I’m a high school teacher assigned to advise the Drama Club. What kind of lighting instruments do we need for a production of Our Town?
That’s going to depend on your lighting plan, but it’s helpful to think of lighting instruments in four main categories: focused, wash, intelligent and specialty/task. Focused Lighting Ellipsoidal, reflector-based instruments, such as the ETC Source Four™, Altman 360 series, Altman Shakespeare and Strand SL allow a focused or purposely unfocused light to illuminate a specific area. Shutters allow you to “frame” the beam down to a defined area. This is the main tool of the stage lighting designer. “Mini” or “baby” ellipsoidals serve the same task on a smaller scale. A tight beam can be used for a special and a broad beam can wash an entire area. Zoom ellipsoidals offer even more flexibility. Fresnel instruments are most useful for short throw, small area lighting and have a soft-edged beam. PARs are little more than a housing for a lamp and clips for a color frame; the housing reduces light spill. Their job is to add color and light to specific areas of the stage. Followspots, while per
