LED Follow Spot Lights
LED follow spot lights are bright, modular and easy to use. Ideal for schools, professional theatre, touring and houses of worship.
Followspots are operated by a spot operator who follows the action with a tight beam of light. They are often used to highlight performers.
Spot operators work from a plot sheet and follow the lighting design for each show. The size of the beam is determined by the iris and dowser.
Light Positions
Follow spot lights are one of the most essential tools in a theatre production. They provide visibility and emphasis to performers, enhancing the overall theatrical experience for audiences. These powerful lighting devices come in a variety of sizes and shapes, with different capabilities and attributes. They can be used in a range of settings, including concerts and dance shows.
These powerful lights are manually operated by a spotlight operator and typically consist of a high-powered lamp with a swiveling head. They can be adjusted to follow the movement of a performer or object, and they have various lenses that can change the size and focus of the beam.
In addition to being able to adjust the size and direction of the light, many follow spots have shutters and gobos that can be used for various effects. Shutters can create different shadow patterns, while gobos can project designs or other elements onto the stage or performers.
Some follow spots also have a built-in red dot sight that helps the operator align the light before Led Follow spot lights they cue it. This can help them avoid having to ghost on, which is the practice of opening the lens to see a reference point, and it allows the op to operate with both eyes open. These devices are commonly used in professional, community, and school theaters.
Shutters and Gobo
Follow spot lights are typically equipped with a mechanical iris and shutters to enable beam shaping. Typically, the intensity and shape of these features are controlled using either a remote control or DMX protocol. Often, the operator can also use local controls to switch between colors and adjust luminous intensity. The FS600LED LED Follow Spot from ADJ offers a bright 60W LED source, 8 colors, variable strobe speed and dimming capabilities. Its framing shutters allow for manual framing of a gobo and it comes with a gobo slot as well. The fixture stays cool and consumes only 80W of power.
Follow spots typically emit a tight beam to highlight actors at distances that are difficult for traditional spotlights to reach. This gives them a powerful and eye-catching stage effect that can draw the audience’s attention.
While the most common followspots have a fixed correlated color temperature of 3200K to match tungsten lamps, the latest products use LED light engines. These have a much higher color rendering index (CRI) than halogen sources and provide a more realistic light color. Several models from Ushio offer an affordable option for smaller venues. The Sai-500 is a lightweight, medium-throw LED follow spot with a daylight white beam that weighs less than 40 pounds. It is a great choice for theatres, houses of worship, schools, ballrooms and multipurpose spaces. This unit has step-less electronic manual dimming, a rotary brightness control and a large iris for easy operation.
Maintenance
In order for a follow spotlight to work properly, it must be regularly maintained and cleaned. This maintenance is important to ensure that the light is working as it should, and not causing any issues that could potentially ruin a performance. Some common issues that can occur with a follow spotlight include dimming or flickering, blurred image, and overheating.
A follow spotlight is a powerful tool in any theatrical production, and can be used to highlight specific movements and actions of performers on stage. To be effective, it requires an experienced operator with a strong understanding of the show’s lighting design and script. The right equipment is also critical to ensure that the followspot is being utilized to its full potential.
A good follow spotlight should be capable of providing a wide range of effects to complement any performance. There are many different types of follow spots available on the market, from the traditional Strong and Altman models to more modern LED fixtures such as the ETC iChip 600. Some of the most common features that are offered by these lights include shutter cuts to shape the beam, and color capability through gel or gobos. Some are even able to be controlled from the console, which can offer a number of advantages including data management and reduced reliance on the operator.
Operation
The spot operator is the person in charge of a follow spotlight. They operate the light using a plot sheet developed by the lighting designer (and sometimes written out by the spot operator herself during technical rehearsals). The SM calls the cues but it is up to the operator to execute the details of the follow spots. The details include the size of the beam (3/4 body or full head) and the color (through use of color frames).
Spot ops may also have the aid of sighting devices called Telrads or red ring circles that can be dimmed on the follow spotlight to assist in precise aiming. The sighting device comes from the same technology as a telescope’s finderscope and helps the Single Row Led Light Bar operator align the follow spot’s dowser or iris before the light hits the subject.
During a show, a good follow spot operator is attentive and constantly manages the iris and dowser to keep the focus on a subject as they move throughout the stage. The spot operator has to be able to follow the performers accurately, illuminating them with a soft but focused beam. Spotlight ops have a high level of responsibility for ensuring the show is successful and a great deal of time is spent training to be a skilled followspot operator. Spotlight operators often work on multiple shows and are the backbone of any theatrical production.
