Downlights on stage

[martinkings]

a quick lighting query - which type of light would be best to use as a downlight above the stage?

[Jamtastic3]

It depends on what the intended purpose is....

 

Is it to flood the stage or to spot a particular part?

Does the light need to have a sharp edge or a soft edge?

Are gobos or barndoors needed?

[Just Some Bloke]

Indeed.

 

I'd say the answer was probably (but not necessarily) one of the following:

 

Profile (if you want a hard edge)

Fresnel (if you want a soft edge)

PC (if you want somewhere in between)

Flood (if you want no real edge)

Par can (if you want it "punchy")

Birdie (if you want to hide it in some scenery)

Moving head washlight (if you want it to move and have soft edges)

Moving head spot (if you want it to have hard edges)

GLS 60w BC (if you want it to be a practical)

Profile with gobo (if you want patches of shadow or a specific image)

Moving head spot wth gobo (if you want the above but moving)

LED Par (if you want to mix colour and/or not draw too much power)

Source 4 Par (if you want something half way between a Par 64 and a fresnel)

 

There are plenty of other possibilities, though!

 

Welcome to the world of the lighting designer! B-)

[paulears]

Eric - that's actually one of the best explanation style answers we've had in ages.

 

I don't think I've ever seen it presented in this way before, and it's quite useful. Maybe we should do the same thing with other kinds of 'requirement' - front light, back light, side light etc?

[dbuckley]

Wiki!

[Trunker]

I like this Eric, Although I know what each light does and I can interpret a design to meet my needs, this explaination is great as a teaching tool. Thank you

[kerry davies]

Is it just me JSB, or has everyone had an irony by-pass? ;)

[Just Some Bloke]

You may like to think that, Kerry; I couldn't possibly comment. :)

[paulears]

Ah - but when does irony suddenly produce something useful - not often. The mods often get complaints about the usual responses to such questions, so this is quite nice!