2. Parcan
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, gels & gel frame, adjustable arm,
light bulb encased, 15 amps.
What’s a Parcan?
A parcan light is mainly used to add depth to general cover because you cannot
manipulate the beam, you can only direct which way the light faces by pointing it
in certain directions. They are used in events like music gigs because they can do
chases, when multiple lights flash one after another, and give off coloured light
when gels are inserted into the gel frames. Parcans are aesthetically pleasing.
Comparison:
Although parcans can be combined with smoke or haze machines to be able to see
the path of the beam, you would not choose one over a spotlight to highlight a
single person or object on stage. This is because spotlights have a defined beam
circle so are predominantly used to follow things around stage without lighting its
surroundings, whereas the parcan would highlight an area and not a specific object.
In conclusion, parcans are suitable for adding depth to general cover and for
aesthetics.
3. LED Parcan
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, adjustable arm, 13 or 15 amps, DMX cable.
What’s an LED Parcan?
LED parcans are very similar to parcans except that they do not gain heat or
become hot during shows. They have high light output and lower power
consumption so several units can be daisy-chained to one power supply.
Comparison:
If you wanted to provide multiple colour enabling the scene mood to change, you
would use an LED parcan over a normal parcan because LEDs can be controlled
directly from the desk using the DMX cable. For this reason there is no need for
colour gels; LED lights can contain a number of different coloured LEDs,
often red, green and blue, and different light output colours
can be achieved by adjusting the intensity of each LED
colour group. You would need at least two parcans to create
the amount of light that an LED provides.
4. PC
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, adjustable arm,
adjustable knob, barn doors, gels/gel
frame, pebbled lens, 15 amps.
What’s a PC?
This is a Fresnel light. ‘PC’ stands for pebble convex, referring to the light’s
pebbled lens and they have a more defined lighting space than other lights because
of their lenses. The barn doors allow you to manipulate the light beam.
Comparison:
You would use a PC if the Profiles were broken and you needed to isolate
somebody on stage. This is because you can mimic a profile by adjusting the size
of the light beam using the adjustable knob, and also manipulate the light by using
the barn doors to highlight a specific object or person on stage. The pebbled lens
creates a defined edge of the beam circle which gives the illusion of a profile. You
would not necessarily use a Pinspot if the profiles were broken because their beam
of light is very small.
5. Selecon
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, adjustable arm, 2
adjustable knobs, gels/gel frame, barn doors,
ridged circular lens, 15 amps.
What’s a Selecon?
Selecons are bigger and newer than CCTs and PCs.
They are used for general washes because their
ridged circular lenses give off a diffused, even light.
Comparison:
To create a general wash for a Christmas show you would use a Selecon combined
with a PC. This is because they can both be used for general washes so can work
off each other to create depth. You wouldn’t use a Flood light because the beam
angle would be too large and the light would be far too bright; the beam would be
very harsh whereas both of these Fresnels are aesthetically pleasing.
6. CCT
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, adjustable arm, adjustable
knob, barn doors, gels/gel frame, ridged circular
lens, adjustable beam angle, 15 amps.
What’s a CCT?
This is the smallest of all the Fresnel lights. The ridged circular lens gives off a
diffused light, so CCTs can be used in general cover because the light will be
evenly spread. The barn doors can be used to manipulate the light and the
adjustable knob allows you to change the size of the beam.
Comparison:
You would use CCTs as side lights for dance shows because the light is bright
enough to light up the performance. These lights can be used for all three areas of
the body (head, torso and feet) because the light blends. You would not use a Pin
Spot as side light because they are simply not bright enough.
7. 1K
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, adjustable arm, gels/gel frame, ridged
circular lens, barn doors, 15 amps.
What’s a 1K?
A 1K light is extremely bright, hence it’s name which means 1000 watts. Some
mistake this name to mean that the light reaches further but it does not, it is just
brighter. 1Ks are predominantly used for back light because they are large and
brighter than any others, so lilac and sky blue gels are mainly used for back light.
Their ridged lens gives off a diffused light which evens out the spread.
Comparison:
If you wanted to create back light for a show like a musical, you would
use a 1K over any other light such as a PC simply because they are much brighter
and are able to give an even spread of light. You can also use the barn
doors to manipulate where the light goes. A PC would act as a
general wash rather than back light because they aren’t bright enough
and their defined edge would ruin the illusion of a subtle light.
8. Flood light
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, gels, 500/650 watt.
What’s a Flood light?
A Flood light can only be on or off. You can only control where the
light goes by pointing it in a certain direction – you cannot manipulate the light,
you cannot put barn doors onto it. Flood lights are used in music gigs, for general
cover combined with a Parcan or to light audiences. This is because they are bright
and are not light specific, and coloured gels can be used for aesthetics.
Comparison:
You would use a Flood light over a CCT to light a cyclorama. This is because a
cyclorama is large so requires a powerful, bright light to be able to light it all.
Cycloramas usually depict the sky so a Flood would be suitable because you can
insert coloured gels into it and it will be much brighter than a CCT. A CCT would
be too light specific for this particular task.
9. Birdie
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, gels/gel frame, barn
doors, halogen bulb, 13/15 amps.
What’s a Birdie?
Birdies are tiny lights that are predominantly used to highlight small things such as
museum exhibitions. This is because they are, although bright due to their halogen
bulbs, simply not powerful enough to use for general cover or to light a large
space.
Comparison:
As they are so small and aesthetically pleasing, Birdie lights can be used in the
home to light small objects like paintings or photographs. They can also be used
for general light in rooms because, again, they look good, and coloured gels can be
inserted. You would not use a Source 4 spotlight because they are not as
aesthetically pleasing.
10. Pin Spot
Accessories: Safety chain, g-clamp, 13/15 amps.
What’s a Pin Spot?
Pin Spots are very small spotlights made for highlighting small objects, hence it’s
name ‘pin’ spot. You cannot direct the light, you can only turn it to where the light
is required. There are also no barn doors or gels so you can’t manipulate the light
or change the colour unless you change the bulb. Pin Spots are popular for
wedding venues because they are aesthetically pleasing.
Comparison:
If you wanted to light a disco ball, you would use a Pin Spot over a Birdie. This is
because you need a very small beam of light to hit just the disco ball and nothing
else. Although you could manipulate the light of a Birdie with
the barn doors, the power would not be strong or bright
enough. A Pin Spot is more light specific and would only hit
the disco ball, allowing the light to reflect of it and create the
desired effect.
11. Source 4 & Minuette Profile
Accessories: Safety chains, g-clamps, 15 amps, gels/gel
frames, ability to have gobos and irises.
What’s a Source 4 & Minuette Profile?
These lights are very similar. Neither have barn doors but they
both have shutters, so you can manipulate the shape of the beam of light using this.
Both are spotlights, so are used to spot people and light specific objects.
Source 4s are the newer of the two and have brighter, yet energy saving lights,
whereas the Minuette Profiles have dimmer and slightly yellower lights. Both
lights can have gobos and irises in them; gobos make patterns in the beam of light
and irises make the beam very small.
Comparison:
You would use either of these lights over a CCT because the light is easier to
manipulate. Although a CCT has barn doors, irises can’t be inserted into it, so it
would be extremely difficult to highlight a very small object on stage.
