This document provides information on various types of stage lighting instruments. It discusses parcans, LED parcans, minuette profiles, source fours, pin spots, birdies, floodlights, and different types of fresnels including PC, selecon, CCT, and 1K scena lights. For each type of instrument, it describes common accessories, intended uses, and beam angle. It also provides examples comparing different lights and explaining which would be best for scenarios like a music gig, isolating an actor, or providing back lighting.

1. By Joe Miri

3. Types of lights.
Parcan
LED Par Can
Source Four
Minuette Profile
Pin spot
Birdie
Floodlights
Fresnels:
PC (pebble convex)
Selecon
CCT
1K (scena)

4. 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.

5. 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°

6. 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.

7. 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°

8. 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.

9. 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°

10. 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.

11. 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°

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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°

21. 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.

22. 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°

23. 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.

24. 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°

25. 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.

26. 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°

27. 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.