Best way to light a small stage?
Question:I need to light a small stage that will be used for speaking and filming. The ceiling is roughly 9 foot tall and the stage is approximately 15 feet wide.
I have PAR lights, but these will hang down too far and be much too close to light anything effectively. I thought about usuing a scoop light, or at least some type of flood, but i'm uncertain as to what will be the best to use.
Does anyone have any suggestions of what i could use that will light the stage and not be unsightly? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Answers:
Engineer for Proton led in Lyons Georgia says:
I have seen new can light using LED display technology that is immensely bright using very low power.
Since the current consumption is very low, you could put these everywhere and probably get enough light to get the desired effect without hazard and really thick cables. Big plus is they never burn out and are inexpensive!
Hope this helps!! I am posting a link for you to check on this
- Paul Catignani
It sounds like this application can have some fairly restrictive requirements and be pretty fixture dependant as well.
Typical stage lighting will have fixtures with fairly tight beams aiming at the speaker/actor from multiple directions as well as separate lighting for the stage set or back wall. Film lighting will require a specific range of contrast between the speaker and background for the background to be visible.
You really need to clarify the application in a little more detail and answer the following questions before you can get a definitive answer:
1) What is the actual function of the space -lecture, acting, etc, and what is the material of the performance/lecture? This will define the actual illumination requirements of the speaker and stage as well as give direction for the ambient quality.
2) Is there an ability to recess fixtures or cavities in the ceiling or floor? With space limited applications, lighting can be more effective when taking advantage of the cavities inside the floor and above the ceiling.
3) What is your budget? Some technologies like LEDs may seem to have the rough performance and small package desired, but the price tag can be quite large. You may even find that the surface PARs are the only option that you can really afford.
4) How important is this application? If the application is rather important then you may consider hiring a Lighting Designer. Otherwise, answering the above questions, finding a good contractor with a good working relationship with manufacturer rep's, and doing a lot of the product research yourself can probably do a decent job.
Good luck!
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