Types of Theater Spot Lights
Theater spotlights are powerful stage lighting fixtures that can add a great deal of drama to your performance. They come in a range of sizes and types and can be used in a variety of ways.
Some spotlights can hold color filters or gobos, which are metal filter templates that can be inserted into the light to project shapes onto the stage. Others can have pan and tilt controls that allow the operator to move the light around the stage.
Spotlights
A spotlight is a powerful theatre lighting fixture that can focus light on a single object or area of the stage. It is also a valuable tool for creating dramatic effects on stage. It can highlight a particular character or element and can be accompanied by coloured filters. It can also be used to separate a character from the backdrop and characters around them often for an important piece of dialogue or to emphasise their action, emotion or expression.
Ellipsoidal reflector spotlights, or ERS lights, are the most popular type of theater spotlights. They can be framed and focused in various ways and can even be used as followspots. Other types of spotlights include PAR lights (which have a wide beam spread and aren’t as adjustable) and Fresnel spots (which can be zoomed and whose beam angle can be varied by adjusting 2 moving lenses). Spotlight operators use these lights from a control panel or follow-me controller to maneuver them on the stage, based on cues from the lighting designer.
Followspots
Followspots are a key fixture in any theatre production. They help to subtly highlight actors and draw attention to certain elements of a scene. They are also used to fill in shadows and give more depth to a performance. Followspots come in a wide range of sizes and are usually controlled by the lighting designer using cue sheets.
In modern Musical Theatre productions, there are often three, four or six Followspots in operation at one time. Their operators must know who is meant to be followed by a particular light, which color they should use and whether the spot should be ‘in the limelight’ or not.
The best way to learn how to operate a followspot is to practice with it during the rehearsal period. Find someone willing to act as a target, and see how close the light lands on them. Then, try shifting the end of the beam by small amounts. This will take a lot of practice, but the results will be worth it.
Backlights
Backlights are a type of spotlight that is used in theaters to highlight a Theater spot lights specific character or element. These lights are usually paired with coloured filters to create the desired effect. They can also be used to separate a character from the backdrop or crowd when they give an important speech.
In modern theatres, spotlight operators use new technology to remotely control multiple lights with a single device. This eliminates the need for them to climb into a theater’s rafters to operate traditional spot fixtures. These new devices are also smaller and less expensive than traditional lighting bars.
A backlight can be any kind of lantern, but most are Fresnels or PC’s, or moving LED washlights. Some have slots or holders for color filters and gobos, Dual Row Led Light Bar which are thin metal filter templates that can be used to change the light’s color and shape. Other types of lights that are used as backlights include ellipsoidal reflector spotlights (ERS), known among theatre professionals as “Leko” lights.
Front lights
Theater lighting is all about creating the right mood for the show. The type of lighting you choose depends on the venue size and layout, the tone of the performance, and how much stage space you have to work with. For example, smaller venues with limited rigging space may only need front lights.
The workhorse of the theatre world is a PAR, or parabolic aluminized reflector spotlight. This fixture resembles vehicle headlights and produces a broad wash of light. It can be framed and focused to spotlight specific areas of the stage, or it can be used to illuminate a large area with a softer, more diffused light.
A follow spot is a type of ellipsoidal spotlight that can be manually operated to follow performers around the stage. This allows a performer to remain lit while the other parts of the stage are darkened for scene changes.
Gobos
A metal plate etched to produce a design that can be projected by a profile lantern (these are also known as gobo holders). There are hundreds of gobo designs available, common ones include breakup (leaves / frosted glass etc), windows and scenic (neon signs, city scapes etc). Gobos are available in different sizes, each requires a specific size gobo holder. Glass gobos require a special type of gobo holder which allows them to expand with heat.
A motorised device which is inserted into the gate of a profile lantern and can remotely rotate a gobo of a specified size. Used in combination with a Heat Shield, this can dissipate a lot of heat from the gels and give them a longer life. Usually shouted before starting work on equipment which is above people on the floor. (UK) ‘Heads!’ – a warning that the lights are about to be switched off.
Dimming shutters
The correct use of theater lights can change the whole atmosphere, tone, and mood of a scene. They can also be used to highlight particular actors or objects on stage. This helps the audience see what is happening on stage and understand the story being told. They can also be used to portray different emotions and moods, such as darkness depicting nighttime and brightness implying hopefulness.
Followspot is a powerful profile spotlight, usually fitted with its own dimmer, iris, color magazine and shutters, controlled by the operator. It can be used to follow an actor with a beam of light, or as a washlight to illuminate a particular area. It can also be used to project gobos.
Barndoors are sets of two or four metal flaps that affix to the front of a lighting fixture and shape the beam of light. They help control the amount of spill and create hard edges in the light so that it doesn’t illuminate areas you would like to keep dark.
