LED Follow Spot Lights
Followspot operation is a critical part of stage lighting. It has a direct impact on the overall show quality.
Large follow spots use an intense type of lamp known as a discharge light. This light cannot be dimmed. Instead, a chopper opens and shuts shutters within the beam of light.
Power
Follow spot lights are powerful lighting devices that can be used to highlight actors at a distance and keep the audience focused on them. They have a variety of mechanisms that allow the operator to control the beam size (iris), color (through use of internal drop in gels) and more. They are often used in musicals and other presentational productions.
LED followspots are extremely powerful and offer many benefits over traditional halogen units. They produce a brighter light and consume much less power. They are also easier to operate and maintain, making them a great addition to any stage or theatrical production.
If you are looking for a high-powered LED follow spot, consider the Chauvet DJ LED Followspot 120ST. This portable unit emits a tight beam powered by a bright 120 W LED to highlight actors at far distances. A built-in CTO filter lowers color temperature to match tungsten lamps, and a mechanical iris reduces the beam diameter. It offers a range of control options, including DMX and manual modes. It also features a 6-slot manual boomerang for adding colors to the beam.
Originally, followed spots were operated by a ‘lime operator’, and they used limelight. The first followspots used burning jets of oxygen and Stage Lighting Supplier hydrogen impinging on a rotatable cylinder of lime, which produced an intense beam of light. You can still see the remains of this type of followspot today in many theaters and other locations.
Weight
Our LED Follow spot lights are much lighter than traditional xenon-powered units. This allows them to be moved more quickly on the stage and helps your spotlight operators focus more attention on the action, resulting in smoother transitions between scene changes. They also operate much more efficiently, running cool and consuming less power. The Sai-500 followspot features stepless electronic manual dimming via conventional lever, a mechanical iris that closes to 100%, and DMX integration to allow you to control its color, intensity, and onboard strobe effect from your main lighting board.
A follow spot is a powerful tool for performers and can bring an otherwise flat stage to life with a tight beam of light that highlights movement and helps the audience connect with the performance. However, there are many variables that can affect the quality of a follow spot and how well it performs onstage. Some factors to consider include the size and power of the lamp, the shape and range of swivel and tilt, and the color temperature and hue of the beam.
The Chauvet LED Followspot 75ST is a full-sized LED follow spot that packs a lot of punch into a small package. It’s far smaller, lighter, cooler, Single Row 5W LED Car Light Bar and more flexible than your standard incandescent followspot, with mechanical lens controls that let you adjust the size and crispness of your beam. Its DMX integration lets you choose colors, intensity, and a strobe effect from your main lighting board, leaving the operators to focus on their job rather than worrying about the details of changing up the look.
Dimming
Follow spot lights are often used for theatrical purposes to highlight actors and props. They also add dimension and depth to a stage performance by creating an eye-catching beam of light. Typically mounted on a stand or tripod, these spotlights are operated by a lighting technician to follow the action. The LED Followspot 120ST is a powerful LED-powered followspot that emits a tight beam to keep the audience focused on your performers. It features a built-in CTO filter that lowers the color temperature to match tungsten lamps and offers a variety of control options including DMX and manual modes. Super smooth LED dimming makes professional fading a breeze and the mechanical iris reduces the diameter of the beam.
Traditionally, theatre spot lights were lit with limelight – a jet of oxygen and hydrogen impinging on a rotating cylinder of lime to produce an intense type of light that could not be dimmed. However, most modern follow spots appropriate for use in large theatres use arc-source bulbs that can be dimmed by closing the shutters of a “chopper” located on the top and bottom of the light. This allows the operator to shut off part of the beam for specific cues.
Many of our followspots can be controlled with a standard DMX controller that can adjust the dimmer, color, X and Y axis angles and master/slave mode. Additionally, some can run through a series of professionally automated programs.
Control
Follow spot lights are a crucial tool in any stage show. They allow you to focus the attention of the audience on specific actors, highlighting their every move and creating a visually engaging experience for the audience. Our LED Follow Spot Lights are designed to be easy to operate, allowing you to quickly and accurately adjust the lighting to ensure it follows your performers’ every movement.
Most large modern followspots use an intense type of lamp known as a discharge lamp. These lamps cannot be dimmed, so mechanical ‘chopper’ shutters are built into the lantern. The chopper can be opened or closed to control the size of the beam of light that is presented onstage. Smaller followspots often have a ‘dowser’ that can be used to soften the edge of the beam.
Cues for the followspot are usually called by the DSM (or a Stage Manager on larger shows) in conjunction with other lighting (LX) cues. However, the details of the cue – such as the size of the beam or the gel color – must be executed by the operator.
A follow spot should have’sights’ that are aligned with the set. If these aren’t correctly adjusted before the show starts, the operator will spend a lot of time chasing the spotlight around the set. Make sure the sights are properly lined up before a show, and practice by picking up small parts of the set around the room to check their accuracy. Also, remember that followspotting is hot work – wear gloves and keep hydrated while operating the lantern.