, I would also use more than one. They create a beam of light that has no angle it just depends where I would focus it so it would mean I could focus the light as far or near to the ball as I want. I wouldn’t use a flood as the slight shines out too wide meaning that it wouldn’t just light the glitter ball. I wouldn’t use a LED parcan either for the same reason as it makes an oval shaped light that would light more than just the ball.
- 14. Birdie Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Barn doors Gel frame and gels 15/13 amp plug Adjustable arm halagen light bulb Birdies are mainly used for aesthetics They are mainly used with museums as the are small and discreet and aesthetically pleasing. They can be used in truss for example like on the set of the musical we will rock you. Beam angle: This light has no beam angle.
- 15. Birdie comparison/scenario Art show: I would use a birdie for aesthetics and to light the picture so that there were no shadows being cast. I wouldn’t use a parcan as it isn’t as aesthetically pleasing and it is too powerful. I wouldn’t use a selecon as they aren’t aesthetically pleasing at all and they would be too big.
- 16. Floodlights Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm 500/650 w light bulb Floodlights can be used to flash brightly at an audience or they can be used to light a cyclorama which is a large sheet across the back of the stage, it can also light it different colours as it has a get frame. Beam angle: This light has no beam angle.
- 17. Floodlight comparison/scenario Cyclorama: I would use a floodlight to light a cyclorama as it has no limit to it’s beam angle it can be used to light a large space/thing and it is able to take gels to change the colour of the light when lighting the cyclorama. I wouldn’t use a birdie as it simply isn’t powerful enough and wouldn’t light the full cyclorama. And I wouldn’t use a profile as that’s a spotlight and I only would use it on people or things as it’s a special and I wouldn’t want to waste using then when I can use something with a larger beam angle.
- 18. Fresnels PC (pebble convex) Selecon CCT 1K (scena) There are different types of fresnel but they all do the same general jobs. General wash Backlight Aesthetics
- 19. PC (pebble convex) Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Barn doors Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb 500w Pebble effect lens A pc is used for general but at a push it can used as a replace of a spotlight as its pebble convex lens gives in a defined light. Beam angle: 10° - 59°
- 20. PC comparison/scenario Ran out of spotlights: I would use a PC in this event as a last resort as it has a pebble convex lens that makes the light more define and sharp compared to other fresnels. I wouldn’t use a CCT as it has a ridged circular lens meaning that the light is defused and not as sharp. The same reason is why I wouldn’t use a selecon, plus with a selecon I would want to make sure I have enough of them to provide a good general cover.
- 21. Selecon Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Barn doors Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb 500w Ridged circular lens A selecon is used for general cover. It is mainly used over a CCT or a PC for a general cover as it has larger beam angle which means it can cover a larger area of the stage using less light therefore taking up less space on the rigging and save on energy. It’s also helped by the fact that the ridged lens that defuses the light making it spread out more. Beam angle: 6° - 60°
- 22. Selecon comparison/scenario General cover: I would use a selecon for this as it has the largest beam angle of the fresnels and it also has a ridged circular light that defuses the light and allows it to merge with other lights easily. I wouldn’t use a PC as it has a defined light and I would like it all to merge together with parts looking patchy. I wouldn’t use a parcan because it would the stage properly with making it patchy because it has an oval shaped light.
- 23. CCT A CCT is used for general cover. It is a smaller light that does a similar job as the selecon. It gives a defused light off because of its ridged lens this means it spreads the light and is easily merged with other CCTs. Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Barn doors Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb 500w Ridged circular lens Beam angle: 10° - 59°
- 24. CCT comparison/scenario Side lights on a boom: I would use CCTs for this because they can use gels that means I can light the stage a colour and use barn doors to focus the light more. And because they are more visible then lights in the rig they are smaller not too big and bulky. I wouldn’t use a profile as this will just create a beam of light and not light the stage up nicely. I wouldn’t use a pinspot as it has no beam angle so I wouldn’t be able to control the light.
- 25. 1K (scena) Accessories: G-clap Safety chain Barn doors Gel frame and gels 15 amp plug Adjustable arm Encased light bulb 1000w Ridged circular lens The scena 1k has a defused light which means it can be used for general cover however the 1k is mainly used as a backlight. Backlights are used to make the performers more visible against the backdrop. The light is mainly coloured and is usually slightly dimmer than the front lights. There is a misconception that the 1k goes further than other fresnels but this is wrong it is just a brighter light.Beam angle: 10° - 64°
- 26. 1K comparison/scenario Back lighting: An actor is doing a monologue so I would use two lights at the front to focus upon him and this at the back to get rid of any remaining shadows and to make the actor more defined from the backdrop. I would use this because it is able to use a gel so I can have a different colour and it has plenty of power so that when it isn’t even on full % it will still define them. I wouldn’t use a birdie as it hasn’t got enough power for this and the halogen bulbs won’t light the stage over the light of the stage lights. I wouldn’t use a profile as it’s too defined and it would make the actor stand out too much and would show a defined light on the stage.